I was watching a drama set in 1850 or thereabouts and the sets/dress were wonderful, and it made me think how quality took a severe nosedive in pursuit of mass production.
The characters were just regular working folk in the East of England, of modest means working in shipyards, mills and so on, but the quality of the clothing and the colours were wonderful. I know life was shit for most, and many had nothing at all, but the care that went into making those wonderful garments!
I think everything went to shit with mass production and constant availability. We have far more choice and affordability but it's all so ugly. A mere scarf or shawl that one of these mill girls was wearing would cost over £300 now, considering the craftmanship and beauty of the thing. The withering, thin, ugly patterned crap in the high street stores now pales in comparison. We seem to have gained something but lost a heck of a lot in the process.
Even higher priced clothes often seem like an exercise in ludicrousness - £500 for a polyester dress, etc. More about the brand identity than the reality of the item.
Whether we like the styles of past eras or not, it's hard to deny the quality and beauty of them. Now we are stuck with so few choices if we don't like (and can afford to avoid) the high street. Even brands like Toast, who appear to strive to live up to 'authentic' standards are often gimmicky and cheap looking, as the trends will fade fast.