Why You Should Use Second-Hand Clothes Apps

Do you remember the scene in Clueless where Cher is standing in a monstrously large pile of clothes in utter despair because she can't find anything she likes? Totally relatable. It happens all too often that we stare at the sea of clothes hanging in our wardrobes (or flung on the back of that chair) yet still can't find a single thing to wear. Whether it's fashion fatigue, lack of inspiration or an untidy storage space, sometimes a good old content refresh is what's needed to help reignite our interest in clothes again.

When having a clothes clear-out, it can be far too tempting to simply throw away the items we no longer desire, rather than be rid of them in a more sustainable and mindful manner. During my time living in Montréal, I discovered a clothing exchange pop-up event and was very interested at the thought of refreshing my wardrobe, which I had grown very tired of (there's only so much you can fit into one suitcase containing everything you need for the next 5 months!). I went along with three items I didn't want anymore and much to my delight, I was able to swap them with three of someone else's items that I really liked (two being Tommy Hilfiger items!). I was thrilled with my finds.

In my final year of Uni, a friend of mine eagerly introduced my to Vinted. She explained that it was similar to depop, which we have all heard of, but was a newer app to the market. Having tried depop out before to no avail, I must admit I was rather wary of the idea at first. However, after the raving reviews from my friend, I decided to pay the app store a visit.

Although the interface itself isn't overly sophisticated, the app benefits from a smooth functionality and easy-to-use layout. You essentially create your profike (aka 'wardrobe') and list your unwanted items on there, using images and text to describe each piece in full. I was absolutely thrilled when my first purchase came through. I printed off the pre-paid label, affixed it to the packaged item and took it to my local Hermes ParcelShop (yes, I was slightly horrified at the thought of using Hermes... now known as Evri). The entire process was simple, well explained and the parcel arrived pretty rapidly, much to my delight. The money was deposited in my wallet and well, 115 orders later, the rest is history. 

So now my wardrobe is more spacious, my wallet is fatter and the buyer is happy with their new item. It really is a win-win situation and I thoroughly enjoy the feeling of knowing that my old things are going to new homes where they are more likely to be used. Contributing to the circular economy is something I strongly believe in and with apps such as Vinted, it makes practising eco-friendly shopping and clothes disposal habits so much easier.

To learn more about Vinted and how you can get involved, visit their website: https://www.vinted.co.uk/.