Restyle Day 23 - Lace

Today’s style prompt was stupidly hard. You’d think that finding something lacy and cute in an op shop would be relatively easy right?! Wrong! I struggled big time and was SO excited when I finally found this amazing lace top in the Australian Red Cross Mandurah shop.

I keep saying that I don’t wear all black very often, but I seem to be continually putting together black dominated outfits for Restyle (sheer, button down, collar)… I guess an all black outfit is pretty fail-safe and considering I’m putting together 31 op shopped outfits this month, it’s nice to throw in a few that I know will be instant hits.

These vintage Lisa Ho wide legged pants are definitely not my usual style, I’d normally pair this kind of lacy top with my leather skirt or shorts, but in the name of the game I thought I’d challenge myself to try something different. This outfit is very slick and glamorous, it’s the kind of thing I’d wear to drink champagne with my girlfriends. Speaking of which, I need to do that more often!

Top: Australian Red Cross Mandurah $6

Pants: Australian Red Cross Hamilton Hill $14
Bracelets: Op Shop

Earrings: Collette

Shoes: Gorman

The Restyle Photo-A-Day Challenge is proudly supported by Lotterywest

Restyle Day 22 - Classic

I ummed and ahhed about this prompt for ages, not quite sure how to interpret it. Should I wear a classic little black dress? Jeans and a t-shirt? Pencil skirt and a blouse? In the end the answer jumped out at me when I found this kaftan… 

Classic Hannah. I try very hard to be sensible when I go op-shopping. Only buying things that I know I will get a lot of use out of/have other things I can wear it with. But every now and again I come across something so amazing that I can’t pass it up. These things are generally vintage, normally colourful and always impractical. But I can’t help myself.

This kaftan was the same old story. I saw it from across the room, it was love at first sight, I couldn’t leave without it. It is really awesome. I do really love it. I’m DEFINITELY going to get SO MUCH use out of it…. (maybe).

So this is my classic outfit. Something totally inappropriate for my everyday life, but I'll wear it with joy any way because that’s what personal style is all about!

Dress: Australian Red Cross Willagee $10
Hat: Op Shop
Sunglasses: Stella McCartney

Belt: Vintage (made by my Aunt in the 70s!)

Shoes:Seed

P.S I may or may not have taken these pictures really quickly without realising my dress was actually inside out....

The Restyle Photo-A-Day Challenge is proudly supported by Lotterywest

Restyle Day 21 - Stripes

This stripey blouse was the first thing I bought for Restyle. It came from the Australian Red Cross op shop in Fremantle. If you haven't been to the Red Cross in Freo then I definitely recommend it, it has a carefully curated collection of designer, vintage and great quality second hand clothing. If you are new to op shopping then this store is a great place to start because unlike some traditional op shops, this one is thoughtfully merchandised, brightly lit and the racks are neatly sorted by style and colour, so it’s hard to get over whelmed! The Freo Red Cross is also open on Sundays (10am-4pm) which is excellent for someone who works full time like me! 

I knew I wouldn’t have any problems putting together an outfit for today’s style prompt. Stripes are a fantastic and versatile print that you can find in pretty much any op-shop you walk in to. I love a pussy bow, so I was going to buy this shirt regardless of its stripes, it’s just handy it fits in so well with a prompt! 

This outfit  is very ‘Austin Powers’, the velvet, the bow, the billowing sleeves. I love it! This blouse and skirt are exactly the kind of thing I have been searching for for my work wardrobe. They are classic styles but with interesting fabric/pattern which ensures they aren’t boring.  I could easily wear this outfit to work (and have!) I just need to lose the socks and the beehive...maybe.

Did you know that the whole Restyle Photo-A-Day Challenge is supported by Lotterywest? They are the reason I can prance around in my op shopped clothes every day this month! Thanks guys!

Shirt: Australian Red Cross Fremantle $10

Skirt: Australian Red Cross Bentley $5

Shoes: Asos

Socks: Random sock shop in Garden City

PS The Australian Red Cross op shop in Freo have their own facebook page!! They are always having great sales and insider offers, so follow them HERE and keep up to date their latest news.

Photos by Liz from mypagesturned.com 

Restyle Day 20 – Animal Print

I love today’s style prompt! I must admit I was a bit worried I wouldn’t find anything I liked in a Red Cross op shop. As much as I love leopard print, I’m terribly fussy about it. The colours have to be perfect, the spots need to be the right size, shape and consistency, and the item of clothing needs to be the correct style. That’s a lot of requirements to consider when rifling through an op shop!

When worn correctly animal print can look extremely stylish, elegant and effortless, but worn incorrectly it can look awfully cheap and tacky (according to me anyway!). I tend to keep animal prints to my accessories rather than my actual clothing, so the challenge was on to find something I loved and wanted to wear.

Turns out I shouldn’t even have worried! This skirt was one of the first things I found for Restyle. It actually started out life as a dress, but after trying it on with various other things I decided that the pattern was too busy for a dress, but I loved the pleats and the pattern, so I chopped the top off and turned it into a skirt! Animal print is a great pattern to clash with others, just keep it all tonal and you’ll be fine! My simple striped t-shirt was the perfect piece to mix with the busy print of the skirt. 

Skirt: Australian Red Cross Bentley $10

T-Shirt: Australian Red Cross Bentley $6

Earrings: Australian Red Cross North Perth $3

Shoes: Australian Red Cross Willagee $20

Belt: Op Shop

Sunglasses: Ray Ban

P.S check out my shoes! These beauties are none other than vintage Celine monk shoes. They are a perfect fit and in excellent condition. I actually did a little leap for joy when I found them sitting amongst the men’s shoes at the Red Cross in Willagee. Thank you op shop gods!!

Restyle Day 19 – Embellished

I didn’t have a specific item in my mind for today’s prompt, Embellished, just planning to see what I stumbled across while rummaging. I pulled this delightful beaded jumper from a rack at Australian Red Cross Hamilton Hill and knew it would tick my embellished box. These 80s style beaded jumpers are super easy to find in op shops. I’ve owned various incarnations of them over the years but have always struggled to style them (particularly difficult as I’ve never worn pants much before and a big snuggly knit seems to lend itself to a pair of skinny jeans). But in the spirit of Restyle I’m breaking out of my style box and trying new things!

This outfit actually came together when I found this faux-kilt on the $2 rack in Red Cross Shoalwater. It’s 100% wool and fits perfectly, it’s honestly amazing and I found myself thinking for the billionth time… WHO WOULD GIVE THIS AWAY?! (but thank you because now I get to wear it and love it). 

My $2 skirt makes a cosy combo when paired with this embellished jumper. It’s so nice to go out at night in winter in a cute outfit and not totally freeze my butt off. This outfit is SO warm and snuggly, but the beaded embellishments on the jumper and my excellent ankle boots ensure I don’t look frumpy, which is always a challenge in winter!

Jumper: Australian Red Cross Hamilton Hill $4

Skirt: Australian Red Cross Shoalwater $2

Boots: Jeffrey Campbell

 

PS I don’t recommend traipsing through the bush in boots with a 4 inch heel, my weak ankle did not cope well! (but aren’t these pictures fab!?)

Photos by the magnificent Tash

Restyle Day 18 - Neutrals

So I said I was going to take inspiration from Meryl Streep and Lauren Bacall for this prompt… and I did, but then that outfit looked terrible (I blame a pair of ill-fitting camel pants) and I couldn’t possibly share it on my blog, because I’d never wear the outfit out of my house. SO… this is the second neutral outfit I put together with clothes I op shopped from Australian Red Cross stores. 

Seeing as I had very little time to pull together a second neutral outfit, I decided to fall back on denim, because denim is basically the most neutral of all neutrals! You can wear denim with every print/pattern/fabric/colour under the sun, the combinations are endless! You can even wear denim with more denim (which you'll see me atempt in a few weeks!).

 This denim vest is incredibly versatile and when worn with my full circle cotton skirt and some basic accessories, you get a great 'neutral' outfit! You could easily add some wild shoes or a fab hat to spice this look up, but I'm sticking with today's prompt and staying as neutral as possible (red lips and sweet aviators don't count).

Skirt: Australian Red Cross Hamilton Hill $5

Vest: Australian Red Cross Hamilton Hill $3

Clutch: Australian Red Cross Duncraig $8

Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Shoes: Tory Burch 

PS I can't deny my love of colour, so I found the brightest back drop ever for these photos!

Photos by Valentina

Restyle Day 17 - Knit

The style prompt today is knit and I am IN LOVE with my outfit. It is so bright and so fun! Australian Red Cross stores are over flowing with awesome knitted items. I honestly could have put together about five different looks for today’s style prompt but I am so happy with this outfit, I may never take it off.

The pink knit Shakuhachi dress was one of the first things I bought for Restyle 2014. It’s a classic style, great colour and good quality, I could wear it a million different ways and know I will get a lot of use out of it.

 

It’s my bright fuzzy cardi that really draws the eye. It was sitting neglected on the $2 rack at Scarborough Red Cross op shop when I snapped it up. It’s so soft and cosy and eye catching! It’s obviously a homemade hand-knitted job which makes me adore it even more. Someone lovingly made this fluffy turquoise statement piece… I wonder who it was and why. 

This outfit makes me feel like a Spice Girl. Which is awesome. Everyone should feel like a Spice Girl! 

Dress: Australian Red Cross North Perth $15

Cardigan: Australian Red Cross Scarborough $2

Shoes: Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses: Pared Eyeware

Photos by Liz from mypagesturned.com