Can most people really tell expensive clothes from good high street pieces?

[pontipinemum]

I'm listening to an audiobook at the moment and the main character talks about her clothes a lot. About how expensive clothes look better etc.

Now I am absolutely NOT a fashionist by any stretch.

I am wondering though can others tell the difference? I'm not talking about really cheap shein clothes etc. Or really unusually designed dresses.

But say a regular clothing item like this Chanel pull over, it is nice but I absolutely would not be able to tell if it was $3,500 or if it was £40 from Marks and Spencer

https://www.chanel.com/us/fashion/p/P82481K11949UA790/pullover-wool-silk/

It depends on the item for me. There’s designer items that are not particularly well made but which are trading on the name. At the same time the standard for high street fashion has gone down. A lot of it is sloppily made or takes shortcuts. That said some of those shortcuts are hidden. I could see them if I had a proper look at the garment, like how the seams are done, but not when it’s on. Less expensive items have all sorts of choices made in the design stage to simplify them and make them quicker and easier to sew with less experienced sewists.

i can knit and sew and have experience with textiles, so I can spot the difference between a well made item and one that isn’t.

Also, fit is key. If you splash out on expensive items you should also be paying to have them properly altered to fit if necessary. Not true for knitwear, of course, but anything tailored. It used to be that a less expensive item could be made to look better with some alterations from a tailor, but fewer and fewer mid market items are made well enough to do it now. And honestly some expensive clothes won’t look it when they don’t fit properly.

No, most people can’t. My DD worked in the industry for ten years and could tell you at forty paces whether something is Chanel or M and S.

You’re very self-effacing, @WhereverIlaymycatthatsmyhome.

Huh?I said it was no where near desginer, the whole point of my post was differentiating the two

But why? Of course Studio Nicholson is a designer brand.

Oh my bad, it was me who misread, sorry.

no I don’t see it as a designer brand. I see the likes of Chanel, lv etc as designer, but that could just be my definition as. I see the likes of studio Nicholson at a much lower price point than say Gucci, I get your point though, but I don’t see it as designer any more than I see me and em as designer,

A lot of clothes at High Street budget are grim, the material, cut, colour. But you do get the occasional gem. I bought three cropped sleeve cardigans from H & M last year. Every single time I wear them I get complimented on my cashmere cardigans, particularly the cream one. I bought that one first and because of how luxe it looked and I got a camel one and a grey one. They are things I would keep for years. Elegant. One colleague said, you can tell when it’s good cashmere. Mmm. 100% plastic.

One thing that jars on cheaper clothes is when they don’t line the stripes up or the checks up between the front and back seams. That screams production line to me, no care and attention. Even if I love the item I can’t buy it if they have not lined them up.

Fitted and bespoke look different. But labels are just that: the clothes are knocked out of factories in the far east just like cheaper but decent brands. The high price of ‘designer’ is the name alone.

It was Untamed Street - they were these ones

https://www.untamedstreet.com/products/women-distressed-buffalo-leather-lace-up-boots-brown-avery-23031?_pos=1&_sid=a0dae8a7b&_ss=r

They have a lot of other styles snd colours.

I think I had to size up iirc

Blake stitch is more difficult to resole, not everywhere has the right equipment. Would always go for GYW for expensive boots myself, much harder wearing & better in wet conditions

I can always tell the difference. Hugh street items never ever look 'high end' no matter what people choose to believe.

I know someone who works in formal wear, and they say that they could commission a million jackets, for different level clients, and it would mainly be things like the zoos and button used and seam edging which would distinguish different price points on the exact same item. The fundamental jacket is probably them same.

You are absolutely right that High Street standards havegone down. IMO it's mainly in the pattern cutting and design. They no longer use darts to make women's blouses fit around the bust and waist. Darts are hard to get right and without them, they can hire cheaper, less experienced machinists.

I remember having gorgeous, well tailored tops from the High Street in 1980s and 90s. these days it's all shapeless blocks.

I have recently had an opportunity to compare 100% genuine tat (😅) side by side with designer items. My DD wanted to decorate her bag and I won’t be buying Hermès silk and bag charms for a young teen who is and wants to be carefree about her items.

So I bought a few ribbons on Ali and a couple of charms she chose (such a a leather croissant) I have several Hermès scarves in various formats and a couple of bag charms from Zadig & Voltaire which I don’t consider high end but kind of midrange.

The difference in quality is very noticeable up close, and the ribbons that were supposed to be 100% silk are most definitely polyester. The charms are sturdy but not detailed and also not leather (even though the description said leather, not PU leather or whatever crap is used nowadays for plastic). I can post side by side photos is someone is interested.

At the same time the difference in price was 100-fold. It was my first purchase on Ali and it will be my last, I don’t support the business model. But it’s increasingly obvious that the price gap between expensive, good quality clothes and cheap, badly made clothes is growing and the actors in the middle are being pushed into one of the sides.

That’s the thing … If I’m looking at two pairs of trousers, one costing £50 and one £500, I will be able to see that the more expensive pair are objectively ‘better’ - in fabric, cut, design, finishing, craft - but I may not think they’re exactly ten times better. But ten times more is what I’m going to be charged to access the level of quality I want.

(Which is when I consider the options - sales, outlets, pre-owned, etc, etc. I do sometimes wonder if luxury brands start with a ridiculously high price because they know 80% of their stock will eventually be sold at a discount.)

I confess to buying some designer dupes on AliExpress.

One pair was 40 quid compared to 300 (the chunky Ganni flats everyone had a couple of years ago) and one was 60 compared to 900 (Chloe Rylee boots). I've since bought them secondhand, but a different style so not exactly comparable.

The dupes were PU instead of leather, and up close you could tell. They weren't as comfortable either, but as neither of these pairs are for long walks or daily wear it doesn't matter. The Ganni ones were also available in vegan leather which was indistinguishable from the cheap AliExpress

I remain conflicted tbh!

Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s good. Lots of luxury brands are making cheaper swaps and adding polyester blends. Structure and cut of jackets, coats and trousers have slowly started to decline at some fashion houses too. They are finding ways to cut corners slowly without people noticing.

It’s always about fabric composition and if the item is pressed and clean and fits well. To me, that looks far more expensive, even if it isn’t.

credentials are I worked in luxury fashion up until recently so saw this decline first hand!

I would be amazed if anyone who opens a Style & Beauty thread needs to be told that Just because something is expensive doesn’t mean it’s good.

Surely no one here is dim enough to think that?

An item being clean, ironed and fitting well doesn't make it look 'expensive'. Let's not pretend otherwise.

Surely no one here is dim enough to think that?

Oh but there is. 🙈

Well I also said fabric composition too as the first and most important piece.

I don’t know why that link was quoted.

This is MN.... I can't imagine anyone genuinely uses this forum for advice on style though. 😂

There are a couple of regular posters who really know their stuff but generally you’re right. I see some recommendations and my thoughts would get me banned.