How to Photograph, Measure and List Vintage Clothing

Last reviewed 2026-10-04 by the AntiqueCostume editorial team · Sources · How we research

Vintage sells on photos, measurements and honesty. Buyers cannot try the piece on, sizes from past decades do not match modern ones, and every collector wants to see the label, the construction and the flaws before they pay. A listing that shows all three in clear daylight, with flat measurements in inches and centimetres, will outsell a better garment shown badly.

Quick answer

Shoot in soft daylight, no flash, on a plain background, with the garment on a form or laid flat.
Always include: full front, full back, side, label close-up, fabric and care label, closures, and every flaw.
Give flat measurements, not a size number: bust or pit-to-pit, waist, hips, length, shoulders, sleeve, plus rise and inseam for trousers.
Title with era, garment, key feature, material and measurement or size.
Describe condition precisely and photograph each issue; that is what prevents returns.

Prepare the garment

Handle old fabric gently before it ever reaches the camera.

Clean only if it is safe. Many antique pieces should not be washed at all. Read how to clean vintage clothing first. Surface dust can often be removed with low-suction vacuuming through a screen, the method conservators use.
Remove creases with steam, not a hot iron, and only on fibres that tolerate it. Keep the steamer moving and never steam weighted silk, shattering silk, beading or sequins; heat and moisture can damage them. A handheld steamer (handheld garment steamer) is enough for most stock.
Take out old pins and staples. Conservators remove them because they stress fabric and rust.
Check pockets and linings for old receipts or tags. A dry-cleaning tag or a store receipt can help date a piece.

Set up the shot

You do not need a studio. You need even light and a clean background.

Element	What works	What to avoid
Light	Indirect daylight near a window, or two daylight-balanced lamps	Direct sun (harsh shadows, and UV fades textiles), on-camera flash (flattens texture and hides colour)
Background	Plain white, grey or neutral wall or sheet	Patterned bedspreads, clutter, other garments
Display	Dress form or mannequin for dresses, coats, jackets; flat lay for tees, denim, knits	Wire hangers (garment hangs badly and looks cheap)
Camera	Phone camera at full resolution, lens cleaned	Digital zoom, beauty filters, colour filters

A dress form makes the biggest difference for dresses and tailoring, because buyers judge vintage fit by silhouette. If the piece is fragile, heavily beaded, bias-cut or a knit, photograph it flat instead: those garments can be stretched or strained by hanging, the same reason museums store them flat.

Colour accuracy matters. Photograph in daylight, then compare the image to the garment by eye. If the photo looks warmer or cooler than the fabric, adjust white balance, not saturation, and say in the listing if a colour is hard to capture.

The shot list

Shoot every one of these for anything worth more than a few dollars:

Full front on the form or flat.
Full back.
Side view (shows silhouette, hem shape, bustle or drape).
Main label, sharp and legible. This is the shot collectors zoom into first.
Secondary labels: union label, size tag, fabric content, care label, RN or WPL number. These date the piece and prove it is genuine. See our guides to union labels, RN and WPL numbers and care labels.
Closures: zipper pull and teeth, buttons, hooks and eyes, snaps. Buyers use these to check age (see dating by zippers and buttons and fasteners).
Inside construction: seam finishes, hand stitching, linings, boning.
Fabric close-up showing weave or print in true colour.
Every flaw, each in its own close-up with a finger or coin for scale: stains, holes, moth damage, splits, repairs, fading, missing buttons, odour notes in text.
Scale or styling shot (optional): one image on a form with accessories helps buyers picture the piece.

How to measure vintage clothing

Never list only a size number. Vintage sizes run small and inconsistent compared with today's (see vintage sizing). Lay the garment flat, smooth it without stretching, fasten all closures, and use a soft tape measure (soft tailor tape measure).

Measurement	How to take it	Notes
Bust / pit to pit	Straight across the front from armpit seam to armpit seam	State whether you give the flat figure or doubled. Doubling is usual for dresses; say which you did
Waist	Across the narrowest point or the waist seam, flat	Double for the circumference
Hips	Across the widest point, usually 7 to 9 inches below the waist	Double for circumference; note if the skirt is full and hips are "free"
Shoulders	Seam to seam across the back	Critical for jackets and coats
Sleeve	Shoulder seam to cuff	For raglan sleeves, measure from the collar centre
Length	Highest point of the shoulder (or waistband for skirts) to hem	Also give nape-to-hem for coats
Rise	Crotch seam to top of waistband, front	Trousers and jeans
Inseam	Crotch seam to hem along the inside leg	Note any hem allowance that could be let down
Hem width / leg opening	Across the hem flat	Useful for flares and wide legs

Give measurements in both inches and centimetres if you sell internationally. Add a line suggesting the body size the garment fits, with a few inches of ease: "Bust 36 in flat-doubled, best for a 34 in bust."

Writing the title

Search engines on eBay, Etsy and the resale apps match words in titles. Lead with the terms a buyer would type, then the details that distinguish your piece.

A reliable pattern: Era + label (if any) + garment + key feature + material + size or bust measurement.

"1950s Suzy Perette Cotton Floral Party Dress Full Skirt Bust 34"
"1970s Levi's Orange Tab Bootcut Jeans W30 L32 USA Made"
"Edwardian White Cotton Lawn Tea Dress Lace Insertion Bust 34"

Only use an era or a brand you can support from the label or construction. "Vintage style" and modern reproductions must say so. Misdating is the commonest reason for disputes. If in doubt, give a range ("1950s to early 1960s") and explain why.

Writing the description

Structure every description the same way so buyers find what they need:

What it is: era, label, garment, fabric, colour, notable features.
How you dated it: one line on the evidence, such as "metal Talon zipper and ILGWU label consistent with 1950s".
Measurements: the table above, laid out cleanly.
Condition: an overall grade plus each flaw listed and photographed. See condition grading for consistent terms.
Care and odour: "from a smoke-free home", "light storage odour", "has been dry cleaned", only if true.
Shipping and returns: how it will be packed and your returns policy.

Avoid "excellent for age" without detail. It tells the buyer you are hiding something. "Two pinhole moth nips on left sleeve, shown in photo 9, not visible when worn" sells better because it is believable.

Item specifics and categories

Fill in every structured field the platform offers: size, department, style, era or decade, material, colour, brand, country of manufacture. On eBay and Etsy these feed filters, and buyers who filter by decade or material never see a listing that leaves them blank.

Not sure what you have? Appraise a photo

Packing and shipping

Fold with acid-free tissue in the folds (acid free tissue paper) to prevent hard creases, the same padding conservators use in storage.
Wrap in a clean cotton or polyethylene bag inside the box to guard against water.
Use a box, not a soft mailer, for anything structured, beaded or fragile.
Insure anything you could not afford to lose, and keep photos of the item as packed.

Final checklist

[ ] Clean, steamed where safe, pins removed
[ ] Front, back, side, label, secondary labels, closures, inside, fabric, every flaw
[ ] Flat measurements in inches (and cm), method stated
[ ] Title: era + label + garment + feature + material + size
[ ] Dating evidence in one line
[ ] Every flaw described and photographed
[ ] All item specifics filled in
[ ] Price checked against sold comparables (pricing your vintage)