The main aspects that people notice when shopping for clothing are usually design, colour, fit, and price. These are the clearly visible aspects that can be noticed easily and without putting much effort, but what about those that determine quality? Such aspects require more attention, time, and knowledge. However, doing it can ensure that the clothing piece you are purchasing is actually going to last for years instead of weeks, and that is what most people expect for their money.
Fabric, cut, construction, and details – these are the main factors determining the quality of the clothing piece.
The fabric
The choice of the fabric is what determines whether the garment is going to pill, fade, and look worn-out after one season or even a few washes; therefore, you should always assess the fabric before buying your clothes.
First of all, check how thick the fabric is. While thin fabrics may be perfect for some styles, normally they indicate low quality and consequently low price. The fabric should be thick enough to hold out fine even if you were to wear the garment every single day.
Secondly, feel the fabric with your hands lightly stroking it, draping it, and even touching it to your bare skin. High-quality garments are usually made of natural fibres, such as cotton, wool, linen, silk, and others. If this is the case, when you touch the fabric, it will feel soft, smooth, and comfortable. However, if the fabric feels rough, thin, and brittle, it most likely is synthetic, such as polyester, acrylic, rayon or any other type of fabrics spun from plastics and unnatural materials.
Lastly, you should make sure that the weave of the fabric is tight and has no loose threads sticking out. The fabric does not necessarily have to be heavy to be of high quality, like some people think. Look for density instead – is it lightweight or not? As long as the yarns are packed tightly, the fabric will be durable.
The cut
Try the garment on and see how it fits. Cheap, low-quality garments are usually produced trying to use as little fabric as possible in order to save company’s money. Such an approach results in clothes with less room at the back or at the shoulders as well as too short sleeves and other negative factors that prevent the clothing piece drape and fit like it should.
High-fashion brands, on the other hand, use as many pieces as needed when they are producing the garment to achieve shape, design, and fit. It has to have a full movement allowance and fall nicely when on a body.
After putting the garment on, try to move in it as much as possible – sit down, stand up, and bend down. If you feel that something is not right and you are not 100% comfortable, just leave it. What you should be looking for is a cut that suits your body perfectly and serves you well in every step of your daily life.
The construction
The first thing that you should notice and that is the easiest to notice is fabric pattern line-up. If the clothing piece has a pattern or pin stripes, they must be matching at every seam. You should, at no occasion, wear mismatched clothing, unless it is an actual fashion statement.
Nevertheless, seams is a very important aspect when determining whether the garment is constructed well enough. Look over every seam and make sure they all lay flat and smooth without any puckering. Do not be afraid to flip the garment inside out. There is a saying that if the inside looks as good as the outside, the clothing piece is definitely of high-quality. Any unfinished or poorly finished seam is a sign of low quality, so you should avoid them in all cases. While overlocked seams are better, well-made high fashion garment will usually have flat-felled, French or – even better – bound seams.
Another aspect is the lining. Not all clothing pieces need it but the ones that do, they need it for a good reason. The lining actually prolongs the life of the clothing piece by providing some slip. It minimizes the stretch of the garment fabric when you keep on putting it on, taking it off, putting it back on, and moving in it. High-quality pieces usually do have linings in them whenever needed, so you can be sure that your garment will be kept from getting misshapen or baggy.
There is another small yet essential aspect to pay attention to when identifying the quality of the garment – buttonholes. Check them carefully and make sure that they have as much reinforcement as possible. Loosely stitched thread through which you can see the buttonhole’s raw edges marks poor quality and very questionable durability. High-quality clothing pieces have a very tightly stitched thread creating a little bit of stiffness to the reinforcement of the buttonhole.
The details often get overlooked because they are small and can sometimes seem unimportant, but the reality is different. Some of the details can even become the main factors that determine the quality of the whole garment.
All the problems in cheap garments start with plastic zippers. They are difficult to zip, they go off track more often, which is truly nerve-wracking, and they tend to wear out faster. However, high fashion brands usually choose metal zippers for their garments because they simply function better and are much more durable. So, do not cause yourself any stress or trouble and simply check whether the garment that you are about to purchase has metal zippers or not.
Buttons are also often forgotten when considering the quality of the garment, although it should be just the opposite. Imagine a jacket without buttons – that does not look very flattering, does it? The buttons have a big impact on the overall look of the garment, therefore, it is essential to make sure that the buttons of the garment don’t just look good but are of high-quality, too. Take a closer look to them and see if they appear well made and carefully sewn on. If so, take that clothing piece and own it.
In conclusion
In order to be happy and enjoy your garment long after purchasing it, you need to spare some of your time and effort to discover whether it is of high-quality or not. Remember that looks are not everything and details are more important than you might have thought.