Tips for buying decent second hand clothes?...

[NorthernGravy]

I’d quite like to buy myself a decent wool/ cashmere coat. I don’t have a budget for Max Mara, Marella or Jaeger (although know current quality is not what it used to be). Is there anywhere good to look online other than eBay? Prices vary so much!

I’d rather but myself a few second hand/ vintage quality pieces than keep buying new cheaper stuff. I don’t have the time to go to “naice” areas and trawl through charity shops so wanted to look online. Any tips?

Unless you're a UK size 6-8 I wouldn't consider vintage.

You just have to keep looking...there are apps which will alert you whenever something gets listed that you want.

I buy a lot on eBay.
I stick to certain brands that I know my size in. Even then though it’s not failsafe so be prepared to resell afterwards if it doesn’t fit!
Re vintage. A lot of the sellers are shop sellers and will provide proper measurements. So make sure you know your own. As Fortunes says though sizing is smaller. I’m a uk 14 and have had occasional success but with a vintage 16-18.
Look out of season for bargains. So look for your winter coat in summer.
If you see something you like and you know will fit (according to brand/measurement) always check sellers other items. They could be an individual seller with your size and taste having a clear out or a shop seller who’s bought from an individual too.
We’re on auction sniper too. You set your bid and the site bids for you at the last few seconds of the auction for a tiny percentage of the sold price. Stops you from getting into bidding wars!

@fortunesfave why wouldn’t you consider it unless you were a 6-8?

@OneOfTheGrundys love the name, hoping you are more Clarrieluv than Will. I have noticed the lack of measurements and have contacted a few sellers!

As grundy says, plus I am always prepared to invest a little in the right piece. So I nearly always have items dry cleaned (coats/wool trousers etc), I take them for alterations immediately- I don’t have things remade, but I might have sleeves altered, length changed, buttons changed, occasionally darts put in etc to change the look to what I want. I once had a new lining put into an otherwise perfect coat where the existing silk lining had deteriorated. If it can’t be made perfect for me by doing simple stuff like that, I sell again myself straight away.

Northern because vintage sizes come up very small compared to today's sizings.

If a vintage piece...say from the 70s, says it's a 12...it isn't. It's more like a 6-8 and there were hardly any larger pieces. Bigger women had a hell of a time....but then there were fewer of them then.

Ok, thank you for the tips. I was thinking more about buying second hand rather than just vintage. I don’t mind a classic wool coat that is 5 years old too.

I buy mostly second hand or vintage but so far not online because sizing is too random and because if it’s not new, I want to try it on and sniff it before parting with my money. I also like real shops and I don’t want to get sucked into a cycle of online buying and reselling, which strikes me as equally time consuming. So basically I’m not much help except I don’t agree you have to be. size 6-8. Sizing was definitely smaller in the past but there are still larger sizes out there and also men’s stuff if you like that kind of style.

If you don’t sew I would find someone who does alterations - they often pitch up near the good second hand shops.

Gah81 (I think that’s her name) buys some great stuff online so maybe send out a klaxon for her if she’s still around?

I've had some hits and misses with ebay but here's what I have learnt:
Second hand dresses and skirts are usually good value, trousers tend to wear away at the knees and bottom so I avoid buying those 'used'.
I tend to stick with brands I know.
If the seller has written lots of information about the item, that's promising. Ideally pictures of the size, brand and fabric content so you don't have to ask.
If they don't reply promptly to your questions, don't bother buying from them.
If the seller accepts returns, that's a good sign especially if it's a more expensive item.
I've never bought a coat second hand but again if the description is detailed and there are plenty of pictures, there's no reason not to.
I've not had a huge amount of success with charity shops, I went to one in an expensive area of London and was disappointed with the offerings.
The best charity shop near me is adjacent to a decent car park, I tend to donate to that shop as well simply because it's convenient, not because of the charity it supports.

Be ready to commit serious time to finding what you want!

Do you have a clothing agency near you?
Ours sells only perfect and good labels.

I buy a fair amount from ebay. As others have said, ask for actual measurements of the item, and compare it to a piece that fits you well.
And I'd agree do budget for dry cleaning, and see it as a bonus if you don't need to.

I tend to either pass on to friends or charity shop the items that don't work, rather than re-selling - I see it as part of the overall cost of buying that way IYKWIM. (And I get other things passed to me by friends at times, so it comes out in the wash to a certain extent!)

I do agree about sizes coming up smaller. It's a bonus for me as I'm short & slight so many modern clothes don't fit me well, but in any event I can't see it would be a problem if you get actual measurements.

It depends where in the country you are for charity shops and dress exchanges. I get lots of nice things in the CSs in downmarket areas. Often there will be real bargains but not in my size, which my relatives are grateful for.
Dress Agencies tend to be better in well-heeled areas. Usually good for coats.
I also buy from eBay but it takes a lot of hunting.
It is worth looking out of season on eBay. For example, fewer people will be looking for winter coats and knee length boots in June, so you may be the only bidder.
I sell stuff on eBay, and I usually get asked detailed questions unless I put as much info as possible in the listing, but these people rarely bid.
As others have said, ask for measurements on older items. A size 10 or 12 in the 20th century will be a size 6 or 8 nowadays.