Heading out for a night on the town? You could run out to a chain store to find a fun new outfit (and risk looking like every second person you see), or, you could head to your local op-shop, get thrifty, and rock a one-of-a-kind outfit that screams effortless cool.
So, what are the key ingredients in a fun going out look that’s still suitable for winter? Let’s break it down:
Faux fur coat – $25 Salvos Jamison
Sparkly sweater – $7 Salvos Belconnen
Black skirt – $7 Salvos Jamison
Colour block heels – $6 Ys Buys Belconnen
Since Canberra’s weather is so cold, it pays to invest in a few interesting coats to mix things up a bit. Op shops are great for finding cool vintage-style coats, but you may have to shop around a bit to find one that fits well. That being said, over-sized coats are quite trendy right now, and can look especially cool draped over your shoulders (just pretend you’re an old-school Hollywood fancy person). Here we’ve gone for a quirky, fuzzy faux fur coat that’s sure to turn heads. It makes a bit of a statement and will prove a great ice-breaker as many people will come up to you and ask if they can stoke it. You see? Warm and practical!
Underneath our coat we’ve got a black sparkly sweater, which is great for injecting some fun into the look while still keeping you warm. The sweater is so long that it’s covering up our black mini skirt (there is a skirt I promise!). This creates quite a sexy look, but also helps to balance the bulkiness of the coat.
And as for shoes, we’ve gone for sky-high colour blocked heels. The high platform helps elongate the leg while the ankle straps will ensure they stay on your feet while you’re cutting shapes on the D floor. There are lots of great party shoes to be found at op shops, as I think people only wear such statement shoes a few times until they get bored of them. Fortunately you can reap the benefit of their impulse purchases and nab a cool pair of heels for just a few bucks.
Adding all of our elements together, we’ve come up with a distinctly Carrie Bradshaw-esque ensemble that looks cool while keeping you warm. The coat will prove useful time and time again during winter (it makes a great blanket at the movies trust me I know) and the heels are great for injecting a pop of colour into an otherwise monochrome outfit.
Let me know in the comments if you like the look, or if you’ve ever found a great going out piece in an op shop!
Photography by Jiawa Liu from Closet Voyage.
