The Journey Begins

I can't remember when my obsession with op shops began but it was a long time ago. I know I was frequenting them when I was at Uni in the early 1970s.  Perhaps it started with props for party costumes and grew from there?  However the journey began, it has been a long and fruitful one.

Another early influence was the church jumble stall, for which my mother was the convenor for many years.  This was as St Andrew's Anglican at Lutwyche, next to the Kedron Park pub, and in 1976 I would be married there. The stall was always in the shade of the wonderful big rickety wooden church hall (with the scary dark loos under the back stairs that were only used when you were really desperate). The photo below shows the stall in 1977, with Mum in the middle.  That hall was demolished in 1990, replaced by a no-doubt excellent new brick facility, which sadly lacks the character of the original. The old hall was also the venue for ballet and Art of Speech lessons provided to me by Doreen Thomas; Sunday School, which I taught; Companionship, Fellowship and Girls Friendly Society (GFS) meetings, all of which I attended at some stage. I also sprained my ankle near the bottom of its front stairs.

I seem to have digressed somewhat... Mum would beg parishioners to donate before fete day, ostensibly to give us time to price everything, but also because it gave us a chance to pick over everything and buy the good stuff ourselves.  One fete day, a woman came up to the counter and handed us this clock, which together we lovingly lowered straight under the counter (we did pay for it). It still chimes in my lounge room every quarter-hour.

The earliest dress I can definitely remember buying at an op shop was a full-length, long-sleeve purple velvet dress that I still have. It came from the Lifeline shop in Gympie Road at Chermside, which has only closed in the last few months. I bought some black, white and purple braid and sewed it over the edges of the yoke to make it that little bit extra-groovy.

This morning I hunted through my old photos to find the earliest pic of me wearing op-shop finery and here it is.  The Med Ball of 1974.  With my then boyfriend Andrew.  Somebody (possibly me) has spilled a drink all over this little number - it was a Med Ball after all. The dress was a plum colour with a built-in satin ribbon effect.  I know I had to take it up on the shoulders (as usual, because I am a short-arse).  The skirt was very floaty and feel-good.

I will continue this tale of obsession and memories periodically, until it culminates in The Great Op Shop Road Trip. But more about that later...