Collector’s reference

Name the garment, then verify the details.

Old product URLs and second-hand listings preserve hundreds of evocative style names. A name starts the search; fabric, construction and measurements finish it.

The former catalogue paired memorable style names with a garment type and colour: a dress, top, skirt or playsuit followed by a shade or print. That pattern is still the fastest way to cross-check a pre-loved listing.

Search the whole product name

Put the style name in quotation marks, then add the garment type. If the colour name is uncertain, search without it first. Retailer archives and old social posts may use slightly different punctuation, singular forms or spelling.

Read both labels

The neck or waist label identifies the brand, while the care label often provides the fibre content, country of manufacture and cleaning instructions. Photograph both before laundering: heat and agitation can make faint print disappear.

Use construction as evidence

Compare neckline shape, dart placement, closures, lining and seam finish. Prints can vary across a cutting, so the exact placement of a flower or stripe is not reliable proof of a mismatch.

Treat size as a starting point

Garment measurements matter more than the number on the tag, particularly for older fitted styles. Ask for bust, waist, hip and total length measured flat, and compare them with a similar non-stretch garment that already fits.

This archive does not authenticate, value or sell garments. It provides research prompts so buyers can make their own checks.

Open the verification checklist