Where oh where do good quality clothes come from ???? !!

[ginorwine]

I need to invest in good basics .
Jeans .jumpers .shoes .boots.bags.blouses .trousers .
I'm an hourglass shape so things like co s - hangy clothes - which I love - look terrible on me !!!!!!
Thanks wize ones !

Yes so true that cotton can be awful too. And silk and wool. You have to feel it really.
Sorry not much help!

Levi's Curve ID jeans are great, I swear by the Demi Curve ones. TK Maxx is also a good place to pick up brand name jeans like J Brand and 7even For All Mankind. I picked up a pair of 7evens for £20 last year as they were classified as "imperfect". The imperfection is that the inside of one of the back pockets feels like someone left the iron on it too long, but it isn't something that is visible externally.

What bill said.

Though as a rule, avoid polyester and acrylic. Lots of knitwear is acrylic these days, and lots of coats have some kind of a synthetic mix. Ages very badly. Polyester and acrylic are cheaper to produce than cotton and silk, which is why it drives me nuts to see designer polyester tops costing £100s.

I find that viscose or modal mixes pill easily though.

Someone asked about Levi's curve, upthread. I find they fit beautifully and last for a long time. Their price in the uk is shocking - £70-90 - in the USA they are normally 60 dollars (about £40). I stock up there but have also found loads in tk Maxx recently for £30.

Uniqlo is fantastic for cashmere, superfine merino, basic tee shirts in good cotton. I also like their coloured jeans, ultralight down, and HeatTech.

Best t-shirts are Splendid or James Perse - all which are quite expensive here, but can be found in many outlets in the US for $20 each - very thin pima cotton and great colours.

For good basic shoes (loafers, brogues, chelsea boots, knee high flat boots), Church's - their price point is very good for the quality you are getting.

Cotton button down shirts, J crew is still good. I also like it for trousers as they have an extensive petite collection.

For shoes and bags I keep returning to Russell and Bromley.

The longer length long sleeve t shirts from Hush are amazing quality cotton.

Thick fabric. Does not lose it's shape, well stitched, last a 1000 washes

But other than that I am struggling with tops too!

White company and Mint velvet used to be all natural fibre, but now it's rubbish

Quite like peopletree (but seen nothing this season), Jigsaw hit and miss.

It's hard! If I saw a top made of natural fibre, flattering and long enough to wear with skinnies I'd buy 5!!!!

Timberland boots - they do lots of styles
Diesel jeans and t shirts
Surf brands are usually made well

Cos trousers are very flattering on an hourglass figure, as they don't all have pockets on the hips-please note this JB!!

Whistles use terrible fabric. Don't bother. I bought a silk/modal/viscose mix jumper there, but it was pilled and crumpled very quickly. I felt rather cheated, because it wasn't cheap.

Yes to Jaeger. Clothes I've had from there still look great.

Karen Millen shoes and bags are good, in my experience, but they use fewer natural fibres for the clothes these days. I will not be paying £95 for a sleeveless polyester georgette shirt, thanks. Why not silk, at that price?

The best quality clothes I own are, I'm sorry to say, the most expensive. MaxMara, Marella, Sportmax (anything from the MaxMara group, in other words) and Nicole Farhi. The fabrics are so good that the clothes hang better, crease less and last well.

You can get some gems from M&S if you hunt them out, though...takes a bit of rooting through all their confusing ranges but I've had beautiful wool crepe trousers from there.

Look out for double faced wool. Any coats made of that will always look great. I don't work for MaxMara (I wish I did) but their coats are usually made of double faced wool and they are a delight to wear.

Bobo
Hans
I'd be happy to look , be careful etc but my problem is I can't tell by looking if the fabric is good quailty or not so I don't know if I'm looking at quality items or not .
For eg I cd be looking at poor quality cotton or good quality !
Good leather or bad leather !!! I'm v v happy to invest in good quality if it is def the case ! I wish it had stickers on !!!
Eg boden Breton - seems poor to me but they seem so popular ?
What is a good quality coat ? I saw one in mint velvet - looked nice - it was 12 % wool - £ 150 - so thought ooh maybe not then - saw some in Hobbs 340 but way too long -don't know where to look !!!!!
A tan beautiful bag - how to tell if it will last ?
I got a halo bag from second hand shop - is that good?
I can get buying from
Jaeger outlet ! Will see if do everyday wear !
Thanks all !!!!

Thought if somewhere ! Brora !!!!

Nettle never heard double faced wool ! Will google !

Great thread -I'm an hourglass too - shamelessly lurking for ideas.

Nettle think you have saved me some cash !! Saw jumper at whistles - loved the design but my instinct was a bit um re the feel !

Have to agree on Max Mara.

I buy their larger size brand, Marina Rinaldi, and quality has always been great. Used to wear it top to toe when I worked in an office. Can't afford that any longer - much of my stuff now plain, carefully chosen Boden - but still get my coats there and have never regretted it.

Just ordered 2 v neck dresses from Jaegar outlet - thanks for starting the thread OP

Chorlton
You're welcome !
We all in same boat ! Enjoy your dresses ! Z

I managed to get some cotton long sleeved scoop necked tops from M&S that have worn and washed really well. Friend bought exactly the same from a different M&S few weeks later, felt hard and turned into total dish rags within weeks. Different batch of cotton different dyes
So go get touchy feely with the fabric sadly.

I just keep moving. I think high street stores change their suppliers so often these days that you're never going to get consistently good quality anywhere. Ethical traders like People Tree are normally better but a lot of their stuff isn't my style, sadly.

I do find it helps if I wash my cheaper stuff just as carefully as I do any expensive pieces e.g. on the 'delicate' cycle in a pillow case.

Finding good quality is an utter struggle these days.

Some of my most long-lasting clothes have been from Esprit.

I have had good woollens from Benetton.

I've had Benetton coats that have lasted reasonably well.

Uniqlo merino has been good.

I always buy plain or striped cotton lycra tops for layering from H&M. They have sweat or deodorant stains long before they wear out in my experience, and have just enough lycra to keep their shape. Their vest tops are also good.

My boots from Dune lasted well.

I've had some Phase Eight cardigans that have been really good.

In summer my dresses are nearly all from Boden. One has been worn to death for three summers and is still going strong my friends must be sick of the sight of it

I had black Zara jeans that faded a bit so I redyed them and they have a new lease of life, this is their second winter. However two months ago I bought some grey ones from Zara and they are not lasting well at all (the fabric is thinning/shrivelling at the inside seam).

I can recommend Me and Em and The Fold for tops.

I used to love Me and Em too, proof that viscose can be good quality and excellent sales. But they seem to have reinvented themselves as Cos's big/more expensive sister and I can't find anything I like there any more.

Am waiting for the Hush sale. Anyone know when it will be on?

Nettle, agree re: MaxMara. Got a few dresses and some trousers pre-DC when I had a good figure. I find their styles don't look as good on me now that I'm a bit curvier in the hips. Their coats are fab and in very timeless cuts. Got one years ago and it looks brand new.