I’m not ashamed to say it – I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to the art of op shopping. I’ve been op shopping for years; in the early days, it was something I kept quiet as it was a tad embarrassing. Back then there was a bit of a stigma attached to op shopping.
Nowadays, folk are just jealous of some of the wonderful bargains I find!
So I thought I’d share my ten top tips with you – you’re welcome ;-).
Beginnger’s Guide to Op Shopping – my top 10 tips
- Sift and Search. Be prepared to search and sift through racks and piles of clothes. Amongst all the weird, wild and wonderful, you’ll actually find some great surprises. But be warned, you will have to look for them. Checking through each item on the racks will probably give you sore arms, but it’s definitely worth it.
- Larger stores are more likely to yield a “find” – I never fail to hit pay dirt in my favourite op shop, which also happens to be one of the largest in my area!
- Don’t go with a fixed idea of what you want to buy. Part of the joy of op shopping is never quite knowing what treasures you might find.
- Use your imagination. Is there something simple you can do to update a garment – perhaps taking up a hemline, or changing some outdated buttons?
- Op shops are great for fancy dress items, or just pretend play if you have little ones. Our dress up box used to boast a pink fairy skirt, a white doctor’s jacket, a Chinese satin robe and many accessories such as gloves, hats, beads and bags, thanks to our local op shop.
- Go with a friend! It’s great to giggle over some of the monstrosities together and even better if you are able to crow over a bargain with someone!
- Sometimes you will come home empty handed. Don’t fret, because you never know what will be there next time you look. Find out the delivery days for your favourite op shop and make a point of being there when the new garments are brought into the store. First in, best dressed!
- Don’t let the smell of mothballs put you off – it sounds silly but I had one friend who refused point blank to even set foot in an op shop for this very reason! Just remember – one wash will soon take care of that.
- Swallow your pride. Whether you’re comfortably off or on a pension, when you op shop you are supporting a charity in your community, and doing your bit to recycle and save the planet – something you should be proud of!
- Check carefully for any tears, stains or broken zips which may have been the resaon the original owner decided to get rid of the garment. A bargain you won’t wear is not a bargain at all.
Perhaps the biggest bargain I have ever scored when op shopping, was a pair of black leather knee high boots two or three years ago.
I think I paid $10 or $12 – which might seem like a lot for second hand (though they looked like they’d never been worn) – until I researched the brand. Joanne Mercer boots normally retail for a couple of hundred dollars, so I definitely scored a bargain that day!
What’s the best op shopping bargain you’ve ever found?