From Pop-Ups to Permanence: How Ditto Vintage is Redefining Thrifting

The world of secondhand clothes is much bigger than shopping at a Goodwill or arc Thrift. Once a taboo practice, thrifting has taken over a whole new place in people’s lives. For Jessica Schuyler, it is how she makes a living. 

When Schuyler graduated with a marketing degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia in 2008, she worked for many different boutiques and other retail shops. From working at Pacific Sunwear to being a manager at Intrigue Fine Apparel for 6 years, she has always been involved in the fashion industry in some way. 

In 2017, Schuyler decided to start her own vintage shop, Ditto Vintage. At first, Ditto was strictly offered at pop-up markets and on the online clothing reseller website Depop. Her success in these business endeavors eventually pushed her to start her own website in 2021. 

Schuyler realized that Ditto Vintage should become her main priority as her business started to grow. “I was just working way more than 40 hours a week, being texted and emailed 24/7 and I knew that’s not where I wanted to see myself in five years,” Schuyler expressed.

On a nightly walk around New Hope, Pennsylvania, Schuyler passed by an empty shop for rent. She immediately pictured the space as the future home for Ditto Vintage. “I had savings and it was my now or never moment,” Schuyler reflected. 

Ditto Vintage’s brick-and-mortar location opened in May 2023 at that very same spot. Ever since her opening, Schuyler’s business has continued to grow and has slowly become one of the most-known vintage stores in the New Hope area. 

Schuyler’s business successes have come in handy when it comes to things like sourcing, the way people curate clothing for their vintage collection. Now that Ditto is well known, most of the clothing Schuyler acquires is brought to her by other resellers. Instead of having to go digging in the Goodwill bins (which she sometimes still does), Schuyler now has the luxury of buying wholesale and one-off clothing items from people eager to work with her. 

Schuyler is just one of the many success stories that have come from the thrifting community, representing that there is a business side to the movement and outlets for people to express themselves as well as financially support themselves. 

Lori Gettis, owner of Rare Daisy Vintage and frequent collaborator with Ditto Vintage, is another one of these stories. Gettis’ shop focuses on vintage and secondhand jewelry. Since starting her business, Gettis has created a collection of handpicked pieces that fly off the shelves at the retailers she sells at. “People really enjoy the history around the pieces that I sell and want to wear something that has meaning behind it,” Gettis stated.  

Like many other vintage stores, Ditto Vintage and Rare Daisy Vintage have a theme surrounding most of their items. For Rare Daisy, Gettis focuses on jewelry pieces that have a unique background. In the case of Ditto Vintage, Schuyler describes her selection of curated items as ones that fit into the 90s/Y2K niche. 

Vintage stores like Ditto are places where customers can find clothing in their style. As Colorado State University student Aine Flynn put it, “Curated vintage stores help me find clothes that fit the certain look I am going for without having to rummage through racks for hours.” 

Of course, there is also the positive environmental impact that thrifting and secondhand selling have. When asked why she thought thrifting and buying secondhand was important, Schuyler stated that “the quality of clothes has shifted since 2008, and things just aren’t made like they were.” This conclusion can be seen in the current overconsumption of clothes due to their poor quality and limited lifespan. 

Schuyler is not afraid to call herself a “repeat outfit offender,” a practice that is occasionally frowned upon in society. Not wanting to wear an outfit too many times is one reason why many people justify buying new clothes regularly. Schuyler believes that clothing should be kept circular and that there is always a way to style a piece of clothing differently to prolong its life in your closet. 

Schuyler’s biggest tip for people wanting to help the environment out but be able to stay on trend is to “find pieces that are already in existence and make them your own style.” Doing this will give your closet the update you have been looking for without contributing to the environmental impact that new clothing items create.