Kingsford Smith School students display a selection of pre-loved dresses, suits and accessories that will be on sale at the school’s annual Formal Op Shop. Photo: Naziya Alvi.
For many teenagers, the school formal comes with an unspoken expectation: buy a brand-new outfit you’ll probably wear once.
At Kingsford Smith School in Holt, students are trying to change that idea — one pre-loved dress, suit and pair of shoes at a time.
Now in its fourth year, the school’s Formal Op Shop has grown from a small initiative for its own Year 10 students into a Canberra-wide event, inviting Year 10, 11 and 12 students from every school across the ACT to shop for formal outfits costing as little as $3.
Behind the racks of sequined gowns, tailored jackets and formal shoes is a much bigger conversation about sustainability, affordability and challenging the stigma often attached to second-hand clothing.
“We kind of saw that there was a need in the community for affordable formal wear,” sale co-founder and Kingsford Smith School teacher Marina Leko said.
“Formal time can be such a financial burden and there are so many costs associated with it, so we wanted to ease some of that financial pressure by being able to provide affordable formal wear.”
While affordability sparked the idea, sustainability has become just as important.
Leko said conversations about fast fashion are now woven into the school’s humanities curriculum and continue beyond the classroom through the annual sale.
“We definitely are having those conversations and trying to break down any of those negative stereotypes that people might have about wearing second-hand clothes,” she said.
“I’m a big op-shopper myself, so I always try to show students that second-hand clothes do look good and you can find really great things.”
The message appears to be resonating.
Last year alone, the school estimates it sold between 300 and 400 formal items, with stock continuing to grow each year through donations from the local community and its partnership with Vinnies. Any clothing left over simply becomes part of next year’s collection, allowing the event to expand to more students across Canberra.
Leko said students usually walked away with something, even if it wasn’t the exact outfit they had imagined.
“We have a really large variety of things,” she said.
“Whether someone wants to go super dressy or something a little less formal, people generally leave happy. Even if it’s just a pair of shoes or a bag, they usually find something.”
For Year 10 school captain Charlie Simon, the sale is about more than finding an outfit.
“I’m looking forward to hanging out with my friends at formal and helping people pick out dresses and suits,” he said. He is also planning to shop himself.
“The quality looks really good.”
Fellow school captains Evie Crisp and Yewong Seliden are already thinking about their first formal.
“I know I want a red dress,” Evie said.
“I’m probably going to be looking mostly at the shoes because I don’t have any.”
Yewong has a different vision. “I really want a nice pink dress,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to the shoes too.”
Kingsford Smith School’s Formal Op Shop has hundreds of pre-loved dresses, suits, shoes and accessories ready for Canberra students ahead of formal season. Photo: Naziya Alvi
Another captain, Tim Robb, expects to spend as much time helping other students as he does browsing on his own. The school has another 10 to 20 boxes of dresses, bags, shoes, ties and accessories waiting in storage, although Tim admits men’s shoes remain in shorter supply than women’s.
Beyond helping students dress for one of the biggest events on the school calendar, the initiative also gives back to the wider community.
Money raised from the sale is donated to Canberra charities, with last year’s proceeds going to Roundabout Canberra.
“Every time we hear parents come up and thank us, it reinforces why this is so important,” Leko said.
“We’ve also been able to make donations to charities with the money that’s raised, which I think is really important as well.”
This year’s sale will again encourage Canberrans to look through their wardrobes for formal outfits that may have been worn only once. Those donations could not only help another student attend their formal without the hefty price tag, but also give another garment a second life instead of ending up in landfill.
The Formal Op Shop will be held on Friday, 28 August, from 3 pm to 6 pm, and on Saturday, 29 August, from 9 am to 1 pm, at the Kingsford Smith School Senior Gym in Holt. Dresses, suits, shirts, shoes, bags and accessories are priced between $3 and $5, with donations accepted in the lead-up to and during the event.
To find out more about their charity partner, visit Roundabout Canberra.
