Second-hand menswear

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.

Polo shirts

On a pre-owned polo shirt, the real condition is judged at the collar: if it ripples or the points curl up, that is irreversible, whereas a slightly pilled knit can be rescued. Then check the button placket, which loses its shape if the garment has been hung on a hanger that was too wide, and the underarms, which mark before the rest of the garment.

Shirts

On a pre-owned shirt, three areas concentrate the wear: the point and fold of the collar, the edge of the cuffs, and the fabric around the top button. These are the friction points, and fabric that has thinned there cannot be repaired. Also check the colour under the arms of a light-coloured shirt, where marks are often permanent.

Sweatshirts and jumpers

On a pre-owned sweatshirt or jumper, wear shows at the ribbed edges - cuffs, hem, neckline - which lose their spring before the knit itself suffers. Then check for pilling where it rubs (elbows, under the arms, waist) and, on fine knits, look for snags against the light rather than from the front.

T-shirts

On a pre-owned T-shirt, two things count: the neckline, which stretches and never recovers its shape, and any print, which cracks and then peels. Embroidery survives many more washes than a screen print. Also look at how the hem hangs, as it twists when the cotton has been washed too hot.

Coats and jackets

On a pre-owned coat or jacket, test the fastening along its whole run before anything else: a specific zip is expensive and hard to replace like for like. Then check the heat-sealed seams on the inside, which come away at the shoulders, the state of the pockets, and on a technical piece the surface treatment, which flakes at the folds.

Shorts

On a pre-owned pair of shorts, the critical point is the crotch, where the fabric thins through rubbing before it gives way. Also check the belt loops and the fastening along its whole run. On chino or canvas shorts, a shiny area on the seat indicates a garment that has been worn a lot, even if the colour looks intact.

Swimwear

On pre-owned swimwear, the waistband elastic and the drawcord are the first to give way, and a slack elastic cannot be rescued. Check the state of the inner lining, which tears before the outer fabric, and look for areas faded by chlorine, usually on the seat.

Accessories

On a pre-owned accessory, wear is concentrated on the moving parts and the edges: fastenings, buckles, edge seams. On leather, dryness can be nourished whereas a deep crack is permanent.

Blazers and suits

On a pre-owned blazer, what matters most is on the inside: the lining under the arms gives way before the outer fabric, and a lining that has come unstitched can be repaired, whereas fabric made shiny by an iron that was too hot does not come back. Check the shoulder seams, how well the collar holds, and make sure the buttons are original and all match.

Jeans

On a pre-owned pair of jeans, a patina is an asset, thinned fabric is a flaw: the difference shows at the crotch and the pocket bags, which need looking at against the light. Check the rivets, the belt loops, and on stretch denim the spring of the elastane, which never comes back once lost.

Trousers

On a pre-owned pair of trousers, look at the seat and the inner thighs, where the fabric goes shiny and then thins, as well as the bottom of the leg, often frayed by rubbing against the shoe. Check the waistband lining and the state of the hem, which shows whether the trousers have already been altered.