What does it mean to buy clothes with a good cut?

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I feel a bit daft asking this but I am wanting to start shopping in more upmarket clothing shops and trying to stray from cheap primark type clothing. I see many of you mention finding clothing with a good cut so I'm wondering, what does this mean exactly? What makes an item well cut and what makes an item badly cut? I buy lots of clothes but have never spent much on a single item although I am happy to, I just don't want to buy crap from these upmarket shops which cost a lot when I can buy cheap crap from cheaper stores/supermarket ranges etc. Thanks :)

So hard to define. It's in the non quantifiable "swish". In the feeling at home and energised part of it. A well cut skirt will be cut on the bias, will feel comfy, will make you feel a million dollars.

A good cut will make the garment seem totally perfect for you! It will make the best out of what you have and flatter. Usually choice of quality fabric suitable for the garment, cut and style are paramount. You will know something is cut well when it fits, flatters and feels good. Not every well cut garment will be right for you so you need to take time to discover your style and what works but it will be fun discovering!

A well cut skirt could be a pencil skirt or A line, wrap or one with godets. It is not one style.

Try lots if things on if you can. If soomething's well cut and a good shape for you, you'll just feel good in it.

I find Karen Millen and Hobbes to have good cuts for my body type. This is entirely subjective of course. But I wear stuff from them I wouldn't dream of buying in other brands. They just seem to fit me right and make me feel good.

Thanks everyone, I get what you mean now about clothes just making you feel good. It looks like the future involves a lot of trying on clothes, sounds bloody brilliant

A student said to me a few months ago that his mum's best advice to him was if something doesn't make you feel AMAZING when you try it on, you should take it off and walk away. I thought this was an excellent tip and it has stuck with me. (This was in context, I don't just randomly ask for sartorial advice in my lectures.) I also totally agree that one woman's meat is another's poison. I bought a black midi skirt during Whistles 20% off the other week and - sorry to sound boastful - it looks really great on me. On the hanger it looks like nothing, but it just works. My friend tried it on at the same time and it looked like a totally different item on her - but she looks fantastic in things I would look like a sack of spuds in.

Great question but sorry, these answers don't make sense to me. Surely a "well cut" item has whatever quality that means in its own right. I take it to mean well designed style, good weight of fabric, hangs well etc. Surely it is not as simple as whether it suits you personally or not or is a 'good cut' for you; there has to be something intrinsically 'well cut' about it. Of course it is extra fantastic if it fits and suits you too. Then it becomes more than the sum of its parts, I guess!

Clothes with a good cut will hang properly. For me this is about fabric and construction and ghdn there's still fit. Good fabric in a good material. Weight scrunch composition. Also thickness.
In terms of cut. The seams- properly done so they lie flat and small stitching. So many seams gape now The plackets etc on shirts with the backs done in the shirt fabric not steam-on crap that gets thick and clumpy. Proper hems that give a skirt the right weight to hang well. Lined up patterns- although that's v expensive and on an easy dress I won't bother or go for plain. The length of dresses and skirts. Cheap shops are often just a tad short at least on me snd I'm not tall. Linings on work dresses. And is it just well made just basically . A balance in the garment no pulling in any direction because it's not lined up quite right.
There's also fit issues : where does shoulder, sleeve, hem sit on you. This can be adjusted Where's the dart in relation to your actual boobs.
God it's a wonderful I ever buy anything

I agree Minni, but without the technical knowledge 'feel' is a good place to start and the from there hopefully start to pick up what it is that makes them feel good and look for that e.g. fabric, well finished seams, shapes that suit.

A good cut isn't necessarily linked to high cost either. I have two Primark skirts that are perfect. Whenever I wear them people compliment me on then and are amazed that they are Primark. Sadly they are too tight on the waist at the moment but I hope if I keep doing the sit ups and crunches they will fit again one day.

I think its sometimes easier to ask "what is a bad cut?"

If you see knicker lines through it, if it clings to every bulge, if it makes you feel a bit insecure about an area you were mostly ok with 30 seconds ago, if it has those weird shoulder sticky-up dimples or just wont seem to "sit quite right" so you find yourself constantly tugging and pulling at it in the changing room, its a bad cut.

Basically OP, the human body is 3 dimensional, and fabric is 2 dimensional. It's quite a challenge to transform a bunch of flat pieces of cloth into a garment that fits and flatters the human form.

You'd think that fashion labels would have nailed it by now, but as fashion is always in flux, the cut of the garments in a collection will always be changing too. So each season there will be some styles that just "work".

In practical terms, I'd say that it's much easier to recognise a good cut in a woven garment. So a jumper, a tshirt, a knitted dress or a jersey skirt may look slouchy and cool, or soft and cosy or whatever, but is unlikely to inspire that "great cut" sort of response.

Whereas a perfectly fitting shirt, smart jacket or flattering tailored dress will give that smart, well-cut look. The shoulders of a garment are an area that can make or break the look - armholes are notoriously difficult to pattern-make and sew, but when it works, it'll make the whole outfit.

You know it when you see it. Basically, if the length/shape/fabric makes you look shit - avoid!