How to write clothing descriptions that sell

A good listing does two jobs. First it gets found: the words in it match what buyers type into search. Then it gets bought: it answers every question a buyer would ask if they were standing in your shop holding the piece. Most listings that don't sell fail at one of those two jobs, and both are fixable.

This guide covers the parts of a clothing listing in the order buyers meet them: the title, the details and measurements, the description, the flaws, and the small words that help search find you.

1. Write the title for search, not for poetry

Buyers search the way they talk to a shop assistant: brand, what it is, and a detail or two. "Vintage 70s Levi's 517 bootcut jeans 32 x 30" will be found. "Dreamy summer denim moment" won't, however lovely it sounds.

A reliable order for a clothing title:

1. Brand, if there's a label
2. Era, such as 1970s, 80s or Y2K
3. Type of piece, the word a buyer would use: blazer, slip dress, cardigan
4. Key detail: material, colour, print or cut
5. Size, labelled or measured

Title length limits vary. eBay gives you 80 characters and its own seller guidance says to use as many as you can. Other marketplaces allow more or fewer. Put the most important words at the start, because many apps cut titles short in search results.

Avoid the words that cost you trust: "rare" on something that isn't, "designer" with no designer named, and the names of brands the piece isn't made by. Using another brand's name to catch searches ("Chanel style") breaks most marketplaces' rules and can get a listing removed. VYA checks for a related mistake: before a piece goes to a marketplace, it holds a listing whose title names a different brand from its brand field, so you can fix it first.

2. Fill in every field the marketplace gives you

Most marketplaces have structured fields beside the description: brand, size, colour, material, condition, style, era. eBay calls them item specifics and says plainly that adding them helps your listing appear in search results. Filters work from these fields, so a buyer who ticks "wool" and "size M" only sees listings that filled those boxes in.

It's dull work, and it's often the difference between being found and not. If a field doesn't apply, leave it empty rather than guessing. VYA fills these fields from your photos when it drafts a listing, and marks any it isn't sure of for you to confirm.

3. Measurements: the most important part

Vintage sizing doesn't match modern sizing, and brands and decades all differ. A buyer can't try the piece on, so measurements are how they decide whether it will fit. Give measurements for every piece, taken with the garment laid flat and buttoned up.

Say how you measured: "laid flat, pit to pit" means the chest all the way round is roughly double. Many buyers don't know this, so some sellers give both, such as "chest 20 inches flat (40 around)". Give inches, and centimetres too if you sell abroad. Add the labelled size, and if it runs small, say what modern size it fits like and how you know.

4. The description: answer the buyer's questions

Write the description in the order a buyer thinks:

1. What it is, in one or two plain sentences. "A 1980s silk blouse from Escada, in deep red with gold buttons and a soft pussy-bow collar."
2. Material and feel. Fibre content from the label, plus how it feels: weight, drape, stretch, lining.
3. Fit. How it's cut and how it sits: boxy, cropped, high-waisted, oversized. If you've shown it on a person or a form, say their measurements or size.
4. Era and evidence. What dates it: union label, care label, zip. Our guide to dating vintage clothing covers what to look for.
5. Condition and flaws, covered below.
6. Measurements, as above.

Keep it short and scannable. A few short paragraphs or a tidy list beats a wall of text, especially on a phone. Write the way you'd talk to a customer: warm, specific and honest. Skip filler like "this piece is a must-have for any wardrobe", which tells a buyer nothing.

5. Flaws: say them plainly

Most vintage has some wear, and most buyers expect it. What they won't forgive is finding it themselves. For each flaw, say what it is, where it is, and how noticeable it is, and point to the photo that shows it.

• Vague: "Some minor flaws consistent with age."
• Clear: "Two small pinholes near the left cuff, about 2 mm, shown in photo 7. A faint mark on the inside collar, not visible when worn. Light pilling under the arms."

Use a condition scale and use it the same way every time. New with tags, excellent, very good, good and flawed are common grades. VYA suggests a grade from the wear it can see in your photos, on the same scale every time. Our pricing guide describes each and how it moves the price. When flaws are named, buyers who might have returned the piece either don't buy it or buy it knowing, and both save you a return.

6. Keywords, without stuffing

Marketplace search matches words in your title, fields and, on some platforms, the description and tags. Use the words buyers use, once each, where they fit naturally.

• Think in synonyms. A buyer might search "cardigan", "cardi", "knit" or "sweater". Use the main word in the title and a synonym in the description.
• Name the style if it has one: prairie dress, chore coat, bias-cut slip, varsity jacket, peasant blouse.
• Include the era both ways where it reads naturally: "1990s" and "90s".
• Use the marketplace's own search bar to see what it suggests as you type. Those suggestions reflect what people search for.

Don't paste a block of unrelated tags at the bottom of a description. It looks spammy to buyers and several marketplaces treat it as keyword spamming, which can get listings hidden or removed. Hashtags on social-style marketplaces work best when they're few and accurate.

7. A complete example

Every line there answers a question a buyer would otherwise have to send you, or leave unanswered and move on.

8. Adjust for where you're selling

The same piece can need slightly different listings in different places:

• eBay rewards full item specifics and long, precise titles. Buyers there often search by exact brand and model.
• Depop has a younger, style-led audience. The first lines of the description matter most, and a few accurate hashtags help.
• Etsy lets you add tags, and only allows vintage listings for items at least 20 years old.
• Your own website is where your shop's voice can come through most. Search engines read your title and description too, so the same rules about plain words apply.

If you sell in several places, keep one master description and adapt the title and fields for each. Our guide to cross-listing covers how to run several channels without double-selling.

A quick listing checklist

• Title: brand, era, type, key detail, size, most important words first.
• Every marketplace field filled in, nothing guessed.
• Measurements laid flat, with how you measured.
• Description: what it is, material, fit, era and evidence.
• Each flaw named, located and photographed.
• Condition grade used consistently.
• Buyer's words used once each, no keyword stuffing.

How VYA helps

VYA writes the first draft so you can spend your time on the details only you know:

• Drafts from your photos: a search-ready title and a short description, with brand, era, material, colour and condition filled in.
• Honest by design. VYA doesn't invent measurements, flaws or provenance, and marks anything it's unsure of.
• Marketplace titles built for search, with Depop hashtags, while your own site keeps your title.
• A brand check before anything goes to a marketplace.
• A duplicate warning if a piece you're adding looks like one you already have.

Listing from photos is on every plan: Starter ($49 a month, 30 AI listings), Studio ($129, 100) and Pro ($199, 250). Marketplace titles and hashtags come with cross-listing, on Studio and Pro.

Start selling with VYA

Common questions

Marketplace rules and fees change. Details in this guide were checked in October 2026; always confirm on each marketplace's or provider's own pages.