Local vintage resellers take over social media

With the pop-up market season coming to a close, vintage resellers are increasingly using social media to spread the word about their handpicked collection of stylish, uncommon pieces. 

Logan McKito, a sophomore undeclared major, started Mickey’s Vintage, an Instagram account dedicated to selling vintage clothing to Pitt students, in 2019. He said he began selling his old clothes and thrifting items for friends. Once he became a Pitt student, he catered to the high demand for vintage Pitt apparel. 

“As I got more and more traction, I started going to garage sales and using Facebook Marketplace 一 and honestly for where I’m at today, that’s what I’m using the most,” McKito said. “Another big thing I’ve been doing lately is if I meet someone on Instagram who collects Penn State vintage stuff and if they have any Pitt stuff, I’ll trade with them so we’re both getting stuff that would sell better for us.” 

When shopping for items to add to his inventory, McKito said he looks for pieces that match his personal style. He favors bold colors, textured fabrics and fun sweaters. 

“I tend to dress a little more out there than the average person,” McKito said. “If I find anything that’s crazy colorful or crazy materials, that’s usually what I tend to gravitate towards. Whenever I thrift, the main thing in my head is, ‘What would I wanna wear?’” 

Mickey’s Vintage recently participated in its first in-person event during a pop-up shop hosted by Thriftsburgh. 

“I brought over 100 things and I was worried,” McKito said. “I didn’t know if it was too many or too little because this was my first event ever. I ended up selling around 80 items in the first half hour. It was craziness.” 

From the 105 pieces that he brought to the event, he went home with only six left over.

For those in the market for home essentials and decor, @pgh_mod on Instagram sells a curated collection of mid-century modern home decor. 

Eileen Collie, a Pitt alum, said her love for finding hidden treasures at the thrift has now turned into a business. 

“I’m always going to thrift stores and trying to find new treasures, so it fit in naturally,” Collie said. 

Pittsburgh Mod offers glasses, turntables, mirrors, large furniture and more.

“The things that consistently tend to sell are larger furniture pieces, things that it would be harder for someone to just go on Target and find a comparable item,” Collie said. 

Her business operates primarily on Instagram, and occasionally she’ll list items on Ebay. She said customers arrange either pick up or deliver for an extra fee. 

“Typically, I’ll try to post a couple times a day, maybe four to five days out of the week, and people comment ‘sold’ if they want it,” Collie said. 

maybeweird is a participant in The Neighborhood Flea Market and other pop-up events in the fall and winter seasons. The shop includes colorful home decor and fashion. Meagan Michaelis, a Pittsburgh resident, is the creator of two brands, maybeweird and mayberomance.

mayberomance is a digital business on Patreon where Michaelis paints fantasies onto vintage book covers. maybeweird is her outlet for selling reworked clothing and decor. The brands are independent from each other, but she is in the process of trying to unify them. 

Michaelis said she created the brands almost out of desperation. 

“I wanna say that it was born out of pure determination to make something of myself,” Michaelis said. 

She began by doing commissions, but in late 2019 she decided she wanted to brand her work. Michaelis gathered supplies and started experimenting and eventually turned her personal DIY projects into products she could sell.

Michaelis describes her style as colorful, bold, quirky and childlike. 

“I have always said that I don’t really want to grow up and lose the things that are so precious when you’re a kid,” Michaelis said. 

Her most popular items, reworked vases and candlesticks, exemplify her crafty and quirky style. 

When she comes across a funky vase at the thrift, she’ll rework the piece with clay charms. She molds the clay into fun and colorful shapes, which she then bakes in the oven to harden, and glues the finished charm onto the vase. 

“I go to the thrift shop a lot. Sometimes I go and find absolutely nothing, but sometimes I find really good things,” Michaelis said. “It’s a lot of going out and patience.” 

For those looking to introduce the 2000s aesthetic to their closet, KVAULT specializes in just that. Kara Shields, a Pittsburgh resident, curates a vintage, 80’s, 90’s and Y2K aesthetic through jackets, accessories and reworked athletic wear. She sells her items at various pop-up events in the city like WV Vintage Fest and The Neighborhood Flea. 

Though KVAULT primarily resells, the brand was originally born from Shields’ idea to make a revolving closet subscription brand. In the new year, Shields said hopes to bring back subscription boxes where customers receive a handpicked bundle of clothing based on inspiration photos. 

KVAULT also specializes in fun fabrics and prints, sequins and faux fur. Shields said she loves sourcing shoulder bags, totally sequined dresses from the 80s and accessories that all embody the popular Y2K aesthetic. 

“I always say KVAULT is my alter ego,” Shields said. “I look for amazing faux fur jackets that you don’t see everyday. I get pumped about finding really cool jackets. I compare a lot of the things I find as the originals of what is mass produced now.” 

When sourcing products, Shields prioritizes quality and longevity. She said a helpful skill that she has learned over time is estimating the age of a piece of clothing from touching it. She uses this to judge the quality of a product when she thrifts.

“I’m always sourcing for quality pieces that are made super well that will last forever,” Shields said.