Despite not having a background in fashion, Melbourne's Michelle Trebilco (aka, Veteran Vamp) has become a beloved figure in the online op-shopping community for her ingenious secondhand ensembles and advocacy for recycled fashion. Her approach to fashion is not just about style but also sustainability, and this episode will encourage you to embrace your individuality and have fun with your clothing choices.
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About the show:
This is Reloved Radio: Sustainable Fashion Stories, the fortnightly show that brings you inspiring stories from guests who are making a positive impact in the sustainable fashion space.
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Credits:
Music: 'Old Leather Sneakers' by PineAppleMusic
I think some people got this idea that I'm Carrie Bradshaw in
2
:Sex and the City and I've got these
amazing, super duper organised wardrobes
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:and, But my house is a disaster.
4
:I have piles of clothes
in almost every room.
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:There are hats and shoes in
about four rooms in the house.
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:I seriously need help.
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:Chryssius: Hey Relovers!
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:Welcome to Reloved Radio, your go-to
podcast for sustainable fashion stories.
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:I'm your host, Chryssius Dunn and today
I'm chatting to Michelle Trebilco, who
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:in the words of her followers has been
described as, "unbelievably creative,
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:witty, and stylish", "a national
treasure", "an amazing style queen who
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:could make a hessian sack look glam", and
as having "the best pins in Melbourne".
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:Michelle runs the vibrant Facebook
page, "Veteran Vamp: A Thriftilicious
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:Fashionista", where she celebrates
recycled fashion and shares invaluable
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:tips on how to rock entirely secondhand
ensembles with flair and confidence.
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:With a knack for blending bold
colours, clashing patterns,
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:and a touch of 80s nostalgia.
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:Michelle's creations are
nothing short of magical.
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:Each outfit tells a story of creativity,
sustainability, and individuality,
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:inspiring us all to rethink our
relationship with fashion and the planet.
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:Welcome to Reloved Radio, Michelle!
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:Michelle: Thank you for
that wonderful introduction.
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:I am unworthy.
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:It's a pleasure for me to be here.
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:Chryssius: Tell us a little bit
about yourself, your background,
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:what you do, what you love?
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:Michelle: Well, I'm not that exciting.
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:Um, my previous career was
a university administrator.
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:I've never worked in fashion,
though a lot of people seem to
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:think I should have, and should.
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:I'm not very interesting at all.
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:It's only since my fashion has
taken off and I've had green hair
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:that I've become more interesting.
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:So, I don't have an
interesting background.
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:Chryssius: What about your journey
into sustainable fashion and upcycling?
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:How did that come about?
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:Michelle: Well, I think I've probably
been um, upcycling for over 20 years
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:and I think I started in earnest when
my son was a baby because baby clothes
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:at op shops are of good quality as
kids grow so quickly and I think after
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:searching for clothes for him I then
started looking around for stuff for me.
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:And I joined an Op Shop Facebook
page called I Love to Op Shop.
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:And I started posting pictures of the
clothes that I had purchased second hand.
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:But without me in them.
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:Because I didn't like having
photos taken of me back then.
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:I would only allow photos to be
taken of me from the neck down.
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:That's how much I hated my head.
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:Anyway, the people on the Op Shop page
asked me to put myself in the outfits.
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:So I started doing that and then
I got more and more fans and
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:more and more encouragement.
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:So I was doing it more and more.
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:And I ended up starting my own page
at the request of my supporters on the
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:I Love To Op Shop page and I managed
to secure 2,000 in the first week.
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:Thank God, because I was
terrified nobody would follow it.
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:I resisted for a very long
time, not to create my own page.
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:But I ended up relenting and now I have
around almost 23,000 subscribers...
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:supporters, followers, whatever
you want to call them...
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:Chryssius: That's incredible.
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:Michelle: Well, it's not that good
compared to "real" influencers and
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:"real" fashionistas, I'm just a suburban
fashionista, I'm nothing special
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:but I do have a lot of international
followers, which I think is wonderful,
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:so I can not only teach them about Aussie
secondhand fashion, but Aussie nature,
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:and Aussie expressions, other things.
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:I take photos of my walks, and I
live up in the Dandenong Ranges,
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:so um, there's always something
beautiful to take, take a picture of.
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:And I'm always asked what a certain
flower is, or, they appreciate that too.
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:Because nature, it's all about, it's
similar to fashion, it's all about
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:angle, position, lighting, texture.
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:Chryssius: I've noticed that your
style often channels 80s vibes.
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:Is there anything about that era
that inspires you in particular?
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:Michelle: I, I like all eras and
all styles of clothing not just 80s.
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:Because I believe that every era and
every style has something to offer.
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:And um, op shops have clothes in all eras
and styles and from all over the world.
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:I'm just a kid playing dress ups.
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:Chryssius: Do you have a favourite?
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:Michelle: A favourite era?
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:No, I like it all.
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:I don't want to be limited.
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:Chryssius: I love that actually.
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:Michelle: Well, it's a lot more
fun, and fashion should be fun.
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:That's, that's the way I approach it.
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:Chryssius: Mixing unexpected pieces
is a signature look in your wardrobe.
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:Can you give us some examples
of when you've combined unlikely
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:items to make something fantastic?
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:Michelle: Well, the unlikely is
matching vintage gloves and hats with
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:contemporary clothing, but I also
add um, unconventional items, like,
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:synthetic leaves, flowers, and one time
I um, sewed some plastic coloured CD
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:covers to a dress, which made it look
a bit 60s spacey, if that makes sense.
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:I mix, I mix kids clothes,
I wear a lot of kids clothes
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:with adult clothes as well.
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:Chryssius: That would definitely
bring an element of fun!
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:Michelle: Yep, kids
clothes are just so bright.
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:And, and full of fun, yep.
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:Why should the kids have all the fun?
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:Chryssius: I know I've quite often
seen kids clothes and thought, oh
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:my gosh, I wish that was in my size.
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:'Cause I would wear that!
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:Michelle: Well sometimes they are
in your size, if you look cause it
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:goes up to 16, teens, 16, so you look
12, 14, 16 you might find something.
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:Chryssius: Yeah.
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:Yeah that's a great tip!
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:Michelle: And often you find small
adult things have been put incorrectly
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:into the children's, so that's another
reason to look at the children's part.
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:Chryssius: Yeah.
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:That's so, that is so good actually.
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:Cause I never really
look in the kids section.
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:I'm going to be doing that from now on!
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:Michelle: Well, last couple of weeks I've
got two adult-sized things from there.
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:Um, what's really good too also
about kids clothing is if you can
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:get a jumper, a hand knitted jumper.
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:Because, of course, kids grow
so quickly, so that's why they
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:end up in op shops, don't they?
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:I love hand knitted things, or hand,
I love anything that's been hand made.
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:And you'll find a lot
of that at op shops too.
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:Chryssius: Yeah.
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:And it'd be such good condition.
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:Michelle: Yes!
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:Exactly!
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:And, you know, you're not
going to grow out of it, so...
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:Chryssius: That is so true.
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:Michelle: It's a real
score if you can find.
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:I've got one with Dalmatians on it,
it's, it's just adorable, I love it.
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:Chryssius: I've totally been
stalking your Facebook page.
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:I can't stop scrolling.
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:I'm just going through all the photos.
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:It's just amazing, some of
the pieces that you've found.
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:So can you tell us about maybe
a unique find that sparked an
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:idea for one of your creations?
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:Michelle: Yes, um, well
that's pretty easy.
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:The chocolate mould that
I turned into a handbag.
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:Chryssius: Yes, that is incredible.
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:Yep.
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:Michelle: I love that.
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:So it's, it's made of that,
um, soft, is it rubber?
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:Well, plastic, soft plastic.
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:Chryssius: Silicon.
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:Michelle: But as soon as I saw it, because
I didn't have a brown coloured handbag.
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:And as soon as I saw it I thought,
oh I could fold it up and sew it
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:up and turn it into a handbag.
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:So I sewed up the sides and then I
inserted a zip in the top and sewed
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:that in and then I lined it with um,
two hard bits of plastic so it sort of
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:wouldn't collapse if that makes sense.
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:And then the handle was
a, an op shop pendant.
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:it's quite effective.
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:Chryssius: Ah, how you even thought
to do that it blows my mind.
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:Michelle: I look for unusual things
that I can um, turn into something else.
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:Particularly hat and bags.
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:Chryssius: What are some of
the other ones, some other
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:handbags that you've done?
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:Michelle: I use tins as handbags,
and as handles I use headphones.
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:You just glue the headphones
to the side of it.
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:Chryssius: Oh yeah.
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:What a great idea!
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:Michelle: Yeah, they make
really good handles actually.
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:Yeah, one of my favourites.
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:And also, um, the retro style
phone, handpiece for phones.
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:Chryssius: Oh,
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:Michelle: know if you know what I mean,
like the big receiver, yes, yeah, found a
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:lot of those in op shops and they make a
good handle on um, handbags, but the way
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:I approach it is if you can carry it, and
put something in it, then it's a handbag,
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:so it doesn't matter what else it is.
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:Chryssius: Yeah, absolutely.
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:Michelle: Makes life
much more interesting.
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:So I can be looking at objects.
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:Yeah, I can look at objects
and I'll see handbags.
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:Which aren't handbags, but
that's, that's what I see.
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:I like having different things.
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:I like, I like having different things.
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:But, um, the other one, if may tell
you, I made a handbag out of a, it
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:was a water filter jug, and it was
on hard waste, and I attached a
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:towel ring to that one as a handle.
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:It's one of my favourites too.
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:Chryssius: Let's talk about colour
because when you scroll through your
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:Facebook page, it is, it's just a rainbow.
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:It's a beautiful, beautiful rainbow.
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:Some people shy away from
mixing colour and patterns.
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:But anyone who looks at your Facebook
page will know that you do not.
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:You just dive right in there.
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:Do you have any tips for people
who might want to try that type
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:of colour mixing out, but might
feel a little bit unsure about it?
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:Michelle: Well, bold colours
are bright and happy to begin
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:with, that's why I love colours.
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:And with mixing patterns, generally it's
that each of my pieces have the same
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:colours, and that's what connects them,
even though the patterns are different.
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:I currently haven't got anything in the
same patterns, but I would mix those also
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:and I would tie it all in by accessorising
in the same colours, if that makes sense.
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:So if I had a skirt in a black and
white pattern and a top in a pink and
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:white pattern I'd be putting black and
white probably on the shoes and pink and
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:white on the headpiece or vice versa.
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:And try, try all colours.
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:Don't believe that story you've been
told that you only suit one colour,
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:because perhaps you haven't found the
right shade of the other colours.
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:Don't limit yourself,
it's too, it's too boring.
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:Chryssius: And we don't want to be boring.
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:I love that your fashion
sense is all about embracing
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:individuality and not boring.
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:What's your best advice to others to
encourage them to express themselves
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:through their clothing choices?
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:Michelle: I believe you should
dress up for the hell of it.
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:No event required.
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:Don't wait for that special
occasion, which may never come.
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:You have to get dressed every
day anyway, so why not dress up?
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:I only wear a lot of my
outfits on my exercise walks.
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:The footpath is my runway.
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:Also, create an alter ego, like Veteran
Vamp is my alter ego, and Veteran Vamp
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:virtually wears anything she likes,
whereas Michelle Trebilco may not.
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:So you, all you have to do is
say, well it's not me wearing
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:it, it's that other person.
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:Yeah.
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:Chryssius: is fabulous.
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:And I totally agree with you.
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:I'm a big believer in not
saving things for best.
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:You know, like wear your clothes.
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:Michelle: Yes, I should say that,
that goes for everything, anything,
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:that you get, that, um, crystal.
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:You go to the op shop and get some
nice crystal glasses and think,
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:oh, that'll, that'll be nice and
I'll have special dinners, and then
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:you end up not using them again.
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:Ah, use them every day.
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:Chryssius: What do you think is the
most fun part of op shopping for you?
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:Michelle: Finding really different
things, finding handmade things,
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:so that can not just clothing.
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:It can be um, artworks.
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:Find original artworks.
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:And, and the fact that you can find
something from anywhere in the world.
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:And from any era.
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:And, even if you make an impulsive
buy, it doesn't matter so much
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:because the money is going to charity
not to some big commercial chain,
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:so you don't need to feel guilty.
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:That doesn't always work, but...
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:Chryssius: So, do you have a lot of
thrifted around your home as well?
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:Michelle: Oh, oh it's a nightmare
it's an absolute nightmare.
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:I think some people got this idea that
I'm Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City
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:and I've got these amazing, super duper
organised wardrobes and, um, the wardrobes
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:I use got filled up ages and ages ago.
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:My house is a disaster.
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:I have piles of clothes
in almost every room.
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:There are hats and shoes in
about four rooms in the house.
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:It's just, I seriously need help.
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:And I sometimes wonder how I
managed to conjure up outfits.
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:But I tend to remember certain
pieces so I get something, I buy
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:something new and I think, when
I say new I mean from an op shop.
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:And I already have in mind
what I can put with it.
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:Chryssius: That's incredible.
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:You must have an amazing memory
for all the pieces that you own.
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:Michelle: Not all of them, some of them.
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:. But then I have to find it.
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:It's all very well knowing that I've
got it, but then trying to find it.
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:So I'm an absolute disaster and there
are so many people just wouldn't be
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:able to cope with the state of my house.
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:Anyway, at least I've got a good choice.
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:That's why I can come up with so
many outfits, I guess, because
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:I've got so much to choose from.
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:Chryssius: That's right.
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:You've got to look on the bright side.
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:Michelle: Yes,
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:Chryssius: When you're incorporating
your new second hand items into your
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:outfits, how do you breathe new life
into them and make them your own?
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:What
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:Michelle: By wearing them different
ways, either back to front, and wearing
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:strapless dresses as skirts, and covering
holes or stains with fabric flowers,
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:buttons, or transfers, well, whatever.
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:Cause what you do is if you've got a
hole on one side of the dress, you put a
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:flower or a button over the hole and then
put a matching button on the other side.
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:So holes or stains don't worry me at all.
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:And but when you make these changes you're
personalising them, which is always nice.
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:Chryssius: Yep, so you're ending
up with a complete one of a
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:kind piece that no one else has.
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:Is there something in particular
that inspired you to start making
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:accessories from the secondhand
treasures that you've found?
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:Michelle: I can't remember how, how or
why I first started to be quite honest.
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:I do create weird artworks, but I
haven't been doing, much of those lately.
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:I've been concentrating on headpieces and
my weird handbags, which I enjoy doing.
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:My latest headpiece was a placemat.
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:On a headband.
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:It, was um, I have to describe it, it's
circular, with sort of holes cut out,
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:that's the best way to describe it.
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:Geometric.
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:So I sort of tilted it,
um, sits at an angle.
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:It works quite really well as a headpiece.
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:Chryssius: Have you ever thought about
taking your ensembles that you come
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:up with to a fashions on the field?
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:Michelle: No, I couldn't think of anything
worse, I'm not up to that standard.
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:I'd be terrified, absolutely terrified,
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:I think previous winners, I'm sure
there has been an op shopped outfit,
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:but I just, I, I, it's one thing
I don't have the confidence to do.
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:Chryssius: What do you find the
most rewarding about upcycling and
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:creating from secondhand materials?
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:Michelle: Sense of achievement.
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:I guess in making outfits and or
accessories into virtually artworks,
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:um, that's what ensembles are to me.
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:And that's why it takes a
while to put them all together.
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:Chryssius: When you're on the hunt
for materials, how do you go about
293
:finding just the right pieces?
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:Do you have something in mind?
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:Or is it more that when you see
something you're inspired and and you
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:sort of think, "Oh, I could make this."
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:How does it work for you?
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:Michelle: Yes, I I don't look for anything
in particular, I just look for something
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:interesting which I can, uh, repurpose,
uh, as I said, mainly hats and handbags.
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:As for clothes, I look for
different, bit out there designs,
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:but I do love vintage as well.
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:Chryssius: It's so much better to go in
with an open mind and not specifically
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:looking for a particular thing, because
I never find that particular thing.
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:I only find that particular thing
when I'm not looking for it.
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:Michelle: Oh, but you might
find something better.
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:Chryssius: Exactly.
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:That is so true.
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:Can you share a few of your favourite
success stories or memorable
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:moments from your fashion journey?
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:Michelle: I created a headpiece
using a, mask, a full face mask.
311
:I don't know what it's made of,
I don't think it's porcelain,
312
:but you know, it's all white and
painted if you know what I mean.
313
:And...
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:Chryssius: Oh, yes.
315
:Like a mask, masquerade mask?
316
:Michelle: Not quite, it doesn't
have all the, just mainly the
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:face and maybe a ruffle around
the face if that makes sense.
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:And I attached that to a
headband to go to a hat ball
319
:and I won "Most Innovative Hat".
320
:exciting, and I was also commissioned
to, make a headpiece for another event,
321
:and um, it's one thing just to make them
as you think of them, but when you're
322
:actually asked to make one, um, , you're
like, oh, oh, what am I going to do?
323
:Fortunately, I did manage to make
one, and it was very well received.
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:Chryssius: How do you keep
your creativity flowing?
325
:Michelle: I don't know, it just, it only
starts when I see something interesting.
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:Chryssius: So that's the catalyst,
finding something in an op shop?
327
:Michelle: Yes.
328
:Yes.
329
:Yep, definitely, I'm always looking.
330
:I got something, I'm not sure
what it is, , yesterday, which
331
:I'm going to turn into a hat.
332
:I know it's not , not supposed to
be, but , it's shape is a hat, so...
333
:But definitely, just looking.
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:Chryssius: Tell us about a time
when you transformed an unexpected
335
:material into a fashion piece.
336
:Michelle: Right, well the one that
stands out is the "cone of shame" that
337
:doggies have to wear after that operation
so they won't scratch their wounds.
338
:I used it as a peplum over a skirt.
339
:So very sci-fi.
340
:I did, this was during one
of our 25 million lockdowns.
341
:And I did an outfit which I
called "Covid Apocalypse".
342
:And I had the plastic,
plastic shield mask.
343
:And I also made a weird headpiece too.
344
:I forgot what that was made of.
345
:But it was all white.
346
:And then I had the big plastic um, cone
around my waist as a peplum over it.
347
:And I think I've used it as a collar too,
around me, So it's like a Elizabethan
348
:collar, if you get what I mean.
349
:You can do that too.
350
:Of course you can't move in it,
but that's beside the point.
351
:Fashion is supposed to be
uncomfortable in some cases.
352
:Um, also I've used a couple
of cat toys as head pieces.
353
:Chryssius: Well, some of
those are pretty cute.
354
:Michelle: And um, giant spider legs,
I've put those on top of a hat as well.
355
:I just sort of arrange them, that's
the best way to describe it, just into
356
:an interesting shape, because they
bend, so you can twist and turn and
357
:until you get an interesting shape.
358
:Another one for the headpiece:
a doll torso on a hat base,
359
:which looks like a dress.
360
:So it's circular, if you can picture it.
361
:Um, also, I've made stoles, or worn kids
soft toys as stoles, if that makes sense.
362
:Chryssius: Do you just take the,
like, the stuffing or the beans out?
363
:Michelle: No, some of them have floppy
sort of leg things, so ,you don't need to.
364
:And also, um, scarves
from soft snake toys.
365
:So I put a snake around
my neck as a scarf.
366
:Chryssius: That's fantastic.
367
:don't even think of doing these things.
368
:This is amazing.
369
:Michelle: Well they're quite,
they're quite effective.
370
:I mean, and probably cheaper to buy a
soft toy snake than it is to buy a scarf.
371
:And once again, it's individual.
372
:Chryssius: Can you tell us about Matisse?
373
:Michelle: Oh my dear boy, well, we
got Matisse because so missed having
374
:a Golden Retriever in our lives.
375
:My previous Goldie, Kalmah, she
used to model hats and she had
376
:a huge following of her own.
377
:When I, she, mentioned her passing
on, a Facebook page that I'm a member
378
:of, there were 7k responses well 7k's
likes and something, or 3 or 4k comments
379
:on a dog that people didn't know.
380
:That's how much they thought
of her and loved her.
381
:And she was very placid.
382
:Hats would slip down over her eyes, she
wouldn't care, she'd just still sit there.
383
:That's it.
384
:Um, and I think it, well, most people
love animals, and it fun to include
385
:her, and I still include her in a sense.
386
:I choose hats that she would have worn
if she was still here, and I put that
387
:on the pillow that I have in her image,
which, , stands next to me in the
388
:photos, and Matisse is there also, and
I dress him up in, um, scarves and ties.
389
:And he tolerates those.
390
:He doesn't like anything on his
head, he shakes it off straight away.
391
:Chryssius: Yeah, I've seen
quite a few ties on him, he's
392
:obviously very accommodating.
393
:Michelle: Yep, and he's
very needy and very loving.
394
:Chryssius: Yeah.
395
:I love seeing him in your photos.
396
:Michelle: He's a lovely boy.
397
:Chryssius: Do you take your own photos?
398
:I know some of them are mirror
selfies, but there's quite a lot of
399
:photos that you've taken outdoors.
400
:Are you taking your own photos?
401
:Or do you have someone
who takes them for you?
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:Michelle: long suffering
husband, um, takes them.
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:Chryssius: How does he feel about that?
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:Michelle: Oh, he, look, he's
very, he's very easygoing, and
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:I think he just accepts it now.
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:I mean there are some times when he said
to me, Haven't you got a picture yet?
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:So that's when I know I've gone on for
too long, because normally it doesn't.
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:Because I can't see the result
until after he's taken the picture,
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:I don't know how I should stand.
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:Because angles are so important
and things can look so
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:different from different angles.
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:Lighting.
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:Sometimes I've tried photos outside
but the outfit looks terrible.
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:I go inside into the laundry
and it looks, it looks fine.
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:So yeah, look, he's used to it.
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:Chryssius: And is he, is
he a fashion lover as well?
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:Michelle: Ah!
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:No, no.
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:no.
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:He wears t shirts and shorts.
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:We make quite an odd couple
if we're out and about.
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:He's all casual and I'm
dressed up, but I don't care.
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:Chryssius: What a good husband.
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:Do you have a favourite
place for taking your photos?
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:Michelle: The outfit determines
where, where I take my photos.
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:If it's generally just of one colour,
or only a couple of colours, I
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:like to do the green backdrop, you
know, trees or hedges or something.
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:But if it's a bit more complex, I tend
to do the, the garage door, because
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:the, garage door is a blank canvas.
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:Chryssius: Do people recognise
you when you're out and about?
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:Michelle: Yes.
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:Chryssius: In a good way, I hope.
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:Michelle: Oh yes, no.
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:But some people have, have, have messaged
me or commented on a post later that
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:they saw me but they never said hello.
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:I said, "oh please say hello!"
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:One time actually it was when I was,
in hospital after I broke my wrist.
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:Some person was going, "VV, VV", and
I thought she was saying "Phoebe."
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:So I didn't, I didn't answer at all.
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:Then I suddenly realised
that she meant me.
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:And um, one lady, she was across
the street from me and she just
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:started yelling out "Michelle!"
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:"Michelle!"
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:And um it was very funny and she
apologised for being so over exuberant and
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:I found out she lived in Perth, but she'd
come up from, New Zealand as a shearer.
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:Most interesting person, and
so I invited her for tea.
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:She came to, uh, cup of tea the next day,
and that was all just chance encounter.
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:Oh, you know, it's nice to meet people,
I mean, how interesting was that?
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:She was great, yes.
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:Lots of fun.
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:As I said, fashion should be fun.
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:Chryssius: I agree.
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:Do you have a best bargain brag?
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:So this can be something
that you've purchased
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:Michelle: yes.
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:Chryssius: I'd love to hear about
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:Michelle: Yep.
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:Okay, Gianni Versace dress.
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:An original Gianni Versace
for $7 from Bayswater Salvos.
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:Now, I didn't look at the label,
because the label wasn't, before I
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:bought it, I didn't look at the label.
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:The label wasn't at the neck.
463
:It was actually in the side, but
I, I just liked the print of it.
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:Now, I didn't know it was
Versace, so that shows you what
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:a useless fashionista I, am.
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:On the train going home after buying
the, the dress, I did look inside of the
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:label and that's when I saw a side label,
seam label, sorry, that it was Versace,
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:so I took a picture of it and the print
of my dress and sent it to my friend,
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:Sonia, who's very au fait with all the
designers and she said, yep, she said,
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:I'm pretty sure that's a genuine Gianni.
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:Chryssius: What a find!
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:Michelle: So I can only imagine the
person who priced it didn't look at
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:the seam for a label either, like me.
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:And the other one was, um, vintage
Yves Saint Laurent sunglasses,
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:which I got for, I think it was
around $6 from Boronia Salvos.
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:But I don't look for designer
things, I wear anything.
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:I wear cheap costume stuff, precious.
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:I'm not precious.
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:As I've said before, I'll wear
things with holes and stains because
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:I can fix them up, cover them up.
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:Chryssius: I love everything
that you've told me today.
482
:It's been fantastic chatting with you.
483
:Where can people find you?
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:Michelle: I am on Instagram,
but I never post on it, so it
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:would be pointless going there.
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:My Facebook page is "Veteran Vamp:
A Thriftilicious Fashionista".
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:Chryssius: I'll make sure that I have that
linked for everyone, in the show notes.
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:Michelle: And it, it's
not all just about me.
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:I post photos of people, other
people whose style I admire.
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:I have regulars that I post every week,
and I often post photos of interesting
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:colourful people I encounter when I'm
out and about, because I find that my
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:followers like to see just normal people
looking cool, if that makes sense.
493
:And I also post photos of my nature walks
and also lots of pictures of Matisse.
494
:Chryssius: Of course!
495
:Michelle: Of course.
496
:Chryssius: Of course.