We want our clothes to last a long time, look good, and be worth the money. Shopping for high quality clothing will help you create a wardrobe of clothes that you will actually wear. You want to have a closet full of pieces that will last a long time, hold it’s shape, not fade, have a nice fit, and make you feel confident when you wear it.
There are a lot of benefits from investing in high quality clothing like you will shop more consciously and not have so many impulsive purchases. By having to spend more money, you will actually want to make sure you are purchasing something worth your money.
How Buying High Quality Clothing Saves You Money
Buying high quality clothing usually does cost more money up front, but over time, it actually is cheaper and it saves you time.
There is something called cost per wear that will make the clothing item cheaper over time. Take the price of the item divided by how many times you will wear the item (or have worn it), and that’s how much it is each time you wear it.
This will help the cost not be so daunting if you think of the investment you are making.
The Difference Between Cheap and Inexpensive Clothing
There is a difference between cheap and inexpensive.
Cheap usually means the material of the item is of poor quality, it was put together in a rush and details were overlooked, and it wears out more quickly therefore you are having to spend more money in the long run having to replace it.
And once you are done with it, it won’t make it to the thrift shop floor because it doesn’t look nice anymore. Therefore they are forced to be thrown out and not given a second chance.
Inexpensive is where the price of the item is more affordable, but the quality is still good. You can still find affordable pieces for your wardrobe while also ensuring it is of good quality. Check out my favorite affordable clothing stores in this blog post.
You can get really great inexpensive items at second-hand stores. If you find a piece in a thrift shop, it usually means it has lasted a while, therefore is a clothing item to add to your closet.
Quick Shopping Tips When Looking For Quality Clothing
Some quick tips before getting into the deep examination of the clothing pieces you are going to be adding to your wardrobe.
- Shop slowly
- Try on the pieces
- Take time to examine each section I outline below
- Know what you need, keep a list on your phone
- Look into a tailor to adjust the pieces to fit even better
- Research and compare before you go into stores
- Consider thrift stores, vintage shops, and secondhand pieces (thredup, Poshmark [use my code ANNIEROSETTE to save $10 at sign up], Depop)
How To Shop for High Quality Clothing Pieces
Look At and Feel The Fabric
Fabric is literally the whole piece of clothing, so if you get an item with crappy material, the whole piece is crap. We want to focus on more natural fabrics and not synthetic fabrics.
Natural fabrics are things made in nature like silk, linen, cotton, wool, cashmere, and leather. They have more benefits besides just being great fabrics for quality clothing.
Synthetic fabrics are produced in factories by humans with different chemical processes aka not natural. Some synthetic fabrics are rayon, polyester, spandex, nylon, and acrylic.
Natural fabrics are more expensive because of everything that goes into it, but you can get fabric blends that are more affordable and are of great quality.
Look at the care tag and try to get pieces that are at least 70-80% natural fabrics and the rest synthetic fabrics. The higher percentage of natural fabrics, usually the higher quality of clothing item.
Feel the item. It should feel soft and comfortable, not stiff and itchy.
You also don’t want to see through the fabric, the thicker the fabric, higher quality. Hold the item up to a bright light to do the see-through test. If you can see through it, pass on the item. Or make sure the piece is lined.
Seams and Hems
After the fabric ‘examination’ next is the seam and hem ‘evaluation’. Seams literally hold the garment together. If you have crappy seams, your clothes could actually fall apart. Even if it looks nice on the outside, the inside needs to look just as nice and clean.
For seams, they should be even, close stitches and laying down flat. Stitches in the seams that are closer together are more enforced and can withstand a lot more wear and tear. The color of the seams should be the same color as the fabric they are holding together. Look at the joint of the seams, it should look nice and neat and no seams should be itchy.
Do the gap test. This is where you gently pull on either side of the seam and if you see gaps between the thread, no go.
Hems should be nice and neat and reinforced with fabric to help it keep its shape. Jeans should have a 2 inch hem and shirts and blouses should have a 1 inch seam.
No loose threads at the seams or hems!
Examine The Hardware
Hardware, buttons, and other closures can show you the quality of the item.
Zippers
If it has a YKK zipper, it’s good. Those zippers are great quality and it shows that the maker of the piece pays attention to detail. Try the zipper a few times to make sure it guides nicely. If it snags, pass.
Avoid open zippers. You want the zipper to be in the item and be hidden. If it is exposed, ensure that the zipper is reinforced with a seam and/or fabric strip.
Buttons
Buttons should match with the buttonhole and be a little hard to get through the hole. This ensures the manufacturers put a lot of effort into making sure the quality is there.
Look at the buttonhole, the thread should be around the hole to enforce it and no loose threads hanging off. Also, if it comes with a spare button, they are hoping you are going to wear the piece for a long time and give you extra material to keep it living in your wardrobe for years.
There should also be a gap between the fabric and button if the fabric is thick so it has space to lay nice and button up.
Patterns and Materials Match Up
The lines of the fabric and fibers should be even. If the item has stripes or plaid, or even that grainy look/feel make sure the lines match up. This shows the thought put into construction the piece. Not only do uneven lines show poor construction but it just doesn’t look good when you are wearing it.
Look at the pocket and sleeves and where they line up.
Pay Attention to the Fit
Always try on clothes. I know it’s annoying, but when you are going shopping, wear something that is easy to take on and off if you want to check out the clothing section.
If a top looks too small or feels too tight sometimes it is just the manufacturer cutting corners to save money on materials. Yes, all brands have a little different sizing system, but if it doesn’t fit right in the dressing room, it’s not going to fit right when you take it home.
Try on different types of gathers like darts, pleats, tuck or others to see what flatters your body shape the best. These gathers help the item form fit your body to accentuate your body in the best way. Some will look good and others won’t so try them on and you will learn what you like so it’s easier to shop later on.
You want your clothes to fit correctly. If you need to, take it to a tailor to get it to fit your body, whether it’s taking up a hem, fixing the waist to fit better, it will make you look and feel more confident in your clothes. You want to actually wear your clothes, not letting them collect dust in your closet because they don’t look or fit right.
Embellishments
Beading or sequins should be securely sown on the fabric. Gently rub your hand over the embellishments, they shouldn’t feel loose or be really moving around.
Embroidery is expensive because of the really tight threading stitched really closely together. If you see gaps or spaces between the threads, don’t get it. You want it to look full and thick.
There are definitely more tips, but these are the basics to keep in mind when shopping for high quality clothing pieces to add to your wardrobe. Remember you don’t have to spend a ridiculous amount but the investment will save you more in the long run.
XO, Annie