Depop: Vintage Revamped
Are you looking for vintage clothes at thrift stores but can never seem to find one in the right size or style? Want clothes from a specific brand but it’s just always too expensive? Wondering where everyone gets all these cute clothes that you never see in stores? If you answered yes to one or all of these questions, Depop could be the solution to your problems.
Depop is a social shopping app geared towards millenials where you can sell and buy second hand clothes. A lot of accounts specialize in selling vintage clothes such as vintage band tees, Levi’s jeans, or even Tommy Hilfiger, a brand that has slowly come back in style. With over eight million registered users, you’re bound to find a bunch of sellers that offer clothes in your style and size. You can also search for specific brands like Urban Outfitters or Brandy Melville or just browse various clothes and styles and featured sellers selected by Depop on the homepage.
The app bears a striking resemblance to social apps like Instagram, making it perfect for millenials to use. Your profile page looks just like your Instagram page except it shows the clothes that you’re selling. You can also follow sellers and their selling items will show up on your homefeed where you like and save clothes for later, making it easy to connect with others and keep track of items you want to buy.
Because it can be hard to find quality sellers to follow at first, here are some of my personal favorites:
@toobrokegirlsvintage sells, like the name suggests, decently priced vintage clothes ranging from Clueless-esque plaid skirts and cute gingham dresses to oversized suede jackets and patterned button-down shirts and blouses.
@carlytani also sells quality vintage finds with a more minimalist aesthetic including simple chambray denim shirts, black polka dot blouses, and 80’s style dangly earrings. Her feed looks so sleek and modern that you can barely tell these items are all vintage!
@Reformation doesn’t actually sell anything but if you go to the “likes” tab on their page, you’ll find an array of second hand Reformation clothes that look good as new. Reformation is a brand based in Los Angeles dedicated to sustainable fashion by repurposing vintage clothing and opting for more sustainable fabric choices. While their clothes are super cute and stylish and refined, their commitment to sustainability ultimately means that their clothing can get quite pricey. But through Depop, Reformation lovers like myself can finally buy Reformation fashion at a much more affordable price without sacrificing sustainability or style.
Depop is also perfect for the busy and environmentally and economically savvy Northwestern student. Weinberg sophomore Jane Yun likes Depop because of the unique clothing selection that isn’t readily available in most stores. “I used Depop because I liked the idea of buying cool stuff that i couldn't find otherwise!” SESP freshman Rongzhen Zhou also commented on the app’s vintage selection and says she uses Depop as a way to stay environmentally conscious while still being fashion forward. “I like Depop because it’s a really easy and convenient way for me to find unique vintage clothing that I love, plus it has much less environmental impact than consuming fast fashion. I’ve been trying to be more mindful of the environment by limiting the amount of fast fashion that I consume and replacing it with buying on Depop!” Zhou has also recommended some of her favorite sellers: “@kyletrompeter for cute vintage tees and sweatshirts and @nrandall16 for denim and Levi’s.”
However, as Depop becomes increasingly popular, some sellers are beginning to increase clothing prices in an attempt to solidify their “brand” and account for the growing demand for vintage items. Yun says that this price surge ultimately defeats the purpose of resell apps like Depop, “‘Thrift culture’ apps like Depop might have harmful effects such as driving up prices of used clothes, and people who actually need to shop at thrift stores may not be able to afford to anymore! It’s like gentrification of clothes.”
While Depop can hopefully find a way to remedy this problem in the future, it has undoubtedly changed the way consumers shop and provided a convenient and user-friendly way to keep your wardrobe fresh and unique. So next time you have trouble finding that perfect oversized denim jacket in your local thrift shop, look no further than Depop and you’ll definitely find more than enough options that suit your taste.