Bindaring Red Cross
Clothing Sale

A few months ago I was contacted by the organizers of the Bindaring Red Cross Clothing Sale to see if I wanted to be involved and help them promote this wonderful event (taking place on 14^th May at the Claremont Showground). If you’ve never heard of the Bindaring Clothing Sale before (I was admittedly a neophyte as well), this is a charitable event, selling new and vintage clothing and accessories, and all funds raised go to support local Red Cross services. Vintage and charity? I didn’t even hesitate.

This amazing event is in it’s 53rd year, raising nearly $1.8 million to date to help an incredibly worthy cause. Funds supporting the Red Cross go to emergency response services, post-disaster community support, support for the homeless, and many many more. Your shopping dollars really can make a difference!

Here’s a quick run-down of how things will be organized:

Date: Saturday 14^th May 2016 9.00am- 3.00pm

Opening Times: Op Shop and $1 a bag – 9.00am; Emporium – 9.30am; Boutique – 10.00am

Venue: Robinson Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds in Perth, WA

Entry: Cars – Gate 5, parking $2; Pedestrians – Gate 1 (Trains will also stop at the Showground Station!)

Ticket Price – Gold Coin donation for entry to Boutique

My role in this year’s event was to scope out the vintage selection, put my creativity to work to style a few looks, and give you all a sneak peak of what will be on offer in the sale. When I arrived this past weekend, I was amazed at the racks and racks of gorgeous garments housed in a massive pavilion (thankfully well-organized).

I had an absolute blast scouring through a veritable vintage wonderland. I’m not ashamed to say that I let my inner child sing and played dressup all afternoon – from styling a look worthy of a night at the opera, to a garden party with my beloved, to an evening lounging in my vintage boudoir, there really is something for everyone.

To help shoppers navigate their way around the vast selection, the clothing has been divided into multiple sections, the major ones being the Boutique, Op Shop, and Emporium – there’s also a $1 a bag section for the serious bargain shopper.  The Boutique area houses the new and nearly new designer labels and top quality clothing – it also includes “The Edit,” where the crème de la crème of the clothing and accessories can be found. The Op Shop is a thrifters paradise, with good quality clothing all $10 or less per item, while the Emporium is home to the vintage and repro treasures that set my heart aflame.

With access to the entire place, I was told to feel free to check out the other sections, but I barely strayed from the Emporium, where all the vintage wares along with an eclectic collection of accessories and all the jewelry is sold. They might as well have changed the named from The Emporium to Kara’s Happy Place.

For Sale

After frolicking awhile in my euphoric vintage wonderland, I styled a few looks for your viewing (and hopefully shopping) pleasure. All items below will be available for purchase at the Bindaring Red Cross Clothing Sale this weekend unless otherwise stated. I’ve also included basic bust, waist, and hip measurements where I could (in inches, measured flat and then doubled). Note some items were pinned on me for fit.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have about fabric and fit to be as prepared as possible first thing Saturday morning!

A Garden Party

This absolutely twirlable dress had the floral print that dreams were made of! I love the blue and red color palette and the polka dot lining in the bodice, which peeks out of the shoulder ties. If she were my size, you would have had to fight me off of her in the sale! I styled her with an amazing red and silver resin necklace, iridescent beaded bracelet, and the cutest vintage jewelry-box-meets-handbag I ever did see, all available for purchase (shoes and belt owned by me).

Dress Measurements: B: 44″ W: 37″ Hip: open (clipped on me in the photos)

A Day at the Races

This pink, white and black cutie is so crisp and perfect for a day of sipping Pimm’s and catching some rays. I’m usually not much of a hat person – but there was something about this fuchsia floral dress that made me want to get all chapeau’d! I styled this stunning dress and hat with with a beaded necklace, black suede heels, and a stunning vintage box bag, all available for purchase (belt owned by me).

Dress Measurements: B: 40 W: 32 H: open (clipped on me in the photos)

Painting the Town Red

For a night out, my general rule is: take some sparkle, add a bit more glitter. I loved the iridescent sheen of this oxblood taffeta skirt paired with the navy sequin bolero. And while I was having my sparkle party, I went ahead and paired it with a rhinestone necklace, black and silver heels, shimmering bangles, and a beaded clutch, all available for purchase. Go big or go home, right?

Skirt Measurements: Natural waist: 28″; Drop Waist: 29″
Navy Bolero: Size S

Hanging with The Girls

Sometimes, you just want a night out with the girls. Generally, the girls I hang with are a fair bit chattier (and have heads and limbs for that matter), but these ladies were just as happy to hang out and eagerly awaiting being styled to perfection! Given that this adorable 1960’s mod dress with a hint of silver fit into their lineup perfectly, it was a photoshoot waiting to happen. I styled the dress with a beaded bracelet, silver watch, vintage beaded handbag, and black and white heels.

Dress Measurements: B: 36-37 W: 31-32 (clipped on me in the photos)
Heels: Anne Klein, size 8.5

A Night at the Opera

One of my absolute favorite pieces that I saw during my wide-eyed rummaging was this stunning 1940’s lace wiggle dress. An absolutely gorgeous neckline and oh, how she hugged my curves. She was only worthy of the best, so I styled her with the perfect opulent art deco style necklace, vintage gloves, and tapestry handbag, all available for purchase (belt and shoes owned by me).

Dress Measurements: B: 39″ W: 28-28.5″ H: 38″

In the Boudoir

And of course, because there was a gorgeous wedding crinoline and a vintage brush and mirror, I had no choice but to do a mini boudoir photo shoot. I mean, what’s a gal to do? Crinoline, cami, headscarf, and brush all available for purchase (the sass you’ll need to provide yourself).

Crinoline: W: 24-29″ (with stretch)
Cami: B: 35″

To Prepare

I don’t know about you guys, but I can get seriously vintage-drunk, surrounded by a heady mixture of fashion and history. I left that afternoon on such a high, with a rather long list of items I have my eye on to buy on the actual day! This will be my first time attending Bindaring, but having visited similar events in the past, I’ve worked out a few tried and true strategies to ensure you’re able to navigate with ease.

1. Although there will be fitting rooms, due to the anticipated crowds I always like to wear something I can easily try on clothing over the top of. I usually go for a close fitting dress that doesn’t add bulk, but if you’re a leggings and t-shirt kind of gal, that will get the job done as well.
2. Bring a tape measure! Before you leave home, measure a garment that fits you well. Measure the width of the bust (pit to pit), waist (at the smallest point), and hips (just over the bum). When you get to the sale, take similar measurements and compare them. It’s a great way to quickly determine if a garment will fit.
3. Bring a large handbag that you can wear cross-body. Firstly, it’ll allow you to immediately store your purchases. Secondly (and most importantly), you’ll want to be hands free with the freedom to explore all of the amazing wares.
4. They will take credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and Debit (minimum purchase $10), but it’s always a good idea to bring a bit of cash should you want to scoop up an item under the $10 price point. But, never fear, as there’s an ATM available at the Robinson Pavilion as well if you get stuck.
5. Get there early! Doors open at 9:00 am for the Op Shop, 9:30 am for the Emporium, and 10:00 am for the Boutique. However, I have it on good authority that people are known to queue from 7:00am. If you have your eye on something special, plan to get there early. As they say: first in, best dressed!

If you have any questions about the event, feel free to ask away in the comments section or check out the Bindaring Website. And if you register your email with at their website, you get entered into a draw to win $100 to spend at the sale (!). You can also follow their Instagram to get a few sneak peaks of other beauties for sale (including looks styled by other amazing local Perth bloggers!) and share a photo for another entry into the $100 giveaway.

Remember, by visiting Bindaring this weekend, not only are you supporting an important charity, but shopping at these kinds of events is much kinder to the environment and can help you cultivate a one of kind look for an incredible bargain. If you aren’t local here in Perth, I’m sorry to say these items will not be for sale online. But, I highly encourage you to go out and find ways to get involved with organizations in your own neighborhood that support Red Cross.

I am definitely guilty of getting so caught up in my day to day that I forget to give back – this was an incredible opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause, with the added bonus of helping some beautiful vintage find it’s way home.

Happy Shopping!

xoxo

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I was given no personal incentive for this post. The Bindaring Clothing Sale is organized and run by volunteers, whose goal is to raise money for Red Cross Services, which help the vulnerable in our local communities. It’s vital to give back to the community, and I was proud to support such a worthy cause. If you want to find out more about Red Cross and how you can get involved, I hope you check out their website.

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