On The Issue of Buying Decent Quality Clothes

I have always been an advocate of 'quality over quantity', and this principle primarily guides what I buy for both my retail store and for personal use.  I strive to always buy the best quality 'I can afford'.  I say the 'The best quality I can afford',  because I know from experience that good quality does not  come cheap. But at every stage/ income level there is usually an attainable level of quality, if you know what to look out for.

I hardly ever shop online, this is because nothing gives a better assessment of quality than first hand investigation. When it comes to buying clothing, there are certain markers or cue I use to gauge the quality and fit of an outfit and online shopping cuts off the  opportunity to carry out this assessment. On the odd occasion I shop online however, then its a brand I'm familiar with and they have provided sufficient information for me to make the decision on buying.

When buying an outfit, even with the preliminary assessments of checking things like the feel of the fabric, the durability of the seams, and how well secured the buttons or fasteners are. I still go ahead and  fit all items on myself, or my  models just to be sure that they fit just right.

This is because I have learnt from experience that though an outfit may be trendy or even stylish, its fit and quality is what gives it that extra factor. Quality and fit is everything! really. They are ultimately what makes an outfit stand out from the others.  I'm not trying to be funny, but there certain brands that people rave about and when I go into these stores I cannot buy anything! simply because of how unappealing and clearly poorly made the clothes are.  Buying poorly made clothing might seem cheaper in the short term, but in the long term it turns out more expensive when you consider the frequency at which you buy and discard these items.

I certainly cannot afford the highest quality in the world, that kind of quality is very very expensive :). Even at that, I have come to realize that in this era of fast fashion, where most manufacturer are looking for a way to cut costs, one can find several levels of quality within a single garment. For Instance, an average to mid range clothes manufacturer would give good quality in certain areas of garment construction and then cut corners in others. So you find cases where an outfit is made of decent quality fabric but then have poor quality buttons, or a garment with decent quality fabric but bunching or poorly finished seams. The ability to note this differences and make your purchases based on the aspects of quality you consider most important makes for a more enjoyable buyers experience. 

I have learnt the ability to tell decent quality garment for the most part, from buying experience. I can instinctively spot a poor quality outfit when I see one. other ways I check for quality are first hand assessment like the look and feel of the fabric, how the garments sits/fits on the body, although this can sometimes be subject to the wearer. I also check for things like the look of the buttons/zippers, seams and if the garment is lined or not. 

These are some of the checks I perform to ensure a certain level of quality across the brand and consequently satisfy my customers.

As a consumer,  if quality is what you strive for, then certainly look out for some of the cues I have mentioned, I reckon an average fashion buyer can tell a poorly made garment when they see one, No? But if not, then I suggest you buy from brands you trust.  
Brands that are quality focused would always thrive to provide a decent level of quality to their customers. Also 'Read Care Instructions'! I constantly encourage my clients to do this, because no matter how well made a garment is, if not cared for appropriately, it would get damaged and that would not be the manufacturers fault. The care instruction is there for you to read and give some extra mileage to your clothes.

At the end of the day, how well our outfits last or stand the test of time  would ultimately be the final measurement of quality,  and teach us wether or not to go back to the brand.  Now school me, How do you test for quality? 

What I'm wearing -  Top- Ann Taylor ( available @ Dressed) || Tights  - Express || Pumps- Jessica Simpson || Necklace - Free Press via Nordstrom