BNNM Jersey Boys Outfits x 4

If you are a regular reader then you may have heard me rave on about the show "Jersey Boys", sorry to those loyal readers....just letting you know I am about to talk about it again. I will keep it brief and just say that I had to go and see it again because it was my cousin Niva's birthday and she so desperately wanted to see it.

I wasn't sure if it was possible, but I walked out of the show loving it even more. I am one of those people who really enjoy watching people react to things that I know they would enjoy and this was no exception.

In honour of BNNM I asked my sister and two cousins to try and source their outfits from a second hand source rather than spending up big in our local shopping centres for an afternoon out in the city.

My cousins and sisters have been on board with BNNM but they haven't had much of a chance to document their finds and or outfits.

But because we all managed to wear NOTHING NEW we had to take a few shots.

My sister Theresa is wearing a borrowed dress (it's mine. I got this from a free pile that was in a second hand shop. Its fabric is stretchy and it is a wrap around so its super comfortable). Jacket is borrowed but it is also second hand. I wore this jacket the last time I went to see Jersey Boys.

I am wearing a dress I found in Nowra. It was $3.50 and I liked the colour and cut of the dress. The flowy bottom makes me feel like a lady :P I picked up these delightful glasses for $2 at St Vinnies as well as my bag (although you can't see it) and I'm wearing my old faithful boots. 
Can we all take a moment to drool over my cousin Niva's dress? This is the birthday girl and she wore a dress she found at the local second hand store. I LOVE the colour and cut. Doesn't she look divine? This is something different for her but she was so delighted to receive compliments from strangers admiring her dress. I can say that this challenge encouraged us to try different things we wouldn't normally consider wearing.
Tashia also found this coloured floral blouse and I think this set her back $2. She wore her basic black shorts with those pretty beads. We all smiled as we strutted through the city knowing that our outfits were unique and under $10. Who would have thought that BNNM would feel so damn good!

My other cousin Natasha (the one in the stripes) is super keen to bring along her best friend Joan on our next second hand shopping adventure. People seem really amazed as to what we find and how we wear them.

Today is officially the last day of the challenge. I think I have a few more posts to upload on the BNNM challenge but I wanted to say thank you to everyone who left comments and or inspired me to continue with the challenge. It truly was so much fun and even though the challenge is officially over I still have many amazing second hand finds ready to go with my on my next trip to Samoa (only 4 days to go >,<). I can't wait to show you them!

Niva, Natasha, Tashia, Joan & Mele

Here they are again <3 Joan, Natasha, Niva, Theresa and Tashia

We finished off the day by heading to Star City for some delicious dinner and dessert. By the time we left our tummies were full and it was just the right temperature to wind our windows down and sing on the top of our lungs to The Wanted and One Direction... LOL! You can only get away with that type of music when you are with your girls.



Big Love,

Falala Mele

BNNM ootd

Just a quickie.....I hate this photo....but I am really in love with this blue jacket I found at my most favourite little opshop here in Nowra. It is much smaller than many of our local stores but sometimes you find the best things there. So this jacket has small white polka dots on it and even though it is made with a stretch fabric it still looks a little tailored and I have worn it a few times to school and around town. Its comfy and it can dress up even the most casual outfit.

It was $2.50 and I have already worn it like 5 times! This is one of my favourite things to wear at the moment. Leggings, shoes and shirt are all old items in my cupboard.

I can't believe BNNM is nearly done. I went shopping with my friend today (well she went shopping and I just helped her out) and I think she felt bad for me and offered to buy me something. She is going to see Janet Jackson on Wednesday.

Janet has been one of our childhood idols so I am so glad that she gets to see her. As for me...I am trying to win 2 tickets to see Kings of Leon. I hope I win! I am also trying to compile all my BNNM stuff together and get my package ready to send off to the UK. I promise I haven't forgotten. I will post it before I leave the country!

I have so much to do right now. I am helping my sister with an assignment and I am getting ready to fly out to Samoa next Saturday. My friend Lyna (I lived with her during college) is getting married. I can't wait to soak up the sun with some more of my college girls.

Hope you are well.

Big Love,

Falala Mele xo

Apollo Theatre, Harlem

Jacket: Opshop $2.50, top: borrowed, shorts: old, boots: target, bangles: city chic

Definitely one of my most favourite places in New York.

It's hard to say this because I felt like I really only saw a glimpse of New York. I can't get over all the little places we visited and the unknown beauties showcased by those lucky bloggers who get to call New York home. There is a trillion and one things to do and see....but the Apollo is one of those places you just have to experience.

You couldn't stop me getting on my feet and dancing...the band was THAT GOOD....the acts were kinda a let down but the host and the band made you forget all about them.

 I loved seeing the mix of people at the show and also the reactions of the local people when we were walking around another day.... my eclectic group of friends received certain looks (LOL yes we know we are an odd looking bunch), grunts and comments > walked into a sandwich bar when this old lady sicked her tongue and grumbled "what the hell?". Out of all the interesting characters in Harlem, I can't believe they noticed us :D Finally got to wear my fave little jacket. I love the pattern and it complimented the solid colour (top borrowed from my sister) adding some interest to a pretty simple outfit. It was one of my most favourite, cheapest and comfortable ensembles that I wore in NY...or maybe I just love it so much because of where I wore it and the good memories that come flooding back when I see these photos.

 *Sings loudly and dances around the room* "This is amateur night, this is amateur night!"

Big Love,

Falala Mele xo

BNNM exhibition meet

Last Thursday I met up with my friends for the post-America exhibition. My friends did a variety of water colours, photography and film based on our exciting travels. Sadly I my photo book had not arrived and I didn't have time to print off anything to display either. How sad! But it was good to catch up with my lovely girls.

Do you remember Rhianon? She is my Second Hand/Thrift store Queen. I told her about the challenge of BNNM. I think she said she is going to enter. Look at that AMAZING jacket!

Lastly Emma and I. Sorry this is the best outfit post I could find. All second hand or old. I missed Harlem so I thought I would wear something that made me feel like I was there again. Which reminds me. I still have so many OOTD posts from my trip. I will put up my Harlem ones later this week! Hope you are all well (p.s. my reader said she wanted to participate so its full steam ahead at paying it forward!) I will also keep you updated when I post the package.



Falala Mele xo

BNNM update. thank you AMRA!

Hello lovely ones, how are you? I just wanted to share something with you all. Last week some time I received an email from Amra. I had never spoken to Amra before but she informed me that she was a reader of the blog and that she really liked the whole Buy Nothing New Month challenge. She asked if she could send me a few items.

 I was so touched by her kind gesture. She wanted to contribute to the cause by sending me a few thrifted items that she thought I would like. I really wanted to send her something in return to say thank you, but she insists that her cupboard is full and that I pay it forward to someone else. I have already contacted one of my readers to see if she would be interested in me sending her something. I hope she agrees to it because I would like someone else to experience the generosity and kindness that was bestowed upon me.

 What makes this even more special is that Amra gave me things that were special to her. She wasn't just getting rid of old stuff. She gave me this beautiful vintage bag that she bought in the US (she thought I would love it since I have a new found love for that place) and look and the belt, she picked that up in Japan a few years ago. The dress reminded her of an old favourite teacher and since I am a teacher she passed it onto me. Words cannot express how wonderful you are Amra. Your beautiful card is sitting up on my bookshelf and I promise you I will snap a few pics when I wear these wonderful items.

I started this challenge because I thought it would be fun to see if I could do it, but I have gotten so much more out of it. My friends, family and I are much better and buying things we need rather than buying what we want. I enjoy saving money and finding beautiful and unique clothes and household items. I enjoy telling everyone around me to join the challenge and I really enjoy hearing their stories about what they have found and what they are planning to donate to second hand stores (yes they all have been cleaning out their closets and cupboards and donating them to the stores in the hope that someone else might find it useful). I am also enjoying what other fellow bloggers from all over the world are wearing from second hand/ thrifted stores. I will eventually post up links to their blogs. This has been so much fun and Amra, you have topped it off. THANK YOU once again.

Big Love,

Falala Mele

BNNM ootd.3

Hello lovely readers. just a super quick post. These photos were taken a week ago when my sister, cousin and friend decided to pay the Minchinbury Salvo stores a visit. It is really big and we had fun trying on heaps of stuff. They walked away with one or two items....I think they chose stuff that they really needed and didn't buy for the sake of it. I didn't buy anything but my sister found this awesome oversized jumper...(I'm waiting for her to wear it so I can borrow it!) and it was only $5!

I wore my opshop/thrifted skirt $2.50 (it has a matching jacket aswell) with my old singlet and black shirt....just something casual...but still....nothing new...so I'm going good guns at this!


Hope you are all well,


Falala Mele

BNNM ootd.2

Hello Readers!
Here is another BNNM outfit. During this month I am not buying anything new, but I am also opting not to wear any new purchases (most of which are items from my recent US trip). So this ensures that I am wearing my old and opshop/thrifted items and therefore I can share with you what I have found recently.

I am a total sucker for polka dots. Something about wearing them makes me feel like I have be swept back to the 1950's. This skirt also has a matching top (I love finding old suits because you get two different outfits out of them. I don't usually wear them together but I find they are bold enough to stand out as the feature of the outfit).

I have also found some amazing clip on earrings! I must remember to take some photos of them because they are (well I think they are any ways) really cool!

I have found some really amazing stuff in the smaller opshops. Some of the bigger ones are visited more frequently and I sometimes walk away with nothing (I only buy stuff that I really want. This ensures that I am not just buying stuff because the price is so soooo good).
At one stage I was also walking away from items over $3. But now I look at the item and think "What would you pay for it if it was in a retail store?" So I find that I still walk away with a unique item at a quater of the cost than what I would usually pay.

Skirt: $2.50 (opshop) Shirt: old  Glasses: .50c (old) Earrings: .50c (opshop)

Big Love,

Falala Mele

BNNM OOTD .1

Hello friends! How are you all? I'm happy that I finally have some time to start posting my BNNM outfits. So most days it has been pretty casual, but I am either wearing my opshop/thrifted finds or my old faithful clothes that have been sitting in my closet for a while.

 I have had a few fruitful visits to my local second hand shops. and have walked away with many wonderful finds at AMAZING PRICES!!! My Mother, cousins and friends are all eager to go treasure hunting with me and my cousin Tashia who was featured in my previous post here, said "Going into shopping centres is not same anymore, I don't find it interesting shopping in them, it's not fun and everyone ends up wearing the same thing". I have to say that I agree whole-heartedly with her!

Throughout this challenge I haven't really found it hard not to buy anything new. There was only one item that I really wanted. It was a gold thick rock chain, and the price was reasonable ($10) and I walked away from it....(slowly), but as for clothes I look at clothes in retail stores and find them even more ridiculously priced than ever before. I also haven't seen anything that I have really WANTED.... I think it may be a different story if I was in America (I seriously fell in love with Forever 21 clothes and prices) but the stores in Australia are in some serious need of inspiration >,<

ANYWAYS, back to my outfit....apologies for the lack of a full outfit shot. My sister has her camera with them on it and I only had a few on my camera. I found this cute dark blue polka dot top for $2 and it was fairly cold so I just wore my old back leggings and a black sweater. It was pretty basic and simple. But that is how I like it. I finally had some time to meet up with some of my college sisters. It's been nearly two years since graduation and it becomes increasingly hard to catch up.



Jenny and Theresa are wearing their second hand jackets. Jenny paid $2 for hers & Theresa found hers at Vinnies for $2

This is my girl Amy, we studied the same course so we were in all our classes together.



Out of the 6 girls here, 5 of us are teachers.

After dinner and dancing, it's time for fun and games at Cronulla Beach.

Stay tuned as I will be posting more BNNM outfit posts, I will also be featuring some of my favourite blogger thrifters and I also had a wonderful email which I will tell you more about in my next post.

I hope you are saving money, reusing items, buying less and making the most of what you have, while looking like a BOSS!

Big Love,

Falala Mele



BNNM Kick off! Out in Sydney with nothing new on.....

Helloooo Readers! How are you all? I'm very excited to have started October with the Buy Nothing New Month challenge. I'm happy because I have had some time to visit so local Opshops and I have found some wonderful pieces that I'm excited to wear. This weekend I had some long overdue family time. We spent it on the Sydney Harbour celebrating my little cousin's 21st birthday. A very fun Aqua Latino Cruise. My cousin Tashia decided to join the challenge as well. So we both sourced our outfits from second hand stores and old items we had in our cupboards. On occasions where we all meet up together us girls usually meet up for a little shop before hands, but Sia and I were ready with our second hand finds!!!


I found this amazing top only a few days ago and it cost me a whole $2.50. I loved the colour, the collar and the texture of this piece. Its definitely a bold piece and I basically kept everything else very simple. Red for some contrast and boots for some height (I'm a shorty) and attitude. So my bag, and blouse were thrifted. Boots and black slip dress were old. So that's my first outfit....nothing new.... my next few outfits will probably be casual. I hoped you liked my first BNNM outfit. If you are inspired to see what you can do with your old and second hand items, please forward me your pictures to my email address and a link to your blog so I can share it with my fellow readers.

Tashia's dress was $3.50, her amazing green blazer was $2.50 (she sourced her items from Sydney's midnight markets (second hand items galore!) and she had those shoes sitting in her cupboard (she has a serious retail problem so I think this is a good challenge for her). But doesn't she look amazing!

Tashia & I in our second hand outfits <3

 How beautiful are my cousins? We had so much fun together!! I hope you are all well and that you are saving some dollars by buying only necessary items and having fun sourcing items from second hand shops. I have found some wonderful clothes and household items already. I will try and share them with you if time permits.

Until next time....have an amazing week!


Big Love,


Falala Mele xo