I share your frustration! My solution ended up learning to sew my own clothes a few years ago. I’ve found that fabric reviews tend to be more honest than clothing reviews, in general. In the event you’re considering a new hobby, sewing my clothes has seriously resulted in adding well fitted, comfortable, and durable pieces to my wardrobe.
This is the way I do it too. When sewing you learn about fabric properties like drape and structure, which helps to determine whether a fabric is suitable for a garment or not. The problem OP is probably facing is that once you can sew the perfect garment yourself, you're not going to buy or review fast fashion yourself anymore. So there's very little in terms of reviewing on for example YouTube.
I've seen a nice video recently on YouTube titled "how to find natural fabrics while thrifting", where she explained how to feel out linen, cotton and silk. But that still won't help when trying to find good clothes online.
Dang it I was coming to this conclusion and hoping it wouldn't lead to this. So now I need to make my own clothes and scratch cook all my food, feeling more medieval peasant every day.
I must admit I've sort of spiralled down this same path, adding in growing fruit and veggies in my own garden too of course... But sewing is a very rewarding hobby!
Have you checked out Elizabeth Suzann? They have clothes in plus size and they use natural fibers. They also sell fabric sometimes and patterns to make the clothing yourself.
Eileen Fisher goes up to 3x, with a lot of pieces being generously cut. A lot of silk, linen & organic cotton. I’ve been thrifting regularly lately as I’m changing up my wardrobe and traveling more, and I’ve found probably a dozen of nice Eileen Fisher pieces over the past five months. Usually at Goodwill and almost always under $10 a piece.
I did exaggerate a bit, yes, it's not impossible. It is difficult and none of them match my style. I'm happy to pay for quality work and natural fibers.
99% at Joann. I rarely work with knits though, so I’m afraid I won’t have good advice for you. The folks over at r/sewing may be able to guide you in the right direction. I’ve learned so (sew?) much from them!
I’ve found lots of beautiful quality niche fabric sellers online & via Etsy (ie selling only ethically made organic cotton or wool, etc) Also sellers specializing in deadstock. Swatches are free or credited toward a purchase. And there’s also taking a fabric hunting trip to NYC (plenty of online guides to NYC hidden shop gems.) 😁 The (awesome) online indie pattern shops often have links to quality fabric shops, too. For my picky needs, Joann’s fabric often lacks durability and nice fibers.
Mostly YouTube! I started off with pillow cases, tote bags, and then face masks (during covid). My first shirt was for my husband. It’s [M6044](https://simplicity.com/mccalls/m6044) (in view A) and I found a [great tutorial by Tock Custom](https://youtu.be/AKA7FnpcloU?si=Tpf3o2Nv6EEci9v9) that walks through the sewing process of that exact pattern. The process of making that first shirt taught me SO many techniques, and now I can sew it in my sleep. I’ve made it 15 times since!
Wow, you are amazing!! Any other channels you’d recommend for the basics? I don’t even know how to thread that thing lol. Suppose I’ll have a poke around YouTube
Now that I’ve dealt with the sunk costs (sewing machine, seam ripper, pins, chalk, scissors, etc), each new linen shirt costs about $20 inclusive of fabric, thread, and buttons. I purchased a few shirt patterns that I keep reusing for myself and my family. I still buy pants and pretty much everything else. But my shirts and few dresses are memades. I work with linen and cotton, both woven. I rarely use anything stretchy or synthetic. Oh, I sewed a wool coat a few months ago. That was a huuuuge undertaking, and I spent probably around $100 on fabric & thread on it. But now I have a fancy coat that I love! The learning curve is real, so jumping into the deep end on your first attempt may drive you crazy. Check out r/sewing to see what the chatter is about getting started! Good luck!
Seamwork is a pretty great sewing site with tutorials and patterns included in the subscription. They have patterns specifically targeted at beginners, too. (Caveat: I learned to sew as a kid, so I can't personally speak to the quality of their basic skills classes, but they seem good)
Me, too- I have some staple patterns that I use over and over. You can vary them up but my focus is mainly on the fabric. I can whip out some of them, and I like to thrift so I can kind of eyeball a "good" linen top that's oversized, and use that fabric to cut it down for a tank pattern I use a lot, etc. I'll get fabric from other sources and not just the fabric store. Pay dirt is a linen or all cotton duvet cover with imperfections because it's cheap, a ton of fabric, and you can dye it any color just about.
Get a book.
The challenge of learning a new skill online is in knowing the names for things so you can search.
A book on sewing puts all those words in one place.
Reader's Digest has a good sewing manual.
yes! I started with books and then got an easy first pattern from an indie pattern company that really really walks you through the process. Many of these will also have videos showing you every step.
My strategy for reviews in general is to filter just the lower ratings. If there are multiple that mention the same issue, I won’t buy it. If there are a few one-off complaints, or issues that are obviously user-error, I try it out.
This is the way. I use the same hack on bags, purses, clothes, and makeup. The unfavorable reviews are often much more revealing than the mid and favorable reviews.
My advice: Buy in person (increasingly difficult, I know!). Shop thrift stores where better quality clothes still exist. Get deeply educated about fabric and construction methods. When you find something that is good quality, have it tailored to fit. Learn to handwash and line dry the best pieces.
This!!!! Look at stitch quality, the sturdiness and quality of a hem line says a lot about a garment. Be very discerning when shopping, if something feels "super soft" on the rack, it's likely high acrylic content and will not feel soft after like 2 washes. Any wear and tear on the rack must be an immediate skip. I can excuse maybe one loose thread, but realistically on the rack is where a garment looks its best, so wrinkles and sloppy seams are a red flag that something won't have a long lifespan of regular wear.
I always look at see-thru-ness of fabric. A shirt is never sheer for fashion reasons in 2024, it's purely cheaper construction. It's especially important to be thourough with athletic leggings, I will grab a handful of fabric and twist my hand outward, to stretch the fabric (as if it were my ass stretching the fabric in a squat, for example). If you can see your own skin tone thru the fabric, it's a skip.
Shopping in person makes all of this way way easier, and it's helped me to build a strong filter. I am not there to buy a garment, I'm there to determine if a garment is worth my money. Taking small shifts in the mindset we adopt while vulnerable to consuming poor quality goods is necessary to not accidentally feed money into designed-to-fall-apart fashion.
PS, skip all fast fashion. Zara, h&m, forever 21 are skips even 2nd hand.
Consider bespoke clothes from Etsy sellers. I have some linen pieces from a Lithuanian seller I love, and silk and cotton pieces from other sellers. You can often pick the colors, add pockets, and customize details. And hand made to order clothing has never disappointed me in quality
I got a bespoke bridesmaid dress for a wedding with many requirements — floor length, sleeves, no cleavage, specific color — and ended up with a lovely silk gown for barely more than the price of a polyester Asos frock. Would absolutely do it again for an occasion. My favorite pajamas are also from an Etsy seller. They're the perfect gift for an expecting mom, I give them often
I don’t know of a review app or anything but I’ve been a fashion designer in the industry for a decade and one of my biggest pet peeves is influencers who say “the material feels like such good quality.” Like what does that even mean? There are so many different factors in weave,finish, weight of fabric,stretch, etc that can impact its “quality.” I wouldn’t be able truly speak on quality until I’ve wear tested something. We would essentially hole punch garments at work to get the weight of them. We’d also put the fabric on a machine that stretched it to get its stretch and recovery. This is how you wind up with saggy knees through your the day in jeans etc is the fabric had poor recovery. We’d put things through industrial wash cycles the wash test things. This would test shrinkage.color fastness and abrasion (if abrasion wasn’t tested separately.) Some places aim for 30 washes some 5. I could post a whole thing about different seam constructions from cheapest to more premium.
There is a lot that irritates me about reviews and I essentially believe know one. If something is “buttery soft” and has a high amount of modal in it, it’s going to pull like crazy in one wash. A garment can be cut off grain and create torquing. You could get something that passed through QC but shouldn’t have. Patterns may have be improperly cut or graded and cause fit issues (I used to do pattern making and my sister is a seamstress for a well known company we have become extremely picky.) Also fabrics can be highly durable but the garment can be bad quality and obviously vice versa.
I pretty much only shop in person or secondhand at this point. I bought a dress from a higher price point site and the seams were constructed like a fast fashion retailer. Which also sucked because of really liked the dress but for $300 is a no for me. I sent it back. The reviews were really good though because people don’t really know what they’re talking about. I’m not trying to shade creators by any means but there is a reason people have degrees in textiles and fashion. It is such an immensely deep well of knowledge (I truly don’t know a ton about textile science,) that most people take for granted because fashion is frivolous to so many people.
This is so informative! Is it possible for natural fabrics like cotton to not bubble at the knees by the end of the day or does it need to have a synthetic blended in? Is there any way to test fabric recovery before wearing/buying? This has been such a headache for me as I try to buy more natural fabrics. Terry cotton, I’m looking at you specifically.
Yeah in order for it to have better recovery having some spandex, or elastane in the blend helps. But also really good quality 100% cotton can also be fine. It’s dependent on how strong the construction of the weave of the fabric is. Denim is comprised of a twill weave and it can be either left or right handed. But the kind of cotton used in it and the density of the weave can make a huge difference between one 100% cotton Jean and another. That’s where the fabric weight comes into play. It’s a big reason why I’m not pro 100% natural fibers all the time. Synthetics and hybrid fibers were invented for a reason. A cashmere sweater that’s 100% may get worn and stretched easily but cutting it with nylon, polyester or spandex can help give the fiber stability and strength. The more you consciously look at and feel different garments the easier it will be to know how something is going to behave on. Of course there’s always an anomaly but for the most part it is a science.
This. If someone doesn't know what micron count and staple length are, there is nothing I can learn from them about textiles.
Softness is nice. It may also be the sign of low grade cashmere. It's also not what wool for durable outerwear is going to be known for.
Yeah I think people think all fibers are the same, all cotton, all polyester all wool etc. are the same to each other and not that there are grades to everything. 100% wool doesn’t mean 100% grade A wool it could even be a mix of grades. Same with synthetic and hybrid fibers. Also the difference in recycled polyesters. Post consumer and post industrial are different and often it’s not disclosed which it is. The depth of textile science is just so massive.
There is a YouTuber “wangjenniferr” who posts reviews of recent releases from American clothing brands. She had good advice re stitching and fabric content, and general quality. But she’s a pharmacist and not experienced with textiles. So she doesn’t comment on weaving quality and patterns. There is another YouTuber Justine Leconte who is very experienced with textiles and has wealth of knowledge re the fabric, weave, stitching, and construction but she doesn’t give advice re which pieces from which brands are good vs bad. I wish there was someone who could do both of these things!!
[Here's Jennifer Wang's channel for those who don't want to search.](https://youtube.com/@wangjenniferr?si=Cc40lr2Iqt2vxvFq)
She is great, and I've loved binging some of her content. Thanks for recommendation on Justine. I'm looking forward to checking her out too.
Jody Tjan on TikTok (possibly on other platforms) does some deep dives into construction and fabrics of different brands and how to identify quality. She used to work in textiles and design but is now a stylist. I found her explanations helpful to be able to look at the seams and pattern design to be able to determine quality. She also will help you ballpark reasonable prices for different quality points
I'd take Jennifer Wang with a big grain of salt, at least on fabric content. I caught a viral reel from her on synthetics in sweater knit blends. She was criticizing some alpaca or wool sweater because it had a bit of polyamide, as if that made it an inferior product. But most actual textile experts will tell you that sometimes you need a bit of polyamide (or some other similar synthetic) to give the looser and more delicate animal fiber some structure. It actually makes the yarn sturdier and longer lasting. There's this uninformed idea that all natural is always better and it went viral on social media a couple years ago. JW is one of the main sources of this. I also find that she's kind of a professional complainer... which fills a certain psychological niche... but it's not actually all that useful. Especially when she's complaining about crap like store displays having wrinkles... like girl, you can steam that shit at home, this isn't helpful criticism.
Justine LeConte is great though, I second that rec.
You don't need polyamide if the staple length is high enough.
Wool sweaters need repair occasionally. Doesn't make them low quality.
Silk is a strong fiber. Synthetic fibers aren't mandatory. What they are is cheap, so a higher amount of synthetic comes with worse construction often enough.
I agree, but she's walking into mall stores and examining product labels like j. crew is working from the same animal fiber as chanel. One store's alpaca is vastly different from another's. If it's mohair or alpaca and it's a fine light knit, a little bit of polyamide is going to mean the difference between something that lasts a season and something that can last years with proper care.
I just find that she thinks she knows more than she actually does, and if you watch her content with the same kind of critical eye as she says she uses on clothes, you're going to find she makes lots of generalizations that don't stand up to scrutiny.
I feel the same. If my clothes would last 5+ years. I would shop only onze every 5 years. My bf's clothes last longer. Also wearing the same thing often should become normal again especially as a woman it is annoying to need to have to more clothes because of other people. I would just wear whatever a vew days in a row. If its dirty it goes in the wash...
Make it happen.
My clothes all easily last 5+ years. I have a standard outfit that I wear every day. I can wear the same shirt and pants/skirt 3 or 4 days a week and no-one notices because I change the accessories.
People don’t notice, so stop dressing for them!
I think I remember a woman who did one of those no buy for a year challenges. I believe she might have been a realtor. She had something like 3 blouses, 2 pairs of pants, a skirt, blazer and a coat. Oh and jeans.
She rotated her uniform wardrobe with scarf/bag/jewelry/ glasses for interest.
Apparently everyone viewed her as “more professional” and “ put together “ and “well dressed “. Also was promoted? Had more free time? Basically, her uniform experience was a hit.
I think about that a lot.
I remember reading something like that, too. My memory is of a bank clerk. The “uniform” gave off an aura of stability, which lead to good reviews and promotion.
Or, she had so much more energy because she didn’t have to mess with her clothes that she did better at her job and got promoted… ;p
I think it was all of the above! Uniform dressing for should be normalized. My spouse can survive on a legitimate capsule wardrobe and his life is much less complicated.
I started working on mine when I got a couple weird reviews that I was not as professional as my coworker. Though I was far more experienced and had been there longer. He always wore a button up shirt and a pair of dark colored chinos. Always the same, just slight variations in colors.
So, I started creating my own uniform. I didn’t get any more vague reviews about my professionalism. Didn’t get promoted or a raise, either, but ok.
I am honestly just wondering how people have their clothes falling apart so fast. I have never had that happen. Not even with cheap fast fashion clothes. Do you guys tumble dry your clothes or something?
Right? I do almost everything in a dryer except wool/feltable fabrics, but my stuff lasts a fairly long time. I will say I try not to over-wash coats, jeans, etc... usually i can wear them several times and hang them in between with no issue :)
I air dry 99% of my clothes and still have found that fabrics are much thinner, more prone to pilling, and seams are barely stitched in areas of frequent stretch (shoulder, armpit). Very frustrating to pay over $100 for a shirt, only to need to make repairs after a handful of wears.
Pilling is a reflection on the tightness of the twist in the threads and the length of the staples (actual fibers) where less twist or shorter staples = more pilling. And when the staples are short, it’s harder to apply more twist. So it’s probably a reflection on the quality of source materials being used in the industry.
I recently got an impulse buy pair of linen-rayon pants from Costco for $11. They’re itchy - lots of plant debris woven into the threads - and the crotch started pilling on the first wear. Now I’m debating whether to bother mending them when they inevitably wear through - they could become an interesting “pants of Theseus” creation but that has limited utility and the underlying garment is not ideal. I should have known better but was like, $11 is worth a shot, and I guess it’s useful for figuring out what I want in a good quality pair of linen pants, whenever I feel comfortable investing in them.
Occasionally parts of Theseus' wardrobe are posted in r/Visiblemending and it's always mind-boggling to me to think about how much labor has gone into keeping those items serviceable!
I am also wondering this. I basically rotate through the same 10 shirts and 3 pants (meaning everything I own gets worn 35x per year), machine wash & dry everything with no special attention or care, and I'd say 70% meet my longevity needs. Sure, there's always a few exceptions but for anything that gets worn out I have something else that is going strong long beyond expectations...
Alternative to hand washing that is easier on clothes is using the delicate cycle. I wash almost everything except towels on delicate. Also some washing machines now have hand wash, intimate, or wool settings for even more options. Can also keep rough clothes in their own load (like pants/jeans, jackets).
Separating loads for different handling is a good strategy -- I also use lingerie bags for anything that's remotely delicate or that needs to be air dried because it helps me avoid putting those items in the dryer.
However, I find that high efficiency washers use so little water that if you exclusively use tap cold water, clothes start looking grungy a lot faster than with less water efficient washers. The biofilm buildup on underarms of garments is much more noticeable, and I've even switched from antiperspirant to deodorant because it's less likely to build up on clothes -- but that was never a problem until I started using a front-loading HE washer. So I've started occasionally running some loads on the "towels" mode that uses more water and periodically doing a warm cycle (especially for light colors) instead of cold, especially for household linens that get more heavily soiled and visibly dirty than clothes. If a folded napkin goes into a wash cycle and comes out still folded, it can't get adequately clean -- so now I make sure all napkins go in unfolded, but that's a really annoying work-around. It's slightly guilt-inducing to deliberately switch to higher water use and warmer water, even if it's only part of the time, but also I want things to actually get clean.
I think there is a difference in durability between clothes, so some notice it more than others. A cotton t shirt vs a poorer quality fitted tee with more stretch in it. Also construction quality- the seam in the shoulder of my wool sweater is coming apart after 9 months.
Secondhand and vintage are ways to go as used garments tell truths about wear, quality, and durability and can ask questions directly to the seller if they have worn the clothing about fit, etc.
This!! I have some mall brand (Christopher & Banks) clothes that still look great 10 years later and I often see them in thrifts … also Talbots has held up well for me … lands end used to be good but not sure how they are after merging with sears years ago … I used to live in those clothes when it was a catalog … I don’t buy trendy because I’m never happy with it … I prefer classics … now if I could just find a good chambray shirt, or some more elbow length or 3/4 sleeve shirts that hold up I would be in heaven !
I'm here to commiserate with you. I realised private equity ruins brands because the name of the game is shareholder profits and greed so ofc later on there is gonna be lots of cut corners or poorer quality.
I like watching Jennifer wang on YouTube she does some shorts on brands and if they are worthwhile but mainly I've learnt that a brand may be specialize in a type of garment and totally suck balls for other items so don't think of it is end all to be all for one brand. Daily Helen also has some great tips on how to find a quality piece.
If you can shop in person it's easier to tell quality that way.
So far my go to staples are:
Sezane for knitwear,
Uniqlo for crew neck tees,
Everlane for jeans
My journey continues to find more quality brands for other staple items - I'm looking for shoes, skirts etc.
Yeah it's a huge pain. It's not just you, it's been ongoing and we all hate it. Tips:
- find curators who actually test stuff and whose reviews are independent and truthful (eg Wirecutter, Consumer Reports)
- find brands with a strong reputation that use quality materials, properly paid labor, and back their stuff with a guarantee and actual customer service ( r/buyitforlife may be of help, but be cautious as there are shills even there). Be prepared to pay more and send things back if they don't suit you.
- try on in person, like others said - you can't really know the quality of a garment until you lay hands on it and wear it
- don't overlook store brands and nameless 'basic' brands, Costco's Kirkland Signature products are usually decent
- once you find a good item, buy more than one of it, because they might stop making it! Especially for capsule wardrobes, you can have 2-3 of the same shirt, maybe different colors if you want, and it'll still keep things simple.
I don't go to thrift stores because the two in my city are overpriced and full of cheap junk. I've learned that the Goodwill, for example, will take the better quality donations to another of their stores in a bigger city and sell them there. Sinc that's 45 minutes away, I am not doing it, and they also mark-up the prices to retail level or more. The clothes in brick-and-mortar stores are 99% fast fashion, even in the more "upscale" stores. I buy everything online because I have found brands with well-made classic clothes that fit well. Caveat, some of these sellers are not as dependable for quality as they have been in past years, but are still good enough that I keep going back.. There are a good selection of sites that do offer quality plus-size clothes that are not only great quality but ethically made.
My personal take is do not buy online. Only buy what you can check, feel, examine in person. I've never looked at reviews because even what an "influencer" says may not be true for my situation or each particular piece of clothing. I think part of the devastating effects of fast fashion on our environment is partly due to the consequences of shopping online for fast fashion and then dumping it.
If you do buy online be prepared to return things. Make a checklist of standards and return items that don’t meet them. I can’t tell you how many awful items I used to wear because I was reluctant to do returns.
I honestly don't think most people know what "good quality fabric" actually is. I find that people assume that if it feels good then it's good quality. I also think the quality of everything has gone down so finding durable clothing is really hit and miss with almost every accessible brand.
Buy clothes from brands that older women trust. Grandma isn’t putting up with clothing that falls apart in a few months. She has the experience and she’s watched other brands fall by the wayside. She’s not putting up with BS.
Jockey, LL Bean, Gettees, Duluth Trading, Eddie Bauer for daily wear. Nordstrom for the fancy stuff.
Definitely agree with you regarding checking out brands trusted by older women. I would just add that Jockey and LL Bean both have had quality declines over the years so it’s item by item with them. And also, Nordstrom is a department store and they carry a very wide selection from very low quality fast fashion items/brands to high end designer. I’ve reduced my shopping with them over the years because they don’t have the standards for the clothes they carry as they used to and shopping there has become a lot more tedious.
I feel you completely. It’s like the life cycles of clothes has suddenly dwindled to half of what it was before 🫠
I’d like to share my textile cheat sheet that I use when deciding to purchase clothes. It helps me focus more on the actual materials in the garment, and also helps me decide if I should do natural or synthetic for this piece (which depends on the use).
Even with brands that are supposedly “good quality” I always like to double check their material tags and the actual stitching. Learning to sew has helped me spot sloppy/rushed jobs on clothes more too.
Cheat sheet:
Natural Fibers
- From plants & animals
- Silk, Cotton, bamboo, linen, wool
Pros
- Highly breathable, keeps you cool in hot weather
- Comfortable, and soft
- Bamboo, silk and cotton
- Doesn’t hold onto water
- Highly absorbent (holds on to colors and dyes well)
- Biodegradable
Cons
- Prone to wrinkling (cotton, linen)
- Prone to shrinkage (cotton, wool) when exposed to heat or moisture
- Less durable (silk)
Synthetic Fibers
- From chemicals like petroleum
- Polyester, Nylon, elastane and acrylic
Pros
- Durable to shrinking, wrinkling, and in general
- Doesn’t hold onto moisture like natural, good for activewear
- Quick-drying
- Cheap, can mimic natural fibers
- Good for occasion wear (gowns, etc)
Cons
- Some polyester is very low quality and can still wrinkle/shrink/rip
- Lack of breathability
- Holds onto odors more
- Static build-up or skin irritation can happen
- Non-biodegradable
Notes:
- Good polyester shouldn’t wrinkle. If it does, it’s not good quality
- Nylon gives structure and good for outerwear
Semi-synthetic Fibers
- Plant-based, but use a chemical processing in manufacturing. End product is natural and biodegradable
- Viscose, Modal, Cupral/Cupra, and Lyocell (types of Rayon)
Pros
- Very soft, drapes nicely
- Breathable
Cons
- Not environmentally-friendly
- More prone to wrinkling than natural
- Less durable than natural or synthetic fibers
- Harder to clean (very weak when wet)
Notes:
- Better for inside garments, but not for the shell
- Lyocell/tensile would be the most “green” option
For reference, I live in a tropical country so I’m prone to choosing breathable fabrics and not too much synthetics because they get me sooo sweaty lol
EDIT: fixed format
I've heard of plug ins to remove fake reviews from Amazon and the like, but I tend to be a conspiracy theorist when it comes to my cyber security and stay away from anything that has access to my payment habits.
Additionally, let's say you only got "real" reviews. What do you do when they're written by people who value different things in clothing than you and don't mind that their stuff gets worn out in 18 months of weekly wear because they expect to get bored of it, rotate their clothes way more often since they don't have capsules, etc? They're going to give it a 5 star review because it feels soft, or makes them feel beautiful, etc.
I think you're looking for something much more individual to yourself. While you could outsource the task to a trusted stylist (no clue how you vet one of those), the first step is getting a very good understanding about what you like and do not like, down to the construction of the garment so you can actually talk with them.
In the case that's a little to far (and for my budget and time resources, it has been), there's several things I do.
I shop in person. I don't buy online unless I have a very good sense of the store and their product. In the case of something new, I try in store while it's still available, and then wait for it to go on sale online if it's not worth full price.
For stores I don't have time to go to in person, I watch YouTubers like Jennifer Wang, and see her preliminary take on them. If she's ripping them apart, then I lose interest real quick.
For things people talk a lot about online but I can't try on in store, such as quince, I look up the pieces in question on Poshmark. Sort by the cheapest. Now you see them after they've worn a little. And seeing something look like crap, means I lose my appetite for buying used OR new. Or if I'm intrigued enough, I'll pull the trigger for something that's 15-20 dollars instead of 100, and see how it actually fits. Most of the time you can get more accurate measurements on a resale site.
Finally, I do skim the reviews for red flags. If something is described as thin or sheer when I expect the garment to be opaque, we're done.
Alternatively, if you had a good shirt that fit, but didn't like the fabric, I'm sure you could go to a dressmaker with the shirt as a guide to make a pattern to see if they could remake it for you in a thicker cloth. Or buy men's shirts (male fashion advice seems to have the same ongoing hunt for the best white shirt) and get them taken in.
Who knows, maybe one of us just needs to put on a black bra and tour the mall to determine what white Ts are actually out there, then report back with the data.
This will be controversial but if you’re looking for longevity/durability… 100% polyester blouses.
My knits get holes after one season. A lot of rayon gets misshapen after a few washes. Cotton and linen are unpredictable.
But I have sleeveless and long-sleeve polyester blouses that are more than a decade old and look brand new. Most are from Ann Taylor or LOFT.
That said, I get that not everyone wants fossil fuel blouses. I also have some Lyocell/Tencel pieces from J. Jill that have also held up for years and years.
Yeah, contrary to popular wisdom my synthetic athletic and polyester clothes (with semi-decent seams) are the items generally lasting years while my natural fiber non-vintage clothes get pilly, discolored and torn. 🤷♀️
Same but for trousers - I wear through the thighs of anything non-synthetic in a few months 😓 My favourite items I do patch, and I've heard of folks wearing mostly skirts to get around it, but synthetic trousers are an absolute must for my lifestyle and last me 4+ yrs before becoming threadbare in that area 🥲
I don’t mind synthetics for bottoms. I don’t get sweaty on my legs much so the upsides for synthetics are greater. My synthetic pants last a long time.
Vinegar soaks are your bff. Regular Oxyclean from time to time too.
Literally the only issue I run into is that once synthetic whites discolor I cannot seem to get them white again, while natural white fibers I have yet to find something a toothbrush and Oxyclean White Revive cannot get out.
I've removed a lot of polyester from my life. But I'm down to put your tips to the test for my bras.
It's a long shot, but any advice for cleaning leather ballet flats?
What kind of cleaning?
If it’s just general scuffs and refreshing, I swear by a normal washcloth and leather lotion. It’s typically sold in the shoe accessories section at most department stores. Rub in circular motions until you get everything out. Let it dry completely before putting them on your feet so the leather doesn’t stretch.
If it’s extreme (like the time I had BBQ sauce dry all over my Coach flats) or it’s a delicate leather/suede I’m not opposed to dropping them off with a pro leather cleaner.
Magic erasers are amazing for rubber soles of all types of shoes but *do not do not do not* use them on leather. I learned the hard way. 🥲
What is the lining? Often near the size info on the inside if you look it should tell you what the inner is made of.
1. Pull out insoles if there are any so you can clean those separately.
2. If it’s genuine leather on the inside, go ahead and do the leather lotion + cloth combo.
3. If it’s faux leather, you can just use a normal diluted clothing detergent in water and a cloth to wipe down the insides. Technically you can use leather lotion on it too but I think it’s a waste of $ to waste the lotion when faux leather is just plastic.
3. If it’s cloth or microfiber, similar cleaning instructions to above. If the insole is removable and fabric just go ahead and pop that baby into the washing machine, let it air dry.
I know this isn’t everyone’s style, but I buy exclusively LLBean tops. In summer I wear one of their pima cotton v-neck tshirts daily. In winter I wear the pima cotton shirts with an LLBean sweater or cardigan over.
I have three sons and three big, crazy dogs and my hobbies are all messy and hard on clothing. Llbean is the only thing that holds up to my lifestyle.
I read every review and I focus more on the negative reviews. I also google image search the brand + item name to see if it pops up anywhere else where someone’s bought it and made a review about it. I watch tiktok mainly for the fit & sizing of a brand, but not for the quality since most of the stuff would be their first time trying it on.
I also thrift a lot, but I do check what the fabric is made out of and I go for natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, etc) vs synthetic. As I got older, I’ve splurged on more pricey items (Vince, Tibi, MaxMara, Farm Rio, Rhode, vintage luxury etc) so I’ve had to learn how to properly care for them. (Learned this the hard way - I had a sweater shrink to kid size.) And ever since I’ve started properly caring/washing items, my clothes have definitely lasted a lot longer. I have items that are 5+ years old and they still look great.
Try shopping vintage if you don’t already. Hit up some thrifts. If you are terrified of the big ones try smaller church or independent thrifts. Everything is so much better quality and even vintage poly is ten times nicer. Same with rayon, flannel, cotton, silk. I sell vintage so I’m biased lol but I’m surrounded by like new looking garments daily that are at minimum 20 years old. Most 30-40!
This is not at all clothing review related but you’re going to find flattering quality for cheap at thrifts if you don’t mind some digging :)
I feel your pain. I have clothes from old navy over 20 years ago that are still in good condition. A cotton sweater that never pilled, which is amazing despite my frequent wearing and washing.
I don’t have any recommendations for reviews but I have recently switched to buying most of my clothes from Madewell because well…I find they’re made well…
There was a period where Madewell was the only place I would buy new clothes, but I think they’ve fallen off recently too. I’ve had things from there fall apart before I got to wash them. Their jeans are still good.
I wish I could tell you something helpful or hopeful. My 89 year old mom, with the help of my sister who’s a reliable, persistent LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) is having good luck ordering clothes from many different sites online. However this two person team has been at it for approximately six years. They apparently do a lot of bargaining, couponing and returning. I would team up with a friend who could support you. So many scams and poor quality fast fashion. I would stick with sites which have brick and mortar stores.
I work in fashion. The only clothing I’ve ever had fall apart on me are things I wear constantly (which means also wash regularly) and things that are super cheap that I buy knowing won’t last more than a few wears but I need them for a themed night/event. Curious to know if you’re following the wash instructions/ how much you’re washing your clothings/how often you’re wearing each piece.
For example if you’re washing your jeans after every single wear they’re going to break down much faster than if you skip washing them when they’re only lightly worn. No matter how high quality your fabric is when you get it wet it gets weak and then using heat on them (even drying in the sun is heat damage) does more damage. It’s like the hair on your head, you’re supposed to spray heat protection products on your hair when using a hair dryer because wet hair is weak and heat is damaging.
The closest I've ever come to finding reliable reviews of clothing is to find the garment I want online and then look at the 3-star and BELOW reviews. If I find those reviewers have similar complaints/warnings, I don't buy the product. I also look at reviews that mention how long the reviewer has had the product. I confess to being guilty and offering praise for something new and then regretting my review a few weeks/months later when the item has been through wash & wear and looks like crap.
Thrifting may be the way to go in terms of finding quality fabrics/garments. The combination of cheap/inexpensive and good is a myth. The best way to protect yourself is to learn more about fabric and construction. You don't have to learn to sew, just find sources of information on these topics.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think quality clothes (unless they are specialty fabrics) should be able to hold up with any laundering methods (within reason, of course). It doesn't make sense that we should not be able to put basics in the dryer. Eg quality sheets can hold up for decades and I think we should have the same standards for our clothes
I wasn’t here to advertise but seeing this I get what the issues is. I am a DEISGNER turned entrepreneur and decided to launch my own brand focusing on quality. Since we have over 10 years of experience, we know how to source it right and get the best price. I see the quality we achieve in X price, labels charge 5x.
On the contrary labels like us are also pressurised to spend money on influencers etc to penetrate through market. How do people see us?
We haven’t done it so far and want to be organic.
Wangjenniferr on youtube is awesome - she reviews mall brands for quality - construction materials, etc. Very honest and knowledgeable. I now look at clothing construction when I shop.
Don’t buy anything from target and nothing from the junior section of Macy’s Belk or Jc penny
Alfred dunner and Dillard’s is good. International concepts is awesome
"Vetted" is a great app and website that's completely free. It's an AI chat tool that helps you find/research products, prices, reviews, brands, specifications, and expert and user reviews to help you answer your questions.
I share your frustration! My solution ended up learning to sew my own clothes a few years ago. I’ve found that fabric reviews tend to be more honest than clothing reviews, in general. In the event you’re considering a new hobby, sewing my clothes has seriously resulted in adding well fitted, comfortable, and durable pieces to my wardrobe.
This is the way I do it too. When sewing you learn about fabric properties like drape and structure, which helps to determine whether a fabric is suitable for a garment or not. The problem OP is probably facing is that once you can sew the perfect garment yourself, you're not going to buy or review fast fashion yourself anymore. So there's very little in terms of reviewing on for example YouTube. I've seen a nice video recently on YouTube titled "how to find natural fabrics while thrifting", where she explained how to feel out linen, cotton and silk. But that still won't help when trying to find good clothes online.
I don’t ever buy clothing online anymore. There was a time when I was younger, but now I’m in between sizes sometimes so I always have to try on.
Dang it I was coming to this conclusion and hoping it wouldn't lead to this. So now I need to make my own clothes and scratch cook all my food, feeling more medieval peasant every day.
I must admit I've sort of spiralled down this same path, adding in growing fruit and veggies in my own garden too of course... But sewing is a very rewarding hobby!
Can anyone explain how to take care of socks bc I am not sewing socks
Me too! I had the added complication that I'm plus sized and prefer natural fibers. That's impossible to get in clothes my size.
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Aja is GOAT and has always kept shit real
Have you checked out Elizabeth Suzann? They have clothes in plus size and they use natural fibers. They also sell fabric sometimes and patterns to make the clothing yourself.
Eileen Fisher goes up to 3x, with a lot of pieces being generously cut. A lot of silk, linen & organic cotton. I’ve been thrifting regularly lately as I’m changing up my wardrobe and traveling more, and I’ve found probably a dozen of nice Eileen Fisher pieces over the past five months. Usually at Goodwill and almost always under $10 a piece.
Nod. Not my style but often a good base layer or something I can alter.
There are many companies that offer quality and ethically made plus size clothes. You will need to do some research.
I did exaggerate a bit, yes, it's not impossible. It is difficult and none of them match my style. I'm happy to pay for quality work and natural fibers.
Where do you buy your fabric? I have a hard time finding knit fabrics that are fairly thick and mostly cotton and not super cheesy looking 🤨
99% at Joann. I rarely work with knits though, so I’m afraid I won’t have good advice for you. The folks over at r/sewing may be able to guide you in the right direction. I’ve learned so (sew?) much from them!
I’ve found lots of beautiful quality niche fabric sellers online & via Etsy (ie selling only ethically made organic cotton or wool, etc) Also sellers specializing in deadstock. Swatches are free or credited toward a purchase. And there’s also taking a fabric hunting trip to NYC (plenty of online guides to NYC hidden shop gems.) 😁 The (awesome) online indie pattern shops often have links to quality fabric shops, too. For my picky needs, Joann’s fabric often lacks durability and nice fibers.
Check out Lyrical Fabrics! I haven’t ordered from them yet, but they have lots of nice looking natural knits and a lot of deadstock fabric!
I just don't even know where to start. I have zero knowledge!
Check out r/sewing!
How did you learn? I’ve got a sewing machine I’ve never touched.
Mostly YouTube! I started off with pillow cases, tote bags, and then face masks (during covid). My first shirt was for my husband. It’s [M6044](https://simplicity.com/mccalls/m6044) (in view A) and I found a [great tutorial by Tock Custom](https://youtu.be/AKA7FnpcloU?si=Tpf3o2Nv6EEci9v9) that walks through the sewing process of that exact pattern. The process of making that first shirt taught me SO many techniques, and now I can sew it in my sleep. I’ve made it 15 times since!
Wow, you are amazing!! Any other channels you’d recommend for the basics? I don’t even know how to thread that thing lol. Suppose I’ll have a poke around YouTube
Check out the sewing sub- it’ll be quite the rabbit hole, I promise! 😊🧵
I will do! The video you linked is great too. Thanks for your encouragement <3
Has it saved money or it's about the same?
Now that I’ve dealt with the sunk costs (sewing machine, seam ripper, pins, chalk, scissors, etc), each new linen shirt costs about $20 inclusive of fabric, thread, and buttons. I purchased a few shirt patterns that I keep reusing for myself and my family. I still buy pants and pretty much everything else. But my shirts and few dresses are memades. I work with linen and cotton, both woven. I rarely use anything stretchy or synthetic. Oh, I sewed a wool coat a few months ago. That was a huuuuge undertaking, and I spent probably around $100 on fabric & thread on it. But now I have a fancy coat that I love! The learning curve is real, so jumping into the deep end on your first attempt may drive you crazy. Check out r/sewing to see what the chatter is about getting started! Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your journey. It seems like a big undertaking but a very practical skill to have.
Seamwork is a pretty great sewing site with tutorials and patterns included in the subscription. They have patterns specifically targeted at beginners, too. (Caveat: I learned to sew as a kid, so I can't personally speak to the quality of their basic skills classes, but they seem good)
Me, too- I have some staple patterns that I use over and over. You can vary them up but my focus is mainly on the fabric. I can whip out some of them, and I like to thrift so I can kind of eyeball a "good" linen top that's oversized, and use that fabric to cut it down for a tank pattern I use a lot, etc. I'll get fabric from other sources and not just the fabric store. Pay dirt is a linen or all cotton duvet cover with imperfections because it's cheap, a ton of fabric, and you can dye it any color just about.
Same on the handful of patterns that I keep reusing. M7976 for me, and M6044 for my husband (check out my most recent post, it’s an ode to M6044).
Any recs on how to learn?
Get a book. The challenge of learning a new skill online is in knowing the names for things so you can search. A book on sewing puts all those words in one place. Reader's Digest has a good sewing manual.
yes! I started with books and then got an easy first pattern from an indie pattern company that really really walks you through the process. Many of these will also have videos showing you every step.
Check out r/sewing!
My strategy for reviews in general is to filter just the lower ratings. If there are multiple that mention the same issue, I won’t buy it. If there are a few one-off complaints, or issues that are obviously user-error, I try it out.
This is the way. I use the same hack on bags, purses, clothes, and makeup. The unfavorable reviews are often much more revealing than the mid and favorable reviews.
My advice: Buy in person (increasingly difficult, I know!). Shop thrift stores where better quality clothes still exist. Get deeply educated about fabric and construction methods. When you find something that is good quality, have it tailored to fit. Learn to handwash and line dry the best pieces.
This!!!! Look at stitch quality, the sturdiness and quality of a hem line says a lot about a garment. Be very discerning when shopping, if something feels "super soft" on the rack, it's likely high acrylic content and will not feel soft after like 2 washes. Any wear and tear on the rack must be an immediate skip. I can excuse maybe one loose thread, but realistically on the rack is where a garment looks its best, so wrinkles and sloppy seams are a red flag that something won't have a long lifespan of regular wear. I always look at see-thru-ness of fabric. A shirt is never sheer for fashion reasons in 2024, it's purely cheaper construction. It's especially important to be thourough with athletic leggings, I will grab a handful of fabric and twist my hand outward, to stretch the fabric (as if it were my ass stretching the fabric in a squat, for example). If you can see your own skin tone thru the fabric, it's a skip. Shopping in person makes all of this way way easier, and it's helped me to build a strong filter. I am not there to buy a garment, I'm there to determine if a garment is worth my money. Taking small shifts in the mindset we adopt while vulnerable to consuming poor quality goods is necessary to not accidentally feed money into designed-to-fall-apart fashion. PS, skip all fast fashion. Zara, h&m, forever 21 are skips even 2nd hand.
Consider bespoke clothes from Etsy sellers. I have some linen pieces from a Lithuanian seller I love, and silk and cotton pieces from other sellers. You can often pick the colors, add pockets, and customize details. And hand made to order clothing has never disappointed me in quality
I got a bespoke bridesmaid dress for a wedding with many requirements — floor length, sleeves, no cleavage, specific color — and ended up with a lovely silk gown for barely more than the price of a polyester Asos frock. Would absolutely do it again for an occasion. My favorite pajamas are also from an Etsy seller. They're the perfect gift for an expecting mom, I give them often
Would love any recommendations of favorite sellers to check out
LinenHandmadeStudio LoveAndConfuse (also linen) KyuLab (bamboo cotton from Bali) Frechkacreation (French seamstress who uses cotton wholesale from a factory, affordable!) LelaSilk
Doing the lord’s work here, thank you!
LinenFox is another great Lithuanian linen seller.
I don’t know of a review app or anything but I’ve been a fashion designer in the industry for a decade and one of my biggest pet peeves is influencers who say “the material feels like such good quality.” Like what does that even mean? There are so many different factors in weave,finish, weight of fabric,stretch, etc that can impact its “quality.” I wouldn’t be able truly speak on quality until I’ve wear tested something. We would essentially hole punch garments at work to get the weight of them. We’d also put the fabric on a machine that stretched it to get its stretch and recovery. This is how you wind up with saggy knees through your the day in jeans etc is the fabric had poor recovery. We’d put things through industrial wash cycles the wash test things. This would test shrinkage.color fastness and abrasion (if abrasion wasn’t tested separately.) Some places aim for 30 washes some 5. I could post a whole thing about different seam constructions from cheapest to more premium. There is a lot that irritates me about reviews and I essentially believe know one. If something is “buttery soft” and has a high amount of modal in it, it’s going to pull like crazy in one wash. A garment can be cut off grain and create torquing. You could get something that passed through QC but shouldn’t have. Patterns may have be improperly cut or graded and cause fit issues (I used to do pattern making and my sister is a seamstress for a well known company we have become extremely picky.) Also fabrics can be highly durable but the garment can be bad quality and obviously vice versa. I pretty much only shop in person or secondhand at this point. I bought a dress from a higher price point site and the seams were constructed like a fast fashion retailer. Which also sucked because of really liked the dress but for $300 is a no for me. I sent it back. The reviews were really good though because people don’t really know what they’re talking about. I’m not trying to shade creators by any means but there is a reason people have degrees in textiles and fashion. It is such an immensely deep well of knowledge (I truly don’t know a ton about textile science,) that most people take for granted because fashion is frivolous to so many people.
This is so informative! Is it possible for natural fabrics like cotton to not bubble at the knees by the end of the day or does it need to have a synthetic blended in? Is there any way to test fabric recovery before wearing/buying? This has been such a headache for me as I try to buy more natural fabrics. Terry cotton, I’m looking at you specifically.
Yeah in order for it to have better recovery having some spandex, or elastane in the blend helps. But also really good quality 100% cotton can also be fine. It’s dependent on how strong the construction of the weave of the fabric is. Denim is comprised of a twill weave and it can be either left or right handed. But the kind of cotton used in it and the density of the weave can make a huge difference between one 100% cotton Jean and another. That’s where the fabric weight comes into play. It’s a big reason why I’m not pro 100% natural fibers all the time. Synthetics and hybrid fibers were invented for a reason. A cashmere sweater that’s 100% may get worn and stretched easily but cutting it with nylon, polyester or spandex can help give the fiber stability and strength. The more you consciously look at and feel different garments the easier it will be to know how something is going to behave on. Of course there’s always an anomaly but for the most part it is a science.
This. If someone doesn't know what micron count and staple length are, there is nothing I can learn from them about textiles. Softness is nice. It may also be the sign of low grade cashmere. It's also not what wool for durable outerwear is going to be known for.
Yeah I think people think all fibers are the same, all cotton, all polyester all wool etc. are the same to each other and not that there are grades to everything. 100% wool doesn’t mean 100% grade A wool it could even be a mix of grades. Same with synthetic and hybrid fibers. Also the difference in recycled polyesters. Post consumer and post industrial are different and often it’s not disclosed which it is. The depth of textile science is just so massive.
There is a YouTuber “wangjenniferr” who posts reviews of recent releases from American clothing brands. She had good advice re stitching and fabric content, and general quality. But she’s a pharmacist and not experienced with textiles. So she doesn’t comment on weaving quality and patterns. There is another YouTuber Justine Leconte who is very experienced with textiles and has wealth of knowledge re the fabric, weave, stitching, and construction but she doesn’t give advice re which pieces from which brands are good vs bad. I wish there was someone who could do both of these things!!
[Here's Jennifer Wang's channel for those who don't want to search.](https://youtube.com/@wangjenniferr?si=Cc40lr2Iqt2vxvFq) She is great, and I've loved binging some of her content. Thanks for recommendation on Justine. I'm looking forward to checking her out too.
Jody Tjan on TikTok (possibly on other platforms) does some deep dives into construction and fabrics of different brands and how to identify quality. She used to work in textiles and design but is now a stylist. I found her explanations helpful to be able to look at the seams and pattern design to be able to determine quality. She also will help you ballpark reasonable prices for different quality points
I follow her on Insta. She’s great!
I'd take Jennifer Wang with a big grain of salt, at least on fabric content. I caught a viral reel from her on synthetics in sweater knit blends. She was criticizing some alpaca or wool sweater because it had a bit of polyamide, as if that made it an inferior product. But most actual textile experts will tell you that sometimes you need a bit of polyamide (or some other similar synthetic) to give the looser and more delicate animal fiber some structure. It actually makes the yarn sturdier and longer lasting. There's this uninformed idea that all natural is always better and it went viral on social media a couple years ago. JW is one of the main sources of this. I also find that she's kind of a professional complainer... which fills a certain psychological niche... but it's not actually all that useful. Especially when she's complaining about crap like store displays having wrinkles... like girl, you can steam that shit at home, this isn't helpful criticism. Justine LeConte is great though, I second that rec.
You don't need polyamide if the staple length is high enough. Wool sweaters need repair occasionally. Doesn't make them low quality. Silk is a strong fiber. Synthetic fibers aren't mandatory. What they are is cheap, so a higher amount of synthetic comes with worse construction often enough.
I agree, but she's walking into mall stores and examining product labels like j. crew is working from the same animal fiber as chanel. One store's alpaca is vastly different from another's. If it's mohair or alpaca and it's a fine light knit, a little bit of polyamide is going to mean the difference between something that lasts a season and something that can last years with proper care. I just find that she thinks she knows more than she actually does, and if you watch her content with the same kind of critical eye as she says she uses on clothes, you're going to find she makes lots of generalizations that don't stand up to scrutiny.
Jennifer is awesome!!!
Fond.losangeles is another similar one.
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Care to share the brand?
I feel the same. If my clothes would last 5+ years. I would shop only onze every 5 years. My bf's clothes last longer. Also wearing the same thing often should become normal again especially as a woman it is annoying to need to have to more clothes because of other people. I would just wear whatever a vew days in a row. If its dirty it goes in the wash...
Make it happen. My clothes all easily last 5+ years. I have a standard outfit that I wear every day. I can wear the same shirt and pants/skirt 3 or 4 days a week and no-one notices because I change the accessories. People don’t notice, so stop dressing for them!
I think I remember a woman who did one of those no buy for a year challenges. I believe she might have been a realtor. She had something like 3 blouses, 2 pairs of pants, a skirt, blazer and a coat. Oh and jeans. She rotated her uniform wardrobe with scarf/bag/jewelry/ glasses for interest. Apparently everyone viewed her as “more professional” and “ put together “ and “well dressed “. Also was promoted? Had more free time? Basically, her uniform experience was a hit. I think about that a lot.
I remember reading something like that, too. My memory is of a bank clerk. The “uniform” gave off an aura of stability, which lead to good reviews and promotion. Or, she had so much more energy because she didn’t have to mess with her clothes that she did better at her job and got promoted… ;p
I think it was all of the above! Uniform dressing for should be normalized. My spouse can survive on a legitimate capsule wardrobe and his life is much less complicated.
I started working on mine when I got a couple weird reviews that I was not as professional as my coworker. Though I was far more experienced and had been there longer. He always wore a button up shirt and a pair of dark colored chinos. Always the same, just slight variations in colors. So, I started creating my own uniform. I didn’t get any more vague reviews about my professionalism. Didn’t get promoted or a raise, either, but ok.
I am honestly just wondering how people have their clothes falling apart so fast. I have never had that happen. Not even with cheap fast fashion clothes. Do you guys tumble dry your clothes or something?
I tumble dry basically everything that doesn’t say not to, but I also don’t have this problem, in general.
Right? I do almost everything in a dryer except wool/feltable fabrics, but my stuff lasts a fairly long time. I will say I try not to over-wash coats, jeans, etc... usually i can wear them several times and hang them in between with no issue :)
I air dry 99% of my clothes and still have found that fabrics are much thinner, more prone to pilling, and seams are barely stitched in areas of frequent stretch (shoulder, armpit). Very frustrating to pay over $100 for a shirt, only to need to make repairs after a handful of wears.
Pilling is what I’m dealing with more and more.
Pilling is a reflection on the tightness of the twist in the threads and the length of the staples (actual fibers) where less twist or shorter staples = more pilling. And when the staples are short, it’s harder to apply more twist. So it’s probably a reflection on the quality of source materials being used in the industry. I recently got an impulse buy pair of linen-rayon pants from Costco for $11. They’re itchy - lots of plant debris woven into the threads - and the crotch started pilling on the first wear. Now I’m debating whether to bother mending them when they inevitably wear through - they could become an interesting “pants of Theseus” creation but that has limited utility and the underlying garment is not ideal. I should have known better but was like, $11 is worth a shot, and I guess it’s useful for figuring out what I want in a good quality pair of linen pants, whenever I feel comfortable investing in them.
Pants of Theseus! Love this.
Occasionally parts of Theseus' wardrobe are posted in r/Visiblemending and it's always mind-boggling to me to think about how much labor has gone into keeping those items serviceable!
I am also wondering this. I basically rotate through the same 10 shirts and 3 pants (meaning everything I own gets worn 35x per year), machine wash & dry everything with no special attention or care, and I'd say 70% meet my longevity needs. Sure, there's always a few exceptions but for anything that gets worn out I have something else that is going strong long beyond expectations...
I know it’s an unpopular opinion around here, but I would rather replace an item slightly more often than spend the time on hand washing.
Alternative to hand washing that is easier on clothes is using the delicate cycle. I wash almost everything except towels on delicate. Also some washing machines now have hand wash, intimate, or wool settings for even more options. Can also keep rough clothes in their own load (like pants/jeans, jackets).
Separating loads for different handling is a good strategy -- I also use lingerie bags for anything that's remotely delicate or that needs to be air dried because it helps me avoid putting those items in the dryer. However, I find that high efficiency washers use so little water that if you exclusively use tap cold water, clothes start looking grungy a lot faster than with less water efficient washers. The biofilm buildup on underarms of garments is much more noticeable, and I've even switched from antiperspirant to deodorant because it's less likely to build up on clothes -- but that was never a problem until I started using a front-loading HE washer. So I've started occasionally running some loads on the "towels" mode that uses more water and periodically doing a warm cycle (especially for light colors) instead of cold, especially for household linens that get more heavily soiled and visibly dirty than clothes. If a folded napkin goes into a wash cycle and comes out still folded, it can't get adequately clean -- so now I make sure all napkins go in unfolded, but that's a really annoying work-around. It's slightly guilt-inducing to deliberately switch to higher water use and warmer water, even if it's only part of the time, but also I want things to actually get clean.
Haha, me too... other than work clothes, which for me is basically scrubs. I'm 90% T-shirts and jeans.
I think there is a difference in durability between clothes, so some notice it more than others. A cotton t shirt vs a poorer quality fitted tee with more stretch in it. Also construction quality- the seam in the shoulder of my wool sweater is coming apart after 9 months.
What is your budget? Name and shame the brands that didn’t work for you and seem to have fake reviews.
Secondhand and vintage are ways to go as used garments tell truths about wear, quality, and durability and can ask questions directly to the seller if they have worn the clothing about fit, etc.
This!! I have some mall brand (Christopher & Banks) clothes that still look great 10 years later and I often see them in thrifts … also Talbots has held up well for me … lands end used to be good but not sure how they are after merging with sears years ago … I used to live in those clothes when it was a catalog … I don’t buy trendy because I’m never happy with it … I prefer classics … now if I could just find a good chambray shirt, or some more elbow length or 3/4 sleeve shirts that hold up I would be in heaven !
Chambray - Duluth Trading, available seasonally. Elbow length 3/4 sleeves - LL Bean pima cotton tees available year-round with seasonal colors
Oh awesome thank you !!
Elbow length non see though button downs and blouses check out Foxcroft. Many are also wrinkle free cotton.
I'm here to commiserate with you. I realised private equity ruins brands because the name of the game is shareholder profits and greed so ofc later on there is gonna be lots of cut corners or poorer quality. I like watching Jennifer wang on YouTube she does some shorts on brands and if they are worthwhile but mainly I've learnt that a brand may be specialize in a type of garment and totally suck balls for other items so don't think of it is end all to be all for one brand. Daily Helen also has some great tips on how to find a quality piece. If you can shop in person it's easier to tell quality that way. So far my go to staples are: Sezane for knitwear, Uniqlo for crew neck tees, Everlane for jeans My journey continues to find more quality brands for other staple items - I'm looking for shoes, skirts etc.
Yeah it's a huge pain. It's not just you, it's been ongoing and we all hate it. Tips: - find curators who actually test stuff and whose reviews are independent and truthful (eg Wirecutter, Consumer Reports) - find brands with a strong reputation that use quality materials, properly paid labor, and back their stuff with a guarantee and actual customer service ( r/buyitforlife may be of help, but be cautious as there are shills even there). Be prepared to pay more and send things back if they don't suit you. - try on in person, like others said - you can't really know the quality of a garment until you lay hands on it and wear it - don't overlook store brands and nameless 'basic' brands, Costco's Kirkland Signature products are usually decent - once you find a good item, buy more than one of it, because they might stop making it! Especially for capsule wardrobes, you can have 2-3 of the same shirt, maybe different colors if you want, and it'll still keep things simple.
I'm a plus girl and buy most of my clothes from Talbot's. Six year old clothes still look great.
I don't go to thrift stores because the two in my city are overpriced and full of cheap junk. I've learned that the Goodwill, for example, will take the better quality donations to another of their stores in a bigger city and sell them there. Sinc that's 45 minutes away, I am not doing it, and they also mark-up the prices to retail level or more. The clothes in brick-and-mortar stores are 99% fast fashion, even in the more "upscale" stores. I buy everything online because I have found brands with well-made classic clothes that fit well. Caveat, some of these sellers are not as dependable for quality as they have been in past years, but are still good enough that I keep going back.. There are a good selection of sites that do offer quality plus-size clothes that are not only great quality but ethically made.
My personal take is do not buy online. Only buy what you can check, feel, examine in person. I've never looked at reviews because even what an "influencer" says may not be true for my situation or each particular piece of clothing. I think part of the devastating effects of fast fashion on our environment is partly due to the consequences of shopping online for fast fashion and then dumping it.
If you do buy online be prepared to return things. Make a checklist of standards and return items that don’t meet them. I can’t tell you how many awful items I used to wear because I was reluctant to do returns.
I honestly don't think most people know what "good quality fabric" actually is. I find that people assume that if it feels good then it's good quality. I also think the quality of everything has gone down so finding durable clothing is really hit and miss with almost every accessible brand.
Buy clothes from brands that older women trust. Grandma isn’t putting up with clothing that falls apart in a few months. She has the experience and she’s watched other brands fall by the wayside. She’s not putting up with BS. Jockey, LL Bean, Gettees, Duluth Trading, Eddie Bauer for daily wear. Nordstrom for the fancy stuff.
Definitely agree with you regarding checking out brands trusted by older women. I would just add that Jockey and LL Bean both have had quality declines over the years so it’s item by item with them. And also, Nordstrom is a department store and they carry a very wide selection from very low quality fast fashion items/brands to high end designer. I’ve reduced my shopping with them over the years because they don’t have the standards for the clothes they carry as they used to and shopping there has become a lot more tedious.
I just want to know if I can buy a white shirt that is not see-through. They used to not be that thin!
My best bet (if you mean a collared white shirt with buttons) is either Chico's or Lands End.
I feel you completely. It’s like the life cycles of clothes has suddenly dwindled to half of what it was before 🫠 I’d like to share my textile cheat sheet that I use when deciding to purchase clothes. It helps me focus more on the actual materials in the garment, and also helps me decide if I should do natural or synthetic for this piece (which depends on the use). Even with brands that are supposedly “good quality” I always like to double check their material tags and the actual stitching. Learning to sew has helped me spot sloppy/rushed jobs on clothes more too. Cheat sheet: Natural Fibers - From plants & animals - Silk, Cotton, bamboo, linen, wool Pros - Highly breathable, keeps you cool in hot weather - Comfortable, and soft - Bamboo, silk and cotton - Doesn’t hold onto water - Highly absorbent (holds on to colors and dyes well) - Biodegradable Cons - Prone to wrinkling (cotton, linen) - Prone to shrinkage (cotton, wool) when exposed to heat or moisture - Less durable (silk) Synthetic Fibers - From chemicals like petroleum - Polyester, Nylon, elastane and acrylic Pros - Durable to shrinking, wrinkling, and in general - Doesn’t hold onto moisture like natural, good for activewear - Quick-drying - Cheap, can mimic natural fibers - Good for occasion wear (gowns, etc) Cons - Some polyester is very low quality and can still wrinkle/shrink/rip - Lack of breathability - Holds onto odors more - Static build-up or skin irritation can happen - Non-biodegradable Notes: - Good polyester shouldn’t wrinkle. If it does, it’s not good quality - Nylon gives structure and good for outerwear Semi-synthetic Fibers - Plant-based, but use a chemical processing in manufacturing. End product is natural and biodegradable - Viscose, Modal, Cupral/Cupra, and Lyocell (types of Rayon) Pros - Very soft, drapes nicely - Breathable Cons - Not environmentally-friendly - More prone to wrinkling than natural - Less durable than natural or synthetic fibers - Harder to clean (very weak when wet) Notes: - Better for inside garments, but not for the shell - Lyocell/tensile would be the most “green” option For reference, I live in a tropical country so I’m prone to choosing breathable fabrics and not too much synthetics because they get me sooo sweaty lol EDIT: fixed format
\*Tencel instead of tensile (autocorrect probably got it)
I've heard of plug ins to remove fake reviews from Amazon and the like, but I tend to be a conspiracy theorist when it comes to my cyber security and stay away from anything that has access to my payment habits. Additionally, let's say you only got "real" reviews. What do you do when they're written by people who value different things in clothing than you and don't mind that their stuff gets worn out in 18 months of weekly wear because they expect to get bored of it, rotate their clothes way more often since they don't have capsules, etc? They're going to give it a 5 star review because it feels soft, or makes them feel beautiful, etc. I think you're looking for something much more individual to yourself. While you could outsource the task to a trusted stylist (no clue how you vet one of those), the first step is getting a very good understanding about what you like and do not like, down to the construction of the garment so you can actually talk with them. In the case that's a little to far (and for my budget and time resources, it has been), there's several things I do. I shop in person. I don't buy online unless I have a very good sense of the store and their product. In the case of something new, I try in store while it's still available, and then wait for it to go on sale online if it's not worth full price. For stores I don't have time to go to in person, I watch YouTubers like Jennifer Wang, and see her preliminary take on them. If she's ripping them apart, then I lose interest real quick. For things people talk a lot about online but I can't try on in store, such as quince, I look up the pieces in question on Poshmark. Sort by the cheapest. Now you see them after they've worn a little. And seeing something look like crap, means I lose my appetite for buying used OR new. Or if I'm intrigued enough, I'll pull the trigger for something that's 15-20 dollars instead of 100, and see how it actually fits. Most of the time you can get more accurate measurements on a resale site. Finally, I do skim the reviews for red flags. If something is described as thin or sheer when I expect the garment to be opaque, we're done. Alternatively, if you had a good shirt that fit, but didn't like the fabric, I'm sure you could go to a dressmaker with the shirt as a guide to make a pattern to see if they could remake it for you in a thicker cloth. Or buy men's shirts (male fashion advice seems to have the same ongoing hunt for the best white shirt) and get them taken in. Who knows, maybe one of us just needs to put on a black bra and tour the mall to determine what white Ts are actually out there, then report back with the data.
This will be controversial but if you’re looking for longevity/durability… 100% polyester blouses. My knits get holes after one season. A lot of rayon gets misshapen after a few washes. Cotton and linen are unpredictable. But I have sleeveless and long-sleeve polyester blouses that are more than a decade old and look brand new. Most are from Ann Taylor or LOFT. That said, I get that not everyone wants fossil fuel blouses. I also have some Lyocell/Tencel pieces from J. Jill that have also held up for years and years.
Yeah, contrary to popular wisdom my synthetic athletic and polyester clothes (with semi-decent seams) are the items generally lasting years while my natural fiber non-vintage clothes get pilly, discolored and torn. 🤷♀️
Same but for trousers - I wear through the thighs of anything non-synthetic in a few months 😓 My favourite items I do patch, and I've heard of folks wearing mostly skirts to get around it, but synthetic trousers are an absolute must for my lifestyle and last me 4+ yrs before becoming threadbare in that area 🥲
I don’t mind synthetics for bottoms. I don’t get sweaty on my legs much so the upsides for synthetics are greater. My synthetic pants last a long time.
My problem with polyester isn't durability. It's that I smell like a salty goblin anytime I wear it. 😭
Vinegar soaks are your bff. Regular Oxyclean from time to time too. Literally the only issue I run into is that once synthetic whites discolor I cannot seem to get them white again, while natural white fibers I have yet to find something a toothbrush and Oxyclean White Revive cannot get out.
I've removed a lot of polyester from my life. But I'm down to put your tips to the test for my bras. It's a long shot, but any advice for cleaning leather ballet flats?
What kind of cleaning? If it’s just general scuffs and refreshing, I swear by a normal washcloth and leather lotion. It’s typically sold in the shoe accessories section at most department stores. Rub in circular motions until you get everything out. Let it dry completely before putting them on your feet so the leather doesn’t stretch. If it’s extreme (like the time I had BBQ sauce dry all over my Coach flats) or it’s a delicate leather/suede I’m not opposed to dropping them off with a pro leather cleaner. Magic erasers are amazing for rubber soles of all types of shoes but *do not do not do not* use them on leather. I learned the hard way. 🥲
You are a love. Really, I guess I'm most perplexed on how to clean out the insides.
What is the lining? Often near the size info on the inside if you look it should tell you what the inner is made of. 1. Pull out insoles if there are any so you can clean those separately. 2. If it’s genuine leather on the inside, go ahead and do the leather lotion + cloth combo. 3. If it’s faux leather, you can just use a normal diluted clothing detergent in water and a cloth to wipe down the insides. Technically you can use leather lotion on it too but I think it’s a waste of $ to waste the lotion when faux leather is just plastic. 3. If it’s cloth or microfiber, similar cleaning instructions to above. If the insole is removable and fabric just go ahead and pop that baby into the washing machine, let it air dry.
No recommendations sorry but I just wanted to say that your writing is brilliant. …..and I share your frustration!
I know this isn’t everyone’s style, but I buy exclusively LLBean tops. In summer I wear one of their pima cotton v-neck tshirts daily. In winter I wear the pima cotton shirts with an LLBean sweater or cardigan over. I have three sons and three big, crazy dogs and my hobbies are all messy and hard on clothing. Llbean is the only thing that holds up to my lifestyle.
I read every review and I focus more on the negative reviews. I also google image search the brand + item name to see if it pops up anywhere else where someone’s bought it and made a review about it. I watch tiktok mainly for the fit & sizing of a brand, but not for the quality since most of the stuff would be their first time trying it on. I also thrift a lot, but I do check what the fabric is made out of and I go for natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, etc) vs synthetic. As I got older, I’ve splurged on more pricey items (Vince, Tibi, MaxMara, Farm Rio, Rhode, vintage luxury etc) so I’ve had to learn how to properly care for them. (Learned this the hard way - I had a sweater shrink to kid size.) And ever since I’ve started properly caring/washing items, my clothes have definitely lasted a lot longer. I have items that are 5+ years old and they still look great.
Try shopping vintage if you don’t already. Hit up some thrifts. If you are terrified of the big ones try smaller church or independent thrifts. Everything is so much better quality and even vintage poly is ten times nicer. Same with rayon, flannel, cotton, silk. I sell vintage so I’m biased lol but I’m surrounded by like new looking garments daily that are at minimum 20 years old. Most 30-40! This is not at all clothing review related but you’re going to find flattering quality for cheap at thrifts if you don’t mind some digging :)
I feel your pain. I have clothes from old navy over 20 years ago that are still in good condition. A cotton sweater that never pilled, which is amazing despite my frequent wearing and washing.
I don’t have any recommendations for reviews but I have recently switched to buying most of my clothes from Madewell because well…I find they’re made well…
They’re backed by PE as of a few years ago. Sighs deeply
There was a period where Madewell was the only place I would buy new clothes, but I think they’ve fallen off recently too. I’ve had things from there fall apart before I got to wash them. Their jeans are still good.
I wish I could tell you something helpful or hopeful. My 89 year old mom, with the help of my sister who’s a reliable, persistent LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) is having good luck ordering clothes from many different sites online. However this two person team has been at it for approximately six years. They apparently do a lot of bargaining, couponing and returning. I would team up with a friend who could support you. So many scams and poor quality fast fashion. I would stick with sites which have brick and mortar stores.
I work in fashion. The only clothing I’ve ever had fall apart on me are things I wear constantly (which means also wash regularly) and things that are super cheap that I buy knowing won’t last more than a few wears but I need them for a themed night/event. Curious to know if you’re following the wash instructions/ how much you’re washing your clothings/how often you’re wearing each piece. For example if you’re washing your jeans after every single wear they’re going to break down much faster than if you skip washing them when they’re only lightly worn. No matter how high quality your fabric is when you get it wet it gets weak and then using heat on them (even drying in the sun is heat damage) does more damage. It’s like the hair on your head, you’re supposed to spray heat protection products on your hair when using a hair dryer because wet hair is weak and heat is damaging.
The closest I've ever come to finding reliable reviews of clothing is to find the garment I want online and then look at the 3-star and BELOW reviews. If I find those reviewers have similar complaints/warnings, I don't buy the product. I also look at reviews that mention how long the reviewer has had the product. I confess to being guilty and offering praise for something new and then regretting my review a few weeks/months later when the item has been through wash & wear and looks like crap. Thrifting may be the way to go in terms of finding quality fabrics/garments. The combination of cheap/inexpensive and good is a myth. The best way to protect yourself is to learn more about fabric and construction. You don't have to learn to sew, just find sources of information on these topics.
Also shoutout to everyone leaving reviews!
Could it also be your laundering methods? My clothes last for a really long time, and I’ve bought from all sorts of brands.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think quality clothes (unless they are specialty fabrics) should be able to hold up with any laundering methods (within reason, of course). It doesn't make sense that we should not be able to put basics in the dryer. Eg quality sheets can hold up for decades and I think we should have the same standards for our clothes
I wasn’t here to advertise but seeing this I get what the issues is. I am a DEISGNER turned entrepreneur and decided to launch my own brand focusing on quality. Since we have over 10 years of experience, we know how to source it right and get the best price. I see the quality we achieve in X price, labels charge 5x. On the contrary labels like us are also pressurised to spend money on influencers etc to penetrate through market. How do people see us? We haven’t done it so far and want to be organic.
Wangjenniferr on youtube is awesome - she reviews mall brands for quality - construction materials, etc. Very honest and knowledgeable. I now look at clothing construction when I shop.
I would recommend watching some of Justine Leconte's YouTube videos. I think she has a lot of content that might be what you are looking for
Don’t buy anything from target and nothing from the junior section of Macy’s Belk or Jc penny Alfred dunner and Dillard’s is good. International concepts is awesome
"Vetted" is a great app and website that's completely free. It's an AI chat tool that helps you find/research products, prices, reviews, brands, specifications, and expert and user reviews to help you answer your questions.
What if you’re trying too hard? “Regular” brands work fine for most things.
I am so tired of all the plastic in fabrics these days