Hello everyone!
It is officially summertime, and where I live in Pennsylvania, we are feeling it! With the temperatures rising and the humidity making it seem even hotter, I think we’re all trying to stay as cool as possible. So, when I’m dressing for the day, my motto is the breezier the better!
I have no shortage of pretty floral dresses in my closet to keep me cool during the summertime. But… we all know I’m a thrift nut, so I’m always on the hunt for a new addition to my collection. Usually at this time of the year, I’m going to my local Goodwill or my favorite church charity shop and I’m picking up new house dresses and the like. However, what with the Pandemic going on, all of these thrift shops are closed!
Enter Depop.
Now, I’m no stranger to Depop. I’ve been using this app for years, and I even sold clothes on there for a little while. But since Miss ‘Rona came to town, I’ve been using the app more and more. I found this adorable romper on one of my daily swipe-throughs and fell in love. It was your typical thrifting romance. And in the words of Ariana Grande, I saw it, I like it, I wanted it, I got it. But, I did make a blunder or two in the process between buying and wearing this romper that you can learn from!
What I liked the most about this romper were all the details that gave it character. The scalloped neckline, the buttons, the fluttery sleeve, and the ties on the waist and back all make this romper unique. This is exactly what I look for when I’m thrifting, either in person or online. These little details that seem to make the garment in question something special, and set it apart. And, when it arrived in the mail, it did not disappoint! This is such a fun and *breezy* little number that I will definitely be wearing all summer long.
Now. I also will tell you a few things that went wrong with this little venture into online thrifting. I made a few rookie mistakes with this purchase that I will share with you. First off, the seller only had one picture of the romper on the listing. I could zoom in on the buttons and the neckline, but not well enough to see that there was a button missing. Also, when I took the romper out of its mailer, I realized there wasn’t a zipper on the back or the side! Meaning, I had to button myself in and out of this thing whenever I… say… had to use the bathroom? Now, for a girl such as myself who likes to keep herself hydrated, this might have been a deal-breaker had I known before buying.
And finally… There was no care label. So I threw it into the washer with the intention to hang it up to dry. Now, this may seem fine to some of you. But other seasoned thrifters may be groaning internally, already knowing what I’m about to say. Even on the most delicate cycle setting, some clothes just aren’t designed to be put in the wash. Especially vintage ones. When I took it out of the wash, there were luckily no holes that had formed in the material, but the pretty scalloped neckline had come apart at the seams in some spots.
Now as you can see in these pictures… The damage isn’t too bad overall. The romper is still pretty and wearable, and you can bet I’ll still be wearing this weekly! I’m probably being too hard on myself. But it’s just enough to make it noticeable in some spots. I’m going to repair it and steam the neckline to hopefully make it what it once was, but I’m still frustrated with myself!
I’m telling you this so that you all can learn from my mistakes! Here are my tips: If you’re interested in an item online (not just on Depop!), ask the seller to post more pictures if they don’t have many up already. Ask to see the care tag (if there is one), the back, up-close shots of the details. Ask where the zipper is. You may think you’re being annoying, but the sellers worth working with will be happy to answer your questions.
And, when in doubt, take your clothes to the dry cleaner. My kingdom for an in-house dry cleaner. Do those even exist??
Until next time.
The Ginger Introvert 