Hello people in the digital world!

I recently went on a trip to the Sunshine Coast. I've frequented the area many times, but somehow this was my first time since before COVID. It was a new feeling, seeing the place of my childhood now that I was an adult, could buy things, could make more decisions about where I went. Before I went I was expecting 'could drink' to be on that list but it didn't end up being a problem, lol. I tend to get exhausted from the heat quickly and I knew alcohol wouldn't help.

Speaking of, how do people survive in hot climates? Am I just a Naarm weakling little bitch? I got heatstroke a few years ago and ever since I can't handle hot days anymore. Thirty degree summers put me out of action in Naarm, but SC has thirty degree WINTERS?? God gives his hottest climates to his strongest soldiers.

Usually people go to the SC to swim. It has wonderful beaches, after all, but I actually didn't swim much. Instead, I made use of the incredible trail of vintage and second-hand stores that are scattered around the suburbs.

I bought some dresses, an absolutely lit pair of sunglasses, and even though they weren't from a vintage store, I have to mention the absolutely incredible heels from a store in Mooloolaba I got. I am super into the idea of dressing in drag and I bought an absolutely perfect pair of tall red heels that would make me absolutely slay and serve. Once I learn to death drop in them it's over for you fools. The dresses will also serve a purpose for drag, but those are works in progress that I can talk about another time.

Retro SuperStar

If you find yourself in the area and you just want one store, head to Retro Superstar in Maroochydore.

It made me want to cry when I found it. My main reason is that my stupid Naarm resident self believed that Naarm had a great fashion scene, particularly with handmade or vintage clothes. However, this store made me realised I was so naïve. Don't try and compare it to RetroStar in Naarm. Don't try and tell me that Brunswick has good stores. Don't even try to tell me Fitzroy's markets are good. They don't hold a button to the SC stores. The clothes were high quality, the prices were reasonable given what you were paying for, and the range? holy fuck. They have everything from 50's fit-and-flares to sparkly flapper-style dresses to glittery cabaret bodysuits with matching gloves. They even had a collection of fabric patches which made me so happy. I also find that a lot of vintage stores in Naarm are heavily filled by feminine clothing, and if there is masculine clothing, it's just tees, jeans and the occasional button-up. There was an insane amount of androgynous and male clothing from all styles and subcultures. I actually can't rave about this store enough.

LDL: Lace, denim and Leather

Another store I'd recommend is LDL in Nambour, not a vintage store but all clothes are handmade and they specialise in lace, denim and leather, hence the name.

The way I felt in this store fully cemented my feelings about SC culture as a whole as opposed to Naarm. The owner was absolutely lovely, excited to welcome me in and let me try on clothes. She told me about all the pieces she showed me, who made them, how they were made. And I'm glad she did, because every piece was uniquely handmade and had bespoke embroidery. It wasn't the same as the few pieces I see in Melbourne that are hundreds of dollars for a few bits of embroidery added to an otherwise regular clothing item, it was a beautiful work of art made out of textiles that would otherwise go to waste, and it was incredibly reasonable price-wise. Lots of shops in SC were like this, prioritising handmade, high quality pieces instead of the fast fashion I see cycling in and out of Naarm.

Bad Habit Records

This store is also in Nambour. The clothing is just music merchandise, but the highlight is, of course, the records. I'll preface by saying I don't collect vinyls, I collect a few special CDs, but I still appreciate any business that values preservation of physical media. But unlike a lot of record stores, their CD collection was nothing to scoff at. Honestly, what surprised and entertained me most was that Nambour did not strike me as a large town, but the vibe of the store felt so much larger than the population could carry. They supported a lot of local artists, and along with performance venues contributed a lot to the underground grunge and rave scene in the area. I'm not going to lie and pretend I know heaps about that, but I know that most venues in Naarm are not nearly that cool or fit such a niche, even with the larger population to support it. I think many young Naarm residents fit into the archetype of people who want to be 'cool' or 'alternative', but aren't able to properly subscribe to the customs of the subcultures they appropriate. This is general, of course, but stores like the ones I found in SC were *genuinely* alternative, whereas if I found one similar in Naarm I would fear a lack of genuine interest in the subculture the business is trying to profit from, or the growing unalternative customer base the otherwise genuine business may attract. I made sure to grab one of their stickers, which is currently on the back of my laptop, but if I had grabbed a second, it would be on a wall in a laneway as God (and the owner of the store) intends.

Overall, I think Sunshine Coast is an absolutely awesome place to visit? But would I live there? FUCK no. I missed Naarm coffee way too much, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but four seasons in a day beats eternal summer any day.

Always in your orbit,

andro-venus :)