La guida dell’OrtolanoLook closely, compare measurements and ask the right questions.
The label says M.But which M?
Take a similar garment that fits you well.
Compare the measurements, not just the letter.
I’ll show you where to start. Open the extra detail when you need it.
Give it a tryFrom armpit to armpit, with the garment laid flat and unstretched. This is a flat width, not a measurement around your chest.
Learning diagram: no catalogue item or measurements shown.
What if I want more detail?
Compare like with like: a top with a top, trousers with trousers. Your reference garment should fit the way you want, not just carry the same size label.
Use the same starting and finishing points. A flat chest width is not a measurement around your body. For length, specify the point on the shoulder. A number without a method is still unclear.
Cut, stretch, lining and shape all affect the fit. Comparing measurements helps you choose, but does not promise an identical fit. If the shape makes measuring difficult, ask for a photo with the tape measure in place.
Same garment.One more question.
You’ve spotted a top you like. Which detail helps you compare it with your own?
Choose an answer: I’ll show you what it tells you and what’s still missing.
No score, no profile: just a quick try.
Looks good from the front.What about the back?
First, the whole garment. Then, the detail you’re unsure about.
Front, back, inside
If the back or a sleeve is out of shot, ask to see it. A fabric close-up and readable labels tell you things the overall photo cannot.
You can see the mark. Does it matter?
A worn cuff, a stain, a missing button: find out where it is and how much of the garment it affects. Ask for a close-up and a wider shot to see how noticeable it is. Smell won’t show in a photo: ask about it.
Depending on the garment, check the collar, underarms, cuffs, pockets, crotch and hems. A photo cannot rule out every flaw.
No label? Don’t fill in the blanks
If the fabric composition, care instructions, brand or period are undocumented, the uncertainty remains. A logo or a seam is not enough to date or authenticate a garment. I wouldn’t fill that gap with a guess: ask someone who can check before you decide.
Second-hand, vintage, vintage-inspired: all the same?
Second-hand describes a change of ownership. Vintage refers to a period and its style. A garment made today can look like the Nineties without having been made then.
I’d start with a question: “What tells you it’s from that period?” Ask for the details behind the date. The word in the listing is not proof on its own.
For the meaning of the word: Treccani: vintage (in Italian). I’m not setting an age threshold or giving a quality guarantee here.
“Is it in good condition?”Try asking this instead.
“Could you send the armpit-to-armpit and shoulder-to-hem measurements with the garment laid flat? If possible, add a photo with the tape measure so I can compare the same points on my own top.”
I have a different question
About a flaw: “Could you show me the worn cuff, both close up and with the whole sleeve in view?”
About what’s included: “Is the belt in the photo included, or is the listing just for the trousers?”
About alterations: “Has the hem been shortened? Where did you start measuring the length?”
The washing machinecan wait.
Read the care label first. The fibre alone is not enough.
The label is readable
Follow the instructions for that garment. Its composition, finish and construction may call for different care. “It’s cotton” is not a washing programme.
Missing label or delicate garment
Don’t start with a one-size-fits-all method. If you’re unsure which treatment is suitable, ask a professional cleaner before washing, removing stains or applying heat.
“I can always get it altered”
Before buying something that needs an alteration, ask a tailor whether it’s possible and what it costs. A zip, a lining and a change of size are different jobs.
For help reading the instructions: GINETEX care guide.
Not wearing it anymore?Describe it clearly.
The next person has the same questions you had.
In your listing: what you’re selling, what you know and what’s missing. No algorithm tricks.
The description, without the filler
Garment type, labelled size, measurements and method, fibre composition if legible on the label, flaws and repairs. Say when information is missing. Don’t add unrelated brands to get found.
Photograph the actual garment
For Vinted, use your own photos of the actual item: no stock photos or image retouching. Show flaws as well as describing them. If you doubt its authenticity, don’t list it on Vinted until those doubts are resolved.
Before buying or listing on Vinted
Open the catalogue rules and the official Help Centre from the app or website. That’s where you’ll find the current costs and terms: I’m not rewriting them here.
I’m talking about passing on a garment you own, not setting up a resale business. That needs separate checks.
Reference: Vinted: describing an item (Italian page).
Would you wear it tomorrow?
Think of an occasion and something already in your wardrobe to wear it with.
If nothing comes to mind, you can wait. You don’t have to find an excuse to buy every garment you like.
What about the environment?
Fast fashion: speed is built into the model. Rapid production, large volumes and constantly changing trends. The European Commission describes the model this way, not the fate of every individual top.
Reuse means wearing a garment again. Recycling means processing its materials: they are not the same thing.
Textile production and consumption have documented impacts. But this guide cannot calculate what you “save” by buying one garment, or give it an environmental rating from its fibre alone.
For more detail, with data and a defined scope: European Environment Agency: 2025 report on textiles in the EU.
Before you say“I’ll take it.”
If an important question is unanswered, you can stop here.
0 of 6 checks ticked.
The ticks stay on this page: I send nothing and don’t keep them after a reload.
The checklistcomes with you.
Two pages to save or print: checks, measuring points and useful questions. No further sign-up.
Download the PDF checklistSee you back at the harvest.
Bring those questions to me too. If an item’s page is missing a detail you need, write to me through the contact page.
Or go back to browsing the harvest, with one more question and no rush.
Sources, limits and guide date
Guide dated 28 September 2026. Original content developed from the December 2025 RUMBAHP materials: Vinted A–Z, Mini Guide, and the Guides and Planner pack. The fashion and hashtag reports are secondary background, not official sources.
Platform guidance checked against Vinted · catalogue rules (Italian page) and item descriptions (Italian page). Care: GINETEX. Context: EEA, 2025 report. Accessed: 28 September 2026.
Comparing with a garment you own is the practical method I suggest; the drawing is a diagram. These questions help you choose, but do not certify authenticity, age, fit or absence of flaws. The seller’s and platform’s terms, and the garment’s own instructions, still apply. This is a guide by Ortolano: the Vinted links refer to its rules.
