Replacing cheap basics with quality - worth it?

[Jesabel]

I have too many clothes and ideally would like to get down to more of a capsule wardrobe of really good quality, well fitting classics rather than loads of cheap stuff. But is it worth spending a lot of money on basics like t-shirt type tops and sweatshirts? And if it is, where should I be looking?

I have no desire for a capsule wardrobe but I do think T shirts and any clothes that you know will get a hammering are worth spending whatever you can afford on. For T shirts I normally try:

Toast - at £40 a pop they bloody well should be good quality and normally they are.

Me and Em - they don't do much cotton but they do tops in some kind of viscose jersey that does wear and wash really well and doesn't bobble. If they didn't have such a fixation with black, white and navy I'd buy more.

White Stuff - attracts a lot of sneeriness on here but they still do Ts and l/sleeved shirts in pure cotton (though not as good quality as it used to be) and in a good range of colours.

H&M - very random and sometimes you don't know if it's good quality till you've washed it but I like their Log range of basics.

Gap - sometimes do pima cotton Ts that last well although they've closed my local branch so as far as I'm concerned they can piss off.

Thanks, I do have a White Stuff t-shirt and wasn't very impressed so maybe the quality has gone down. I have never heard of Me & Em though so will check them out.

H&M organic cotton t shirts wash really well,I have gap ones which are lovely and soft but lost shape.

White Stuff quality has def gone down though still better than many I think.

This is the kind of thing I think Me and Em do very well and if I suited navy, I'd be sending for it. Not cotton but they wear and wash very well. They're ££ but if you register for emails and hold your nerve, they usually come back with an offer. Their sales are great.

www.meandem.com/stripe-box-tee-navy-white

So believe less but better is the way forward - pieces that last longer, wash better, not to mention offer a fairer deal for people making them. Kowtow do amazing organic basics as well as more designery fashion numbers. You can find them on www.gatherandsee.com - full of gorgeous ethical brands!

The best long sleeve tops I've ever bought were from Matalan. £4, long sleeves (not too short like lots of other places), beautiful soft fabric that washes perfectly.

I think it depends on your shopping habits and style.

I have a friend who loves shopping, and likes new/latest things. She buys cheap, bins after a few wears.

I hate shopping, and like to have a few staple items that I wear over and over. I'm not so bothered about latest fashion either. Therefore they need to last, and I've found I need to spend more.

I look at mid-range stuff. I used to like the concessions in places like Selfridges, especially in the sale. TK maxx is also good for brands.

I mix it. If I'm trying out a new style - which is something I like doing - I'll start with a cheap and cheerful version. That way, if I do decide I look a nob, then I haven't wasted too much money. But if it's something tried and tested that I know I'll wear a lot then I think more about quality.

I'm conscious of ethical issues too and do wish I could find more things I liked at People Tree etc so thanks for that link, tweedle

It depends. I have a lot of capsule wardrobe type stuff from Debenhams. I tend to wear the crap out of everything. If you know you will wear something over and over again it's worth the price but otherwise, no, you might as well have bought 3 identical ones from Primark.

I'm not into fashion really and would rather not have to think too hard about what I'm going to wear. I quite like the idea of just getting 7 versions of the same outfit and wearing it every day!

For basics I'd say it's worth spending more for quality. I get my Jersey tops (t-shirts, long sleeves, vests) mostly from baukjen because they keep their shape and nice feel for ages. But I like my clothes to last for a minimum of 3 years and ideally more like 5, so I'm willing to pay more upfront.