You beauty. If you love fashion full stop, and/or you're wanting to give your stunning wardrobe a…read morebeautiful facelift; then I highly recommend this shop. Ussed & Abbussed The Department Store is one of Sydney's best kept secrets when it comes to new and vintage clothes, shoes, jewellery, and accessories. Ussed & Abbussed is located at Cremorne (just off Neutral Bay), only minutes from the city behind McDonald's, and past one of Sydney's most popular private schools. A previous writing assignment (while I was a freelance writer before becoming a doctor) brought this place to my attention, and the awesomeness of Ussed & Abbussed has got me hooked on quality new and vintage clothes for both men and women at affordable prices. This is true. In fact, this fantastic business has been around for eight years now, as at the time of writing this. The owner, Dianna (otherwise known as Di) founded this business from her passion for designer goods. Furthermore, Di found a way to source cheap, quality clothes from overseas, and henceforth found a cost effective way to bring them to Australia. Di is involved in buying trips in the USA, France, Spain, and the UK to name. Even more impressive, Di has a generous and loving heart. This amazing individual loves to give in many ways. For starters, the clothing items available here are available at around 80% off the standard retail prices. Di also gives about $8000 worth of stock away to organisations such as The Salvation Army, as well as to St Vincent's Hospital to name on an annual basis. The customer service and friendly acknowledgements are awesome. Walking into a store with over 2000 designer labels under one roof is definitely a department store in itself. It may be a tad overwhelming, yet it is an absolute pleasure to spend at least a couple of hours here...totally up to you. Assistance is at hand to help you find out what you need. You will walk away feeling really prosperous with your purchases. Ussed & Abbussed The Department Store also have available a personal fashion stylist, who is also an elegant woman in herself, who exudes charm and walks the talk...a woman by the name of Hana. Hana has helped me find the right dress for the right occasion, as well as a pair of Dick Boons boots that feel so awesome to wear. Both Di and Hana (while serving you here) emphasise the need to feel good in what you're wearing. The ambience is laid back, inviting, and well displayed. There is plenty to view and admire, and there is even a visitors book to sign if you wish. A quote from Hana that has been drilled into my skull...please let me share it with you: "It is not about the dress, it is about the woman behind the dress." Charm is alive and well, and both genders will love shopping here. Ussed & Abbussed The Department Store have also held special parties upon request such as hens nights, and yes (you are reading this right) divorce parties to name as well. Di closes the shop for a couple of hours to accommodate such requests. They may occasionally hold special shopping nights too. Bookings must be made in advance for such. The first time I came to Ussed & Abbussed, I brought a pair of vintage Dick Boons boots for only $75. Normally the same boots retail for $600. See, generosity reigns at this place. Definitely money well spent. Hence the reason for my rave review. On my second most recent visit I brought a lovely Ralph Lauren floral top for around $35. This top would easily retail for $200. I love it. Easy to iron and ever so colourful. I also purchased a Bettina Liano long sleeve top for around the same price. Perfect with jeans too...or any skirt. Really happy with these purchases to - if not over the moon with them. It is true. Ussed & Abbussed sell clothing and accessories from the following brands to name: Burberry, Chanel, Chloe, Michael Kors, Versace, Alannah Hill and Wayne Cooper. These brand names spell luxe and quality in the fashion world. Hair extensions and bric-a-brac is also available. Di might offer you a lovely cup of coffee too. The Great Gatsby film producers have also approached Di to assist in the clothing selection for their cast. The clothes on sale at Ussed & Abbussed The Department Store have also appeared on TV show Puberty Blues as well. A great store. No, a really great store. You will never know what treasures you might find for your wardrobe here, and you will walk away with immense value. Hands down the best vintage clothing store in Sydney. One of the (if not the) best designer clothing stores full stop. Thank you so much...with immense gratitude. xxx

Amazing range of designer brands at super reasonable prices - and the smell wasn't that bad!!!read more

Fantastic finds that fall on the "bold and brash" side of the spectrum - this is not the place for…read moreunderstated pieces...but why would you want those anyway, when you could have an orange faux fur crop coat and a black leather blazer that's been structured to within an inch of its life (in all the best ways? Also a white lace minidress with lovely bell sleeves that was by a local fashion designer...and yes, these all came home with me. Shout-out to Natalie and Hazel who were both extremely friendly, welcoming, and helpful. One big gripe that may sound silly but it's a legit issue: they pack WAY too many items onto each rack. They are so tightly packed together that you honestly can't slide them apart to see a garment. I mean there is truly not even a tiny gap between the hangers; the hooks are hard-pressed together on the clothing rack bar. I've never seen this many garments shoved so tightly, even at a down-market thrift store. It made it so difficult to browse that I ended up skipping past big swaths of racks that I really wanted to look at but simply could not access. It was bizarre and extremely off-putting, which is a shame.. If I could have actually SEEN the clothes properly this place would get a full 5 stars. Dear shop owner: if you absolutely must put out this many items, just buy longer racks. There's space in your store to put in more racks, especially upstairs. You will sell MORE clothes when people can actually browse through them. Stop buying hangers and start buying racks!

In what can only be described as a mini recycled clothing hot spot, lies, amidst two charity shops,…read moreU-Turn Recycled Clothing. A slightly upmarket opportunity shop. Where as shops like St Vincent De Pauls, or Vinnies, as it is known, stock large amounts of everything, clothes thrown onto racks and boxes and boxes yet to be unpacked waiting patiently out the back. U-Turns is more sparing with the clothes that it sells. It's as though the clothes must first pass a series of tests before they are displayed in the shop and sold to the masses. Are they stylish? All the clothes available on the U-Turn Recycled Clothing racks are very hip and very apt, some faux fur formal wear for your first foray into furry fashion. Bold and brash cowboy boots with buckles and buffed leather finishes. A hat made of a mink that makes you think about the stink it would have caused to hunt said mink and taylor him into a hat. The prices reflect the classier appeal and display of the clothing and, while cheaper than most first hand clothing, is a little pricier than the shops next door. You could find, mixed amongst the trash and bland clothing in most thrift shops, a piece of treasure that would look so bold in your wardrobe, but to find that you would have to be lucky. Likewise it would be quite unlucky to find some trash in all the treasure at U-Turn.

Vinnies houses both trash and treasure, depending on personal taste and preference. Great bargains…read moreand finds can be found here. Second hand books and clothing are the most popular items which have been donated to Vinnies as a result of closet and garage clearouts. If you're looking for vintage finds and one-of-a-kind pieces, Vinnies provides the perfect opportunity to buy goods at affordable prices. Everything goes to a good cause, with the proceeds forward on to those in need. Do you have an upcoming dress up party or are you in need of a complete wardrobe overhaul? Head to Vinnies for some inspiration!

We've found some great finds here (Books, ceramics and other hidden treasures). We've ran, drove…read moreand walked by this store many, many times before. One day running, in the window I saw two great hardcover books that I've wanted for only $10 each!!! They were closed so I forgot about it for a day or so, then driving by I decided to stop off and pick them up. Unfortunately one of the books was sold already (you snooze you lose). The staff was ultra friendly, trying to see if it was just placed somewhere else or if they could source another one. They said if we see something we want and they aren't open, just drop a letter in the door and they will hold on to the item for us (so nice). It's also great to know that The St Vincent de Paul Society is doing such a great job providing the local community with affordable clothing and goods while supplying resources to people in need.

The Frock Exchange offers preloved high end designer fashion which sells on consignment. Anyone…read morecan bring in their designer pieces and at end of month you will be reimbursed for items that are sold. You can be paid in either two ways by store credit which is redeemable at The Corner Shop, The Frock Exchange or any Belinda Stores or directly by EFT. It is well know that the store is also affiliated with Belinda stores therefore also offers the end of season merchandise from these stores. There is Manolo Blahniks, Marc Jacobs and Chloe hand bags, Marni blouses and a Junya Watnabee dress and upon request you can receive notifications for new stock this might be advisable if you live far. Frock Exchange maybe right with love is sweeter the second time around but some prices in the Frock Exchange are too close to some of the product's retail value brand new.

Such great pieces at a fraction of the price you would pay RRP. Half my wardrobe has come from this…read moreshop! Has a great selection of labels like Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno and Marni - and the girls are always so lovely.

This place is a total gem. Lots of quality vintage/ designer items at a reasonable price point.read more

From the owner: The Sleeveless Society specialises in designer and on trend vintage clothing, accessories,…read morejewellery and homewares sourced around the world and locally in Australia.

If you love vintage - like real vintage not the copy cat designer vintage - then you'll love this…read morelittle boutique. It is filled with old and beautiful treasures. The old hats, suitcase, ties and dresses are from a time long gone but have been preserved well so are still wearable. The store girl looks the part with her strawberry blond hair and red lipstick pout. Prices are OK except for the baby clothes. $70 for a little boys top is bit pricey for something that is second hand even if it is super cute. They also have costume jewellery some as old as a century old. Oh and I loved the swirling blue and green patterned carpet - this is not just an old clothes shop - it's a step back in time. For vintage lovers this store is a must see.

It's duel of the competing Charity Shops…read more While the Presbyterians have the edge on style next door, the Anglicans here have numbers. Lots of stock, of varying quality, as you'd expect. There was a kiwi-adorned bucket hat in the window and you could take a tour of the world via the range of t-shirts they have inside, I daresay discarded by a welter on backpackers passing through. Prices are super cheap and there's lots of clothes for the kids. I thought I spied a possible bakelite bracelet on the jewellery rack, but by the time I got to it, someone else had nabbed it. Darn. Sorry, Church premises. Does that count as swearing?

A nice, turquoise painted surprise. Last time I walked past here, this was (and long had been) a…read morecreepy washingmachine/junk shop that always suspiciously hummed like it was ready to explode. Now, given a shiny coat of paint, it's a great little antique/vintage store. Which also sells local jams. There's an eclectic bunch of items, from retro furniture to vintage clothes, and the odd old kid's book. There's a huge meat safe type contraption big enough to secrete many a hoarded body part, an unbelievably cute 1920's French dressing-table seat and a kangaroo cape. Weird. And very cheap prices for the most part. As the gentleman kept telling us. Following us around and telling us. I'm sorry to say as a selling technique, stalking the shy makes us run away, not buy things. I'll be back, but please, give me a little space.

This is a wonderful retro shop, full of great suprises. I believe the shop owner (Billy) is most…read morecharming and my friends and I spent a lovely 1/2 hr listening to a Tiny Tim record which Billy was glas to play for us on his record player whilst we browsed the store. My husband and I always buy things from there; its a real treasure trove and much more interesting than the ordinary typical antique store usually found in the mountains. I did not find him stalking us at all; he was most informative and a charming shop keeper. I recommend a trip to this store any time; its a great place (and takes you back (if your 50 or older) to your childhood). Wonderful!!

There's not nearly enough gorgeous boutiques named after Ancient Roman Orators…read more Sigh. My favorite boutique ever. I have expensive taste, and not the budget to match it. But with frequent sales and very often a sale rack, I've bought the odd drop dead stunning designer concoction here. There's a red dressing-table like long couch for your shopping companions to sit upon while giving the requisite thumbs-up or -down response as you parade something you never want to take off. Staff are fantastic, one went to a great deal of trouble once to try and source me a replacement for a red winter coat after an accident with City Rail, rain, no signage and floor paint. Don't ask. They stock Lazybones (great cotton vintage inspired Australian designs) although the staffer the other day tells me they're getting harder to source, Katherine and Odd Molly. Amongst others. A few groovy shoes and handbags too. Desperately want an Odd Molly piece with not-really-making-sense writing all over it and Scandinavian embroidery. Sigh, one day.

I always expect Vinnies in Newtown to be already pillaged by the hordes of op-shoppers that come…read moreespecially to Newtown for the shabby chic. But I am always surprised, because there is always loads of cool stuff in there, if you have the capacity and heart to sift through. It's open relatively late so if you have nothing to do after a dinner out and need some amusement, then go and find something shiny and spandex from another decade in Vinnies and get a giggle from your mates. I found an awesome beaded necklace here that people comment on... I don't tell them it was from Vinnies! Okay, actually I do after a while because I think it's pretty cool. When I'm in there I often think, okay, when I need a particular item of clothing for a particular one use occasion I am going to come here and find it for next to nix. Somehow I always forget though. Anyway, if you are on a budget, then get to vinnies to get some rad clothes and support a charity.

I normally don't leave reviews like this, but this really needed to be said. Monday afternoon, I…read morewas shopping with a friend since I was in serious need of some retail therapy. I love to thrift shop since I'm only a casual on a budget and there's some really good finds in the Vinnies that I've visited before. While that still stands true, the customer service was a mess. To put it bluntly, my friend and I were racially profiled. I was in line with my purchases when a girl at the counter looked at me up and down and rudely told me to go to the girl next to her instead. I didn't want to cause a scene, so I said nothing and moved along even though I was already insulted. And the thing is, it didn't end there. My friend is a little darker than me, and she was purchasing something to. We were both in the line at the other girl's aisle, and my friend was only looking at something on the display when the first girl had the audacity to accuse her of stealing something. When we were in line. With our money at hand. Really? The lady serving us apologised for her coworker and my friend overheard a conversation between her and the manager about how it was that girl's second day. Still, that was utterly unacceptable. Good products. But maybe Vinnies should screen their volunteers better.