Women's Shirts on eBay

02 / Fit & Fabric

Shoulders, Bust and the Silk Test

Fit comes first: shoulder width and bust decide a shirt: the shoulder seam must sit where yours does, and the bust needs ease enough that the placket lies flat without pulling — the listing's pit-to-pit measurement doubled, minus wearing ease, is the figure to compare with your own best-fitting shirt. Auction garments cannot be tried on, so the flat measurements in the description are the only dependable evidence, and a seller who lists none is worth a message before bidding. On materials, expect silk and washable silk, cotton poplin and pinpoint, linen and linen blends and crepe and fluid blouse fabrics. Insist on the care-label photograph for any silk claim: genuine silk states itself on the fiber label, while 'silk feel' and 'silky' in a title describe polyester — a fine fabric at the right price, and a deception at a silk price.

In this category condition moves value more than age does. Collars and cuffs tell the truth: fraying at the collar fold, shine at cuff edges, underarm discoloration and stretched buttonholes end a shirt's smart life while its body cloth still looks fresh. Study the photographs at full size, read the returns policy, and judge the seller's feedback by the pattern that matters — description accuracy — rather than the headline score alone. A garment described as new with tags should show those tags in a photograph; if it does not, ask before bidding.