I had passed this store in the car and on the bus a million times. It's eclectic window display of…read morevintage fashion was tantalising. I was very keen to know more. Sadly, where I hoped for that whiff of possibility, all I found was the scent of secondhand. I have a cupboard full of dresses I could potentially pass on to a new wearer - surely there must be people out there that have the same to come my way? But this doesn't seem to be my sought-after thoroughfare - the prices were higher than I expected, and there wasn't a single thing that tempted me to defrock and try. I will give it a second chance (no pun intended) - by definition, the collection will be variable and unpredictable, and they must be sourcing their window display material from somewhere.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This is one of my favorite markets in Sydney. I've scored designer clothing, picture frames, coffee…read moretables, cup & saucer sets, jewelry, handbags, shoes, juicer, books, greeting cards, a formal dress -- you name it! If you get hungry, there are tons of food vendors. Personally, I have only had the gozleme, which I quite enjoyed. A Turkish concoction which can only be described as a spinach Taco Bell Crunchwrap with lemon on top. I actually planned my vacations so that I could be here on the fourth Saturday of the month -- while both living in Sydney and visiting. I believe they have an extra market in December (or maybe they move the date?). It also happens to be located in one of the more picturesque spots in Sydney, great view of the Harbour Bridge! Anyway, it is conveniently located next to the Kirribilli train station and once you're done, there are tons of cafes to check out, grab a flat white and admire your wares.

Sydney's known for lots of markets - of all flair - across town. Kirribilli is a favorite. It's got…read moreamazing views of Sydney bridge whilst doing your small biz shopping. This one takes place every second Sunday and last Sat of the month. In my mind, it's split into 3 parts - the back part facing the fridge and on park greens is where you can find lots of vintage and consignment - many of them designer - super cheap - like $5-$10AUD cheap. I picked up several gorgeous party dresses that'd normally retail in the hundreds in stores. Just put them in the laundry and a good wash is all you need. That's my favorite part - and I could spend hours there. This particular market has WAY more consignment in one space than the other markets imho. The other two parts are - the food (obvs) -- tons of little vendors selling food of all kinds including dim sum!! my fav. :) The other part is all new stuff but locally made - which I'd def support! Parking is decent if you come early or later (1pm) - street parking is free on Sundays!

Cream on King is remade vintage done right. Similar to its counterpart on Crown Street (rightfully…read morenamed Cream on Crown), the reconstructions and print / pattern variations are delightful. I have this shameless love for cowboy shirts with the pearly snappy buttons and the scalloped pockets. To the left of this skinny shop, you will find a couple racks of these, but wonderfully redone for the ladies. With styles that have peekaboo shoulder cut-aways, or midriff exposing tie ups, you can be vintagey and sexy all at once (which, lets face it, is NOT always a given when dealing with vintage). Teeter on over to the boys side and you'll find this same style of cowboy shirt in its original form. Hey guys, from the point of view of a little hipster-loving, San Francisco born female, try one of these shirts with a leather motorcycle jacket over it. BAM. Insta-hot. The prices here at Cream are midrange for vintage. Not as good as if you sourced the same shirt from Vinnies, but could you? Probably not. The bonus here is that they've done all the sorting for us and elected what the Sydney edgy, "in" crowd should be wearing. I realize it's not for everybody, but they definitely had me at plaid.

Cream on Crowns sits pretty amongst the many other vintage and second hand stores on Crown Street…read morein Surry Hills. Selling recycled and re-designed clothing, Cream on Crown has many similarities to its Newtown sibling, Cream on King. In fact, the two stores hardly differ at all, except that Cream on Crown's sunglasses stand is far less grand than that of the King's. As for its stock, many of the dresses are same same - beautiful, but if you've bought one from there within the last two years, chances are that the one you wish to buy next time will be exactly the same cut and style, simply made from a different fabric. Whilst I'm a fan of knowing what you like and what's right for you, I had to stop buying from King and Crown Creams when I realised that a majority of my wardrobe was made up of the same dress in different colours. Aside from dresses, Cream sells plenty of vintage cowboy boots which are still in pretty good nick (although I'm always certain to check for slippery soles) and a bunch of guys flannies, sleeves pre-rolled.

As we walk into Reverse Garbage in Marrickville we are met with gigantic paint brushes and pencils…read more The exterior of this recycling warehouse is almost an art installation more so than a shop. "You can't look for something here. You just have to look and hope you find something." I am told when I ask what we are looking for. The answer to my innocent question both profound and vague. We scour the aisles looking for props and set pieces for the music video we've been hired to make. The gigantic dinosaur head is no good, nor are the various blow up hippopotami with back packs on. There are buckets full of circuit boards and shelves full of old digitised and erased film and audio reels. It would seem that everything you could ever imagine would be, at one point or another, housed within these walls. There's a book section out back and I sneak in to have a look, I should be looking for music video props but can't help myself and scour the children's section looking for Seuss. No such luck, there never is. I find 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans Christian Anderson and being that it is in great condition and only $1 I decide to buy it, even though I know that it will make me depressed. A warehouse full of everything you need as long as you don't know what you need.

This place is simultaneously the biggest hoarder of crap and a gold-mine. Depending on what you're…read moreafter. If you're after 20 of the same birthday card, 100m long reams of paper, a never ending supply of pipe cleaners, rolls of carpet and maroon velvet or manikin feet and arms, then you may just be in luck. Or, rather, if you're not exactly sure what you're after then you may be in luck here too. I'm a bigger fan of The Bower, a similar joint next door with a tad more class, but a trip to Reverse Garbage can be rewarding - we bought 50 cardboard drums from Reverse Garbage which we used as seating for a performance and then recycled into punch bowls, a fortress and super-sized bowling pins in the future. Perfect for a themed party, you can pretty much base your theme on whatever you find the most of at Reverse Garbage. NB: Specified items may or may not actually be stocked by Reverse Garbage. But rest assured that similar such crap will be.

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.