Quality of clothes which everyone kept on recommending but actually turned out to be a piece of c***???

[balkanscot]

After my initial enthusiasm about Hush (read loads of great recommendation here on Mumsnet and beyond) I bought a few pieces. Turned out that almost 4 months down the line the black leggings & harem trousers are tearing at the seams. Leggings were a bit meh after a few washes (colour started to fade, felt they were going a bit bobbly, too, blah, blah). I am washing them inside out, at 40 degrees or less, non-bio washing powder, etc.

Similar experience with ME and EM - man, oh, man, how enthusiastic I was (read lots of glowing reviews about quality, etc.) when I purchased 3 pairs of stripy Breton tops (ruched ones) - within a year I had to chuck one of them in the bin as it developed a number of small holes down the side seam - at first I thought it had been damaged by moths but it hadn't. Now my second top is about to develop a few small holes down the seam side, too!!!

Now Hush and ME and EM are not at the cheap end of the spectrum and that's why it is f me right off! I really expected them to last a bit longer than 4 months/1 year.

I am f off and giving myself my first ever because I need to calm down! What happened to quality items that would last for years and years - had a Jigsaw Breton top which sadly died after 7 years of constant wear/tear/washing. Have had a pair of cream Versace Sport jeans which are still as good as new 15 years down the line. I am talking about this kind of quality, 5+ years without the garment going down the pan.

Has anyone experienced similar - enthusiastic about the purchase, only to find out that the purchase turned out to have been pretty rubbish?

Rant over.

Boden leggings! Definitely didn't live up to the hype.

I think women's clothes are made to be disposable, now. They are largely designed to be seasonal, so last 3 - 6 months and then be replaced, until you get up to designer type stuff (and then it's a few years, rather than a hugely long time).

It started with all the really cheap shops that popped up selling "wear once" type clothes, I think, and now normal retailers seem to have adopted the same business plan, but without reducing prices.

For the 4 month old clothes, it's probably worth taking them back - it's not usually worth the expense to the shop of trying to prove it wasn't inherently faulty, so you'll probably get a replacement at least. For the one year things, they probably did quite well, really!

It'll be interesting to see what happens to charity shops if the trend continues. They'll either be full of designer things, because they are the only things built to last a while, or run out of clothes because everything is rather poor quality and not worth selling on again.

i think it varies depending on changing suppliers, changing factories, and, sadly, the manufacturers perceiving our demand for cheap crap. Totally agree that even some high end stuff has a fascinating capacity to fall to pieces in weeks. Bought some beautiful Nicholas Kirkwood pumps. Toes worn through in weeks. Sad.

On the other hand though I like the quality of Toast, have a lovely black silk tunic shirt from a charity shop that has worn beautifully (though who knows when that was manufactured?). Also dresses and jumpers from Cos always seem to last very well.

Jigsaw has been downhill for last few years in terms of quality. I think Brora is still good (though I usually wait for the sales nowadays)
Recommendations from here: Peony and Moore bags. Looked lovely but very poor quality leather, deteriorated quite quickly, within weeks. Same with Mulberry, clasps and fixings broke on a purse and bag within a year.

Making a conscious effort after pregnancy to buy fewer items but things I love that are better quality. I just hope my fewer items don't all fall to pieces too!

anchor I've noticed that if charity shops aren't in particularly 'posh' areas anyway, they tend to be full of George and Primark.
Gone are the days of £3 never worn Kurt Geiger leather pumps. Unless it's a lucky day.

My parents have several pieces of Mulberry (handbags and luggage) from over 20 years ago, and they've all lasted beautifully, even with constant use. One or two of those pieces are factory seconds too. Nowadays the quality has dropped considerably (not the prices though, funny that ).

There is an explanation for this - with regards to designer stuff at any rate - in this book: How Luxury Lost its Lustre

It argues that in the past people would pay a lot of money for a particular label as it was known to be the best quality. But as labels have been acquired by big corporations, they have encouraged the move towards paying for the name or the label rather than the quality.

She explains it much better in the book

Book looks v interesting, might download. Thanks bernice

Me and Em - have a couple of Jersey tops which still look good after three years wear them every week to work. Last summer bought some blouses in the sale they were just really bad quality and impossible to iron I wore them a couple of times before taking to the charity shop.

Best quality jumpers are from Izzy Lane hand made using wool from British sheep expensive but well worth the cost I've had mine for years and they still look great.

I saw this title and thought of Hush straight away. I treated myself to some hush pj's which have bobbled and faded very quickly. In all honesty the £9 pair I bought in primark are more comfortable!

Boden leggings from 2 years ago or more - absolute workhorses, still look like new.

The leggings I bought from them in the last couple of years got bobbly and thin within weeks.

Back to The White Company (and George at Asda, amazingly)

Thanks for that link Bernice. I used to assume there was a link between price and ethical practices but not sure if that's the case any more.

Slight digression but I remember how after Rana Plaza, Primark at least paid out straight away whereas other companies involved, including Beneton, Mango and Indexit ( Zara, Massimo Duttu, Pull&Bear) dragged their feet and/or contributed in peanuts
www.cleanclothes.org/safety/ranaplaza/who-needs-to-pay-up

I do love hush but think that the quality isnt that great. All said though, i havent had any of my hush items fail me. All are fine really except the stitching on one dress which was rubbish. Think it was the florence dress. I sold it on ebay and someone bought it despite the wonky stitching. I had only worn it twice.
Looking forward to their AW though!!!!

Brands that have really shown quality for me is Boden. Always well stitched and generally good materials used. Toast. Had a number of things from them and also beautifully stitched and robust materials. Whistles is disappointing for the price.

I think it is down mostly to fabric composition and people just don't look at that when they buy things.

I don't like man made fibres - I avoid polyester but also anything with viscose in it as hate the feel of it. These bobble dreadfully.

Those tiny holes at the front of t shirts happen with all price points in my experience.

I have a couple of ruched hush dresses that I wash very carefully and they are fine but agree that their t shirts and knitwear are no better than gap.

I can't find any brand lately (regardless of price) that is reliably good. So far I've been happy with joules but it's not really my style so there are only a few items from there that suit me.

I suspect that retailers don't want clothes to last. They want them to be disposable and frequently replaced.

Whistles is polyester/viscose central.

Agreed, Mrs I find Whistles quality no better than the good H&M stuff, although I'm still a sucker for the way their clothes are cut and how they hang on me.

John Lewis own make is usually ok.

I agree though about the thin cotton.

White stuff used to be better.

I think Hobbs is a good make

OP, I completely agree. I always fall for Hush and end up disappointed. My cupboards contain Hush-branded sweaters that have gone bobbly, tops that have shrunk in the wash even when I have followed the instructions to the letter, and skirts that are so thin you can see through them in the daylight. All bought a season ago and all going in the bin. And don't even get me started on Me & Em. I bought a jumpsuit from them. Tried it on, established that I liked it and that it fit me. Went to wear it a while later and the neckline (sort of halter neck, done up with buttons) had stretched so much it is actually unwearable. I cannot for the life of me work out how that happened.

I agree that Toast quality is still very good. I don't love all their stuff, though. It used to be more feminine and flattering.

Jigsaw jersey / linen is terrible quality. I've had 4 tops that have all ended up covered in small holes. Having worked in retail I know I'd be told it was my washing powder / conditioner / machine that was at fault but the tops have been washed alongside other ones which have been fine.

My Boden leggings from 4 years ago are still going strong.

White Stuff and me don't mix. I rarely buy from there now, but whenever I do I am reminded why I stopped. Most recent purchase frayed at the hem on the second wear.

I used to covet Ted Baker stuff so much, it was such high quality and mostly made of cotton etc.

Now they appear to sell mountains of shiny plastic handbags and flimsy polyester rags. I don't even look any more.

Boden Breton tops utter rubbish, thin see through fabric seams that twisted after a couple of washes, I had dishcloths that washed better😃