Once upon a time the inside of your local neighbourhood op-shop was a domain inhabited by single mums on welfare, junkies and stinky grans on the pension. These days the inner-city second-hand stores have become hunting grounds of sorts. Across the city, scene queens can be found acting like junkies, fossicking through bargain bins, desperately seeking that perfect prize item.

The desire to find that certain something (a cardigan that no other kid will be rocking), that can be paired with your favourite designer jumpsuit,
is insatiable.

The most positive side effect of the aforementioned addiction is that the creations that result are undeniably original. Tell them about the price, son! Op-shopping bills speak for themselves, dad.

For this little vintage-meets-high-fashion gem, Romance Was Born was an obvious selection for featured articles. Despite being one of our favourite Australian labels, their original, fresh interpretation of contemporary fashion that makes them and vintage clothing, the perfect partners. Can you really have one without the other?

Add to that, a piece by unlikely – yet, at the same time, all too
likely – bedfellows Sixhands and you have a retro-chic fusion born of the delightfully odd brain of one of Sydney’s finest fledgling stylists.

Stylist: Laurel Puckeridge  |  Photographer: Diego Ibanez
Model: Kim Greenway