U-Turn is advanced Op Shop. In fact, it’s turned Sydney secondhand around forever.

Where do you even begin with the U-Turn empire? Try online. This is a good filter for Sydney’s ultimate secondhand chain.

This is where you find the $600 Tod’s loafers, still in their box – and the Prada velvet boots. The $450 R.M. Williams. These are not wow-factor, bargain-basement prices, but they are competitive with eBay.

And these are just the stars of the show.

There is a mountain of affordable treasure you can only find in store. Like these classics:

Levi Strauss Jackets

If you’re shopping for black, faded denim – the choice is simple. You can either have a pricey, new Levi Strauss denim jacket, or a $49 U-turn, original riveted, Levi jacket that may have been worn by a fan of The Church.

In other words, at U-Turn you can choose affordable vintage Newtown band cred, or just go for something a department store wants to tell you. Retro rock’n’roll Sydney lives here.

Cue Boutique Frock Finds

Cue boutique frocks are easily dressed up for winter (long boots, thick tights, big coats, one-dress dressing) or left simple for summer. And there are a lot of these dresses at U-Turn.

European fabric at $29? Amazing.

Lacoste Brit Pop Boy Shoes

Oasis have reformed, the British backpackers at Bondi Beach need the money and suddenly a nearly-new pair of Lacoste shoes looks just right.

The interesting thing about U-Turn styling is that it can pick up on now – within just a few weeks.

Disco Dressing

Maybe $29 is the magic price at U-Turn (see Cue Frocks) but Forever New also has some great disco dressing, shimmering, summer-weight dresses, for under $30. Or think about Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The Style Suburbs

U-turn operates in the style suburbs of Sydney. Campbelltown. Riverwood. Punchbowl. Bondi Beach. Bondi Junction. Marrickville. Newtown. Rozelle. Surry Hills.

This is where creatives gather and a lot of inspired styling goes on, no matter if you are seeing an Annie Hall/Diane Keaton tribute (with tie and baggy pants) or a tribute to Madonna, circa 2000.

Your Mother’s Sportscraft

Yes, you will find your mother’s Sportscraft here, but that Italian fabric is hard to go past if you want to reinvent your look. You will also find a lot of Country Road at U-Turn. In fact, it’s a listed brand on the website.

No Zara Queues

The queues at U-Turn for both change rooms and pay counters are notably shorter than the long lines at Zara. And yet, you will also find Zara Chanel tribute jackets. For $45. And, in fact, a lot more Zara than that – well below new price. And less waiting.

The Charity Factor

There is also the charity factor to consider with U-Turn which has given millions of dollars to selected good causes, over the last ten years.

You don’t need to be convinced about their recycling. They say they’ve saved over 200,000 tonnes of clothing from ending up in landfills since 1980, by running off self-funded networks of collection bins and online booking-based collection services.

The Dimou family are the brains behind U-turn. Christoforos Dimou – the Founde and Alex Dimou – Managing Director work alongside Bill Dimou – Warehouse & Logistics Director. And they have many fans.

In fact, some shoppers have converted purely because of their online expansion.

No Overthinking When Shopping

‘I’m a terrible shopper,” says Broadsheet’s fashion expert Alice Jeffery, “especially when it comes to second-hand stores. I walk in and something happens to my brain. I start overthinking and have an immediate meltdown about my personal style.

For her, online U-Turn has been the answer.

Australian Heritage Labels

Be it Oroton, Scanlan and Theodore or even vintage Prue Acton, U-Turn has been an amazing resource for collectors looking for Australian designer heritage, either to wear or to inspire new designs.

With a 10% loyalty card and buyer protection, U-Turn is a great way to do the new, new, thoughtful Sydney op-shopping.