Who says time spent on Instagram is time wasted? Insta Stories allows us to keep up with friends, brands and celebrities in real time. The new(-ish) Collections feature lets us mood-board our pretty little hearts out. And with Insta-shops — social pages that exist primarily to sell product — you can now build your entire wardrobe (or even decorate your house) via DM.
Let’s be real, it was only a matter of time before indie retailers and business-savvy individuals figured out how to capitalize on our long-existent in-app window-shopping tendencies. Some of these Insta-shops use the app to post carefully styled pictures of their wares, which followers can then claim by commenting or DMing. (The earliest bird gets the worm.) Others offer privileged information on upcoming product drops that take place not on Instagram but the brand’s actual e-commerce site. And then there are those “shops” that, for entertainment’s (or a slight commission’s) sake, sift through the massiveness of Amazon and eBay and share what gems they uncover with their loyal community of followers.
Suffice it to say, Instagram has many a great, one-of-a-kind shop and more are popping up daily. Click through the slideshow above for eight of our favorites that you should know about if you don’t already and get ready for a shopping experience that’s at times a little competitive, but mostly just fun.
[ Next: Bookmark These Now: 25 Best Online Clothing Stores for Women ]
Insta-Shops to Follow Now
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The Break
Hannah Richtman, creator of Williamsburg-based concept store The Break, was one of the first to use Insta Stories to sell clothes. Since the day the feature launched, the brand has filled its Stories with photos of pieces for sale (friends and employees double as fit models), along with the price, size and a brief product description. If you see something you like, just DM them your email — quick — and they'll send you an invoice. Easy-peasy. (And it's not just the Stories — all the regular posts are shoppable too.) As for the clothes themselves, they're a mix of reworked vintage finds and pieces by cool up-and-coming indie brands.
Image: @shopthebreak
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Amazon Fashion Secrets
At Amazon Fashion Secrets, you’ll find a compilation of quirky, amazing and extremely cheap fashion items you can buy on America's largest e-marketplace. 24-year-old prop stylist Keely Murphy, the brains behind the account, throws in a little bit of everything, from sparkling rainbow go-go boots to the pictured (damn convincing) Cult Gaia Ark Bag knockoff. A pinned Insta Story at the top of the page walks you through the (admittedly winding, but fairly painless) purchasing process.
Image: @amazonfashionsecrets
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eBay Bae
What Keely Murphy does for the Internet's largest first-run marketplace, Tae In Ahn does for its most famous auction house — only she doesn't make commission. A collections specialist at The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and bonafide eBay whiz, Ahn uses her curatorial eye to find and catalogue the best fashion (and random stuff) that eBay resellers have to offer. And while eBay Bae isn't technically an e-shop (and the items are generally pretty pricey), if you do fall in love with one of the objets d'art, you can easily type the listing into your eBay search bar and bid.
Image: @ebaybae
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Les Fleurs
Founded by Spain-based Insta-girl Maria Bernard, Les Fleurs vintage is essentially her dream closet. There's no website or brick-and-mortar attached (yet), so if a top-handle bag, boxy blazer or organza top catches your eye, send a DM and hope for the best. We highly recommend turning your post notifications on for this one.
Image: @lesfleurstudio
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MaisonCléo
Every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. EST, MaisonCléo opens its virtual doors. Run by a mother/daughter duo based in France, the shop is beloved by influencers the world over, including Emily Ratajkowski, Leandra Medine and Clara Cornet. The mom (Cléo) makes everything by hand, which is why they only post 20 to 25 new pieces online every week — and why everything invariably sells out within an hour. (On the bright side, if you are lucky enough to snag a piece, it comes with a complimentary matching scrunchie.) Follow their page for an early look at upcoming drops, so when the time comes you can click with purpose.
Image: @maisoncleo
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Na Nin Vintage
Founded by Kate Jennings back in 2009, this Virginia-based boutique (there are two locations in Richmond) now generates a ton of its business through Instagram. It's easy to see why: the clothes — a mix of one-of-a-kind vintage and cool contemporary pieces — are timeless and the styling is creative, relaxed and on point. Their collection of oversized sweaters and breezy silk button-downs is particularly drool-worthy.
Image: @naninvintage
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Casa Shop
For chic, modern and unbelievably affordable home décor, look no further than Casa Shop. Emi Moore, the genius behind the shop, is a former buyer for Need Supply Co. (more proof of her impeccable taste) who left when her passion project (Casa) took off. If you see something you like, send a DM with your email and zip code STAT.
Image: @casa__shop
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Naked
Truth: We're living in the era of the Fashion Sneaker™. Consequence: Tracking down in-demand styles has become something of a blood sport, particularly if you're looking for women's sizes. The trick is to widen your search. Copenhagen-based shop Naked is a great place to find sneakers that've already sold out in the U.S. (Yes, international shipping costs are annoying, but they're less annoying than reseller markups.) Follow their page to see what's dropping when.
Image: @nakedcph
