Category grading
A pill on a cashmere sweater and a pill on a fleece are not the same finding, and a scuff means something different on a boot than on a blazer. These articles cover what to look at first in each garment category.
How to Grade Vintage Wool Gabardine Condition: Shine Spots, Nap Compression, and the Brush Test
Shine on vintage wool gabardine is usually cosmetic. Thinned, collapsed weave is structural. Here's the brush test that tells you which one you're grading.
How to Grade Vintage Shirt Collar and Cuff Wear: A Hierarchy by Fabric Type
Collars and cuffs fail first on every dress shirt. Here is the wear hierarchy, by fabric type, that sorts cosmetic fraying from structural breakdown and sets the tier.
How to Grade Wool Blazer Shoulder Seam Condition: Puckering, Slippage, and Signs of Alteration
Puckering can be a pressing issue or a failing seam. Here is the five-step check that sorts cosmetic shoulder wear from structural damage on vintage wool blazers.
How to Grade Vintage Denim Fade Patterns: Honeycombs, Whiskers, and Artificial vs. Natural Wear
Honeycombs and whiskers can raise a pair of vintage jeans or sink them. Here's how to read fade patterns, separate real wear from factory distressing, and grade.
How to Grade Vintage Corduroy Condition for Resale: Nap Reversal, Pile Crush, and the Directional-Light Test
Corduroy wear hides in the light angle, not the fabric. Here's the directional-light test that separates cosmetic nap reversal from real pile crush.
Grading Buttonholes and Button Integrity on Vintage Garments: Fraying, Loose Shanks, and Replacement Impact
Loose shanks and fraying buttonholes read differently to buyers — one is cosmetic, one is functional. Here's the test that separates them.
How to Grade Seam Separation on Vintage Sweaters: When Repair Still Counts as Wearable
Seam separation on vintage knits isn't automatically Poor. Here's the pull-test and repair-durability standard that decides the grade.
How to Grade Vintage Polyester Blend Clothing: Sheen Loss, Brittleness, and Weave Breakdown
Sheen loss on vintage polyester is cosmetic. Brittleness and weave breakdown are structural. Here's the test that tells you which one you're grading.
Grading Vintage Linen and Linen Blends: Creasing, Color Fade, and Fabric Stiffness as Condition Markers
Creasing on linen is fabric character, not damage. Here's the fold, contrast, and hand-feel test that grades vintage linen correctly before you list it.
The Shrinkage Disclosure Standard: Grading Vintage Wool and Cotton for Fit Loss, Waistband Tightness, and Armhole Pucker
Shrinkage isn't automatically a Poor-tier defect. Here's the measurement-based test for disclosing fit loss, waistband tightness, and armhole pucker correctly.
How to Grade Vintage Lace Condition Before Selling: Brittleness, Discoloration, and Restoration Potential
Brittleness caps the grade, discoloration usually doesn't. Here's the flex, light, and stain test to grade vintage lace correctly before you list.
Excellent vs Very Good on Vintage Cotton Button-Ups: The Collar Crease and Placket Standard
The line between Excellent and Very Good on a vintage cotton button-up isn't fabric age — it's collar crease permanence and placket fray. Here's the test.
Grading Vintage Denim Crotch Blowouts and Hidden Seam Stress Before You List
A crotch blowout is a Structural Integrity failure, not a cosmetic flaw. Here's the stress-point test that catches it before a buyer does.
Vintage Elastic Waistbands and Cuffs: Grading Stretch Loss, Bagging, and Recovered Elasticity
Bagging elastic and dead elastic look similar off the rack. Here's the stretch-recovery test that separates a cosmetic call from a functional one.
Vintage Velvet and Velveteen Pile Crushing: The Directional-Brush Test for Restoration Potential vs. Permanent Damage
A crushed velvet sleeve can bounce back with steam, or it's flattened for good. Here's the brush test that tells you which one you're grading.
Vintage Wool Felting and Shrinkage: How to Grade Fulled Fiber, Armhole Pucker, and Waistband Tightness
Felting doesn't always kill a wool sweater's grade. Here's the fiber, armhole, and waistband test that separates cosmetic shrinkage from structural failure.
Good vs Fair on Vintage Leather: The Creasing, Patina, and Wearability Dividing Line
Good leather still moves like leather. Fair leather is stiff, dry, or cracking at the crease. Here's the test-based line between the two.
How to Grade Vintage Swimsuits and Athletic Wear: Chlorine Damage, Elastic Death, and Liner Condition
Chlorine attacks the fiber, not just the surface. Here's the test-based standard for grading swimwear and athletic wear before you list.
How to Grade Water Stains on Vintage Suede Jackets: Salt Marks, Rings, and Permanent Discoloration
Salt marks, water rings, and general discoloration on suede all fail differently. Here's the test-based standard for grading each before you list.
Vintage Corduroy Pile Flattening and Bald Spots: The Directional-Brush Test for True Wear vs. Storage Crush
A flattened wale can bounce back with steam and a brush, or it can be gone for good. Here's the directional-brush test that tells you which.