There are some very talented shop curators out there who are providing their expertise and making second hand shops both trendy and inviting to visit.

I went and checked out the brand new Dove Hospice shop in Meadowbank  last week, and what a breath of fresh air! From the well laid out toys and glassware, to the neat looking racks of designer clothing. It even had a sale rack (I know, a sale rack in an op shop, how can you go wrong!) And that’s where found this Vera Moda tunic for just $12.50. I love the slimming pattern, and it’s versatility. I can wear it as a tunic with tights, or as a top with jeans (these ones are Mavi skinnies for just $17 at Savemart)

Another notable well curated op shop is the Panmure Restore for Habitat for Humanity. This shop is beautifully done, gone are the days of bric-a-brac dumped on a table, the volunteers have carefully restored used furniture and placed vintage homeware in colour co-ordinated sections, making it look like an upmarket french home store. I wanted everything!

One thing I like about ops shops is they’re packed with a multitude of interesting things, books, clothing and bric-a-brac. I love not knowing where to look and just enjoying rummaging through, but that can turn some people off. The Hospice and Restore have made these stores more in tune with shops you’d find on a high street, and in taking this care they are making ops shops more appealing. to the general public. Power to the second hand culture!