The Ultimate Guide to Finding Stunning Women’s Hair Accessories on Depop

Whether you’re hunting for a vintage scrunchie that perfectly captures the spirit of a bygone decade, a delicate pearl clip that adds a touch of quiet elegance to a workday outfit, or a chunky claw clip that makes your morning routine effortlessly chic, Depop has become one of the most exciting places to shop for women’s hair accessories. The platform sits at the sweet spot between thrift culture and fashion-forward thinking, and if you know how to navigate it, you can find pieces that would cost three times as much in a boutique — or pieces you simply couldn’t find anywhere else.

This guide is designed to walk you through everything: what kinds of hair accessories are available on Depop, how to search and shop smartly, how to care for secondhand pieces once they arrive, and why Depop has genuinely become one of the best destinations for building a hair accessory collection that is both personal and sustainable.

Why Depop Is a Hidden Gem for Hair Accessories

The resale fashion world has exploded over the last several years, and Depop in particular has carved out a niche that skews younger, trendier, and more community-driven than platforms like eBay or ThredUp. When it comes to hair accessories specifically, this matters enormously, because hair accessories are among the most trend-sensitive items in fashion. A silk bow that was deeply unfashionable in 2010 becomes a coveted Y2K relic in 2023. A rhinestone butterfly clip dismissed as tacky becomes an ironic, then sincere, must-have.

Depop sellers are often ahead of or right on top of these trend cycles. Many of them are young women who buy thoughtfully, keep items in good condition, and then sell them when their personal aesthetic shifts. That means buyers have access to a rotating inventory of well-kept, on-trend, or genuinely rare pieces that you would struggle to find in a high street store.

Beyond trends, there is also a real sustainability argument for buying hair accessories on Depop. Hair accessories — especially plastic ones — are notoriously difficult to recycle. Buying secondhand gives these items a second life and keeps them out of landfill. Given how many hair accessories a person might own and how frequently they can break, fade, or simply fall out of fashion, the secondhand cycle is actually a very natural fit for this category.

The Most Popular Women’s Hair Accessories You’ll Find on Depop

One of the joys of shopping on Depop is the sheer variety, but it helps to know what you’re looking for before you dive in. Here are some of the most commonly listed and most beloved categories.

Claw Clips

The claw clip had one of fashion’s greatest comebacks, and Depop was tracking it early. You’ll find everything from the large, thick-gauge tortoiseshell claw clips that became a staple of the effortless-updo trend, to delicate miniature versions in pastel acetate that work best as half-up holders for finer hair. Sellers often list them by size (mini, medium, large, jumbo), and the quality range is wide — some sellers stock brand-new deadstock from the nineties or early two-thousands, while others are listing lightly used contemporary versions from brands like Kitsch, Scunci, or By Anthropologie.

When searching for claw clips on Depop, try terms like “acetate claw clip,” “tortoise claw clip,” “jumbo claw clip,” and “Y2K hair clip” to surface the best results. Checking photos carefully is important — look for any cracked hinge points or missing teeth.

Scrunchies

Scrunchies are one of Depop’s most reliably stocked hair accessory categories, and the variety is genuinely impressive. Velvet scrunchies in jewel tones, satin scrunchies in vintage florals, oversized cotton scrunchies in tie-dye and gingham, handmade crocheted scrunchies, and even luxury silk scrunchies that retail for fifty or sixty dollars new can all be found at a significant discount. Many Depop sellers also make and list their own scrunchies, so buying on the platform can directly support small makers.

Search terms like “velvet scrunchie,” “satin scrunchie set,” “handmade scrunchie,” and “silk hair tie” will get you far. Because scrunchies tend to be low-cost items, they’re often sold in bundles, which can be a great way to stock up while giving a seller a reason to ship.

Headbands

Headbands on Depop span an enormous range: slim, fabric-covered alice bands; wide padded headbands in boucle or velvet; embellished headbands with pearls, bows, or flowers; stretchy athletic headbands; and structured plastic headbands with teeth. The embellished category in particular tends to be well represented, because these are the kinds of pieces people wear to a wedding or a holiday party once and then rarely reach for again — making them ideal candidates for resale.

Knotted headbands — the ones with a fabric twist at the center — remain consistently popular and easy to find on Depop in every color and material imaginable. Wide, padded headbands in neutral tones like ivory, camel, and black are also reliably available and photograph beautifully, which means sellers list them often.

Barrettes and Hair Clips

From simple metal snap clips to elaborate resin barrettes shaped like flowers, clouds, or animals, the clip category on Depop is vast and deeply satisfying to browse. French barrettes with gold-tone or silver-tone hardware and a classic simplicity have a devoted following, and you can often find them in excellent condition because they’re sturdy by design. Resin clips, on the other hand, require a closer inspection of photos — the material can cloud or crack over time, and you want to make sure you’re not paying for something that has already degraded.

Search for “French barrette,” “resin hair clip,” “vintage hair clip,” and “acetate barrette” to find the best of this category. The vintage hair clip category on Depop is particularly rewarding — sellers sometimes find genuine 1960s or 1970s clips in estate lots and list them at fair prices.

Hair Scarves and Silk Squares

Hair scarves sit at a fascinating intersection of accessories — they work as a headband, a ponytail tie, a half-up accent, or even a bag accessory. Depop has a strong vintage silk scarf community, and while not every scarf is listed specifically as a hair accessory, many of the smaller squares (60cm or under) are ideal for hair use. Brands like Liberty London, Hermès (at higher price points), and a huge range of unlabeled vintage pieces all circulate on the platform regularly.

Searching “silk scarf,” “hair scarf,” “vintage square scarf,” and “bandana” will help you find these. Reading seller descriptions carefully matters here — a 90cm square is quite large for hair use, while a 45–60cm square is generally the sweet spot.

Bobby Pins and Hair Pins

These are small, but they accumulate into something meaningful on Depop, especially when sellers list them in bulk or as part of a styled bundle. Decorative bobby pins with pearl tips, enamel charms, or rhinestone embellishments often appear on the platform at much lower prices than their retail equivalents. Look for listings that include photos of the actual pins — stock photos in this category are more common and less useful.

How to Shop Smartly for Hair Accessories on Depop

Knowing what you want is only half the battle. Shopping Depop well requires a bit of strategy, especially because the platform’s search functionality can be inconsistent. Here are practices that experienced Depop shoppers use to find the best pieces.

Use multiple search terms. Depop’s search engine is keyword-dependent, which means a seller might list a claw clip as “hair jaw clip,” “large claw,” “big hair clip,” or even just by color and material. Build a mental list of synonyms and alternate descriptions for whatever you’re looking for and work through them systematically. Saving your searches helps too — you can check back without repeating the process.

Filter by condition and price. The filter tools on Depop allow you to narrow down by price range, condition (new with tags, like new, good, fair), and sometimes by color or size depending on the category. For hair accessories, filtering to “like new” or “new with tags” is a good starting point if you’re looking for something you’ll wear close to your face — hygiene matters, and hair accessories do come into contact with your scalp and hair.

Look at seller reviews. A seller with dozens or hundreds of positive reviews who describes their items accurately and ships quickly is worth a slight price premium over a seller with no reviews. For hair accessories in particular, where the condition of a hinge, the integrity of a clasp, or the cleanliness of fabric matters, accurate sellers are invaluable.

Check measurements and photos carefully. Hair accessories are notoriously difficult to size from photos alone. A clip can look large on a flat-lay photo and turn out to be miniature when it arrives, or vice versa. Good sellers will list measurements in centimeters or inches. If they don’t, it’s worth sending a message to ask — most Depop sellers are responsive and genuinely want their items to find the right home.

Make offers thoughtfully. Depop has an offer feature that allows buyers to propose a lower price. For hair accessories, which often hover in the five to fifteen dollar range, making an offer that is reasonable (ten to fifteen percent below asking, roughly) is usually welcome. Going too low on an already fairly priced item can come across as disrespectful and might cause a seller to reject the offer outright. If a piece is priced fairly, buying at full price is a kind thing to do — especially for small sellers who are individual people, not businesses.

Follow sellers who stock what you love. If you find a seller whose aesthetic matches yours, follow them. Many Depop sellers curate their shops over time, and following ensures you see new listings from them as they appear. Some sellers also offer discounts to followers.

Caring for Secondhand Hair Accessories

Once your purchase arrives, a little care goes a long way toward making sure it lasts.

For fabric accessories like scrunchies and headbands, hand washing with a mild detergent in cool water is usually the safest approach. Most fabric hair accessories are delicate enough that a machine wash — even on a gentle cycle — can cause stretching, pilling, or color bleed. Lay them flat to dry rather than hanging them, which can distort their shape.

For metal clips and barrettes, a soft cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol will remove any surface residue or buildup from hair products. Avoid submerging metal clips in water if they have any painted, enamel, or rhinestone elements — moisture can seep under the surface and cause peeling or loosening of stones.

For resin and acetate pieces — claw clips, barrettes, and thick headbands — avoid prolonged exposure to heat and direct sunlight, which can cause warping and fading. Store them away from a sunny windowsill. If they’re stored jumbled together in a drawer, the clips and teeth can scratch one another, so a small tray or divided organizer is a worthwhile investment.

For silk and satin scarves, dry cleaning is the gold standard, but hand washing in cold water with a silk-specific detergent works well for lower-stakes pieces. Never wring out silk — press it gently between towels and let it air dry flat. Ironing should be done on a very low setting with a pressing cloth between the iron and the scarf.

Building a Hair Accessory Wardrobe Through Depop

One of the most satisfying approaches to Depop hair accessory shopping is building a collection intentionally over time rather than impulse buying. A well-rounded hair accessory wardrobe might include a neutral palette of everyday pieces — two or three claw clips in tortoise or camel tones, a set of simple metal bobby pins, a satin scrunchie in black, and a classic headband — alongside a handful of statement pieces that reflect your personal aesthetic: a beaded barrette, a printed silk scarf, a rhinestone clip saved for evenings out.

Shopping on Depop for this kind of collection is actually ideal because the prices are low enough to experiment. You might try a style you’ve never worn before — a dramatic bow clip, a pair of oversized pearl pins — without committing the twenty or thirty dollars you’d spend buying new. If the piece doesn’t suit you, you can always relist it.

The secondhand cycle actually works beautifully for hair accessories. Because they’re small, they’re easy to photograph, list, and ship. Because they’re often trend-driven, there’s always a buyer who wants exactly what you’ve moved on from. Buying and selling on Depop can genuinely become a sustainable, financially neutral way to maintain a rotating, evolving collection.

Trends to Watch Right Now

The hair accessory landscape shifts quickly, and Depop tends to reflect and sometimes anticipate what’s happening in the broader fashion world. Currently, a few directions are worth keeping an eye on.

Maximalist embellishment has been gaining momentum, with pearl-adorned clips, rhinestone-covered barrettes, and jeweled headbands all performing strongly. The appetite for these pieces on Depop is high because the retail market can’t always keep up with the demand for well-made, heavily embellished pieces at accessible price points.

The quiet luxury aesthetic has also filtered into hair accessories, favoring simple, well-made pieces in neutral tones: a plain gold-tone French barrette, an ivory satin headband, a cashmere scrunchie. These are exactly the kinds of pieces that show up secondhand in excellent condition because they’re designed to be timeless and are treated accordingly by their original owners.

Bow everything has been a sustained trend rather than a passing moment, and bows in every scale — from tiny ribbon bows on bobby pins to enormous silk bows worn at the nape of the neck — continue to sell well on Depop. Vintage bows and handmade bow clips are particularly popular.

Final Thoughts

Depop is genuinely one of the best places to shop for women’s hair accessories, and the reasons go beyond price, though the pricing alone is compelling. The platform offers variety, community, sustainability, and the particular pleasure of finding something unique — a vintage clip that carries a little history, a handmade scrunchie from someone who clearly loves their craft, a designer silk scarf at a fraction of its original cost. Shopping there thoughtfully, with a clear sense of what you’re looking for and a willingness to communicate with sellers, tends to produce a very satisfying experience.

Hair accessories are small things, but they have a disproportionate effect on how a look comes together. A great clip can turn a rushed ponytail into something intentional. A beautiful scarf can elevate a simple outfit entirely. Finding those pieces in a way that is kind to your budget and to the planet makes the whole endeavor feel even better. Depop makes that possible, and once you start shopping there for hair accessories, it’s difficult to imagine going back to buying them only new.