Maybe it's the fact that I grew up in the early 2000s, but I feel like there's a perception that doing your clothes shopping at the op shop means wearing slightly stretched out jeans and a daggy top, while toting a purse made from peeling pleather.
Certainly, the fast fashion industry has done a lot of work to convince us that buying brand new clothes every season (or preferably, once or twice a week) is the only way to look fashionable.
And it seems we're falling hard for fast fashion. According to a 2024 analysis by the Australia Institute, Australians buy more clothes per person than any other country, snapping up an average of 56 new clothing items a year (that's more than one item per week).
Australians buy more clothes per person than any other country
Sadly, more than 200,000 tonnes of that clothing ends up in landfill each year (the equivalent weight of almost four Sydney Harbour Bridges). If we're looking to make those numbers smaller, op shops are a good place to start.
And as well as being good for the environment, if you've got champagne tastes but a beer budget, thoughtful thrifting of certain pieces can leave you with more money in your pocket to splash out on some expensive items you can't find second-hand.
This approach can deliver a much more sustainable and satisfying wardrobe than churning through cash (and poorly made synthetic fibres) trying to stay on the fast fashion treadmill.
Thoughtful thrifting can leave you with more money in your pocket to splash out on some expensive items you can't find second-hand
Also, thrifting can be a great creative outlet. The challenge of finding the perfect piece to complete a look or even buying an out-there item and trying to work out how to style it can be a fun artistic challenge. The whole process also helps you generate outfits that are much more uniquely "you" than the cookie cutter looks on the racks.
Here are my top picks for clothing items you can thrift for a staple wardrobe:
A rainbow of colours and styles: basics sourced from op shops.
Plain tees/basics
If you watch as many styling videos as I do, you'll know that layering is key (especially in winter). We all need base items that are simple and plain, like t-shirts, singlets or long sleeved tops. I never bother wasting my cash (or generating extra textile waste) by buying these items brand new.
With the cooler weather arriving, I recently dug out my winter clothing supplies and took stock of what was missing. I noticed I had quite a few nice jumpers, but nothing to layer underneath.
So I picked up four basic long sleeved tops from my local independent church op shop to wear as a base layer, each for $2, each 100% cotton. I could have gotten a similar haul from Target or Kmart for 50 bucks or so, but why bother when there are plenty knocking about already?
In summer, I'm a big fan of a little cropped singlet and I have thrifted near-new condition tops like this in a rainbow of colours. If you're petite like me, my advice is to always check the kids section. I often see crop tops and even t-shirts in a size 6 or 8 women's size misshelved in the 6 or 8 children's section. Kids clothes are usually priced even cheaper than adults so it's an extra bargain.
A couple of op shop belts can go a long way.
Belts, scarves etc
Some of my favourite thrifted fashion staples are the classic black leather belts I wear constantly. I have one with a silver buckle and one with gold and they are so timeless I can't imagine a future where they aren't staple accessories.
It's simply a matter of hunting through the various synthetic and low quality offerings and feeling for some genuine leather – a real diamond in the rough. A leather belt costs at least $30 or $40 new, so it's a great staple to grab at an op shop if you can.
My personal aesthetic doesn't stretch to scarves (although as I'm writing this I'm thinking… should I start incorporating scarves into my outfits?), but the op shops are positively overflowing with them. They come in every print under the sun and a few I've spotted are even genuine silk. A silk scarf and leather belt are the kind of details that can subtly uplevel your look, and they're very easy to thrift.
Caps
Ever since I hit 30 and became aware that sun damage is a *thing* for skin (and apparently sunscreen can't necessarily be relied on to do the job on its own), I've become much more amenable to wearing a hat. A happy side effect is that I've also realised that adding a cap to my outfit can really pull it all together.
I like to have a range of colours (and textures) and brand doesn't really matter to me. I've picked up corduroy, denim and basic cotton caps for a couple of dollars here and there. You can also pick up some pretty funny slogan or branded caps if that's your thing – it can certainly be a conversation starter.
Bags
Nothing is quite as timeless as a simple leather bag. And, to be fair, it can be worth spending a decent chunk on a leather bag that will last a lifetime as an investment piece. But, if you want the piece without the investment, don't dismiss your op shop as an option.
My go-to bags are all thrifted: a leather backpack, designer leather shoulder bag and a cute black waist bag. I even thrift all my reusable shopping bags, because – why not?
Yes, you'll have to riffle through your fair share of peeling pleather to find the genuine leather grail, but the hunt is half the fun!
My favourite thrifted oversized men's denim jacket.
Oversized shirts and jackets (for women)
As somebody for whom bodily comfort is a key value (I will NEVER wear high heels), the baggy clothing trend could not be more welcome. And let me say, the men's section of the op shop is baggy heaven for women, so it's a big mistake to skip it if you're thrifting for women's fashions.
For one thing, women's clothes are often misshelved there, but also, men's clothes are often sturdier, better quality and have more pockets (that are actually functional).
I especially love a super-thick cotton tee with a random slogan or logo (although there are plenty of distasteful ones to avoid), and an oversized denim or leather jacket. Men's button down shirts are also pretty trendy for women right now.
Risky looks/trends
If there's a look or trend I'm not quite sure I can pull off, like a transparent skirt, ultra-baggy Gen Z jeans or a waistcoat-as-a-top, I'll give it a try if I can thrift it. That way, if I wear it once or twice and it just doesn't feel like me, I can re-donate it, no harm done.
When it comes to buying new, I try to only buy zero-risk, sure-bet items that I know I'm going to get a lot of wear out of. The feeling of donating some trendy item that I impulse purchased (or worse, staring it down in my wardrobe every day) is one I try to avoid at all costs.
Do you think anyone can tell my son's sport kit is 100% thrifted when he's out on the field?
Sports kit
From new-with-tags workout clothing to shinpads and soccer boots, op shops are an absolute mecca for cut-price sports kit. Buying second-hand is particularly smart if you're shopping for a kid who may lose interest in the sport the following season, or will outgrow anything you buy them in a matter of months.
My son and I both play soccer and we picked up all our boots, socks, shinpads and black sports shorts from the op shop.
Things I think are worth buying new
As a hardcore op shop enthusiast, this list is pretty short. But I do feel that the key to a successful (mostly) thrifted wardrobe is carefully buying a few high quality new items that allow some of your more left-of-field op shop finds to shine.
Jeans/pants
There really is no substitute for a pair of pants that fits you properly, particularly jeans. Investing some money in a few high-quality pairs of pants that fit perfectly and make you feel good can give you the confidence to experiment with some thrifted items without worrying about looking daggy.
If buying new, invest in heavy denim jeans that are 100% cotton
While it is possible to find an amazing pair of jeans at op shops, in my experience they are one of the harder items to thrift.
If buying new, invest in heavy denim jeans that are 100% cotton. You'll be surprised how many pairs contain a percentage of polyesters, which means they get that stretched-out look after a while and need to be tossed.
In my recent search, I noted that Nudie Jeans even offers a lifetime warranty with free repairs, which means if you find the right pair you really could be set for life.
If jeans aren't your thing, a pair of well-tailored pants made from good quality material will provide the perfect base.
Shoes and slippers
The least-thrifted area of my wardrobe is definitely my shoe cupboard. I think a really nice shoe can carry an entire outfit and, of course, you need your shoes to fit perfectly and be comfortable for all-day wear (well, I certainly do – as mentioned, I'll never, ever wear high heels).
If you carefully buy a few staple shoes that you love to wear, you'll usually get very good value out of them and they'll help you feel more confident putting together outfits with thrifted goods. I'm a strong believer that a branded shoe can make your whole outfit look expensive.
When it comes to slippers, buying second-hand is simply gross (in my opinion). Synthetic slippers always have a bit of a smell and even if you find genuine uggs (which rarely stink), they tend to really mould to the shape of the wearer's foot. Uggs are another item that's worth buying new – they can last a lifetime if you care for them properly.
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