Every fashion or lifestyle magazine or blog now promotes the minimalist shopping experience. The basic aim is that you should buy less clothing and when you do buy clothing make sure its good quality clothing, classic pieces that last a long time. This sounds perfectly reasonable. And sensible.
Till you realise that in this day and age of fast fashion, we have no idea what good quality clothing is and what is looks and feels like. After trying to find good quality clothing and not succeeding entirely, I gave up the shopping part (atleast for this year!) and just started researching on this topic. Some things I learnt were surprising if not shocking and some were obvious. So lets get to it.
1. Don’t be taken in by the source label:
There are sweatshops in Italy and the USA as well and all clothing made in China is not bad quality (remember where silk was discovered?). Making purchasing choices based on labels which state where the items is made is a false comfort. And also a confusing approach to follow. An item with a ‘made in Italy’ label might have actually been made in China and only assembled in Italy. Even when something is made in the USA the cotton might be coming all the way from India.
Leather made in Turkey is probably of better quality than leather made in the USA. Hand embroidery in India would be of much better quality than machine embroidery in the first world. Basically its not that easy. Every centre has its specialisation. Lets not rely on a source label and our prejudices to tell us what is good quality.
2. Material makes the dress
This is my number one tip when buying something new. I touch the material, check the label to see what the item is made of and how heavy it is or how light it is. For instance, if its cotton it should be heavy and if its silk and cashmere it can be light – all of it denotes quality so learn what works for what materials.
3. Stitching and lining
This is quite an obvious one but the stitching, the lining and finish all help give a clue as to the quality of the clothing. Are the stitches straight and strong? Is the clothing lined where required and what is the quality of the lining? For instance, jackets, thin skirts and dresses, should all be lined. Are the buttonholes neat and are the buttons stitched on well? What is the overall finish of the article – does it look like its of good craftsmanship? I believe the more you look into it, the more qualified you become to judge these aspects of clothing.
4. Patterns versus solids
I found out about this trick quite recently. Anything patterned is probably more expensive to make so whenever you see the same item in a pattern and a solid, make sure to check for the material. The solid will probably be made in a better quality material to make up the difference.
5. Second Hand Clothing
I am a fan of second hand clothing. Any articles of clothing that has made it to the second hand market and is still in good condition, is probably a good bet. Add to that clothing made before this current era of fast fashion was of better craftsmanship and will survive for longer than the top you buy from H&M or Zara this season. So go for it – this post is a good place to start.
6. A Classic Layering Piece
Choose a layering piece you like wearing for summer weather. I personally love blazers and for an item worth considering was a stylish summer blazer. It’s ideal for smart-casual occasions, city weekends, or summer weddings, and adds polish without feeling stuffy but still easy to dress down with shorts or jeans. I stick to classic colours like navy, beige, or dove grey for maximum versatility. Always check the stitching, hardware and lining, which are tell-tale signs of good craftsmanship.
Tell me your tips if you have any or any particular items of clothing which you prize as of the best quality or any brands you favour for this. Would be great to have all of this information under our belts!
Hope this piece was helpful. This isn’t meant to be all the information on choosing good quality clothing but just a starting point. My own research is ongoing and I am still trying to figure it out, shop less but well so keep following it all! Its been a fantastic weekend of sport for me which you may have seen on Instagram so I am hoping for a calm relaxing week ahead.
– Anisha
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