SECOND HAND SPECTACULAR

There will be vintage clothes, accessories and bric-a-brac as far as the eye can see at the Claremont Showgrounds this weekend when the Polka Dot Vintage Market returns with a bounty of second hand treasure. Bigger than any other vintage sale in WA, the Polka Dot Vintage Market has to be seen to be believed, with pre-loved fashions, home wares, jewellery, records, fabrics and handmade items from a variety of stallholders. Held in conjunction with the annual Antique & Collectors Fair, the market is a must-visit for those who covet the fads and fashions of yesteryear.

Alongside the many vintage sellers at the market will be the ladies behind local labels On A Whim and Peppermint Milk, who create new frocks out of second hand fabrics. With a shared love for all things vintage, designers Kate Wilks and Maevana Mitchell wear their hearts on their sleeves, breathing new life into old fabrics, sourcing most of the materials for their designs from op shops.

“I love op shopping, garage sales and markets of all kinds, these are where the gems are found,” Mitchell responds when asked where she sources her fabrications from. “I love being able to look at any garment or accessories or even bed sheets to see the potential treasure beneath. Of late I have been mashing up op shop garments, combining tops with skirts to make sexy, edgy dresses.”

Mitchell says that visitors to her stall at the Polka Dot Vintage Market can expect to find “a delicious array of sweet and enticing treats in the form of party frocks, picnic in the park dresses, any number of bows, belts and pompoms, an assortment of boned bustiers, sexy lingerie and my new edition of op shop mashups, where Peppermint Milk takes two op shop garments and combines them in to one mighty feast for the eyes.”

Sustainable, stylish and downright affordable, vintage fashions continue to grow in popularity, so there’s sure to be plenty of shoppers at the Claremont Showground this Saturday, August 20, and Sunday, August 21, when doors open from 9.30am ’til 4.30pm. Entry is only $6 and there’s free parking or you can just catch the train.

We have 10 double passes to the market to giveaway, to get your hands on them email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with ‘Polka Dot’ in the subject line.

_EMMA BERGMEIER