You may have watched her on Sunrise, heard her speak at Revive Festival, or know her from her blog, Never Ever Pay Retail; Hannah Turner (nee. Klose) is Brisbane’s caped crusader for recycled fashion (and that cape would have been bought at an op-shop for under $5). Hannah took some time out of her busy schedule of motherhood and thrifting to share some of her secondhand shopping secrets.
Zoie May sits down with Hannah one on one...
When did you first fall in love with op-shops?
I think it's safe to say I've loved them since birth. My parents raised me to thrift and taught me to treat it like a treasure hunt!
At what point did you decide to ditch retail shopping altogether?
I rarely used to go to the mall, but when I started my blog at the beginning of 2014 that really drew a line in the sand for me! 99% of what I wear is preloved now (except underwear… I had to draw the line there)!
You've turned this into a pretty popular blog. How do you balance Never Ever Pay Retail with your day job?
Haha that is such a good question. I'm still trying to work that out! I actually took a pay cut and a part time job in 2014 just so I could start the blog which definitely helped free up my calendar but then I had a baby at the beginning of 2015 so all my time went out the window again! Now it's a bit of a juggle, I'm just glad my toddler loves thrifting because she has to come along for the ride!
How do you keep your thrifted wardrobe on point?
When I'm not at work you can guarantee I'm at a thrift shop somewhere. The key is to keep at it! I also think it's important to have a vision of the look you want to create before you set foot inside a secondhand store. I love following fashion bloggers on Instagram so I can get some inspiration for what's on trend and what to look for in the thrift shop. Fashion is cyclical so you're bound to find vintage versions of current season styles. It's also handy to keep an op-shop wishlist on your phone so you stay on track.
You've travelled all over for the thrill of the thrift. Where are your favourite places to shop across Australia?
Hands down it's got to be southeast Queensland! There really is no place like home. I think the quality of the stock and the price point here is second to none! There's so many secondhand hot spots in this region. It's definitely worth going the extra mile for places like Redcliffe, Bribie Island, Caloundra, Toowoomba, Wynnum and Ipswich! Having said that I love thrifting in Melbourne and Adelaide too… you just have to know where to go down there!
You've also been involved with Studio Thrifty 4 in Albion, in the form of late night op-shopping! Can we expect to see more in 2018?
We're planning a few late night op-shopping events at Studio Thrifty 4 in 2018. We saw over 1,000 thrifters at the last one in November, so this year's events are going to be hectic! There'll be a recycled runway again as well as a massive thrifting session with all garments, shoes and handbags going for $5 (can I get a witness?!) All funds raised from each event go to Pay A Sack Forward - PASF, a charity which helps the homeless, so people can shop knowing their retail therapy is also helping someone else. I call that a win-win!
You can follow Hannah’s journey on her blog nevereverpayretail.com.au or on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to keep an eye out for her upcoming shopping nights with Studio Thrifty 4!
Author: Zoie May
Images: Never Ever Pay Retail
