I always expect Vinnies in Newtown to be already pillaged by the hordes of op-shoppers that come…read moreespecially to Newtown for the shabby chic. But I am always surprised, because there is always loads of cool stuff in there, if you have the capacity and heart to sift through. It's open relatively late so if you have nothing to do after a dinner out and need some amusement, then go and find something shiny and spandex from another decade in Vinnies and get a giggle from your mates. I found an awesome beaded necklace here that people comment on... I don't tell them it was from Vinnies! Okay, actually I do after a while because I think it's pretty cool. When I'm in there I often think, okay, when I need a particular item of clothing for a particular one use occasion I am going to come here and find it for next to nix. Somehow I always forget though. Anyway, if you are on a budget, then get to vinnies to get some rad clothes and support a charity.

I normally don't leave reviews like this, but this really needed to be said. Monday afternoon, I…read morewas shopping with a friend since I was in serious need of some retail therapy. I love to thrift shop since I'm only a casual on a budget and there's some really good finds in the Vinnies that I've visited before. While that still stands true, the customer service was a mess. To put it bluntly, my friend and I were racially profiled. I was in line with my purchases when a girl at the counter looked at me up and down and rudely told me to go to the girl next to her instead. I didn't want to cause a scene, so I said nothing and moved along even though I was already insulted. And the thing is, it didn't end there. My friend is a little darker than me, and she was purchasing something to. We were both in the line at the other girl's aisle, and my friend was only looking at something on the display when the first girl had the audacity to accuse her of stealing something. When we were in line. With our money at hand. Really? The lady serving us apologised for her coworker and my friend overheard a conversation between her and the manager about how it was that girl's second day. Still, that was utterly unacceptable. Good products. But maybe Vinnies should screen their volunteers better.

As we walk into Reverse Garbage in Marrickville we are met with gigantic paint brushes and pencils…read more The exterior of this recycling warehouse is almost an art installation more so than a shop. "You can't look for something here. You just have to look and hope you find something." I am told when I ask what we are looking for. The answer to my innocent question both profound and vague. We scour the aisles looking for props and set pieces for the music video we've been hired to make. The gigantic dinosaur head is no good, nor are the various blow up hippopotami with back packs on. There are buckets full of circuit boards and shelves full of old digitised and erased film and audio reels. It would seem that everything you could ever imagine would be, at one point or another, housed within these walls. There's a book section out back and I sneak in to have a look, I should be looking for music video props but can't help myself and scour the children's section looking for Seuss. No such luck, there never is. I find 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans Christian Anderson and being that it is in great condition and only $1 I decide to buy it, even though I know that it will make me depressed. A warehouse full of everything you need as long as you don't know what you need.

This place is simultaneously the biggest hoarder of crap and a gold-mine. Depending on what you're…read moreafter. If you're after 20 of the same birthday card, 100m long reams of paper, a never ending supply of pipe cleaners, rolls of carpet and maroon velvet or manikin feet and arms, then you may just be in luck. Or, rather, if you're not exactly sure what you're after then you may be in luck here too. I'm a bigger fan of The Bower, a similar joint next door with a tad more class, but a trip to Reverse Garbage can be rewarding - we bought 50 cardboard drums from Reverse Garbage which we used as seating for a performance and then recycled into punch bowls, a fortress and super-sized bowling pins in the future. Perfect for a themed party, you can pretty much base your theme on whatever you find the most of at Reverse Garbage. NB: Specified items may or may not actually be stocked by Reverse Garbage. But rest assured that similar such crap will be.

Nothing like a good rummage in search of a vintage treasure. This secondhand and recycled clothing…read morestore isn't fancy, but it isn't expensive either. A bit more upmarket than your average opshop but not pretending to be glam in any way, it's a good place to hunt for something stylish everyone else might have missed. While there was nothing that screamed 'Take me home now!' on this visit, someone's sure to want the Beatles Yellow Submarine shirt (not t-shirt, actual short-sleeved shirt) out in front. Not me though, all their songs sound like ad jingles to me. I know, sacrilege.

Awesome secondhand shop with a great selection of quirky and trendy jackets, jumpers, pants, and…read moreshirts. Everything does tend to run a bit larger in size for me (size 6-8) but still great for oversized t-shirts or 80's style sports jackets. My friends and I never leave here empty-handed!

Tilkah is a store I first saw when I was scouring Chapel street in Melbourne for all the boutiques…read morethat everyone in Sydney raves about. Filled with gorgeous pieces of jewellery, hand bags and other accessories, Tilkah was the kind of store I could easily find myself in all the time. Unfortunately, a combination of my terrible memory and leaving Melbourne meant I forgot what the name of the store. I only recently discovered that they had a Tilkah store here in Sydney, and I recognised the name and from the style of the pieces they had available. They deal with soft leather, vintage style bags and a whole allotment of different jewellery. But warning, you pay a pretty penny for these pieces! Their shop in the Pitt street Westfield is set up exactly as it was in Melbourne. All their jewellery pieces are glittery in the bright lights of the store. I have my eye on one of their sling bags, made of their really soft leather. I just have to wait until the next time I'm allowed to treat myself.

Betty is eclectic, loud and unassuming. She is always the last one dancing at the club when…read moreeveryone else is ready to go home. When Betty walks into a room, all eyes are on her. And her clothes. If you want to be just like Betty, come to this shop and you can dress like her too. Always been intrigued by thrift stores but never known exactly where to start? Broadway Betty is the kinda place that has done most of the groundwork for you. A plethora of leather jackets, fuzzy cardigans, vintage shoes and a vast array of denim, whether you are looking for men's or women's clothing, there is nothing in here you can't find. Like all good thrift stores, expect to pay a little more than your local Vinnies or Salvos. And in amongst some of the more questionable fancy dress clothing, you can be sure that you will find some true gems in this store. Give Betty a visit. She is waiting to meet you.

Have you even been invited to an "ugly sweater" party and been unsure where to source said garment?…read moreBoy, do I have the place for you! Broadway Betty is a great vintage shop near Glebe Point Road that contains oh so much in the way of ridiculous retro wears. Sweaters rule here- think your Granddad circa Christmas 1987. There is also a delightfully large selection of vintage tracksuits in an array of colors. Do you have a shortage of sequin prom gowns in your wardrobe (tragedy!)? What about Levi cut-offs? What about boho patchwork or fringe handbags that suggest you should be twirling in a meadow somewhere? Ok, I think you get it. I don't know who Betty is, but she's got some kickin' taste. With Halloween looming near, this awesome vintage shop definitely deserves a little pop in. Who knows, you might stumble across the pair of overalls you always dreamed about.

All the dresses here are $39…read more All the skirts are $29. Guys clothes are cheap as well. The dresses are unique (pretty sure no one is going to be walking around in the same thing), cut beautifully and recycled from what would have been beautiful dresses in the first place. Similar to the recycled Japanese dress stall at Glebe markets, and with a bit of a Cream on King St vibe, all the dresses sit really well, but are definitely tailored to slightly smaller frames. I think this shop is fairly new, otherwise my wardrobe would have been filled with its dresses long ago. I came in here whilst waiting for a take away coffee from Black Star (next door) and ended up going home with two dresses and a skirt. And a handbag. And my coffee. Worth a visit - the clothes here are cheap and pretty vintage gems.

Cheap, unique and pretty are the adjectives I'd use to describe this little clothes shop in…read moreNewtown. They have a range of dresses with lovely patterns, bags embroidered with sequins and patches of material, skirts and other such things. They also have a whole rack of miniature versions of their clothes for children - just looking at them made me broody. They were so sweet! It is similar to many of the other clothes shops that line King Street in Newtown, and it's well worth a look in if you need some new summer dresses.