A lotta look for the money

Last week, Mick, Peter and I went to Father Reilly's Op Shop for a trawl of the goods. For a small store, it commands a surprising amount of time.

Peter walked away with an armful of dirt-cheap, classic records and I bought sundry ironic-nana items, including a beautiful '40s tablecloth, a lace curtain and a crochet rug for a grand total of $20; it really is the last of the good op shops.

Anyway, here's Teddy (resplendent in his bowler hat from one of Mick's earliest auction sojourns) and Blue Elmo, each sporting a woollen scarf that instantly transports any ensemble to a certain level of I-don't-give-a-damn – a mezzanine of 'meh' – allowing one to infiltrate even the most ferociously casual social event:

Bowler hat from Vickers & Hoad Auctioneers; hand-knitted scarves ($1 each) from Father Reilly's Op Shop, Maitland; teddy bear and Blue Elmo, stylist's own.