The listing looks perfect. The photos are bright, the colour is exactly the shade you have been looking for, and the size on the tag seems close enough. Then the parcel arrives and the shoulders are two inches narrower than you expected, there is a small hole near the hem that never appeared in the pictures, and the whole thing smells faintly of a basement. Nothing in the listing was false. It just left out the answers to questions you did not think to ask.
When you buy vintage online, or from any vintage marketplace where you cannot hold the garment, a short message to the seller is the closest thing you have to trying it on. Most good sellers are happy to answer. This guide sets out the questions worth asking, why each one matters, and what a helpful answer sounds like, so your next purchase arrives with fewer surprises.
01. "Can you send flat measurements?"
This is the single most useful question you can ask. Vintage sizing varies enormously between decades, brands and categories, and a large from 1985 may fit nothing like a large today. Measurements cut through the confusion. The most important ones for tops are pit to pit (straight across the chest from armpit seam to armpit seam with the garment lying flat), shoulder width, body length from the back of the collar, and sleeve length.
For trousers and jeans, ask for waist measured flat across the top, front rise, inseam, thigh width and leg opening. For jackets, add the shoulder seam to seam and sleeve length from the shoulder seam to the cuff. Compare all of these against a similar garment you already own and like. That comparison is far more reliable than any size label.
A good answer is specific and consistent, ideally with a photo of the tape laid across the garment. If a seller only gives you a tag size, or gives measurements that seem not to match the photos, ask again politely or move on.
02. "Are there any flaws not shown in the photos?"
Most sellers photograph the obvious problems, but small issues are easy to miss on camera: a pinhole near a seam, a faint stain on the inside of a cuff, a tiny pull in a knit, a sticky zip. Asking directly invites the seller to look again with fresh eyes and often brings up details they had simply forgotten to mention.
Be specific where it matters. For a tee, ask about the collar and armpits. For a sweatshirt, ask about the cuffs and waistband. For a jacket, ask about the lining, pockets, zips and snaps. For jeans, ask about the crotch, the inner thighs and the back pockets. These are the places where wear tends to concentrate and where photos rarely show detail.
The ideal reply lists any issues plainly and, if possible, includes close-up photos. Sellers who say "no flaws at all" about a forty-year-old garment are not necessarily dishonest, but it is reasonable to ask them to double-check the high-wear areas.
03. "Could you send a few more photos?"
Listings usually show the front, the back and the tag. That is a good start, but a few extra photos can tell you a great deal. Useful requests include:
- A photo in natural daylight, to see the true colour without indoor lighting.
- A close-up of the print or crest, to judge cracking, peeling and texture.
- Both sides of the tag, including any care or fibre content labels.
- The inside of the collar and cuffs, where staining often hides.
- The hem stitching, if construction details help you judge age.
- The garment on a person or mannequin, to see how it hangs.
Some categories call for their own photo requests. For caps, ask for a shot of the inside sweatband, which often shows staining or cracking, and a side view of the crown so you can judge its shape. For leather, ask for close-ups of the elbows, collar edge and cuffs, where cracking and dryness show first. For knitwear, a photo held up against a window can reveal thin spots and moth holes that are invisible against a dark background.
Asking for two or three of these is reasonable; asking for all of them for a modest purchase may be too much. Choose the ones that matter most for that particular piece.
04. "How does it smell, and has it been cleaned?"
Smell is the one detail no photo can show, and it can make or break a purchase. Vintage clothing can carry smoke, mustiness, perfume, mothballs or pet odours. Some of these fade with airing and washing; others, especially heavy smoke in wool or synthetic insulation, can be very stubborn.
Ask the seller directly whether the piece has any odour, whether it comes from a smoke-free or pet-free home if that matters to you, and whether it has been washed or cleaned since it was sourced. If it has been cleaned, ask how. A gentle wash is reassuring; a hot wash and tumble dry might have affected fit or print quality.
A thoughtful seller will tell you honestly, even if the answer is "faint storage smell that should air out." That kind of honesty is a good sign about everything else in the listing.
A seller who answers the awkward questions well is usually a seller whose other answers you can trust.
05. "What do you know about its age and origin?"
Many buyers want to know how old a piece is. It is a fair question, but it is one where you should listen carefully to how the answer is framed. Good sellers will say what clues they used: the style of tag, the construction, the fabric, the print method. They will usually give a range, such as "late eighties to early nineties," rather than an exact year.
Be cautious with very confident claims based on a single detail. Single-stitch hems, particular tag designs and specific fibre blends are all useful clues, but none of them proves age on its own. Reissues and later production can share features with older garments. A seller who explains their reasoning is more trustworthy than one who simply states a date.
If the piece is a team garment, it is also reasonable to ask whether it is an officially licensed product of its time, a later retro reissue or an unofficial piece. Each has value; they are just different things.
06. "Has anything been altered or repaired?"
Vintage garments often have lives you cannot see from photos. Jeans may have been hemmed, taken in or patched. Jackets may have new linings or replacement zips. Sweatshirts may have had cuffs reattached. Some of these repairs are excellent and extend a garment's life; others change the fit or appearance in ways you would want to know about.
Ask the seller whether there are any alterations, repairs or replacement parts, and where. For jeans, ask specifically about the hem, since original hems matter to some buyers and affect length. For jackets, ask whether zips and buttons appear original.
An honest answer might be "re-hemmed at some point, original chain-stitch removed" or "small darned repair on the left elbow." That clarity is valuable, and it helps you decide whether the piece suits what you want.
07. Questions about the sale itself
Beyond the garment, it is worth understanding the terms before you pay. Ask about shipping methods and whether the parcel will be tracked. Ask how the item will be packed, especially for structured caps, leather or heavy knits that can be crushed or misshapen in transit. Ask whether returns or exchanges are possible and under what conditions.
On a vintage marketplace, read the platform's own buyer protections too, because they often decide what happens if something goes wrong. Keep all conversations within the platform's messaging system where possible, so there is a record if you need it.
None of these questions should feel confrontational. You are simply making sure you both understand the deal. Most sellers prefer buyers who ask, because it means fewer disappointed messages later.
08. How to ask, and how to read the reply
Tone matters. Short, polite and specific messages get the best responses. Mention the item, ask two or three focused questions and thank the seller for their time. Avoid long lists of demands or questions already answered in the listing, which can make sellers less willing to help.
When you read the reply, notice a few things:
- Did they answer every question, or skip the difficult ones?
- Are measurements and descriptions consistent with the photos?
- Did they offer extra information without being asked?
- Is the tone patient and clear, or rushed and defensive?
- Do their other listings and reviews suggest the same care?
None of these signals is decisive alone, but together they give you a sense of the seller as a person. That is often the best predictor of how a purchase will turn out.
09. A short script to keep on your phone
To make this easy, save a template you can adapt each time. Something like: "Hi, I'm interested in this piece. Could you share the flat measurements (pit to pit, length, shoulders, sleeve)? Are there any flaws not shown, especially at the collar, cuffs and hem? Any odours, and has it been cleaned? Thanks very much." Adjust it for jeans, jackets or caps.
The same questions are useful in a physical shop, where you can check most answers yourself but staff can sometimes tell you more about a piece's condition or history. At Throwback Vault, pieces are selected for character, condition and detail, and it is always worth looking closely at the things this list covers before you buy. Wherever you shop, a few good questions turn guessing into choosing, and the garment that arrives will far more often be the one you pictured.
