Located in Oamaru’s Heritage Precinct, the Victorian Wardrobe is a non-profit clothing hire service run by "knowledgeable and friendly volunteers" who can help anyone achieve their desired Victorian look, regardless of age, gender, or size.
It is a popular drawcard for many visiting the town, who want to dress up and have their photo taken in appropriate style, and in high demand for film and theatre productions and events throughout the country including the annual Victorian Heritage celebrations.
Whitestone Civic Trust property manager Jacob Barwick said the Victorian Wardrobe, under the trust’s umbrella, required more volunteers.
"We have wonderful volunteers but we’ve got to start a succession plan to carry it on.
"The ladies that volunteer have so much knowledge and we need to get some new volunteers to take on the baton," he said.
The Victorian Wardrobe acts as a fundraiser for the Whitestone Trust, so the work is not paid and all the funds go back into the preservation and restoration of the Victorian Precinct, Mr Barwick said.
Stalwarts of the Victorian Wardrobe are volunteers Elizabeth Mclachlan, Dawn Sutherland and Hazel Poole, of Oamaru, who have been associated for about 20 years.
The three women were all born in the same year and jokingly call themselves "the triplets".
Mrs Mclachlan said it was "a love job" that offers a variety of tasks.
She said "the best thing they [anyone] can offer is a sense of humour" and be able to multi-task.
"There are lots of jobs, because everything has to be washed, ironed and glued, and there is mending," she said.
They are joined by Alexi Bennett who has been a volunteer for five years.
The Victorian Wardrobe has been in operation for over 30 years and has the greatest collection of Victorian customary in New Zealand,
"and, we’ve been told, in the southern hemisphere", Mrs Mclachlan said.
The team of volunteers are also guided by trained milliner Liz Van Ende.
Mrs Sutherland said during winter, the hours were one day a week for six hours, then from October to Easter four and a-half hours of volunteering were required on Sundays. The hours would peak toward Victorian Heritage celebrations.
This year’s Victorian Heritage theme is "Oamaru Noir — Scoundrels, Secrets and Shadows."
The festival will run from November 13 to 16.
