Fashion

Clothing, shoes, bags, watches and accessories from partner stores, with last-checked prices and genuine list-price discounts.

Buying clothes and shoes online: how to get the size and quality right

Most fashion returns come from two problems: the size is wrong and the fabric is not what the photo suggested. Both are easy to check before you pay, and both matter more when the item ships from abroad, where a return can cost more than the item. The checks below are the ones we use ourselves.

Size: trust the measurements, not the letter

An M from one store is an S or an L from another, and sizes from Asian marketplaces usually run one or two sizes smaller than European or US sizes. Ignore the letter and read the size chart in centimetres or inches: chest or bust, waist, hips and length. The easiest reference is a garment you already own that fits well. Lay it flat, measure it, and pick the size whose chart is closest.

• For shoes, measure your foot length in centimetres in the evening, when feet are largest, and compare it with the chart's foot length, not the EU or US number.
• If a chart lists garment measurements, compare them with your clothes; if it lists body measurements, compare them with your body.

Fabric and quality

Read the composition, not the description. Cotton breathes and shrinks a little in a hot wash; polyester keeps its shape and dries fast but holds odours; a few percent of elastane makes jeans and tops stretch back. For T-shirts, fabric weight in grams per square metre (GSM) is a good quality signal: heavier fabric is usually more durable and less see-through. Buyer photos in reviews show the real colour and fit far better than studio pictures.

Brands, replicas and price

A branded bag, watch or pair of trainers offered far below the usual retail price is almost always a replica. Replicas can be seized at customs and are not covered by the brand's warranty. We drop listings whose titles look like copies, and for a branded item the safest route is the brand's own store or an authorised seller.

Shipping, returns and the total cost

Before you order from abroad, read the return policy: who pays the return shipping, and within how many days. Compare the delivered price, including shipping and any import charges for your country, rather than the item price alone. Delivery times from overseas warehouses can be several weeks, so order seasonal items early.

How this page works

Products from our own partner feeds appear first, in our usual order. Live eBay listings are shown in a separate, labelled section in eBay's own order; commission never changes either order. Prices come from the store at the time shown, and the store page has the final word.