Buying Secondhand Designer Clothing: What to Look For

Buying secondhand designer clothing is one of the smartest things you can do. You get quality that genuinely lasts, you spend less than retail, and you're not adding to the pile of fast fashion that ends up in landfill six months later. I've built an entire shop around this idea. But here's the honest truth: secondhand shopping done badly is just as wasteful as buying cheap new stuff. So I want to walk you through exactly what I look for every time a piece comes across my desk, whether it's a Ralph Lauren Oxford shirt or a Lacoste polo from 1987.

Start With the Fabric. Always.

The single biggest thing that separates real designer clothing from everything else is the fabric. This sounds obvious, but most people skip straight to the label or the price tag. Don't do that.

Pick the garment up and feel it properly. A good cotton shirt has weight to it. A quality wool knit has density without feeling scratchy. Synthetic fibres tend to feel thin and slightly slippery, and they pill badly after a few washes. That pilling is a red flag whether the garment is new or secondhand.

For vintage pieces especially, the fabric often tells you more than the label does. Pre-1990s Ralph Lauren, for example, was almost always made in the USA or Europe, using heavier cotton that you simply don't see in today's mass production. The feel is noticeably different. Richer, somehow. When I hold one of those older shirts I genuinely feel the difference before I even look at the tag.

Check the fabric composition label if there is one. You want to see cotton, wool, linen, cashmere, or silk. The closer to 100% natural fibre, the better. A small percentage of elastane in trousers is fine and actually useful. But a polyester blend in a shirt that's being sold as premium? Walk away.

Read the Condition Honestly

This is where secondhand buying requires some real honesty, from sellers and buyers both. Not every vintage piece is in perfect condition, and that's okay. What matters is understanding exactly what you're buying.

Here's what I look at carefully:

• Collar and cuffs. These wear first. Look for fraying, permanent staining, or thinning fabric. A little fading on a collar is fine. Actual fraying is not, unless you're going for a very specific lived in look.
• Underarm areas. Yellow staining from deodorant is one of the most common issues and one of the hardest to remove. Lift the arms and check. Small stains might come out with a good soak. Large or set in stains usually won't.
• Pilling. Run your hand over the fabric, especially on knitwear and the areas that rub most like elbows and sides. Light pilling can sometimes be removed with a fabric shaver. Heavy pilling means the garment has been worn a lot and the fabric is tired.
• Holes and repairs. Small moth holes in wool are extremely common with vintage knitwear. One tiny hole is not necessarily a dealbreaker if the price reflects it. Multiple holes mean the garment has already been compromised.
• Zips, buttons and fastenings. Try them. A broken zip on a jacket can be repaired but it costs money and effort. Missing buttons on a Ralph Lauren shirt are sometimes tricky to match because the originals had a specific look. Factor this into what you're willing to pay.

I always list any flaws clearly at Revaleur. If there's a small mark on a collar, I say so. I'd rather you know exactly what you're getting than feel disappointed when the parcel arrives.

Check the Fit Before You Commit

Vintage sizing is genuinely confusing. A "Large" from 1985 is often closer to what we'd call a medium today. American sizing runs bigger than European sizing as a rule. And different brands have always had their own interpretations of standard sizes.

My strong advice: ignore the size label completely and go straight to the measurements. Look for chest width, shoulder width, and body length. Compare those to a garment you already own and love the fit of. If the seller doesn't list measurements, ask. Any reputable seller should be happy to provide them.

If you're shopping for Ralph Lauren specifically, I've written a detailed Ralph Lauren polo size guide for men that explains the quirks of their vintage sizing and how to find your correct fit.

Authenticity: How to Know It's Real

This is the big one for a lot of people. And rightly so. There is a lot of fake vintage out there, particularly for high demand brands like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Stone Island.

Here are the things I check:

The label itself. Learn what genuine labels looked like in different eras. Ralph Lauren labels changed significantly over the decades. The font, the country of manufacture, the way the label is stitched in, all of these details matter and all of them have known fakes. This takes time to learn but it's worth it.

The construction. Real designer garments are well made. Look at the stitching inside, especially at seams and around logos. Tight, even stitching is a good sign. Loose threads, uneven seams or logos that feel stuck on rather than properly embroidered are warning signs.

The embroidery. For polo shirts and branded pieces, look at the logo embroidery closely. On genuine pieces it's dense, clean, and slightly raised. Fakes often have thinner embroidery or slightly off colours.

The price. If a Ralph Lauren shirt from the 1980s is going for €8, be suspicious. Authentic vintage pieces in good condition have value. Genuine sellers know this. Occasionally you find a real bargain, but if something seems too cheap for what it claims to be, that's usually telling you something.

I've put together a much more detailed breakdown in my guide on how to spot fake vintage Ralph Lauren, which covers label changes by decade and the specific details to look for.

Smell and Cleanliness

This sounds basic but it matters. Secondhand clothing sometimes arrives with a musty smell from storage, or traces of the previous owner's perfume. Most of the time this washes out completely. But some smells, especially smoke, are incredibly stubborn and can require multiple washes or specialist treatment to shift.

If you're buying in person, smell the garment. Seriously. A musty smell from storage is fine. A deep smoke smell is a bigger project. If you're buying online, check whether the seller mentions odours and don't be embarrassed to ask directly.

Once you've bought and received a vintage piece, wash it properly before you wear it. I have a full guide on how to wash and care for vintage clothing without ruining it if you're unsure about temperatures and methods for different fabrics.

Know What You're Paying For

Secondhand designer clothing should represent good value, but "cheap" and "good value" are not the same thing. A Ralph Lauren Oxford shirt in excellent condition from the early 1990s might cost €45 or €60. That's reasonable. It's a garment that will last another 30 years if you look after it. A fast fashion alternative at €25 will not.

Understanding what things are actually worth takes time and experience. I find myself constantly researching, checking completed sales on resale platforms, and handling enough pieces that I build an instinct for it. If a brand holds its resale value particularly well, that's usually because it genuinely deserves to. Quality is not just marketing.

The brands I focus on at Revaleur, things like Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Barbour and similar names, were built on a commitment to fabric and construction that the mid market simply doesn't match today. That's the whole point.

Buy From Someone Who Has Done the Work

When you buy from a curated secondhand shop rather than a general marketplace, you're paying partly for someone else's time and expertise. A good seller will have already checked authenticity, assessed condition honestly, photographed flaws, taken accurate measurements, and priced fairly based on actual knowledge of the market.

That's what I try to do with every single piece at Revaleur. I only list things I'd be happy wearing myself or recommending to a friend. That's the standard I hold to.

If you're curious about what we currently have in stock, take a look at the Revaleur collection. Everything is described honestly, photographed properly, and priced to reflect genuine market value. No fluff, no hype. Just good clothes with a history.