The Ultimate Guide to Unisex Accessories on Depop: How to Find, Style, and Sell Pieces That Work for Everyone
Fashion has always been a conversation, and right now that conversation is louder, bolder, and more inclusive than ever. The rigid boundaries between “men’s” and “women’s” accessories have softened into something far more interesting — a fluid, expressive space where a wide-brimmed hat, a chunky chain necklace, or a leather crossbody bag belongs to whoever wants to wear it. Depop sits right at the center of this shift, functioning as one of the most vibrant marketplaces for unisex accessories on the internet today.
Whether you’re a buyer hunting for that perfect finishing piece, a seller trying to reach the widest possible audience, or simply someone curious about what unisex accessory culture looks like in 2024, this guide covers everything you need to know.
Why Depop Is the Best Place for Unisex Accessories
Depop isn’t just a resale app. It’s a community built around personal style, sustainability, and the rejection of fast fashion’s one-size-fits-all approach. Its user base skews young, creative, and deeply interested in standing out rather than blending in — which makes it a natural home for accessories that defy traditional gender categories.
Unlike large retail platforms that sort products into binary men’s and women’s sections, Depop’s search and discovery system rewards good photography, accurate descriptions, and relevant keywords. A beautifully shot vintage belt or a rare Y2K-era beaded bag can surface for any shopper regardless of how the piece was originally marketed. That flexibility is exactly what unisex fashion thrives on.
The platform’s ethos also aligns perfectly with the sustainability values that drive much of the unisex trend. Buying secondhand is inherently genderless. A leather jacket from the 1990s doesn’t have a gender — it just has history, quality, and style. Depop shoppers understand this instinctively, which is why unisex accessories consistently perform well there.
What Counts as a Unisex Accessory?
Before diving into specific categories, it helps to clarify what makes an accessory “unisex” in practice rather than just in theory. The word doesn’t necessarily mean the piece was designed without a gender in mind. More often, it means the accessory has been adopted broadly across gender identities and looks good on a variety of body types, aesthetics, and personal styles.
Some accessories have always been culturally understood as unisex — watches, belts, and backpacks are the obvious examples. Others have shifted into unisex territory over time as fashion culture evolved. Hoop earrings, pearl necklaces, bucket hats, and platform shoes all started in one lane and gradually became something everyone claims. On Depop, this evolution happens faster than anywhere else because the community actively reshapes what’s considered wearable by whom.
The most commercially successful unisex accessories on Depop tend to share a few qualities: they’re adjustable or come in one-size-fits-most, they photograph well and look compelling as a standalone object, they have a strong aesthetic identity (Y2K, goth, vintage workwear, streetwear, cottagecore, and so on), and they’re easy to style with multiple looks rather than just one outfit.
The Most Popular Unisex Accessory Categories on Depop
Hats and Headwear
Headwear might be the single strongest unisex category on Depop right now. Bucket hats, beanies, trucker caps, wide-brimmed felt hats, fisherman beanies, and vintage baseball caps all circulate constantly and generate consistent interest across the platform. The appeal is obvious: a hat sits on your head, not your body, so fit concerns are minimal and the aesthetic impact is enormous.
Vintage sports caps — particularly those from the 1990s and early 2000s with embroidered logos, faded colors, and curved brims — are perennial bestsellers. Bucket hats from the same era, especially in nylon, canvas, or bold prints, attract buyers who are building streetwear or Y2K-inspired wardrobes. Wide-brimmed western-style hats have surged in popularity alongside the broader western and cowboy aesthetic trend, appealing equally to people who identify with that aesthetic regardless of gender.
When searching for hats on Depop, try terms like “vintage 90s cap,” “nylon bucket hat,” “Y2K beanie,” or “wide brim western hat” to find pieces with real resale appeal.
Bags and Backpacks
Bags are arguably the most versatile unisex accessory category, and Depop has an extraordinary selection. Mini backpacks, canvas tote bags, leather crossbody bags, drawstring bags, messenger bags, and vintage fanny packs all move quickly on the platform and attract a broad buyer base.
Canvas tote bags deserve a special mention because they’ve become something of a cultural object in their own right. A tote from a beloved bookshop, a defunct magazine, a museum gift shop, or an obscure brand carries symbolic value beyond its function. These sell fast on Depop, often for surprising prices, precisely because they communicate something about the wearer’s taste and identity.
Vintage leather bags — particularly structured ones from the 1970s through the 1990s — perform extremely well. The craftsmanship of older leather goods is genuinely superior to much of what’s made today, and buyers who understand this seek them out specifically on resale platforms. A well-worn leather satchel or a structured Doctor bag can attract buyers styling everything from academic-core to dark academia to classic streetwear.
Fanny packs and belt bags remain strong performers, having never really fallen off after their early 2010s comeback. They’re practical, adjustable, and photograph well worn both at the waist and across the chest.
Jewelry
Unisex jewelry on Depop spans an enormous range, from chunky gold chain necklaces and signet rings to beaded bracelets, ear cuffs, and vintage brooches. The unisex jewelry conversation on Depop has been significantly shaped by the growing mainstream acceptance of men and non-binary people wearing traditionally “feminine” jewelry styles.
Chunky chain necklaces — whether in gold-toned metal, silver, or mixed materials — are among the most consistently searched items on the platform. They layer well, photograph dramatically, and work across streetwear, goth, grunge, and dressed-up aesthetics alike. Similarly, rings have become a major unisex jewelry category, with signet rings, chunky silver bands, and vintage cocktail rings all moving quickly.
Vintage costume jewelry deserves attention as a category in its own right. Brooches, in particular, have experienced a genuine renaissance. A well-chosen vintage brooch worn on a lapel, a hat, or a bag strap can elevate almost any outfit, and the sheer variety available on Depop — from Art Deco enamel pieces to 1980s rhinestone clusters — means there’s something for every aesthetic.
Beaded jewelry, particularly handmade pieces with a retro or craft aesthetic, is another strong performer. The Y2K revival has brought significant attention to beaded chokers, stackable bracelets, and colorful anklets, all of which read as unisex in the context of current fashion culture.
Belts
Belts are one of the most underrated accessory categories on Depop. A good vintage belt — particularly a wide leather belt with an interesting buckle, a woven fabric belt, or a chain belt with strong Y2K energy — can become the focal point of an outfit and generates real interest from buyers who know how to use accessories.
Wide statement belts from the 1970s and 1980s are highly sought after. The quality of vintage leather belts is often exceptional, and the variety of buckle styles available from pre-1990 production is hard to match in contemporary retail. Sellers who focus on this category often find they can move pieces quickly when they’re photographed well and priced fairly.
Western-style belts with intricate stitching, tooling, or concho details have benefited enormously from the broader western aesthetic trend. These pieces look striking in photos and appeal to buyers building a range of aesthetics from western to boho to eclectic maximalism.
Sunglasses and Eyewear
Vintage and vintage-inspired eyewear is a perennial strong performer on Depop. Round wire frames, oversized acetate frames, sporty wraparound styles from the late 1990s, and shield sunglasses all circulate constantly and attract buyers who understand how dramatically a pair of glasses can shift an aesthetic.
The unisex appeal of vintage eyewear is almost total — sunglasses don’t have gendered sizing in any meaningful way, and the styles that tend to do best on Depop (bold shapes, interesting colorways, unusual proportions) are inherently aesthetic statements rather than gendered markers. Brands like Oakley, Ray-Ban, Versace, and various vintage Italian and French optical houses generate strong interest, but interesting no-name vintage frames can perform equally well when photographed creatively.
Scarves and Bandanas
Scarves are one of the most stylistically flexible accessories in existence, and on Depop they function as a true all-genders category. Silk scarves worn in the hair, around the neck, tied to a bag handle, or used as a top are a strong aesthetic trend right now. Vintage silk scarves — particularly those with interesting prints, bold colorways, or designer provenance — are among the most consistently searched items on the platform.
Bandanas occupy a similar space, functioning as headwear, neck accessories, pocket squares, or belt loops depending on the wearer’s preference. Vintage bandanas in traditional paisley prints or unusual colorways move quickly and can be sourced cheaply, making them a solid category for newer sellers looking to build volume.
How to Style Unisex Accessories: Building Looks That Work
The beauty of genuinely unisex accessories is that they don’t require you to think about “men’s” or “women’s” styling rules — you just think about balance, proportion, and cohesion.
A few principles tend to work well when building looks around statement unisex accessories. First, let one piece lead. If you’re wearing a bold chunky chain necklace, keep the rest of your jewelry minimal. If the bag is the centerpiece — a striking vintage leather piece with unusual hardware — let it breathe against a simpler outfit.
Second, consider proportion. A wide statement belt looks best when it has room to be seen, which usually means tucking in or cropping whatever sits above it. Oversized sunglasses pair naturally with less volume elsewhere, creating a clean frame for the face. Large bags balance better against structured or intentional outfits than against very loose, shapeless ones.
Third, lean into the history of a vintage piece. If a bag has the patina of a well-traveled 1980s leather satchel, that history is part of its appeal. You don’t need to build a period-accurate outfit around it, but letting its character inform the rest of your look — slightly worn edges, earthy tones, relaxed silhouettes — creates cohesion.
How to Sell Unisex Accessories Successfully on Depop
If you’re on the selling side, positioning accessories as unisex can significantly expand your potential buyer pool. Here’s how to approach it effectively.
Photography is everything on Depop. For accessories, this means photographing the piece both as a standalone object — on a clean surface, in good natural light, from multiple angles — and styled in context. Showing a hat worn, a bag carried, or a necklace layered helps potential buyers visualize the piece as part of a real look. Including photos on a range of body types or modeled by people of different gender presentations signals that the piece is genuinely accessible to everyone.
Your listing description should include clear measurements where relevant (hat circumference, belt length and width, bag dimensions), honest condition notes, and styling suggestions that appeal to multiple aesthetics. Instead of writing “this bag would look great with a feminine summer dress,” write “this bag works beautifully with everything from tailored trousers to vintage denim — a real all-wardrobe piece.”
Keywords matter enormously on Depop’s search algorithm. Include terms like “unisex,” “gender neutral,” and “all genders” alongside aesthetic keywords (“Y2K,” “vintage,” “streetwear,” “goth,” “dark academia”) and style keywords (“chunky chain,” “leather crossbody,” “bucket hat”). Think about what someone would actually type into the search bar when looking for a piece like yours, and make sure those terms appear naturally in your listing.
Pricing unisex accessories well requires research. Search completed sales for similar items, paying attention to condition, brand, rarity, and current aesthetic trend alignment. Vintage pieces in excellent condition from recognizable brands or with strong aesthetic appeal can command significant premiums. No-name pieces in excellent condition that align perfectly with a current trend can also price higher than you might expect.
Building a cohesive shop aesthetic helps too. Buyers who love one piece you sell are much more likely to browse your other listings if your shop has a consistent visual identity and curation point of view. If you focus on Y2K accessories, let that show in how you photograph and style everything. If you’re more of a vintage workwear-meets-streetwear curator, make that legible across your listings.
Sustainability and the Unisex Accessory Movement
There’s a values dimension to the unisex accessory trend that’s worth acknowledging explicitly. Rejecting gendered marketing of accessories isn’t just an aesthetic choice — it’s a rejection of the artificial fragmentation that fast fashion uses to sell more products. When a belt or a bag or a pair of earrings is marketed as “for women only” or “men’s,” it narrows the potential audience and creates pressure to buy gender-specific versions of objects that have no inherent gender.
Buying unisex accessories secondhand on Depop collapses that manipulation entirely. You’re buying an object because you love it and it works for your style, not because it was packaged for your demographic. That’s a meaningfully more sustainable relationship with fashion — both environmentally, because you’re extending the life of existing goods, and personally, because you’re building a wardrobe based on genuine preference rather than prescribed category.
This is part of why Depop has become such a significant platform for unisex fashion broadly. It removes the retail infrastructure that enforces gendered categories and replaces it with a more honest exchange: here is a beautiful, interesting, well-made thing — does it speak to you?
Final Thoughts
The unisex accessories space on Depop represents something genuinely exciting about where fashion culture is heading. It’s a space where quality, aesthetic identity, and personal expression matter more than whether a piece was originally marketed to one gender or another. Whether you’re searching for a vintage leather bag that will last another thirty years, a pair of bold sunglasses that announces your aesthetic from twenty feet away, or a chunky silver ring that layers perfectly with everything you own, Depop is the place to find it.
Take your time browsing, use specific search terms, look at seller shops holistically, and trust your instincts about what speaks to you. The best accessory is always the one that feels unmistakably, unapologetically yours — and on Depop, that piece is out there waiting.
