Tips for Buying Secondhand Clothes Online
The clothing industry has the highest rate of returns in e-commerce at an astonishing 30% (compared to 8-10% in brick and mortar shopping), and this value is as high as 50% in certain apparel markets, according to numbers from Shopify’s Fashion Industry Report. Aside from shipping and packaging waste, these returns themselves probably aren’t restocked and resold like you might assume. Instead, much of the clothing will be discarded as landfill or incinerated.
Ordering secondhand provides an alternative shopping structure, one that defies our addiction to returns. No “bracketing” (buying a size up and a size down to see which one fits). No inaccurate size charts that don’t match up with the garment in hand—secondhand sellers list the actual measurements of that particular piece. No added trip to the post office to return a regrettable purchase that only took a click.
Because returns are usually not an option, buying thrift and vintage online forces us to be selective and intentional with our shopping, which we can all agree is a good thing for both budget and planet. Part of that is knowing your stuff, communicating with the seller, and having a backup plan just in case.
While it’s always better to buy secondhand locally within your community, shopping secondhand online is far and away a better option than ordering exploitative fast fashion any day. It helps keep vintage sellers in business caring for and recirculating these clothes, and it means you can find special pieces that fit your style no matter where you live on the map.
Here are some tips for helping you master the online purchase:
Know your measurements inside and out. Yes, it’s annoying to track down measuring tape and find out how to take accurate sizings. But spending twenty minutes jotting down all your current measurements and the actual measurements of your best-fitting items is a crucial one-time step in buying with no regrets.
Most importantly, I have my bust, waist, and hip measurements memorized, along with my preferred rise, inseam, and sleeve sizes. I keep a list on my phone and laptop of other measurements—everything from calf circumference and torso length top to bottom.
Don’t forget your shoes. It’s also good to have a working idea of what heel height you can handle, the approximate height of the boots that you feel best in, and your insole measurements as well. Remember that cowboy boots are often larger than regular shoes, so you may want to size down by a half or even full size.
Don’t trust the size on the label. Vintage sizing is often very different from our sizing today, so it’s best to trust actual measurements or tips from an experienced seller lists something as (“fits like a ___.”)
Jeans are notoriously hard to shop for online. With thrifted jeans, keep in mind the level of stretch and note that different color dye can actually affect sizing. Vintage jeans in particular can be tricky, since the method of construction (Levi’s “student fit” in the 80s, or the addition of extra fabric to the top thigh in women’s jeans, for instance) has changed over time. When in doubt, expect to shop 2-4 sizes up in vintage sizing. The vintage seller @sureplease has some great videos to help you, like this and this.
Don’t be shy. Now that you know your measurements and what they mean, it’s time to put that knowledge to use. Ask questions, especially if the garment isn’t shown on a model or with scale. They might look the same in a flat-lay photo on Etsy, but there’s a big difference between a “small” sweater that used to belong to a child and a “small” sweater that would fit true to size on an adult woman. If the detailed sizes of an item aren’t listed, reach out to the seller and ask! Let them know if you have concerns about the item (“This looks a bit small in the bust—is it a true 32 or could it fit a 34?”) or how it fits relative to their size. Depending on the platform, you can also negotiate with the sellers or ask them for a trade instead.
Understand the terminology. Have you ever wondered what the cutoff was for vintage? To be considered “true vintage,” a garment must be 20 years or older. To be considered “antique,” a garment must be 100 years or older. “Retro” clothing refers to an older style or pattern but not necessarily the age. “NTW” means an item is new with tags and “NIP” means new in package (whereas “NWOT” and “NOOP” signal that an item is new without tags or out of package). “OOAK” means it’s one of a kind, and “OSFM” means that one size fits most. “BST” means buy, sell, or trade, “RV” is the retail value, and “TTS” means it’s true to size. If an acronym ends in UC, it’s noting the used condition of something (so “EUC” means it’s in excellent used condition).
Note the condition. Small stains and holes usually don’t bother me if it’s a great vintage piece, but it’s good to know what you’re getting. A piece might have all its buttons, but how loose are they? How threadbare is the vintage tee, and where is it in its life cycle? The more you know up front, the more you’ll be able to assess how much care you’re willing to devote to an item, and if it’s worth it to you.
Chat laundry care. Has the item you’re looking at been laundered? If not, you might want to ask a few questions. Is there a laundry care tag on it? What’s the best way to clean it? Does it have a strong odor? Depending on your level of commitment and experience, you may want to be wary of buying a piece online if you aren’t first sure how to freshen and care for it. If you have tips on how to care for certain items, please add them to my community spreadsheet, here.
What’s your backup plan? Say after all of this, you receive your clothing in the mail and it still doesn’t work for whatever reason. Have a Plan B for what to do with it so it doesn’t end up sitting at the bottom of your closet until kingdom come. Once a quarter you could take your finds to Buffalo, list them on DePop or Poshmark, or have a clothing swap. It’s a good idea to keep save the info from the original listing so you don’t miss details or waste time re-measuring the garments.
I hope these tips helped! You can shop my DePop here and ask me any questions in the DMs! All proceeds right now are going toward flood relief in Kentucky.
Have more tips for buying secondhand—online OR in store? Let me know in the comments!