I took quite a while to jump on this band wagon. Honestly I used to not be a big fan of the idea. But one Halloween I was in desperate need of a costume, found a dress for $5 that used to be $85 and I have never looked back!
I'm literally on a Op Shopping binge.
(Source)
I have always been a big believer in saving money. I will talk myself out of buying nearly anything over $20 because really Rai, do you really need another pair of shorts? (I do admit shorts are always my downfall but hey everyone has their weakness!)
So when I finally figured out that I didn't care where I bought my clothes I realized Op shops weren't even that bad. When you stop caring about what other people think, it gives a whole new perspective. Teenage me didn't realize that no one who matters actually cares where you bought that dress! As long as you feel great in clothes and get a great bargain at the same time, who can complain!
I have saved a lot on not just clothes but books as well. As books only cost about $2-$10 at these places. I have picked up books I wouldn't have found in a traditional book shop and 90% of the time they are still in great quality. Which is super important to me as I treat my books better than most things in my life haha
For example: It is winter in Australia at the moment so I have been looking at proper winter coats for a while. Recently I went to an Op shop with my mum because she was looking for coats as well. All the styles that I liked at regular shops were looking to be $100+! That is insane to my cheapskate mind! So when my mum picked up a coat in the style I was looking for and it was in my size for only $14, how can you not admit Op Shops can be the way to go! (Mum also got her coat for $5!)
Now on to how it helps your creativity.
As I said above, the first time I went to an Op Shop was for a costume. I bought a blue dress for Halloween so I could go as a Twisted Wendy from Peter Pan (you can see bad quality photos on this post! Wow a flashback haha).
Figuring out what clothes can fit a costume can be a great way to get creative. I have even bought cheap t-shirts just to reuse the fabric for a belt in other costumes.
Once your creative juices are flowing you can make them useful to your everyday style. I have found many items that don't look the best on the hanger but have realized they can look amazing when on! You just have to have a more open mind and play around with it!
Summary of Op Shop benefits.
- Save a lot of money on clothes, books and even furniture
- Last minute costume lifesavers
- May even find some vintage buys! Plus the chances of someone wearing the same thing is very low!
- Money goes to charity as most of the Op Shops in my area are charity run.
- Fun to do with friends.
So these are my thoughts on Op Shops! I hope you enjoyed this post. I should post an Op Shop Haul soon! So look out for that.
Let me know if you Op Shop. Have you had any great buys? Comment Below!
Love Always,
