At South Hills High School, the way students dress goes beyond chasing the latest trends — each outfit carries a story. Many outfits seen on campus have been carefully curated, budgeted, and distributed from students’ bedrooms. A growing number of students are gravitating to Depop, the fashion resale app known for its thrift finds and a place for Gen Z entrepreneurs to start running their own small business.
Through conversations with student resellers, I got an inside look at how these young entrepreneurs launched their Depop journeys, choose which pieces are worth listing, set their prices, and put together their product photos.
Isabella Ortiz (12): @bellyrockz
“I had thought about doing Depop in the past, but the idea of committing, taking the photos, and laying everything out seemed really daunting, and I put it off for a really long time. But one day I just said, ‘let’s do it.’ I allocated six hours to laying out clothes, standing in front of the mirror and trying stuff on. I started a little over a month ago,” Ortiz said.
She emphasized that knowing her audience and catering to their tastes has been her strongest asset when selling her items.
“I definitely cater to Brandy Melville wearers and teenage girls, I think it’s easier for me to find things in my closet that they’d enjoy. It’s easier to style the clothes and make them look cute when you’re catering to an audience that wears the same clothes as you,” Ortiz said.
Isaac Arellano (11): @isaacstimelesspicks
“Once I find an item, I see if I would wear it or if I know someone else who would. Next, I see if the item is a desirable brand. Then I check the tag based on what it is I can tell around the year it was produced. Last, I see if I want to keep it or if I should list it for sale,” Arellano said.
Beyond selecting pieces based on style, brand, and era, Arellano also puts careful thought into how he prices his items before listing them.
“I personally price my items pretty generously compared to others because I like the idea of someone getting a piece they like for a reasonable price but I generally go off of what others have similar items listed as and then I just lower it a little,” Arellano said.
