Second-hand women's sweatshirts and jumpers

On a pre-owned knit, it is the ribbed edges - cuffs, hem, neckline - that give way first, often well before the body of the garment suffers. That is the first check to make, and the most revealing. Next comes pilling at the elbows and under the arms, which can be removed, then snags, to be looked for against the light on fine knits, where they are invisible from the front. On wool and wool blends, inspect the inside seams rather than the surface: any moth damage shows there first, and a piece can look perfect while being weakened. Sizing varies a great deal in this category, with several brands numbering from 0 to 4 rather than using letters, and cardigans are often worn a size above the jumpers of the same brand.