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HAVEN’T got an outfit for Albury Gold Cup yet?
Have you ever thought of heading to the op shop for race wear?
Albury’s Sarah Fisher hadn’t.
But yesterday, at two Border op shops, she found three complete race-ready outfits which together cost less than the shoes she had already bought for the event.
Her favourite ensemble, a blue hat with red dress, cost just $21, including shoes, a belt and a bag.
Meanwhile, the outfit she bought at Lookbook boutique for the Gold Cup, a black and white dress, black shoes from Evans and a hand-made hat from Delphine Nicholson, cost $699 in total.
Which outfit do you prefer? When you decide, vote in our poll (right).
“It’s not something I even considered, finding an outfit in an op shop,” she said.
In fact, she bought the black handbag which was found while rummaging through items at Vinnies in Lavington yesterday.
She now plans to take it to the Gold Cup. It cost her $3.
“It’s crazy, I can’t believe how cheap it was,” she said.
“If I hadn’t bought that I probably would have bought a bag costing about $60, at least.”
But as impressed as Sarah was by her finds, she prefers the fit and quality of her boutique buy.
She said finding that kind of fit at an op shop was a difficult task but in future, she would consider getting her accessories on the cheap.
“Even if you did buy an expensive dress, you could still go there for your shoes or your bag or hat,” she said.
“Maybe that’s what I’ll do next time.
“Especially when I’m looking out for that classic look, the black and whites, the more vintage type things.”
Melbourne Cup and Albury Gold Cup are busy times for Border op shops.
Carmel Tutt, who has volunteered at Vinnies for 36 years, said they collect a lot of race wear through the year and bring it out just before the big events.
They only had two race wear hats left at Albury Vinnies yesterday.
Mrs Tutt said they tend to get sold the day they are put out.