Will you return an article of clothing after you've washed it?

No, I would not try to return an article of clothing I had washed, not even socks.

Yes, I would return an article of clothing if I tried it on and I didn’t like it.

I always check the merchants return policy and comply by those rules. If after purchasing the clothing and I felt the quality of the clothing was misrepresented, I would take that up with the merchant as a separate issue. If buying online I almost never buy anything without reading all the customer reviews as item quality is almost always discussed in detail.

I never buy clothing online, except for basic Ts and sweatshirts.

For the record, the question refers to brick-and-mortar retail stores, not on-line.
I do not buy any apparel on-line that I’m not already familiar with the brand and quality.

I’m talking about clothing that you have been able to personally shop in a retail store, as much as the packaging will allow without purchase.
However, you might be restricted by bundle, bag. or other marketing technique.
Cotton blends may change significantly with laundering.

If I have worn the article and washed it, and followed the washing instructions, but it shrank, then yes, providing I kept the receipt, I’ll return it.
I don’t have the money to buy something that I can’t wear after one wash.

Like @chyna said, if the washing of the garment according to instructions damaged it, I’m owed a refund.

Intimate clothing – probably not. I said no originally, but if I bought an expensive item and the seam became unstitched or the underwire very quickly poked through the fabric and into me, then yes, I’d take it back to be replaced. Similarly if it was a fairly expensive piece of clothing and after one wash it shrank or fell to pieces, yes. The item was obviously poorly made or was faulty. If it was a cheap piece of clothing – no.

No. I am extremely careful about clothing returns. I always save all tags, packaging and the receipt (although many stores nowadays keep the info on record—you only need to show the credit card used to make the original purchase). I never try to return washed or drycleaned items, and I always try to fold the item it as closely to the original condition as possible (though I don’t think the store cares).

..Can’t return shit to Goodwill. That’s I have to say about that!

The backstory is that up until this year I felt like if I bought something and wore it (not just tried it on) or washed it, I owned it.

However… I had been looking at some Dickies brand white crew socks. 6 pair to a package, and all folded nicely in half so really cushy looking heels were up. I was put off by the price of over $3 per pair, but they looked so nice.
Well, I found the socks on sale for about $2 a pair, so I bought 2 packs. When I opened a package they were much thinner than they seemed bundled. Still, they’re 100% cotton. So I wash them. They hardly shrink up at all (that’s a bad thing, I wanted shorter and thicker). I decide to put a pair on and wear them. Hated them! They stretched out even bigger on my foot and got even thinner. I’m 9½ and the socks were probably 11’s when I took them off. I regularly buy better under $1 a pair.
So, I returned the socks. They took them back, no questions (I had the original sales slip and package). But I felt guilty. So I asked this question.

Almost never.

If something shrank I would not return it. If something shrank it’s because I dried it when I should not have. If it fell apart then I would bring it back to be sewn or returned. If a zipper broke in a day I’d probably bring it back to return or fix.

I will say if you are going to return underwear please wash it, because gross! You should see some of the disgusting people will try to return.

Bolden up on your returns, @Dutchess_III! If you wash and they don’t suit, return. Oh, and I returned a pair of Levi’s to Goodwill today. 1 week return policy, no matter what it is.

I don’t know that the merchants mention washing or not, @Cruiser. I’m guessing that most all will, but don’t advertise the fact.

That was my problem, @chyna & @Seek & @Earthbound_Misfit. Seemingly higher end work socks, but once I washed and wore a pair, I knew I’d never wear.

I don’t think they give a pachyderm’s patootie what they look like, @Pachy. Still, I try to tidy returns up as much as possible, too.

In my case, @JLeslie, size 6–12 socks ended up stretched to about an 11 after I wore them, and my shoe size is 9½. Throw $12+ away, or return them?

If they stretched out after one wearing I would say it’s ok to return them. They shouldn’t stretch like that. Did they stretch from wearing? Or the dryer heat ruined the elastic?

We buy somethings from L. L. Bean. We have returned items that worn for replacement. They charge only for an increase in price. I had some shirts that were three years old that were replaced with new ones for a few dollars each.

In a word, @JLeslie, the socks (in my estimation and I have a ‘thing’ for socks) were shit. They were loosely woven so instead of hugging my feet, they just got bigger through the day. Once upon a time Champion made work socks that were $3–4 a pair, and worth more. I keep hoping the sold the factory and I’ll find a new supplier under a different brand.

Yes, I’ve heard that L.L. Bean maintains practices from the past century, @Tropical_Willie. I’ve seen a few of their products in retail outlets and that scared me. Good to know they’re holding the line.

No, by the time I have washed it, it is mine for better or worse.

ps, I have never really considered socks intimate apparel”

unless you were wearing it on…..... never mind, let’s not go there

@rojo But socks are.
Liners for your potentially icky feet, just as underwear is a liner for your potentially icky…...never mind, let’s not go there.