Worth another wear

Every wardrobe (or car boot) has one: that bag of clothes too good to give away but too rarely worn to keep. For friends Kelsey and Alice, that bag became a business.

The idea formed when they took a good, hard look at their own wardrobes and found them full of pieces in excellent condition that rarely left the hanger. Their friends were in the same position, with bags of clothes stashed at home that still had plenty of life and value. The obvious solution, selling one item at a time online, felt like more effort than it was worth.

The pair talked through the problem and landed on an idea. The result was Rack It Club: a place where people can clear out their wardrobes, earn money from their pre-loved pieces and shop sustainably without overspending.

Before long, it was all they could talk about. “We soon realised we were on to something when every woman we spoke to said, ‘I love this! When can I get a rack?!’”

The model is simple. Sellers pay to rent a rack in store for one or two weeks, and price and label their own pieces. Rack It Club handles the rest, managing in-store sales, sending live updates when something sells and taking a 15 per cent commission. Buyers shop it like any boutique, usually at a third of the retail price or less.

Beyond the environmental benefits, there’s the thrill of the hunt. “The best is when you find a rack of a woman who is similar in size and style to you,” Alice and Kelsey say.

The response has exceeded even their expectations. 

Four stores in just over three years, more than $3.5 million paid out to rack renters and more than 90,000 pieces kept out of landfill.

Kelsey comes from fashion and business, Alice from media and radio, though neither sticks to a lane. “When you run your own business, dividing responsibilities can be a little tricky,” they say. “While we wish we had specific roles, we both end up doing everything!”

This spring, the pair bring that thinking to Flemington. Fashions on the Field: The Remix, presented by Rack It Club, debuts on TAB Champions Stakes Day, Saturday 7 November. Its two categories, Best Dressed: The Remix and Best Suited: The Remix, are built on three principles: rewear, rework and restyle. Vintage finds, rental looks, upcycled pieces and fresh takes on traditional racewear all qualify. Entrants take to the stage to tell the story behind their look, and finalists return for a Grand Final to crown the inaugural winners.

Fittingly, Kelsey’s and Alice’s own community helped match them with the VRC, with one of their customers putting Rack It Club forward as a partner. For a business built on circular fashion, race day is the obvious place to make the case. “We really need to change how people wear event outfits. Just because you wear an outfit once doesn’t mean you can’t wear it again.”

They’re also keen to break the stigma around who shops pre-loved. “Many believe second-hand shopping is for people who ‘can’t afford new’, but we are here to tell you everyone shops second-hand.

It is not just to save a dollar; it is to save the planet.”

What makes them proudest is hearing customers say they haven’t bought anything new since finding the stores.

Both will sit on the judging panel, and each has a favourite principle. Kelsey’s is restyle. “I shop my own closet first before an event and see if I can make something fresh out of what I have.” Alice is a fan of the rework. “I am obsessed with finding old pieces and jazzing them up with a few creative changes to give them a unique, fun style.”

From entrants, they want to see risk-taking. “We would love to see someone think outside the box and feel super confident in their decision.” For anyone thinking of participating, their advice is to start with what feels most comfortable and not to dress like someone you’re not. And also, be confident with that strut! “If we can sit on the judging panel, you can walk the runway!”

As for their own looks, they won’t reveal what they are wearing just yet, but do know that the key pieces will come off their stores’ racks. And keep an eye out for a vintage pair of Jimmy Choos – Kelsey’s wedding shoes, found after a long search – which may make a second appearance on the day.

Tips to stay stylish, sustainably

Tailored to perfection. Raise a hem, nip a waist, shorten a sleeve to show off a cuff. It costs a fraction of something new and makes an old piece look made for you.

Don’t just save for ‘good’. Race-day pieces shouldn’t spend eleven months in storage. Wear the silk dress to dinner and the linen suit to a wedding.

On loan. Rent the look you’ll only wear once – the bold colour, the dramatic silhouette, the designer label you wouldn’t perhaps buy. It works for bags and headpieces too, and it all goes back on Monday.

Pass it on. For every new race-day piece, let one go. Sell it, swap it or lend it to a friend. A more edited wardrobe is easier to style, and someone else gets to enjoy it.

Change of season. Spring pieces can carry into autumn racing with a heavier layer, such as a tailored coat over a light dress. Hats can change seasons too: a milliner can reblock a base or swap a trim so last year’s piece suits this year’s look.

Photo finish. Photograph every race-day look, head to toe, before you leave the house. Over a few carnivals it becomes your own lookbook – what worked, what didn’t, which pieces deserve another run – and a quick check before you buy anything new.

Each-way bet. Pre-loved designer pieces, classic shapes, and natural fibres that wear well, such as silk, linen, and wool, all lower the cost per outing. Know the fabric, and you’ll know how to care for it.

Your next great race-day look could already be in your wardrobe.

Give pre-loved fashion its moment in the spotlight at Fashions on the Field: The Remix, presented by Rack It Club, on TAB Champions Stakes Day, Saturday 7 November. With two categories – Best Dressed: The Remix and Best Suited: The Remix. 

Rewear, rework or restyle a look that tells your story, then take to the stage and show Flemington how it’s done.

Ready to enter? Visit Fashions on the Field: The Remix