On April 10th and 23rd, Chi Chi Adenihun and I, Sydney Sainz, held an event called Depop BUT FREE. For this event, students dropped off gently used and washed clothes that they were no longer using, and on select days, students could pick up the donated clothes. It’s like thrifting, but free!
This is a great thing for students who are looking for new clothes, but don’t feel like spending a lot of money. It is also nice for students who don’t want to buy new clothes so they won’t go to waste and harm the environment.
Good quality clothing has gotten so expensive recently, and people have resorted to buying so much fast fashion that harms the environment so this is a great way to make a difference, and get good clothes while you’re at it!
But, the main reason Adenihun and I held this event is because LOHS doesn’t have any free clothes or donation closets for students to take when they are in need of some new clothes like most schools do, but we are striving to change that.
One of our teachers here at LOHS, Ms. Kushin, has been advocating for a free clothes closet for a while, and when she found out about our event, she was very excited.
“I think it is a great event for students on campus,” she said.“When people know students go to Los Osos they always assume they have a lot of money, but new data from our school revealed that about 40% of our students actually use financial assistance. So, I think Depop BUT FREE is a great way for students who need new clothes to get some without it being put on blast that they need it.”
There is always an embarrassing connotation when it comes to free things, but we wanted to change it to something that is cool because it’s basically the same exact thing as thrifting, which doesn’t typically hold the same connotation. And, like conventional thrifting, we also saw expensive brands like Champion and Tommy Hilfiger, and they were gone in minutes!
We want to create a tradition where free doesn’t mean less than, but rather looking out for one another!
Senior Samantha Rendon noted that it doesn’t feel much like a charity drive, but rather a “ good opportunity to get rid of clothes and get new clothes all in the span of a fun time rather than struggling with spending, spending, and spending.” This was exactly what we wanted. It is not a charity drive, but an act of mutual aid, where we acknowledge that we would rather share what we have, and get what we want for free, than be caught in the cycle of “spending, spending, spending” that Rendon mentioned. In this same tradition, no one is required to drop off clothes so they can get clothes.
Rendon also noticed that it was also a fun place to get clothes and hang out with friends. Even though we expected people would only want to shop, at the event, we saw people walking around with their friends, and using the space to connect and make memories.
Depop BUT FREE started as a one-time event for students to get new clothes for the summer, but now we have done it three times, and we are aspiring to make this a permanent thing at Los Osos. We want all students to enjoy having clothes they feel good in. Adenihun and I wanted to make sure that no students ever have to worry about their clothes, because if a person isn’t confident in their fashion, it affects their mental health and education.
Whether it is because you care about the environment, want access to free clothes, or you’re simply looking for a fun place to hang out, Depop BUT FREE has something for everyone!
Come to the next Depop BUT FREE event in C28 if you want to socialize and get amazing new clothes, and the best part, it’s all FREE!