WagooMusic

SARAH MCINERNEY

Op shops, discount department stores, online or vintage. There are plenty of ways to dress with style on the cheap. Meet the bloggers who are living the mantra ‘looks for less’ and find out how they do it.

DISCOUNT BUYS: Shauna Miller

When Shauna Miller left university with dreams of a job at Vogue, she walked out of New York University right into a recession.

Jobs in publicity, real estate and childcare followed, until about 12 months ago when she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Moving back in with her parents after six years on her own, she launched pennychic.com, a website devoted to finding cheaper alternatives to the latest trends in fashion; swapping the likes of Prada and Giorgio Armani for discount retailer Walmart.

“We’ve been fed by magazines for so long that you have to spend this much to get this high fashion look and I don’t think that’s the case any more,” she says.

The outfits she puts together from this unlikely destination cost from $US20 to $US70 including shoes, bags and accessories. Her readers range from age 15 to 60 and include a lot of mothers on a budget as well as people who love the idea of “tricking the system”.

“People really love the idea of telling their girlfriends ‘I got this for $2′,” she says.

over the last few years discount department stores like Kmart, Target and Big W have been investing more money in the design component of their clothing ranges. Kmart now employs 23 designers, up from the six it employed two years ago. Big W has collaborated with Peter Morrissey on a line and Target had women scrambling for pieces from its lines with Stella McCartney and Josh Goot.

one of the benefits Miller sees to these stores is the large range of clothing, shoes and accessories available. Fashion these days isn’t just about buying a label and wearing it, it’s about curation and styling, she says.

“At the end of the day people just want something that looks cool now,” she says.

“It’s great if you can buy those investment pieces but if you’re really trying to keep up with the trends and style outfits, wear colour and this and that, you are going to buy something that lasts in terms of trends … a year at most.

“It makes sense to buy cheap rather than expensive in my opinion.”

And how much does she normally spend on an outfit? between $100 to $200, the bulk of this going towards her shoes.

as she says: “Every girl has their weakness.”

Shauna Miller’s trend for less tip for spring/summer: Colour blocking

“You can go anywhere and they will sell a solid colour T-shirt or a solid colour skirt. It is basically very simple, it doesn’t need to match.”

OP SHOPS: Amelia de Bie

Motherhood is what inspired Amelia de Bie to start up a blog devoted to the exploration of Melbourne’s op shops.

“…babies grow out of things really quickly,” she says. “A neighbour had bought lots of stuff for her children at the op shop so I followed her example. once I got there I found that there was stuff for me, for the house, to read, for my husband, everything really.”

Most of her wardrobe is second hand, in fact, it’s the exception rather than the rule to buy clothing new for herself or her children. some of the treasures she has found over the years include designer pieces from Akira Isogawa, Sonia Rykel, Yves Saint Laurent and Mandarina Duck. Plus some one-off vintage pieces like the black wool three-quarter sleeve jacket she bought for $1 about 20 years ago in Torquay and still wears today.

The trick to unearthing hidden gems is to go often.

“To go often you really need to enjoy pawing through the racks,” she says.

an open mind is also essential. Rather than op shopping in search of a particular piece, go in search of the quality items and then decide if they’ll suit you.

“I like to look for colour or pattern, feel the texture of the fabric, then look at what the piece actually is,” she says.

“One of the keys to op shopping for me is to accept what you find there.”

Amelia de Bie’s op shop tip for spring/summer: Think ahead

“[Buy] winter clothes for next year before everyone else starts looking for them.”

VINTAGE, ONLINE & MORE: Phoebe Montague

Going into an actual physical store is often the last resort for Phoebe Montague, who blogs her daily outfit choices on her Lady Melbourne website. Except for vintage stores and op shops that is.

“I would rarely step into a chain store these days,” she says.

“Say I want a new [second hand or vintage] dress the first port of call is Etsy, if I can’t find it there I’ll go to eBay then ASOS for a new version or some other Australian outlet stores, then [if no luck] I’ll go into a physical store.

“Second hand online, new online and then a shop [is the order].”

She’s been blogging since 2007, sharing her do-it-yourself approach and love of all things ladylike with other keen shoppers and fashionistas. Right from the start she found the posts on outfits put together from pieces found in op shops, on Etsy or that she made herself really resonated with her readership (mostly women aged 18 to 35).

“I can’t afford to dress head to toe in Chanel but I can afford a pair of [Chanel] sunglasses that I’ll wear with a $6 dress from Vinnies and a pair of midrange heels,” she says.

Accessories are where she spends a good portion of her budget – shoes, bags and jewellery – as these are the things that can update a second hand or vintage look.

“The term that gets bandied around a lot is ‘nanna chic’, she says.

“If you dress in that head-to-toe way, if you’re a young woman you can end up looking a lot older than you are.

“Wear the vintage dress but update it with modern accessories.”

but true vintage isn’t always a path to affordability. Retro bargains can often be found at op shops but for true vintage gems, particularly those which have been handmade, a trip to a specialist vintage store or sites like Etsy and eBay is required. And a hefty price tag is often attached.

“If you want a 1950s sequined cocktail dress in mint condition it can cost $500 and that shocks people,” she says. “You will have something that no one will have, and that’s the value really. I consider it value for money.”

Her advice for buying vintage – choose natural fibres like wool, cotton and linen and be prepared to have the clothes altered. Body shapes have changed over the years.

Phoebe Montague’s vintage tip for spring/summer: step back in time.

“I think colour blocking is easy. particularly with vintage you can find clothes in one block colour…you can go onto Etsy and search for a ‘red silk tank ’80s’ and find something that rivals what you’ve just seen on the catwalk.”

– Sydney Morning Herald

COHOES POLICEAUG. 25CRIMINAL POSSESSION. Lainy M. Gibson was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and assault with intent to cause physical harm.BENCH WARRANT. Kimaya S. Roach was charged.BENCH WARRANT. Michael a. Valenti Jr. was charged.AUG. 26ASSAULT. Shawna M. Brown was also charged on a bench warrant.ATTEMPTED PETIT LARCENY. Harry J. Dzurica was charged.AUG. 29HARASSMENT. Thomas S. Amoroso was also charged with criminal contempt.AUG. 30CRIMINAL POSSESSION. Steven L. Galvin was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon.ATTEMPTED ASSAULT. Robert F. Shea was also charged with criminal obstruction for refusing to take a breathalyzer test.AUG. 31AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT. Nathaniel a. Bruce was charged.UNAUTHORIZED DRIVER. Elizabeth M. Lynn was also charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired and following too close.CRIMINAL POSSESSION. Michael J. Riley was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.TROY POLICEAUG. 28BURGLARY. 1:46 a.m. a report was filed on Third Street. Officer: C. Parker.AGGRAVATED DWI. 3 a.m. Shawn Cowin, 36, 28 Northern Drive, was reportedly found to have a blood-alcohol level exceeding .08 percent after a traffic stop on Second Avenue. He was also charged with failing to stay in a single lane. Officers: Sansone, Beaudoin, Southworth.STALKING. 4:10 a.m. Robert Morin, 59, 304-1 Eighth St., was also charged with personal exposure after an investigation on Eighth Street. Officers: Parker, Rockwell, Bornt.DWI. 6:27 a.m. Jason Shellard, 30, 25 Milky way Road, was reportedly found to have a blood-alcohol level exceeding .08 percent after a traffic accident on Second Avenue. He was also charged with violating the right of way. Officers: M. Beaudoin, a. Sansone.TROY POLICEAUG. 31UNAUTHORIZED DRIVER. 12:43 a.m. Theresa Morissey, 46, 360 Fourth St., was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, and driving an uninsured vehicle with a suspended registration after a traffic stop at Madison Street and Fifth Avenue. Officer: Ralph Southworth.DOMESTIC. 2:32 a.m. Harold Williams, 40, 242-9 Saratoga St., Cohoes, was charged with second-degree harassment and endangering the welfare of a child after a reported domestic incident on Northern Drive. Officers: Rasmussen, Tague, Buttofucco.BURGLARY. 10:54 a.m. a report was filed on Fourth Street. Officer: Jeffrey Streeter.LARCENY. 12:49 p.m. a set of golf clubs was reportedly stolen from the rear yard of a 15th Street residence. Officer: Christian LaChance.ASSAULT. 1 p.m. a report was filed on first Street. Officer: Ricky Rivet.CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. 2:22 p.m. a car was reportedly vandalized while parked on 11th Street. Officer: Robert Gaudette.BURGLARY. 5:50 p.m. a report was filed on first Street. Officer: Justin Ashe.BURGLARY. 6:25 p.m. a report was filed on Second Street. Officer: Martin Furciniti.BURGLARY. 6:44 p.m. a report was filed on Lee Avenue. Officer: Martin Furciniti.BURGLARY. 7:24 p.m. a report was filed on Highland Avenue. Officer: Martin Furciniti.UNAUTHORIZED DRIVER. 9:12 p.m. Donald Cripps, 40, 108 Elsmere Ave., Delmar, was also charged with making an improper turn after a traffic stop on Jefferson Street. Officers: J. Ashe, I. Bertos.

• Return to Paging Mode

Bill Morrissey may have plied his craft nationally, but he never lost his New England sensibility.

Mr. Morrissey, who was a Grammy-nominated folk musician, lived in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts earlier in his life, but the move to New Hampshire provided roots from which sprung a wealth of material. his work reflected the human condition, whether it be life in a crumbling mill town, complex love relationships or a tale that elicited a deep belly laugh.

“He was the first person I ever saw who did a show that would include a hysterical story, then follow it with a heart-breaking song,” said Cliff Eberhardt of Williamsburg, a fellow performer and friend of more than 30 years. “We all learned how to set up a song on stage, but not give away the power of the song.”

Mr. Morrissey was on a tour of southern states and about to return home when he was found dead Saturday in his room at a motel in Dalton, Georgia, said longtime companion, road manager and ex-wife Ellen Karas, now living in Australia. She said an autopsy showed that he died of complications of heart disease. he was 59.

Karas had known mr. Morrissey since 1989, when they met at a friend’s party and immediately clicked.

She became a close friend, then road manager, lover and eventually wife. mr. Morrissey proposed to her by writing the song “Off White,” which has since been performed at dozens of weddings, she said.

Mr. Morrissey’s music was distinctive, as he combined a growl of a voice with impeccable guitar picking, all supported by lyrics that reflected his strong literary background. his music had diverse influences, from Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk to the old bluesmen, especially Mississippi John hurt, whose music mr. Morrissey featured on one of his two Grammy-nominated recordings.

In addition to his 11 released recordings, mr. Morrissey penned a best-selling novel, “Edson,” which was recently translated to french and released in Paris. A second novel, “Imaginary Runner,” is ready for publication, Karas said, and Morrissey was working on his memoirs.

Mr. Morrissey was born in Hartford, Conn., one of three sons of the late Joseph Morrissey, who worked in the insurance business, and his wife Marion. The family lived in Wethersfield, Conn., then moved to Easthampton and eventually Acton. mr. Morrissey graduated from Acton-Boxborough High School in 1969.

His brother Thomas, of Harleysville, Pa., said mr. Morrissey bought his first guitar at 13 and taught himself to play. Showing an eclectic streak even at that age, mr. Morrissey would enter his jug band in the high school Battle of the Bands, competing against the heavy metal guitarists, in an era when rock ruled. one year, he won, Tom said.

“Bill would go over to Concord record shops to buy music, then he started traveling into Cambridge and Boston for the music scene there,” his brother said.

A voracious reader, he studied literature at Plymouth State College in New Hampshire but found that unsatisfying and hit the road at age 19. “He thumbed across the country to Alaska, where he got a job on a fishing boat, then went down to California, where he tried to get gigs, eventually coming back east and settling in Newmarket (N.H.),” said his brother.

It was there that he worked in a local mill, providing material that fueled his first album and gave voice to working people. “When bill told a story, he would tell it directly, not too wordy, so even if you weren’t a folk aficionado, you could follow,” Tom said. “He made his point in a deliberate way.”

Concert organizer Deb McWethy of Harrisville, N.H., said, “He could paint a picture of his life with words that we could see – words that we lived and breathed every day. his songs were above and beyond anyone’s writing.”

Friends of bill Morrissey usually remained so for life. Guitarist Ed Gerhard of Strafford, N.H., moved across the street from him as a boy in Pennsylvania, took guitar lessons from him as a teenager, met up again in the New Hampshire Seacoast folk scene and kept up a 40-year friendship. “He was like a big brother to me and showed me that excellence is worth working for.”

Songwriter/performer Cormac McCarthy of S. Berwick, Maine, met mr. Morrissey when both went to Plymouth State and was in “nearly constant communication ever since. we could always call the other guy and get a pep talk. we had shared interests, and he always got my jokes.”

A side of mr. Morrissey that was sheltered for many years was his longtime fight against alcoholism.

“His substance abuse was a long and hard struggle and very private for a very long time,” said Karas. “As soon as he was of legal age, he drank. Working in bars, you didn’t get paid much, but you got free drinks,” she said. In later years, living in Tamworth, N.H., he was diagnosed as being bipolar and began to take medication, but the drinking resulted in missed gigs.

“It came to the point that people were so concerned about him that he finally made a public statement to explain his absences and being unreliable. once he did that, the outpouring of support from friends and fans helped him by showing how much his music meant and his struggle gave strength to others,” Karas said.

They divorced after he could not meet her ultimatum to stop drinking, even after several stints in rehabilitation programs. Even then, they continued to live together and after she remarried a few years later, mr. Morrissey was a welcome guest in their home. Karas continued to help with his business until his death.

McWethy said he once failed to show at a house concert where 62 patrons waited for naught and the result was not anger, but worry and concern over his health.

McCarthy said, “We saw it all coming and all tried to help for many years. his will and his spirit is what kept him alive so long.

“He was fearless, he wasn’t blessed with a big singing voice but he was a very good musician and relied on the strength of his songs and his wits to make his shows what they were.”

Since news of his death, “I’ll start to cry, then I’ll laugh – just like one of Bill’s shows,” McCarthy said.

Karas said that in the last few years, mr. Morrissey had felt more optimistic about his future. “He had found a peacefulness about his life and place in the music business and was happy to be on the road touring. he was frail of body, but his spirit was stronger than it had been in many years, which makes it more of a shock.”

In addition to his younger brother Thomas, mr. Morrissey leaves his mother, Marion of Lansdale, Pa., and his older brother Joseph of Medford, N.J.

Private services are planned, but Eberhardt said a memorial concert is being planned for the Boston area in the fall. Details will be posted on Facebook.

Mr. Morrissey’s fans and friends would find it poetic justice if he were now enjoying the fruits of the afterlife, as described in his song, “Letter from Heaven” from his album Night Train (1993):

“And me, I couldn’t be happier.

The service here is fine.

They’ve got dinner ready at half -past nine.

And I’m going steady with Patsy Cline.

And just last night in a bar room, I bought Robert Johnson a beer.

Yeah, I know, everybody’s always surprised to find him here.”

Globe Correspondent Gil Bliss can be reached at