Grading a used silk blouse
Grading a used silk blouse is delicate work. Silk shows every insult — the grade leads with water spotting, deodorant and perfume stains, and the underarm degradation antiperspirant causes, then checks for snags, seam slippage, and the yellowing that ages white silk. One set stain can define the grade.
What to check
- Water spots, perfume, and deodorant staining
- Underarm fibre degradation from antiperspirant
- Snags, pulls, and seam slippage in the woven silk
- Yellowing or dulling of the silk's sheen
How to grade it, step by step
- 1
Inspect for stains
Silk records water spots, perfume, and deodorant as permanent marks. Check the front, cuffs, and neckline; set stains cap the grade.
- 2
Check the underarms
Antiperspirant degrades and stiffens silk under the arms. Look for yellowing, crustiness, or thinning there — a common hidden flaw.
- 3
Look for snags and slippage
Scan the weave for pulls and check the seams for slippage where stitches have pulled apart under tension.
Graded examples
| Grade | Why |
|---|---|
| 9 (NWOT) | Full sheen, no marks, seams tight. |
| 6 (Good) | One faint water spot, otherwise clean and lustrous. |
| 3 (Poor) | Underarm yellowing and a snag pull across the front. |
Every grade sits on the GradeThread 1.0–10.0 scale.
Flaws to watch on this garment
Frequently asked
- Can deodorant stains be removed from a silk blouse?
- Often not fully. Antiperspirant aluminium salts bond with silk protein and can permanently yellow, stiffen, or degrade the underarm fabric. Because the damage is usually set and weakens the fibre, underarm staining is a significant flaw that lowers a silk blouse's grade even when the rest of the garment is pristine.
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