To ask for your opinions on the quality of clothes from different shops

[janeybumtum]

I'm talking about the kinds of clothes that get worn and washed frequently like t-shirts, long sleeve tops, shirts, vests, leggings, underpants, jersey dresses and joggers. Not so much things like pretty dresses that only get worn on occasions and never see the inside of a washing machine.

I find too many things from high street shops (even high end high street) don't last that long. The seams come unstitched, thin straps snap, they have trailing threads or the black things wash out grey. I find black joggers are particularly bad for looking worn and grey (especially the Nike ones). I had to throw out a White Company T-shirt yesterday because it had so many little holes in it.

For pretty dresses, you can get away with quite cheap ones from wherever, as long as they don't look like they're already falling apart when they're in the shop as they don't get used day in day out and and are often dry clean only.

I don't want to have to bin things that look too shabby to wear and would obviously be inappropriate to give to a charity shop.

It's not my washing that's the problem - I always wash on low temperatures, follow washing instructions and a lot of other people have made the same comments.

I have things from M&S, Topshop, Zara and so on from 15 years ago that are still in quite good condition, but the things I've had from the same shops in more recent years are awful quality.

I don't like to buy tons of clothes, I just want to have nice quality plain basics which don't date and I can regularly wear and wash without them falling apart. I've always been of the buy plainer clothes and collect very nice accessories camp so I don't end up with an overflowing wardrobe of pretty things that I never use.

I'd be very grateful for recommendations on where is good to get the various basics and everyday clothes from which are of good quality and last!

I love the style of Zara and Mango clothes but unfortunately they are just absolutely shocking quality yet the price point can be really high!

I’ve started saving up and buying key pieces I know won’t date or go out of fashion that suit me, so far I’ve had great success with clothes from ‘& other stories’ (sp)? and Joules.

More budget friendly places are M&S and Uniqlo, Gap and Next also occasionally have some decent bits.

I’m yet to find a decent jeans brand that look good on me, last and are comfortable.

M&S underwear I find very good and socks I tend to get from primark as I do P.J’s not hugely fussed on the quality of them.

Shoes and boots I usually go for new look and office as they do decent wide fit ones.

I do find that these days you really have to baby clothes to make sure they last and don’t get destroyed after a month or two, it’s very frustrating.

I've noticed that even within a single shop, the quality can be variable. Vest tops from Primark develop holes and thin patches after just a few months, but I bought some cropped summer trousers from there well over 10 years ago, wore them to death, and only just ditched them after they developed a big hole in the bum!

Similarly, I love H&M jeans but a t-shirt I bought there last year shrunk.

I find primark as good as anywhere else for socks/pjs/T-shirt's and vests tbh. I have t shirts from there 3/4 years old which still look fine. M&S for undies (but not measuring obvs).

Cotton knitwear is my downfall. My skin reacts really badly to wool/cashmere so to get natural fibres its cotton. Whilst it's easy enough to find it looks like rags after a wash. GAP sometimes lasts ok (especially in thicker styles) but other than that I struggle.

I tend to buy mist things from unuqlo now as they seem to last really well

The best pants are form Sainsbury's. Wash and tumble dry so well.

Most things not mist Am channelling allo allo

For quality everyday I go to SeaSalt, White Stuff, Landsend and Monsoon. Some Boden things last well enough but their T-shirt type tops are shockingly poor quality, thin material and cut so they lose their helpline.

That is hemline

Don't put your clothes in the washing machine and never, ever tumble dry them. I wash by hand all my clothes except jeans and line dry them.

I used to love the quality of Joules clothing, in fact I’m currently wearing a cowdry that’s got to be 15 years old, still looks fairly new. I bought 2 very similar ones 18 months ago, one is already in the bin the other is only used on dog grooming/gardening days. Next clothes are similar in that I’ve got really old stuff that continues to stand the test of time but newer items have already been binned.

On the other hand my cheapy Primark tees & vest, that I bought when expecting dc4 (because they had decent stretch) are almost 4 years old & still going strong.

High street retailing in the Uk is a national disgrace. Led by Primark and Sports Direct, with Philip Green's empire a large part. A significant contributor to climate change as well.

Poor quality is something that should not be put up with, and in France for example it would not be. However one of the legacies of the Thatcher years is that people will put up with poor service and poor quality just to save a small amount of money, or what they think is a saving.

The millions of flights flown with Ryanair shows what people will put up with to save money.

@Jon65 do you honestly never machine wash clothes for yourself or your family?

Where on earth do you find the time to hand wash everything & how do you line dry in bad weather?

I can imagine that may make clothes last longer, but it would make my quality of life much worse.

I buy basic tops from Hotsquash, they're made in London & the quality is decent. They easily stand up to many machine washes & dry quickly, without the need to iron (if you dry them on a hanger).

Makes my life so much easier.

there is a definite quality difference between nike etc sold through Sports direct and elsewhere. Think some brands produce cheaper lines to be sold through those sort of shops.

I've always wondered why a cycle on my washing machine takes so long. Over an hour to two hours for a basic wash. I think this is the problem. Nothing I wear is that dirty it should take do long to wash.
Overseas washing machines only take half an hour or so.
You're right, quality has lowered significantly, but our heavy duty machines don't help.

Don't tumble dry anything.

Yes the quality of a lot of stuff is really poor. It’s the fabrics and the way they are made.

I check fabrics before buying anything as some are more prone to snagging, etc. I wash most things on a quick cycle and don’t tumble dry. I avoid polyester. I tend to buy from Uniqlo, lots from charity shops, and sometimes spend more on something I know I am going to wear lots.

I read somewhere (probably here) that washing machines are made now to run longer cycles because that uses less energy.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

Just to add - I don't have a tumble drier, it's a washing machine only so I use a clothes horse for drying. I do wash the hand wash only items as instructed but sadly I don't think I'd have time to wash the whole lot by hand, or the space to dry them as the colour can drip onto carpets etc.

plain t-shirts seem to be one of the hardest things to find in good quality. It's not easy to find ones with a nice cut, but the thinner ones that have a better fit seem to develop holes very quickly.

I don't know whether it's just me getting older, but I do wish that shops would stock better quality plainer clothes which last, rather than so much fast fashion. I find in most stores it's not easy to find the more basic stuff amongst all the on trend things where the stock changes on a really regular basis.

M&S stuff is pretty much only good for one wear with really random exceptions
John Lewis is good
Fat face and white stuff can’t wothstand the dyer
Seasalt is good and lasts ages
H&M lasts well but will stretch and not bounce back
Joules shrinks in the dyer but otherwise good quality.

I got some things for DS from www.livingcrafts.de and I am amazed at how well they have kept. No fading, no holes, and the shape has kept well. I'm just reluctant to order for myself as I don't know what sizing and fit is like for adults. DS's things were all too big for him despite ordering the correct age. But he's been wearing the jumpers and tees for over 2 years as a result (started with sleeves rolled up) and they still look new. It's amazing how we are used to and accept clothes getting raggy so quickly.

There are a few more ethical places like thought clothes. I tend to find the bamboo socks and leggings although comfy do get holey fast though.

If you can afford it at all, Brora do lovely things and good January sale, I’ve got jumpers I’ve had 10 years from there

The other thing to use to improve the appearance of clothes is starch. Nobody much seems to use this anymore, but it makes cheaper clothes look as though they have a lot more body. In answer to the person who said how do i find the time to hand wash everything. A washing machine takes an hour and a half. I can hand wash rinse and hang out my entire weeks clothing in that time.

Oh yes, starch and a good iron, absolutely

Smart t shirts from ted baker are fab. Wash so well, don't fade or bobble and still look good after lots of wear. They are £49 but I buy when they are 30% off every now and then.

I have some primark basics I have been wearing for about three years. Other basics I have are from matalan or TU or George or I buy second hand kids boden basics for myself as I am fairly small.