NEVER EVER PAY RETAIL’S OP SHOP WISHLIST

Hannah Klose is pretty much the closest thing Australia’s got to a professional op shopper. The brains behind thrifty blog Never Ever Pay Retail, Hannah’s been providing a behind-the-fitting-room-curtain guide to the nation’s op shops since 2014. Now well and truly Instafamous, her outfit posts are the thing of legend – with entire ensembles often costing less than the price of a brand-new pair of socks.

Many, many years of mining for treasure at the coalface of thrift has left Hannah with an uncanny knack for secondhand success. Right at the top of her tips is to draw inspo from high fashion looks you love and then make a hit list of the items you need to make it happen – meaning you avoid rummage overwhelm and keep an eagle-eye out for the things you’re after. As bargain-hunters countrywide gear up for the launch of National Op Shop Week on Sunday, we convinced Hannah to spill the beans on the must-haves currently burning a hole in her op shop wishlist…

Full-length overalls

#ICYMI 90s fashun is back in a big way, and nothing says the 90s more than a pair of full-length overalls…especially if you pop a strap, TLC style! I’ve had a pair on my op shop wish list for almost a year now…they’re pretty much my holy grail of thrifting, and I’m still hoping I’ll track some down before winter’s out! If you see some secondhand ones, DM me on Insta – @nevereverpayretail – please and thank you!

Old-school Vans or Converse

Old-school kicks with stars or stripes are the next step in the sneaker trend. Alllllll the fashion bloggers and models were wearing them at Fashion Week in May, so now I’m on the hunt for some pre-loved puppies…preferably some red Converse with the white star cut out, but I’ll also happily give some black Vans with a bold stripe a home.

Two-piece suit
Nothing says you mean business like a two-piece snappy suit! I’m talking tailored blazer and jacket styles that give a nod to the 90s. One of my favourite fashion bloggers, Brooke Testoni, was recently working a pinstripe combo that had me at hello, and I feel like I could definitely recreate the look for a lot less at my local thrift shop. Watch. This. Space.

Plain white tees
Customisation is king at the moment. I’m always scouring the op shops for fresh white tees, so I can either stitch cute phrases like ‘Running latte’ or ‘Gone thrifting’ onto them, or print them with political statements similar to the ‘We should all be feminists’ tees that have been going viral.

Men’s collared shirts
Before you look at me funny, hear me out…men’s shirts are probably the most overlooked items in the thrift shop, but they’re also the most versatile! There’s so many ways you can style them that are so on-trend…wear them half unbuttoned and off one shoulder, open and tied up at the waist, or tucked into some high-waisted jeans with the sleeves rolled up. You can do so many DIYs with them too, from ruffle creations to off-the-shoulder tops and dresses like the one I’m wearing in the photo above, with only the most basic of sewing skills! I’m always looking for slim-fit men’s shirts in go-to prints like gingham or stripes.

National Op Shop Week kicks off on 27 August. If you’re in Brisbane on 31 August, you can join Hannah at the Never Ever Pay Retail and Studio Thrifty4 VIP evening at 21 Collingwood Street in Albion – it promises to be a night of bubbles and bargains galore!