Although the phrase “out with the old, in with the new” may have a nice ring to it, the online marketplace Depop begs to differ. The site is an alternative to thrifting for today’s online-focused generation, and as a result, old styles and clothes are seeing the light of day once more. The site is most commonly employed by users to resell clothing, but also other items, to buyers globally. For McCallum students, however, Depop is a lot closer to home. 

Thrifting and clothing resale as a whole are on the rise, and Mac is no stranger to the trend. It’s now commonplace to ask someone where they purchased a piece of clothing and get “I found it at a thrift store” or “I got it on Depop” in response. But while sites like Depop allow students to buy previously sold clothing, they are also given the opportunity to make money by selling clothes of their own. For sophomore Anabel Tellez, however, putting her passion for fashion to use is the main motivation behind selling clothes on the site.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been obsessed [with fashion],” Tellez said. “It’s always been a passion of mine, but really just styling people was what I loved to do when I was little. Obviously, I wasn’t very good at it. But now [that] I’ve started to develop a sense of style, I’ve kind of been able to incorporate fashion into my day-to-day life.”

Tellez began selling handmade and thrifted clothes on Depop two years ago. Her Depop shop is composed of hand-crocheted items as well as style bundles and custom orders where customers can request for her to create an outfit according to their personal style.

“I love making something … fit perfectly and look perfect for someone, exactly what they want,” Tellez said. “Lately, I haven’t been making much of a profit off of it, but it’s still fun to do, even if I’m not making that much money.”

For students like Tellez and sophomore Sam Dueñas, Depop provides not only an opportunity to work with fashion on a daily basis but also a similar profit to that of many entry-level jobs with an adaptable schedule, well suited for the busy lives of high school students.

“I think [Depop] helps a lot, especially with school,” Dueñas said. “There’s so much that I have to keep up with that kind of sucks having to keep up with. Having stuff besides work that I can go to and enjoy doing my own work and make a lot of money is good. It feels good too.”

Tellez also appreciates the flexible work schedule that selling on Depop allows her.

“Working for myself is really nice, and on my time,” Tellez said. “I make as much money as someone who has a job would, but I can work whenever I want and it doesn’t compromise with my schoolwork or anything like that.”

Dueñas thinks that it also provides the opportunity for students to gain experience outside of conventional jobs.

“It shows everybody else that there’s a lot of things you can do … besides average jobs,” Dueñas said, “to make your own money while balancing school and your own happiness too.”

Another benefit to selling and buying on Depop is the reduced impact on the environment. Instead of contributing to the “fast fashion” industry, where companies mass-produce trendy clothes from unsustainable materials, consumers can spend their money on used products.

Dueñas has noticed that through buying old items, rather than buying new ones, old styles from past decades have re-emerged. 

“I think it’s super cool seeing like stuff from the 80s and 70s getting cleaned up, looking really nice,” Dueñas said. “I think it helps a lot when a lot of people step back and see how many people are selling used and old clothes instead of new stuff. It kind of makes a big difference in how many people … can cut back on buying new stuff and see how much they enjoy [buying old items] more than just a new T-shirt I got for twenty bucks.”

Freshman Norah Arias also enjoys the added environmental benefits when shopping for vintage clothing and other items on the site.

“I really like [Depop],” Arias said. “I think it’s a good way that people can buy stuff from other places and then sell them online if you don’t want something. It’s better for the environment, definitely.”

Arias feels that Depop has become a quintessential part of Mac culture.

“I think a lot of McCallum students definitely shop on Depop, so I think it’s a big thing,” Arias said. “Some people post it on their stories so you can buy from other McCallum students. It’s really cool.”

For Tellez, selling on Depop has helped her connect with fellow students.

“A lot of Mac kids buy my clothing on Depop and so I feel like I’ve made a lot of friends and I’ve met a lot of cool people through it,” Tellez said. “It’s a way to become friends through fashion, through liking clothes, through making shared boards and stuff like that.”

Dueñas believes that Depop allows Mac students to test their abilities and give themselves opportunities.

“I think it shows other people … how much you can really help yourself,” Dueñas said. “Everybody has stuff going on. So, having something that takes up your time and makes you this happy and brings this much into your life, then that’s important.”