Second-hand Saint Hilaire

Saint Hilaire is a French womenswear ready-to-wear brand with a sober wardrobe, focused on natural fabrics and classic cuts rather than seasonal effects. This positioning is a direct advantage second-hand: the pieces do not date and the wools, cottons and viscoses used stand up to the years when they have been cared for. The sizing follows French sizes and stays consistent from one piece to the next, which makes buying online easier. The things to check are those of natural fabrics: on wool, pilling where it rubs and any moth damage, to be looked for in the inside seams rather than on the surface; on viscose and fine knits, pulled threads, which only show against the light; on lined jackets, the lining under the arms, which is the first to give way but can be replaced.