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As more Americans get vaccinated against COVID-19, people are finding reasons to dress up again, trading their sweatpants and furry slippers for party dresses and jeans they can wear to the office.
They're increasingly shopping at thrift stores to rotate their wardrobes for different seasons, score unique looks, and lower their environmental footprint. And the people reselling those garments can make major cash in the process.
Resale is becoming a larger sector of the apparel industry, estimated to be worth $36 billion this year and expected to double by 2025, a report by the resale company Thredup said. Insider searched the popular resale sites Poshmark, Depop, and Mercari and asked resellers what's trending right now, and we found that a few styles are especially hot to sell this summer.
A resurgence of Y2K fashion
The late '90s and early aughts are back, in all their low-rise, crop-top glory, so resellers are listing throwback brands and styles popularized by "Friends" and Destiny's Child. Minidresses and small sunglasses are also trendy, as are bootcut and flare jeans, Sophia Verga, 20, a Poshmark seller in Boca Raton, Florida, told Insider via Facebook messenger.
Most shoppers are focused on the style rather than the brand, she added. "GenZ will pick up a pair of vintage Talbots jeans only because they are low waisted," she said. "This can skew those looking at statistics because it isn't really Talbots that is trending but the style itself."
A '90s Dior saddle bag
Following the Y2K theme, one of the hottest designer bags on the resale market right now is the Dior saddle bag. The kidney-shaped purse, designed by John Galliano, gained icon status on Carrie Bradshaw's arm in "Sex in the City."
Prices range from $200 to $500 on Mercari, according to sold search results. That's $2,275 less than a new Dior purse at Nordstrom. On Depop, one user sold a faded bag for $790.
Generally, newer designer handbags net higher sales, Verga said, but the Dior saddle bag is an exception because of its popularity. "If a particular bag is sold out, rare, or no longer in production the vintage pieces mimic the pricing of the modern day item," she said.
Baguette purses
If you can't get your hands on a Dior bag, similar tiny purses from the era — nicknamed baguette bags after their resemblance to the French loaf — are also popular right now.
The style centers on pastel-colored bags that are about the size of an iPhone 12 and have straps so short that you can clutch the bag in your armpit when you hang it on your shoulder.
"Shoppers are looking for vintage or early 2000s purses that mimic the current style at a fraction of the price," Verga said.
Victoria's Secret styles, especially swimwear
Though the company is amid a major rebrand to win back customers, Victoria's Secret is a desirable brand in resale. "VS vintage is very popular because it's so rare,"Amber Seay, 23, a Poshmark seller in St. Petersburg, Florida, said via Facebook messenger.
Vintage lingerie like satin slips from the '90s do well year-round, as do versions of the Victoria's Secret "Bombshell" bra. Summer is also a good time to sell Victoria's Secret swimwear.
Rare and discontinued styles can go for as much as $300, with most separates selling for about $20 each, according to sold search results on Poshmark.