Ebay: How to Find Clothes That Fit

by Tracey C. Velt

A healthy portion of my wardrobe has been purchased on ebay. Many people are hesitant to buy clothing via auction–don’t be! It’s a treasure trove of great finds, from vintage jackets to designer dresses. And, you can always resell an item that just doesn’t work–either back on ebay or at a consignment store. Heck, I’ve made some mistakes. But, for the most part, I’ve had great luck getting designer deals. That’s because I do my homework. Here are some tips for checking the fit of an ebay item:

1. Know your measurements. Don’t do this yourself. You must have someone well versed in body measurements, such as your local tailor or seamstress, take these measurements. On ebay, most vendors will list measurements allowing you to figure out whether or not the item will fit you. Forget about size. Even if you always wear a size 10 in J. Crew, you may be bidding on an item from a couple years ago when sizes were less consistent.

2. Size up rather than down. I do this all the time with mini skirts, even off of ebay. Stores like Ann Taylor Loft and J. Crew are featuring tons of mini skirts that are just too short for my taste. However, I’ve found that if I order one size up, I can sit the skirt on my hips and it hangs low enough to be comfortable. Then, I have it altered to fit in the hips. This works for most items: pants, skirts, dresses and even jackets.

3. Know the cost of alterations. Some alterations are more expensive than others. The cheapest: taking in a waist or hemming a skirt/dress/pants. Factor these costs into what you are willing to pay. For example, that size 12 leather jacket is cute, but if you generally wear a size 6, you’ll pay a fortune to have it altered and even then only so much can be done. One size too big is generally easy to alter. It’s much harder to make something bigger or to take it down more than two sizes.

4. Try it on. I wrote about this in my last how-to-use-ebay post. If you’re looking for current items from a particular brand, say J Brand jeans, go to a retail store, try on the item and mark down the size and style. I buy most of my jeans on ebay and found that Citizens of Humanity is very consistent with sizing. J Brand is not. And, with jeans, the stretch plays a factor. If the jeans are a thick, stiff material, size up. You’ll have to ask the seller for details about that.

5. Know your size. If you generally take a size 4 in Gap skirts, you can pretty much bet that a size 4 will fit you. Of course, sizes are inconsistent so you always have to check measurements. My size varies with different retailers, so I keep a list and check it when I see an item I want to buy.

Of course, size isn’t everything. Sometimes something will fit perfectly and just not work for you. That’s why it’s important to be selective with what you buy online or on an auction site and with what you pay.