Second-hand is the best-value corner of desi fashion: outfits worn one evening selling for a third of their price. It is also where fit gambles go wrong. This is the checklist that separates a bargain from a donation pile purchase.
Never buy fitted second-hand pieces on an S, M or L. Ask what the garment actually measures: bust, waist, shoulder and length for tops; waist and length for skirts and bottoms. Compare against your own naap, not your usual store size. On Silai every listing carries the measurements the piece was originally stitched for, and if you scan yourself the rack shows a fit score before you ever message the seller.
Ask for the piece laid flat in daylight, the inside seams, and a close-up of any embellished area. Missing stones photograph as sparkle gaps; sweat damage shows at the underarm; a stretched blouse shows at the hook line. The inside of a garment tells you how it was treated far more honestly than the outside.
Slightly loose is buyable: taking in is routine tailoring. Slightly tight is a risk that depends on seam allowance, and more than about ten percent tight anywhere is a no. As for price, a barely-worn piece at a third of retail is fair; at half of retail it should be current-season and spotless. Factor in the alteration cost before you decide a deal is a deal.
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