1_ Judge a book by it's cover

You can tell a lot from a picture. How does the garment drape on from the model, mannequin or hanger? Does the fabric look substantial or does it look cheap and flimsy?

2_ Get up close and personal

Look at ALL photos, especially the close-ups. You can see craftsmanship in the details (stitching, notions, hardware, garment labels). 

3_ Do your homework

Read the entire product description. Depending on the platform, unfortunately searching “vintage” doesn’t necessarily mean the thing is… If you read the description and there is more than a quantity of “1”, either move on report the product. 

4_ Natural Selection

Look for natural materials over synthetic. Looks better, feels better, is better.
Natural = cotton, silk, wool, leather, cashmere, linen, fur
Synthetic = polyester, elastane, rayon, PVC, nylon

5_ Forget everything you’ve just learned

Sometimes style is more important than quality. If you love a piece and wear it with confidence, it could be the most poorly constructed thing on earth and you will still look great and be saving something from going to the landfill. Win win.