to expect the clothes I buy to be decent quality?

[hairtwiddler]

I don't buy really expensive clothes, but don't go for the cheapest either. Lately have been so disappointed by quality of stuff. Two recent examples.
Verbaudet -loose buttons on dress for dd.
Bravissimo - embroidery on top coming undone - loose threads everywhere.

Hems coming undone, thin fabric, shoddy stitching. Just ranting now!

So, aibu to expect more for my money? I really can't afford (nor do I want) Boden all the time, and not so convinced on quality there either.

Not unreasonable, but the loose threads thing happens a lot. I think most places have stopped employing someone who would previously have cut loose ends off etc. Drives me nuts, have seen it in Laura Ashley as well!

YANBU - am also amazed at the quality of some supposedly good quality clothing these days! I think, because clothes have become so expensive - and in my case a luxury - we should expect more for our money.

I buy mostly M&S and Next stuff for the kids and I have found to be rubbish quality recently.

Still find M&s stuff ok, but only want basics there - layering tops, underwear etc. Bought some mothercare stuff for dd yesterday. Had to take it in so had a good look at seams etc. Looked not bad. Will see how it lasts.

Verbaudet clothes are terrible quality, I think they have no idea how to sew buttons on, and the sizing is weird too, really small. And we've had to take a few things back to mothercare because of stitching coming undone. M&S stuff seems ok though. Sainsburys Tu range is good quality, apart from the Charlie and Lola range for some reason - after a few washes the motifs peel off!

i agree, my pet hate is badly seamed t-shirts - look dead cheap and are everywhere

Try John Lewis for children's, not that much more expensive than Next.

I think we may have to say goodbye to cheap clothing. It was always a fallacy anyway. Chinese workers that supplied the clothes are now demanding a living wage & cotton prices have risen hugely in the last twelve months.

We have to accept that clothing is something that is to be treasured, not thrown away.

I buy few clothes, but spend as much as I can.

I tend to buy good brands through eBay or whatever, then supplement with Gap etc for DD. I was horrified at the quality of some Next stuff over the winter, I ordered a few pairs of boots to try and they were awful. Leather, apparently but they looked like Primarni specials.

I think you are right spiderslegs. I may be being unrealistic. Bravissimo though...not cheap, terrible quality. £40 for a top, I expect something half decent. Or is that unreasonable?

I have got to say I have never had any problems with Next stuff, it is probably my favourite as (for me) it lasts, it washes well, and it doesnt fall apart.

Loose threads on buttons wouldnt bother me, I would just sew them on tighter.

Asda sells great quality t-shirts, that last, dont fade, and dont fall apart.

I work for M&S Head Office buying Womenswear and I think our quality for the prices the customer pays is amazing. Sure there will always be exceptions or individual items which aren't up to scratch but there is such a lot of work that goes into durability testing and fabric development etc. M&S used to be so much more expensive than the High St but is now much more in line, and the quality is always superior. The factories that make for us and other High St stores always say how much more picky/thorough/demanding we are than the others! I'm not being all corporate here, I speak as a customer who happens to see behind the scenes. Now I have a DD, I realise that our Kidswear especially is really good value although I agree with spiderslegs about the whole cheap clothing thing - it's not necessarily a good thing, consumers have demanded that prices go SO low that occasionally I see M&S kidswear using fabric which has gone too cheap and I would actually rather it cost a couple of quid more but used nicer fabric. Still, it's all market forces at work. I think we are heading for a "full circle" moment where people start appreciating quality again and buy less.

Bravissimo clothes have always used nasty cheap fabric. They have never been cheap, but seem to have always looked it. It is a real shame as I could do with somewhere to buy clothes that fit well, but I won't buy the fabrics they use.

It is really hard to machine sew buttons on properly. I resew buttons on things I like lots so that I know they are done properly.

Verbaudet stuff is small as on average French children are smaller than British children of the same age.

I agree with spiderslegs that John Lewis has better quality childrens clothes.

I buy Toast, Brora or Net a Porter for me

Had a few problems last season with fabrics

Had a refund each time it was brought to their attention.

Interesting to hear about M&S snowpuma, thanks for contributing to the thread.
So - next, JL and M&S get the thumbs up.
More recommendations for womenswear? I have never been totally impressed with white stuff either.

Uniqulo - fabulous QPR for basics
Massimo Dutti
Jaeger
and, if you get to the US, J. Crew

For childrens clothes, definitely John Lewis. I'm very picky about kids clothes because my sons are hard on their clothes so I look for quality. I have always been very pleased with John Lewis and find their quality to be better than the things I have purchased from the Gap. Otherwise, Jules or I pay the extra for Petit Bateau.

Like pp I have no problems with next. A lot of Ds clothes are from there and never had any problems with them.

Boden is brilliant quality; DS's t-shirts from a few years ago are on their 4th and 5th children now, and my stuff lasts years; expensive, but if you buy with a discount code/ in the sale, it is exceptionally good value.

And I also love John lewis for children and adults.

Sorry snowpuma, but I have found the quality of the boyswear to be extremely poor and I say that with a heavy heart having worked in the buying groups myself. I also think that the Boden quality is very poor, particularly in tshirts and tops although shorts and trousers wear well. I find that GAP is reasonable quality but that H&M is by far and away the best quality I can find.

I no longer buy Next at all, either for myself or the DC's as the clothes look like rags after one wash.

Interesting Reading this as I work in 'fashion' too so well aware of Market pressures
at the same time I'm a new mum and it's v inteesting seeing different qualities in baby clothes...
Sainsburys Tu, pretty good ESP for money
George, cheap fabric
boots , lovely designs variable quality after washing with a few bobbled
john lewis, 'clothes' good but sleep suits poor seems and bobbles
next- relatively expensive for no better quality
mothercare, returned before even washed, cheap quality

Don't know about kids clothes in M&S but the underwear is rubbish and has got worse in recent years - I know as I have several incarnations of M&S knickers and you can tell the difference - cheaper fabric, poor seams etc.

I totally agree re quality of kids clothes in general. We have a polarn o pyret shop where I live and though for me it's far too pricey to buy except in a sale, I'm shocked by the excellence of the quality compared to UK stuff. We have fourth-hand handmedown trousers and babygros from there that are still good as new.

I used to love Next for my sons when they were younger - stuff was handed down from the oldest to the youngest and it was good enough to hand onto friends. Nowadays thats not the case - the jeans/shorts are ok but the t-shirts are useless - often not even lasting a season (mine are teens so not hard wearing on their clothes).

Have discovered the best t-shirts come from Primark - wash well and keep their shape and don't shrink.

I love Boden clothes but they are not keen on those anymore - won't even look @ the JohnnieB range - mind you @ those prices MrB can stuff it.

I tend to buy lots of my stuff 2nd hand - good quality (Monsoon/PerUna) either via charity shops or ebay.

I agree that M&S undies are not as good but I tend now to just buy a new load every 6 months and rag the old stuff (if its lasted that long).

I'm so glad it's not just me who has notices.
I can't afford top of the range so shop at the high street stores.
Next & M&S have really gone downhill.
Debehnams seems ok so far.
I know it's cheap, but Sainsburys clothes have really gone downhill recently.

NOTICED.

Agree about M&S going downhill in terms of quality, particularly underwear but also standard v neck jumpers which have been my standard winter work wear for the last few years but were shockingly bad last winter in terms of bobbling and losing their shape.
DS lived in Asda and Tu when younger - hard-wearing and cheap enough not to mind them getting ruined with paint etc or him growing out of stuff very quickly. My issue now is where to shop for a tall (and still growing), thin, fashion-conscious(ish) 14 year old without breaking the bank on designer brands.