Jess Morton, a 38-year-old mother of three from Selby, North Yorkshire, left her £43,000-a-year primary school teaching job to resell vintage clothing online and now earns at least double her former salary each month. In December 2025 alone, she made £15,000 in revenue.
From Wardrobe Clear-Out to Full-Time Business
Morton began reselling in October 2024 after losing eight stone. She listed her size 24 clothes on Vinted and earned £600 in her first month. By December 2024, she was selling on eBay, Depop, and Whatnot, making around £1,500 monthly. The side hustle grew rapidly, and she quit teaching in May 2025, going full-time in July 2025.
In nearly two years, Morton has generated £118,000 in revenue. She sells between 200 and 400 items per month, focusing on Y2K denim, low-rise jeans, tiny shorts, and vintage Nike and Adidas clothing. Her average monthly earnings range from £5,000 to £6,000, with a peak of £15,000 in December 2025.
Why She Left Teaching
Morton taught primary school for six years but found the job exhausting and demanding. “I wasn't my full self with my family,” she said. “With the current education system there was always more to do but never anything taken away. The admin of the workload takes away the reason you became a teacher.”
She now enjoys the flexibility of her new career. “I love the freedom. If I want to take half a day off to see my son’s sports day, I can. It’s fantastic.”
Business Growth and Tips
Morton reinvests most of her earnings into the business. She budgets £500 to £700 monthly for wholesale bundles and sells Y2K jeans for £18–£25 and vintage sportswear for £25–£40. In June 2025, she made £12,600, which she will largely reinvest. She has also hired an assistant to help photograph items.
Morton shares her reselling tips on TikTok at @jess.vintage.revivals. Her top advice includes starting small, knowing trends, focusing on quality over quantity, using clear photos, being honest in descriptions, learning each platform’s strengths, listing consistently, tracking numbers, building a brand, and being patient.
