I quit clothes shopping!

[PoppyBaxter]

Has anyone else given up on clothes shopping because of how god awful everything is in the shops?

I have 'fast fashion' items in my wardrobe from 15 years ago from shops like Warehouse, H&M and New Look, which I still wear because they were so thick and decently made.

I've tried on clothes from numerous shops over the last couple of years - both fast fashion and more expensive - trying to find a few nice bits worth wearing. Everything is utter shite. Fabric is so thin. There are loose threads. Buttons come off during the first wear. Everything is so oversized and shapeless with hideous tiers. I ordered an M&S cashmere jumper dress (£120) and when it arrived it looked like a crumbled old rag so I sent it back. I treated myself to a couple of cashmere jumpers from JL (£89 each) and they're severely bobbled after only 2 months. The thinnest, see-through, poorly fitting tshirt, with twisted seams is £45 from any half-decent brand.

I SO want a few new bits for my spring and summer wardrobe, but just can't find anything worth buying. I'm thinking about how I can mix up and restyle what I already own and making do. Anyone else?

Yes I bought a dress from Sezanne last year and it's the only thing I've been impressed with in a long time.

I have to admit that I've made a bet with myself to only buy second hand or things made in the UK this year (I'm excluding underwear and sports gear for now)

I've bought one thing so far this year

I'm with you OP.

I also don't really have time for the buy, try on, return nonsense.

I'm definitely sounding old but I miss the high street. I could immediately discount anything where the material felt cheap or thin or lightweight. Or the colour wasn't quite the shade that I wanted. Instead it's just cost me about £10 for postage and returns to try on a dress in three sizes, and I'm not even sure the one that fits is all that great.

Since having kids I don't really know what my style is and I don't really have the time for all the online shopping admin, only to discover the quality is rubbish anyway.

I will also try the shops that the other poster suggested, but I struggle with being short so trousers are almost always too long from those shops that assume everyone is over 6 foot!

Honestly, in the whole history of the world there has never been so much to choose from. Too much, in fact. I guess that’s why people seem to be clinging helplessly to what they already know.

You need to be more adventurous in your searching.

Though it’s perfectly fine to stop buying clothes if that suits you best.

I am finding Uniqlo is ticking a lot of boxes for me at the moment. It's plain but it means everything goes together, it's modern but not trendy, it all goes in the washing machine and I don't have to iton any of it

Thats a great challenge and I bet you're discovering some interesting new brands!

I buy vintage stuff from Vinted and eBay. Much better quality and selection.

I always think of Uniqlo only fir sweatshirts and tshirts, but I'll look at what else they do.

Do you not find that it's mostly low quality though?

The book "Less" by Patrick Grant is a real eye opener for how this has happened.

Yes you're right. I lean in to JL a lot because I can get deliveries sent to my local Waitrose and return things easily! I do need to branch out!

I think I was hoping to avoid developing an expensive Sezanne habit, but may have no alternative!

How do you find sizing and making sure it fits?

Yes the returns process can be like a second job! I just don't have the time or inclination for it.

Yes.
Over past 20 years, they went down with quality as well.
Sometimes I think how far can stuff get - for example, with "shrinkflation".
When is it gonna become a norm to pick up your chocolate bar with tweezers? 😆

I used to love clothes shopping on the high street but have found so many shops have shut down and of the ones that haven't the quality is terrible/ shrink to half the size after one wash.

Like a few pps here I'm now everything buying secondhand off Vinted, typically I look for older clothes from brands like Warehouse and TopShop as the older stuff lasts. (I still wear a TopShop cardigan on a weekly basis that I bought in 2010 and it's still in really good condition). Only exceptions are underwear and swimwear.

The market for me i know its all knock off but its cheap.
I got 3 pairs of shorts and 3 t-shirts yesterday for 15 baht.

Do you not find that it's mostly low quality though?

No. I almost never encounter low quality items - because I’m an experienced and meticulous shopper. (Mostly online this century, after about four decades of energetic shopping in person in the last century.)

Agreed. This comes up on a weekly basis. I almost wish I had the problem of not being able to find anything.

When is it gonna become a norm to pick up your chocolate bar with tweezers?

Now that's a complaint I can get on board with.

I've not bought new in years... charity shops and vinted. Although some charity shops are incredibly expensive now. More expensive than cheaper high street shops like New Look / H&M.

A couple of thoughts: I used to moan often and long about the state of 'real' shops, and I'm sure I'll be doing it again before long. However I haven't been able to get out or travel much recently and it's really made me appreciate being able to browse online and have things delivered to the door. Even a gentle walk to the drop off hasn't felt as onerous.

There are downsides for sure: after all these years of dressing myself, I'm still not great at gauging size or quality without feeling and trying on. Also I'm more risk averse than when I could just pick something up in a style I wasn't sure about and head for the changing room. It's easy to get into a rut now. But against that, I've come round to thinking that having the same shops and clothes at your fingertips whether you live in Kensington or Crapsville UK is actually pretty amazing.

Second thought: If your main reference point is the high street from around 15 years ago, i.e. before or shortly after the banking crash, then may I gently suggest that those were crazy, credit fuelled years that aren't coming back.

You need a trip to a local independent boutique in a well-to-do small market town!

They often stock unusual brands, you can feel the quality and see the colour, they have changing rooms, the sales assistants help you and suggest things to go with what you've chosen. Items do often cost more but you need fewer high quality things.

It needs to be an affluent town though!
If you say roughly where you live, posters might be able to help you.

Honestly, I feel exactly the same way. I'm also short and just not the 'right' size/shape for the clothes on offer. Even when I was much slimmer, it was difficult because of the length. Petite ranges have made things slightly better but I still find clothes shopping painful.

I agree that the quality of the fabrics now just feel cheap and nasty a lot of the time. Even though the price tag doesn't necessarily reflect this.

Although I am interested to read which clothes shops are suggested on this thread. I feel very out of touch with what's out there but willing to give other shops a go.