My Depop Diary: For over two years, I’ve shopped solely from Depop and classic retailers – this is the way it went. By Áine Kenny.
Through the pandemic, many people re-evaluated facets of our lives. Maybe you switched careers, perhaps you began a household, or presumably moved again to your hometown. For me, I re-evaluated my purchasing habits.
Throughout lockdown I had no want for the sensible garments I used to put on to the workplace. Tailor-made trousers and plain shirts hung neatly within the wardrobe, beside them had been sparkly jumpsuits and physique con attire, relics of my school going out days. It was clear my wardrobe was not serving my present wants.
Slowing down
My early teenage years had been spent wandering my native purchasing centre, strolling an limitless loop between high-street retailers. In the direction of my later teenagers, on-line purchasing actually began to take off. I may get triple the quantity of garments for a fraction of the price I used to pay in-store, and I may do all of it from the consolation of my own residence.
Nonetheless, as I obtained older and wiser, I realised what the quick style business is doing to our planet. To not point out the unsafe working situations that garment staff should settle for as a way to earn a dwelling, showcased by the 2013 Rana Plaza catastrophe and within the latest Channel 4 documentary about Shein.
With a lot time on my arms because of the pandemic, I made a decision to strive purchasing in classic retailers and on Depop solely. I had the time, vitality, and cash to do that; I recognise not everybody does.
I shortly realised that ‘purchasing sluggish’ required me to fully recalibrate my thought of style. I used to be not capable of partake in micro-trends, and I couldn’t be afraid to put on the identical outfit a number of instances. I needed to ask myself: what garments do I like? What materials really feel comfy on my pores and skin? What colors and cuts swimsuit me? Most significantly, what items can I discover that can stay timeless?
My total intention was to cut back the variety of garments I used to be buying every month.
Classic purchasing
My first foray into purchasing sustainably was on-line classic clothes drops through the peak of the pandemic. I’ve shopped with Spice Classic and Ripe Classic, who’re each Irish.
Buying classic is undoubtedly costly, as you might be paying for another person to trawl by means of classic clothes warehouses and use their eager eye to pick out one-of-a-kind items. It is also price noting that classic purchasing could supply fewer choices for these trying to buy larger sizes.
Total, I discovered the hassle and price of classic purchasing price it for me, the gadgets I get probably the most compliments for are all the time classic gems. These items are timeless, and that degree of high quality is simply not current in right now’s standard-issue clothes.
I did have a number of mishaps. After shopping for a classic skirt that was too lengthy and a prime that might not sit proper on my chest (Dolly Parton I’m not), I realised that figuring out my waist, hips, leg size, and bust dimension had been key.
Fortunately, I used to be capable of give the garments that didn’t match me to household and mates, as throwing them within the nearest garments financial institution isn’t the environmental act individuals assume it’s. After all, another choice could be to promote your unsuitable gems again to a classic store or put it up for public sale on-line.
Decoding Depop
My subsequent purpose was to buy on Depop, as I knew it will be cheaper than purchasing classic drops. Whereas there are classic garments on Depop, there are additionally individuals re-selling quick style garments, at a fraction of the price they paid for them.
By shopping for second hand, no less than I used to be not giving my cash on to quick style giants, however the difficulty of the clothes’ unsustainable (normally plastic-based) supplies remained. I circled this sq. by making a dedication to solely shopping for garments I actually wished and would get put on out of (I’m not good!).
On the time, none of my mates had been purchasing on the reselling app. After trawling by means of the Depop Drama social media account and scarring myself by viewing among the extra ‘inventive’ gadgets on the market on the platform, such because the footwear made out of enamel (sure, actually), I bit the bullet and downloaded the app.
Depop is sort of a digital garments market, the place haggling and asking the customer questions is accepted. In actual fact, it’s vital to make sure you don’t find yourself paying €50 for a ‘classic dad core fleecy sweatshirt, could be worn oversize, will match an XS-XL’, which is absolutely only a Dunne’s Shops males’s pyjama prime from 5 years in the past.
Guidelines to buy by
My prime ideas for purchasing on Depop are to make use of a number of search phrases. You could be on the lookout for a shirt, however others could name it a shirt. Sellers usually publish their gadgets with a variety of random tags, corresponding to varied model names or garment varieties, which means a variety of irrelevant garments will pop up within the search.
Discover sellers who’ve the same physique form and elegance to you, and comply with them – this may prevent limitless scrolling after trying to find ‘work trousers’, solely to be proven Ibiza-style neon two items.
Don’t be afraid to haggle and to ask questions in regards to the origin of the merchandise. Sadly, there are sellers on the market who promote charity store finds at an unimaginable markup, or promote their quick style cast-offs as ‘classic’, with no model listed and the label lower off.
Was it price it?
I’m actually glad I made the change to purchasing extra sustainably. These days, the one issues I purchase new are footwear, underwear, socks and tank tops. Over the previous two and a half years, I’ve purchased 23 clothes for €467, with €90 being spent on a never-worn Home of Sunny cardigan I discovered on Depop (RRP £90).
I’ve to be sincere and say I haven’t saved any cash, however I’ve lowered my clothes consumption and carbon footprint, which was my total purpose.
It’s necessary to notice that not everybody has the time or the cash to buy this manner, and that it’s far simpler to buy classic or Depop when you’re straight-sized. However personally talking, I feel I’ve damaged my previous behavior of quick style purchasing – I now not really feel the urge to get in on the most recent pattern, I’m not viewing garments purchasing as a passion, and my local weather nervousness is ever so barely extra relaxed.