Key wardrobe piece for the up coming season!

There is only one month of Summer left this year and soon a change of season! Even now some overcast days have a slight chill in the air or when the southerly comes through on those hot days it can turn cool quite quickly.

When a new season approaches I like to look at my wardrobe and see where I can do a little ‘refreshing’. Coming to the end of Summer I decide what items I’m getting a little tired of and what items I can team together to tie me over into Autumn.

One of my outfits to wear into Autumn – just need to add a cardi!

Here’s what’s on my shopping list for this Saturday’s Op Shop Tour:

• Maxi dresses
• Short summer dresses
• Leather belts
• Metallic clutches
• Cardigans

My biggest focus will be shopping for cardis. I love how versatile this item of clothing is:

• It can keep you warm when the weather or the air conditioning is a little cool – easy to store in your handbag to pop on or off.

• It can dress up an outfit and take you from casual to evening – especially a luxe one with a little sequence or embellishment.

• It teams perfectly over a summer dress with boots – say no more!

So when I’m on the Op Shop Tour this Saturday, here are the 3 things I’ll do when shopping for a cardigan:

#1 Style & Colour – When I find a cardi I’ll ask myself – Does it fit with my style personality? Does this colour suit me and my personal colour palette? If yes, I’ll pop it on and see if it’s the right size for me and check myself in a near-by mirror.

#2 Wardrobe Outfits – I’ll plan in any new cardi I find with outfits at home. I try to buy items that can work in with a few different outfits that I already have rather then buying something that I then have to create a whole new outfit for.

#3 Budget – Before I begin any shopping spree I always set a budget and rough guide on how much I’ll spend per item. When I find an item that fits my style and colour and that I can work into a number of outfits, I’ll check the price tag and decide if it’s a keeper.

This Saturday I’ll be looking for a cardigan to team with this outfit

So there my tips for adding new items to your wardrobe when preloved fashion shopping. If it’s your first time op shopping, if you don’t know what shops to go to then join us this Saturday and I’ll show you how to do it!

Yours in all things preloved,

Rachel Prest

Director & Founder at Raid My Wardrobe

Rachel Prest is founder of Raid My Wardrobe. In 2010, she founded a preloved fashion event for women to refresh, recycle and reinvent their wardrobes. She began this blog in 2016 as a way to inspire, educate and encourage her community with more sustainable ways of fashion shopping, styling and creating. When she's not doing a wardrobe makeover or planning the next event you'll find her down at the beach, hiking or mountain biking in the bush or hanging out with her friends and her kids. Rachel is based in Newcastle, Australia.