The most common reason a second-hand purchase disappoints is not the condition. It is the fit. A size label is a promise made by one brand at one moment in time, and it does not travel well: a size 12 from the late nineties is not a size 12 today, and two shops on the same high street rarely agree on what a medium is.
Measurements in centimetres do not have that problem. A 76 cm waist is a 76 cm waist whoever made the jeans. Five minutes with a tape measure can save you from buying something that will not fit, and from the hassle of sending it back.
What you need
- a soft tape measure (a dressmaker's one, not a metal DIY tape)
- a mirror, or someone to help
- a notes app or a scrap of paper
If you do not own a tape measure, a piece of string and a ruler will do.
Measuring yourself
Measure over thin clothing or underwear, keep the tape level and snug but not tight, and breathe normally.
- Bust or chest: all the way round the fullest part, with your arms relaxed by your sides.
- Waist: all the way round your natural waist, usually the narrowest point, a little above your belly button.
- Hips: all the way round the widest part of your hips and bottom, with your feet together.
- Inside leg: from the crotch to the ankle, standing straight. Easiest with a pair of trousers that fit you well, measured along the inside seam.
- Foot length: stand on a sheet of paper, mark your heel and the tip of your longest toe, and measure between the marks.
Write them down and keep them somewhere handy. On Rewear you can save your measurements once in your profile, and listings that have been measured for fit will tell you how they compare with you.
Measuring a garment
Garments are measured lying flat, which is the convention most second-hand sellers use. This is where people trip up, so it is worth knowing how each number is taken.
- Chest, pit to pit: across the front, from armpit seam to armpit seam. This is half the way round, so double it to compare with your bust.
- Waist: across the waistband, laid flat, then doubled.
- Hip: across the widest point, laid flat, then doubled.
- Length: from the highest point of the shoulder down to the hem.
- Inside leg: from the crotch seam down to the hem.
- Insole: inside the shoe, from heel to toe.
If you are selling, our full guide on how to measure clothes for selling sets out which measurements matter for each kind of garment, from coats to skirts to shoes.
Comparing the two
A garment that measures exactly the same as your body will feel tight, because clothes need room to move. This extra room is called ease, and how much you want depends on the piece and how you like to wear it.
- Tops and jackets: you will usually want several centimetres more round the chest than your bust, and more for a coat that goes over a jumper.
- Waistbands: a little room, especially on rigid denim, which has far less give than you might think.
- Hips: enough room at the widest point that the piece goes on comfortably.
- Lengths: a length either ends where you want it to or it does not, so compare inside leg and overall length directly.
The simplest trick is to measure something you already own and love. Lay your favourite jeans flat, take the waist and inside leg, and use those numbers as your benchmark. If a listing's jeans are within a centimetre or two of yours, you are in good shape.
What to do when a listing has no measurements
On Rewear, measurements are optional. Many sellers add them, but not every listing has them. If a piece you like has none, ask the seller. A polite message such as "Could you measure the waist and inside leg, laid flat?" usually gets a quick answer, and a seller who is happy to measure is a good sign.
You can also check the brand. Many brands publish size charts, and comparing the label size with the chart gives you a rough idea of the measurements, even if older or vintage pieces may differ.
Stretch, shrinkage and other surprises
- Stretchy fabrics such as jersey or denim with elastane can be a little smaller than your measurements and still fit. Sellers should measure them relaxed and say if they stretch.
- Wool and cotton may have shrunk in previous washes, which is exactly why a measurement beats a label.
- Vintage sizing tends to run small compared with modern sizes, so measurements matter even more.
Already found something elsewhere?
Our Will it fit? tool lets you enter a garment's measurements and your own and tells you how it is likely to fit, wherever you found the piece.
The short version
Measure yourself once. Measure a favourite piece that fits. Compare every listing against those numbers, ask when they are missing, and remember that a flat chest measurement needs doubling. It takes a few minutes, and it is the best way to make sure the next thing you buy second-hand is something you will actually wear.