The other day on the way to a sample sale I was listening to Ariana Grande‘s “7 Rings.” The song is basically an ode to her money (“I want it, I got it”) and I was trying to channel her rich bitch energy. Unfortunately I had to accept that just because there were discounts and just because I really, really, really want something (or lots of things), it doesn’t necessarily mean, “I got it.” More often then not when I’m really into a trend or in need of a wardrobe refresh, I definitely don’t just buy it. Instead I go find some alternative version of it for less on Etsy.
When someone compliments my outfit and I tell them it’s from Etsy, they always laugh. “I got it from Etsy,” isn’t inherently funny but I can understand why the thought that something fashionable could be found on Etsy is hilarious. The featured item on their homepage is currently a heart pin engraved with initials. Their tagline is “If it’s handcrafted, vintage, custom, or unique, it’s on Etsy.” They somehow have a pretty robust selection of divorce gifts. Etsy was never about fashion or trends; it was always about arts and crafts and slightly random and obscure homemade things. Ironically though, a lot of fashion’s biggest trends right now are pretty crafty too.
Look around and you’ll notice almost everyone is dressing like they’re back in middle school, fresh off the school bus from summer camp. Beaded bracelets, seashell hoop earrings and tie-dye sweatshirts are everywhere. Fashion editors are wearing conventionally unsexy prairie dress that wouldn’t look out of place at a elementary school graduation. Everyone on Instagram is wearing Blair Waldorf-esque padded headbands with cowboy boots, a look your mom probably dressed you in years ago. Unlike the tie-dye and crafty jewelry of your youth though, these new fashion trends are expensive. Proenza Schouler’s tie-dye collection ranges from $295 for a sweatshirt to just under $1,000 for a tie-dye dress. Roxanne Assoulin beaded jewelry will cost you a couple of hundred dollars and Prada’s padded headband retails for a cool $200.
A lot of these trends aren’t just nostalgic, but they’re also incredibly easy to hand make, which means there are lots of affordable options available on Etsy. And when the trend isn’t literally crafty, it’s vintage—and there you’ll find some seriously great vintage pieces for far less than on more fashion-forward sites. From vintage Dior saddlebags to handmade cowboy boots to cute little pearl hairpins, here are nine big trends for spring 2019 that you can buy right now on Etsy.
