Second-hand womenswear

What to check, garment by garment

With second-hand, what decides the condition of a piece is almost never what you look at first. It changes completely from one type of garment to another.

Dresses

On a pre-owned dress, first check the back fastening, zip or buttons, which is the main stress point, then the waist seams. On fluid fabrics, look for pulled threads against the light, and on a lined piece make sure the lining has not shrunk differently from the outer fabric - that is what makes a hem twist.

Coats and jackets

On a pre-owned coat or jacket, test the fastening fully before anything else: a specific zip is hard to replace like for like. Check the lining under the arms, the shoulder seams, and on wool look for moth damage in the inside seams rather than on the surface.

Shirts and blouses

On a pre-owned shirt or blouse, wear is concentrated at the collar, the cuffs and around the top button. On fluid fabrics, viscose or silk, look for tiny snags against the light and check that the colour is even by comparing an exposed area with a sheltered area of the garment.

Sweatshirts and jumpers

On a pre-owned sweatshirt or jumper, the ribbed edges lose their spring before the knit itself suffers: cuffs, hem and neckline are the first indicators. Look for pilling at the elbows and under the arms, and on wool inspect the inside seams, where any moth damage shows first.

Trousers

On a pre-owned pair of trousers, the seat and the inner thighs are the areas where the fabric goes shiny and then thins, and the bottom of the leg frays through rubbing. The state of the hem shows whether the piece has already been altered, which limits the alterations still possible. Check the waistband lining and the fastening.

T-shirts

On a pre-owned T-shirt, the neckline is the point of no return: once stretched, it does not recover its shape. Then check the prints, which crack where embroidery holds, and on fine knits look for pulled threads against the light - they do not show from the front.

Blazers and suits

On a pre-owned blazer, the lining under the arms is the first point of failure, and it can be repaired - unlike fabric made shiny by an iron that was too hot. Check the shoulder seams, how well the collar holds, and make sure the buttons all match and are original.

Vests and tops

On a pre-owned vest or top, the straps and the neckline are the areas that stretch, and the elastane holding them loses its spring over time. Check the armhole seams, often light on this kind of piece, and on a light-coloured fabric any marks under the arms.

Shorts

On a pre-owned pair of shorts, the crotch is the critical point: the fabric thins there through rubbing before it gives way. Check the waistband, the belt loops and the fastening along its whole run, and on light denim shorts look at the pocket bags against the light.

Skirts

On a pre-owned skirt, the waistband and the fastening concentrate the wear, and the seat is the area where the fabric goes shiny first. Check the state of the lining, which gives way before the outer fabric, and on a pleated skirt see whether the pleats still hold: a pleat that has dropped after a bad wash will not go back into place.

Jeans

On a pre-owned pair of jeans, the difference between a beautiful patina and fabric at the end of its life shows at the crotch and the pocket bags, to be looked at against the light. On stretch denim, the spring of the elastane is decisive: once lost, the cut never comes back. Also check the belt loops and the rivets.

Shoes

On a pre-owned pair, look at the sole first: its wear is uneven and tells you how the previous owner walked, which matters more than how the upper looks. Then check the inside at the heel, how firm the heel counter is, and on leather the flex creases, which do not disappear.

Bags

On a pre-owned bag, the corners and the base are the areas that wear first, followed by the strap attachments and the inner lining. Test the fastening fully and check the state of the corners, which are the most reliable indicator of how many years it has been used.

Accessories

On a pre-owned accessory, check the fastenings, buckles and edge seams, which give way before the material. On leather, dryness can be nourished, a deep crack cannot be rescued.