Miriama Kamo and other stylish op-shoppers spill their secrets

How do you buy second-hand clothes, save money and still look a million bucks? Katie Newton asks some people who know.

It’s no secret that buying second-hand clothing is better for our wallets and the planet but, for many of us, the thought of sifting through piles of smelly polyester with little hope of success, does not appeal.

But it's actually easy to create a stylish outfit from pre-loved pieces, or to mix and match them with things you already own. It’s just about shopping purposefully, and enjoying the hunt.

Broadcaster and journalist Miriama Kamo is a sustainable living advocate, who's also known for her great style. She has a rule when it comes to adding to her wardrobe; she'll only buy a new piece of clothing if it’s by a New Zealand designer, otherwise it must be pre-loved.

Kamo recommends finding a favourite bricks-and-mortar vintage shop, so you can try before you buy, before branching out onto online stores or Instagram.

“Don’t buy for the future you, or the smaller or bigger you, buy for the size you are now,” she says.

“Buy quality, timeless pieces so that you (or the next person) can wear it for decades to come.”

One of Kamo’s favourite vintage haunts is the Christchurch City Mission Op Shop. “It’s where my Mum shopped for all our clothes growing up, so I’m particularly fond of it,” she says.

She recently scored a battered brown leather skirt from their online store, Curate, for $12.

For special pieces, Kamo will visit vintage boutiques that deal in designer labels. In Auckland that means Little Tatty's, Scotties Recycle, Encore, or the Recycle Boutique.

While more expensive, these stores offer an easy way to access quality items for a fraction of the original price, like a favourite green wool Kate Sylvester trench Kamo bought for $175, which retailed new for over $900.

Kamo has a strategy for getting in and out of stores quickly. First, she’ll scan for textures, picking out natural fibres like wool, linen, cotton and silk, in a chosen colour palette.

“I tend to avoid synthetics and anything that’ll shed and cause havoc in the environment,” she says. “Plus synthetics are more likely to hold smells and wear from previous owners.”

If an item passes the test, she’ll pull it off the rack to assess the shape and cut.

Apart from the odd small alteration, like adjusting hemlines or replacing buttons, if garments don’t fit, she won’t buy them.

“I’m wary of buying too many things,” she says. “It’s important to try and stay on the right side of consumerism, even if it is second hand. I try to exercise moderation and only buy if it’s pretty much perfect on me from the outset.”

Or, to put it plainly; “If in doubt, don’t.”

Jonas Rogado and Jeremy Laserna are both long-time vintage fans, who enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

Together, they run online store Five Thirty Two Vintage, which specialises in classic menswear, collectable T-shirts, and hard-to-find sportswear.Their love of vintage shopping also has roots in their childhoods because, as first-generation immigrants from the Philippines, their families had to live frugally, often shopping at thrift stores or dressing in hand-me-downs.

But now, it’s the serendipity and individuality that appeals. “Vintage shopping is mostly a matter of luck,”Rogado says. “On some days, you may not find anything, and on other days you hit the jackpot. Sometimes, that store in the middle of nowhere has a few hidden gems.”

For Laserna, it’s the uniqueness of vintage that appeals, as well as the lower cost. “Each vintage piece is usually one of one or two, and that is what makes it special.”

The pair are always on the lookout for fabrics like cotton, fleece, flannel, and brands like Harley Davidson, Ralph Lauren, Fruit of the Loom, Russell Athletic, and Gildan. While their store specialises in streetwear, both Laserna and Rogado have day jobs in the IT industry and wear a sharper version of vintage to work.

Rogado says his best score of all time is a green corduroy Ralph Lauren shirt, found at Savemart in Onehunga for $12.

He favours good quality basics – monochrome T-shirts, light washed jeans or pleated pants. “The fit of a vintage find is important to me,” he says. “I avoid high fashion, something worth $20 does the job.”

Laserna avoids overdone logos, ill-fitting garments and bad quality fabric, and says vintage shopping should be about individuality and appreciating each person's unique approach. "All we can do is admire and respect each other’s fashion sense.”

Style-savvy Aucklanders have probably been influenced by Emma Cruickshank’s sharp eye, whether they know it or not.

She founded fashion and culture communications agency Public Library which represents brands such as Ksubi, Dr Martens and Stolen Girlfriends Club, and is the buyer for Black Box Boutique.

But she’s also an ardent vintage fan, and has built up an enviable collection over the years. “Since my early teens I have been obsessed with vintage clothing,” she says.

A favourite item is an early '90s Vivienne Westwood floral cotton corset. “It is fully boned and the most incredible shape. I paid around $250 but know it is worth way more now. I wore it on my 27th birthday dinner (which was quite some time ago) and have worn it to engagement parties and a wedding.”

Although she has many designer finds in her collection, Cruickshank doesn’t care so much about the brand as she does about the shape and the fabric. “I love finding interesting leather pieces and I am a sucker for a dropped shoulder or an epic sleeve detail. I also love finding a similar vintage version of something I have seen in a magazine or on the runway of a brand that is not in my price range.”

Cruickshank will sometimes customise a piece by replacing buttons, taking up a hem or dyeing it a different colour, but doesn’t over-think it. “You can easily incorporate vintage into your wardrobe if you have the right staple pieces to pair it with.”

Just add a flattering pair of jeans or a great pair of shoes, and you’re good to go.