Treasures from the Past: Thrifting Today

Today's we have a guest post from Sue at Fifty Plus Travel. She's also my mum! Please make her welcome.

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Every now and then while thrifting you come across something so precious it makes you pause and wonder how much it meant to the original owner. Last Saturday, I brought home the most beautiful Meakin soup tureen, a beautiful bowl edged with royal red and reminiscent of my mother's perfectly appointed table.

We would sit down for dinner with knives, forks and soup or sweets spoons lined up in order, napkins in their old worn silver holders, salt and pepper cellars and tablecloth freshly starched. I thought of the time when this tureen had been cherished and placed on the table filled with soup and ladled out to each family member sitting around the table! It speaks of love and long lost table manners!

I also collect gloves, handbags and oddments like my magnificent old trunk which has a mystery to it to be solved! I love the see through spotted voile wrist styled gloves I own and the long evening gold gloves like those my older sister used to wear to balls! I have some of my mother's worn gloves and also own another precious pair, carefully preserved in their original Dents plastic covering! Most of my handbags are from the 60's like Glomesh and Oroton - some being mine, some with a locked history from the past.

 

But my prized possession is bound for the curator at the Cobb & Co Museum in Toowoomba. I found this at an auction centre a few years ago. Nothing I have ever bought has been so evocative of the past and so mysterious as to its origin. I found it underneath a bench with many other vintage items, just waiting for me it seemed! It has hessian laid over timber and rusted steel bands over that. it is a traveling trunk of the type you would see atop an old stage coach....just the kind of trunk you can imagine a lady would take laden with her possessions - on her way to a distant destination in the 1890's!

Maybe I can hear the echo of the young boys rushing out to unharness the horse team ready for a fresh one, as she stepped down from the coach with the help of an outstretched arm of a gentleman traveller! This trunk was used by the photographers at my daughter's wedding on the farm to display her wedding dress.....those memories will overlay the history of yester year.

Layer upon layer, that's how thrifting builds upon the previous person's usage, what a wonderful legacy we leave when things are passed on and lovingly cared for by their new owner!

Have you ever been absolutely overcome by the history of an item you have thrifted like me? 

Musings of a Plus Size Thrifter

On the weekend, my cousin and I went to the "Wardrobe Warriors" market at Mt Gravatt show grounds. I understand some enterprising plpeople organize this every few months and I certainly applaud the idea. Anything that gets consumers considering shopping secondhand is a good thing in my book as you know, dear reader!

The focus was on high-quality, designer clothes and accessories and certainly there were some lovely pieces. The problem was as I wandered and poked into racks, I didn't see a single thing over a size 16. I had been hoping an entrepreneurial plus size lady or two might have set up a stall but it was not to be. 

Now, this is not the fault of the market. The stalls in the day depend on the people who a) hear about it; and b) want to sell. 

So what do larger ladies do with their unwanted clothes? I can only conclude they give them away to friends, have private clothes swaps or give to op shops. I know in other cities there are plus-sized themed clothes markets but alas here is BrisVegas I have not heard of any at all lately. Who wants to organize one? Just kidding. Or not...

And so I guess I will continue to trawl op shops looking for the occasional 16+ gem. They are out there, I know because I've found then. You just have to be persistent. 

What do you do with your unwanted clothes?

Holi-daze

I'm currently in my second week of leave from work. Like most of my work "holidays", I'm not actually "going away" on holiday, just hanging out at home. I believe the trendy word is "Staycation".

Actually it is more what I told my new big boss - a "mental health break". I strongly believe that too much 9-5 Mon-Fri work takes a toll on me so I try to have at least a week off at least every 6 months. This time I took two because I had a lot of leave accumulated, and I had intended on visiting hubby in Townsville, but now he is home.

So what did I intend to do with my free time? Of course I wanted to be "productive", and "get stuff done". You know, all those things you never seem to have time to do when you're working full time? I wanted to declutter the house, work on my blog, take naps, do all the things I love to do (eat all the things I want to eat!).

Some of that has happened. I've op shopped, painted a bookcase and slept in a lot. I even scrapped a bit, making a card. The decluttering hasn't really happened but I have also had two wonderful nights away at the Gold Coast, one for a Hen's Night and again for a wedding.

Today I am sick. Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat and by last night I was fully blown ill. So I have been lolling about on the coach, trying to watch a ton of shows that are clogging up my Foxtel IQ (which I am always in trouble for!).

The rest of the week is open. I think I'm going to do more of the same - whatever I feel like. Just for a few days, until I have to go back to the work grind.

What do you do with your time off? Are you into the "Staycation"?

Save dollars with Op Shopping

I haven't had much of a chance to go op shopping lately, but yesterday I hit up four local shops on a mission to find some wedding outfit accessories. 

Although I wasn't successful in finding exactly what I wanted (note: op shopping is not great for this kind of thing) I did find some great bargain items. 

I thought I'd share with you because by my calculations, I saved at least $110 than if I had shopped retail!

The first item I bought is a red TS dress. I'm guessing it's part is the TS14+ range but the tag just says "TS". I usually do not like this label at all due to the tendency to have everything cut on the oblique but I tried this on and thought it was nice. TS14+ dresses retail for anywhere between $89-$200+, on sale for about $60. I got this for $6. Saving? I'm going to say ballpark $50 at least. 

The handbag is Basque, a label from Myer that I adore. I have a few pieces of their plus size label Basque Woman that I have picked up op shopping and they are always great quality. Their handbags retail for $89-119. On sale the smaller ones are about $59. I paid $10. It has a tiny, nearly invisible pink mark on the front. Saving? I'm going to say about $50. 

The gold chain is of mysterious provenance but it's pretty solid and heavy. I've seen similar in places like Colette or Lovisa retailing for $15-20. I paid $4. I reckon I saved at least $10. 

So by my calculations, I got a great versatile dress, cute bag and chunky chain for a song, saving approximately $110 overall. 

I'm really sorry about my dusty mirror!

Another op shopping win in my book. And I left behind an Olga Berg clutch!

Have you got any major bargains lately? 

Op Shops of Brisbane: Vinnies Eagle Junction

Op Shops of Brisbane is a series where I talk about charity shops I go to. Feel free to suggest a good one to me - I live on the north side but have been known to drive great distances for a good browse!

There's a bit of an urban legend about opshopping - that the nicer the suburb, the better quality the items you can find. I was over the posher side of town recently so my cousin and I decided to check out the closest op shop to Ascot we could find - Vinnies at Eagle Junction. 

Situated on the main road, parking is off street or across the road at the shops near the train station. Though a small shop, I found it to be packed with goodies!

Straight away I gravitated to the plus-size rack (yes, they have one) and found the urban legend to be real - Gucci, Ralph Lauren and the like were readily available! Of course, I can't tell the difference between a real and a fake when it comes to these things, so use your discretion.

They have a small bric-a-brac section, books and toys in the back rooms too. I didn't see much to attract the eye in the home/kitchenware department when we were there unfortunately. 

The volunteers were extremely lovely and helpful and everything was nearly organised. The front clothing section is more like a small boutique than a thrift shop, frankly! 

I highly recommend a look at this op shop if you're in the area - you never know what treasures you may unearth!

Find Vinnies Eagle Junction

281 Junction Road, Eagle Junction QLD 4011

Open Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sun Closed