How to buy pre-owned clothing online
Buying pre-owned clothing online goes wrong in four ways: the size, the condition, the authenticity or the seller. Four checks, made in the right order, prevent all four.
In this guide
Buying pre-owned clothing online goes wrong in four predictable ways: the size is wrong, the condition is worse than the photographs suggested, the item is not what it claims to be, or the seller does not deliver what was promised. Each of the four is avoided with one check, made before ordering.
None of the checks requires expertise. They require knowing what to look at and what a product description may leave out. This guide covers both.
Why pre-owned clothing needs more care
Because every item is pre-owned, most items are available only once. A pre-owned item may also have been made to a size standard that no longer applies, and it may have been worn in ways that photographs do not always show.
A few checks on size, condition, authenticity and the seller reduce that uncertainty.
1. Size: measurements matter more than the label
Size is the first thing to settle, and measurements settle it.
Letter sizing is not standardised and varies by decade, by market and by manufacturer. No size chart accounts for that variation. Comparison with a garment that is already owned does:
- Choose a garment that is already owned and has the cut wanted for the new item.
- Lay it flat and measure across the chest, from armpit seam to armpit seam. That is the pit to pit measurement.
- Measure from the top of the shoulder to the hem for the length.
- Compare those two numbers with the measurements of the item instead of the letter on the label.
The full method, including shoulders, sleeve, waist, inseam, hem and outseam, is in the guide to measuring clothing. Items shown on a model state the model's height and usual size instead of the four measurements.
A size label records what a manufacturer intended, and a tape measure records what the garment actually measures.
Leverene
2. Condition: the grade comes before the photographs
A grading system with clear definitions is more reliable than photographs alone. Every item at leverene is graded into one of four condition labels, and the definitions matter more than the words.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| Deadstock | Never worn. Unsold surplus stock, still in new condition. |
| Excellent | Excellent condition with no stains, holes, damage or missing parts. Any minor imperfections would be detailed in the description. |
| Good | Gently worn with minor imperfections, fully detailed in the description. |
| Fair | Significant wear present. All imperfections are detailed in the description. |
Three questions help when reading any description of a pre-owned garment. Is there a defined grading scale, or only an adjective? Are imperfections described in words as well as shown in the photographs? Are there photographs of the inside, the lining and the cuffs, and not only of the front?
The word deadstock is used loosely in many places. What it means is covered in what deadstock clothing is.
3. Authenticity: what verification involves
Authenticity is a question for every branded item. Every item is authenticated through LegitApp before it is added to the store, and an item whose authenticity cannot be established is not added to the store. LegitApp is an authentication company that works with resale businesses such as leverene.
Brand-specific checks say more than general ones. Concrete checks are published for five brands: Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Canada Goose, Stone Island and Arc'teryx. Six checks that apply to every house are set out in how to tell if designer clothing is real.
Two general rules hold across all of them. Labels can be replaced, so construction outranks branding as evidence. Where two signals disagree, the garment is a better guide than the tag.
4. The seller: what to check
Three things are worth checking before ordering: what verification is performed and on what basis, whether measurements are stated instead of a size label alone, and what the returns policy says.
Each item is inspected, authenticated, cleaned and measured before it is added to the store. Each step is described in How leverene works.
Orders placed before 15:00 ship the same day. Items can be returned within 30 days. The full process is described in how leverene works.
The checks in order
The four checks combine into a short list, in the order in which they are most useful.
- Decide the measurements wanted, from a garment already owned.
- Choose on those numbers rather than on a size.
- Read the condition label and the written description of imperfections before looking at the photographs.
- Check what verification the seller performs, and on what basis.
- Read the returns policy before ordering, not after.
- For a branded item without independent verification, run the brand-specific checks.
After it arrives
Care decides how long an item lasts. Washing wool at the wrong temperature or tumble drying cotton can damage a garment in a single cycle. The method for each material is in the guide to washing and caring for clothing.
Frequently asked questions
How is the right size chosen for a pre-owned item?
By comparing measurements, not size labels. The pit to pit and the length of a garment that already fits are held against the measurements of the item.
What is the difference between Deadstock and Excellent?
A Deadstock item has never been worn. An Excellent item has been worn but shows no stains, holes, damage or missing parts.
Can pre-owned clothing be returned?
Items can be returned within 30 days.
Where to start
The current range is under all items, with separate pages for men and women. The brand guides go deeper: Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Carhartt, Stone Island, Canada Goose, The North Face and outdoor gear.
