Second-hand H&M

H&M produces a lot and renews quickly, so a large share of what circulates second-hand has been worn very little: you regularly find pieces in almost new condition. It does call for more attention than elsewhere to intrinsic quality, which varies a great deal across collections and lines, and the composition is the best guide - a wool-blend coat and a light polyester top have neither the same lifespan nor the same value under the same label. The sizing is fairly narrow and inconsistent from one piece to the next: better to trust the flat measurements than the label. On a pre-owned piece, the usual weak points are the assembly seams, sometimes light, thin linings that tear at the armholes, and the fastenings.