Pre-owned Saint Laurent

Start with the shoulder bags that carry the interlocking initials on the flap. The body is calfskin or lambskin, smooth or pressed with a grain, folded over a stiff base so the bag holds its shape when empty. The initials sit on the front of the flap and the strap is a chain, often threaded with a leather tab where it sits on the shoulder.

On a carried one, the chain is the first place to look. The plating rubs where the links run through the rings. Then turn the bag over. The feet and the corners take the weight of a desk and a car seat, so look at the leather at each corner for rubbing.

Open the flap and check the initials for scratches from keys, then run a finger along the edge paint for cracks. Inside, look for a lining that has bubbled and for a heat stamp gone faint. The strap and the corners tell you the most, so check those before anything else.

Shoes are the evening side of the house. A heel or a boot carries the outfit, and the wear sits at the sole and the heel tip, so turn each pair over before you look at the upper. Each piece has its condition written up on its own page, next to the published price.

Clothing is tailoring, leather and blouses cut close to the body. A fitted cut shows its wear at the seams and the hems, so check those first.

Accessories are belts, wallets, small leather goods and sunglasses. The belt buckle carries the same initials as the bag and rubs the same way, so look at the plating before the strap. Hats are wide brims and caps. Check the brim for creases and the band for marks before anything else.