S/O expensive clothes

[OhioMomof3]

What are the good brands of "expensive" clothes or the stores that you rely on for providing high-quality clothing that will last? I'm asking because I bought my daughter 2 pairs of dress slacks and 3 sweaters at the Loft outlet store this past year. The seams at the bottom of the pants' legs came out of both pair of pants within 2 wears and the bottom of the sweaters don't want to lay flat. I thought the Loft sold high-quality clothing, but my experience doesn't prove that. I would be interested in hearing your recommendations for both male and female clothing lines and/or stores. Thanks!

[TammyinTN]

I love Talbot's but they are expensive.  The quality seems very good to me.

 

[FaithManor]

Due to clothing manufacturers, both high end, middle, and the pits end, moving their factories overseas and essentially enslaving the people of these countries to make the clothing while cutting every corner possible to increase profits, I have to say that I haven't encountered all that many things that are just well made anymore. I do find that Nordstrom's clothes seem to last longer. Lands End as well. My mother in law swears by LL Bean, but their style of clothing doesn't appeal to me.

 

I am having okay success with ds's Levi 510 skinny jeans by washing them in cold on the delicate cycle, hanging them to dry, and then throwing them in the dryer on air fluff for 15 minutes with a dryer sheet. They are staying quite well.

 

For the most part, I've found that I can make things last longer if I wash it all no delicate, and hang it up for at least part of its drying process. It is a pain in the behind, but it really helps save the clothes. I hang NOTHING on the line anymore because even towels just aren't made to last and the beating sun wears cheaply made fabrics out rapidly. So essentially, my drying racks are my friends.

[MotherOfBoys]

Eddie Bauer fan here. The color lasts a long time. I like the petite, short, reg, tall pant choices. I can get the short and not have to hem. I'm 5'3 on a good day. The shirts are cool and fitted without being exposed.

[kroe1]

Tommy Bahama is all I have worn for years.

[Janie Grace]

Loft is weird. I have sweaters that are only a year old and are so worn and pilled. But I have skirts that look great, year after year. 

 

I like Talbots, too. White House Black Market seems pretty good quality; I have some pants from there that are lasting a long time

[gardenmom5]

clothing purchased at outlets may or may NOT have come from their retail stores.  those clothing items made specifically *for* outlets, are often inferior to that that would be carried in their actual stores.

[Janie Grace]

clothing purchased at outlets may or may NOT have come from their retail stores.  those clothing items made specifically *for* outlets, are often inferior to that that would be carried in their actual stores.

 

Hmmmm, this is a really good point. I didn't realize this. My pilled "Loft" sweaters were from a Loft outlet.

[Arcadia]

My clothes mainly come from outlets or Nordstrom Rack. My MIL was a seamstress to supplement family income. I have a few aunts who are great with tailoring, whether from scratch or alterations so they did it for me for free throughout my childhood as I was too skinny for store bought clothes.

 

What we did when buying was check the machining, how much extra material there is at the seams because some have tight margins which are bad when seams open up and fray. Hubby has learned to turn clothes inside out and check. We also check for consistent thickness of material, no "factory defects".

 

If you are looking at wrinkle free for example, scrunch up a portion and see how wrinkle free the material actually is.

 

For wool, Ralph Lauren outlet, Johns New York (from burlington coat factory), United Colors of Benetton (store), DKNY (from burlington coat factory) has lasted me more than 10 years of frequent cold weather use. My most costly was probably the long wool coat which was <$200 after sale in 1999.

 

Certain brands have cuttings that fit me and hubby better without need for altering. Quality is not consistent in the same brand and even in the same store e.g. JCrew, Brooks Brothers. We really have to check before buying to eliminate obvious defects.

[Bluegoat]

For kids clothes I have the best luck with Gap for longevity.  It's a bit pricey for us so I tend to shop the sale rack, but typically it lasts through several kids while remaining in good shape.

 

For me, I'm really still looking.  Pants and shirts that last are hard to find.  The things I have that have leasted best are from small producers.

[gypsymama]

I have had good success with Target, Old Navy and Children's Place for decent lower price clothing. For the kids I also like Hanna Andersson, Primary, and others. These clothes are usually picked up used to save money. I have had good success with Carters and Gymboree as well especially with babies. My oldest likes Justice and I am not really impressed with the brand but I wouldn't say it's bad either.

[MEmama]

For me: LL Bean, REI, Eddie Bauer, Athleta

For DS: he only wears activewear, so it depends. Gap and H&M make pants that fit him

For DH: work clothes mostly come from Banana Republic, otherwise LL Bean, REI, etc.

[Guest]

Talbots

 

 

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[Luckymama]

I like White House Black Market now. I've been shopping there for about 5 years (dresses, pants, tops, sweaters, jackets----some petite, some regular). Their shorts don't fit me so I buy those at Target lol

[monstermama]

I've had good luck for the basics at Uniqlo.  I have a few things from White House Black Market that have lasted as well as J Jill.

[gardenmom5]

My clothes mainly come from outlets or Nordstrom Rack. My MIL was a seamstress to supplement family income. I have a few aunts who are great with tailoring, whether from scratch or alterations so they did it for me for free throughout my childhood as I was too skinny for store bought clothes.

 

What we did when buying was check the machining, how much extra material there is at the seams because some have tight margins which are bad when seams open up and fray. Hubby has learned to turn clothes inside out and check. We also check for consistent thickness of material, no "factory defects".

 

If you are looking at wrinkle free for example, scrunch up a portion and see how wrinkle free the material actually is.

 

For wool, Ralph Lauren outlet, Johns New York (from burlington coat factory), United Colors of Benetton (store), DKNY (from burlington coat factory) has lasted me more than 10 years of frequent cold weather use. My most costly was probably the long wool coat which was <$200 after sale in 1999.

 

Certain brands have cuttings that fit me and hubby better without need for altering. Quality is not consistent in the same brand and even in the same store e.g. JCrew, Brooks Brothers. We really have to check before buying to eliminate obvious defects.

 

these are good points -

 

but sometimes the sleeve length is shorter, or cuts are slimmer, not as much "give" at stress points.  buttons aren't sewed on as well, etc.

[Ravin]

I shop for DD at secondhand stores mostly. Anything that makes it there isn't going to fall apart quickly, because if it was going to it already would have.

[stephanier.1765]

I shop for DD at secondhand stores mostly. Anything that makes it there isn't going to fall apart quickly, because if it was going to it already would have.

 

Me too. If an item is going to fade, pill, or shrink, it would have already done so. I look at it as a clothing test run.

[SamanthaCarter]

Not everyday clothes really, but I really like this company for countering the destructive nature of "fast fashion" and for getting a nicely made garment: www.matatraders.com

 

Probably the favorite brand I've come across for the kids is Belk's JKhaki line. They are well made and fairly easy to find in secondhand stores. 

Edited May 25, 2016 by SamanthaCarter

[OhioMomof3]

Thank you, everyone!

[Guest]

For the t-shirts I get, I found that for about the same price, Land's End have a better quality than I got at the Eddie Bauer outlet, from the Caslon line at Nordstrom and from the Liz Claiborne outlet.  Until recently I had a "uniform" that I wore every day, white long-sleeve t-shirts, jeans...and so I bought a LOT of white t-shirts over the years, but I think it was Arctic Mama that recommended the Land's End and I am a lot happier with them than with the others.  The others, the necklines stretched out much faster.  

 

The higher-end clothes I have in my closet are either from very small manufacturers which I doubt have a broadly known brand name or from J. Peterman (WHICH I only buy on the "last chance" sales prices, except I did get one skirt that I could not resist at the regular sale price.  They have some britches I lust after in every catalog, but they NEVER put them on sale.  Le sigh.

 

Thinking about this thread gave me a little insight about my buying patterns...  I don't have a LOT of clothes (one rack in a small walk-in closet) but the ones I have that are high-end, I got in shops in Honolulu or Cannon Beach.  Huh.  Maybe I'm a little more relaxed about spending on vacations...and maybe it is when I take the time to really look around.  But maybe this is part of it:  in resort/tourist areas one can find shops run by individuals who have a particular "eye" for a style I like, or who are willing to work with smaller manufacturers who do better work, or can make one-off decisions about the quality of product they offer (that really doesn't happen in large or chain stores).  It's not that every store in a tourist/resort area will be like this...there are far more Print Your T-Shirt shops--but I just realized that I managed to find a store I really like, one that sells good quality clothing, in Paia, Honolulu, Boulder, and Cannon Beach.  (The only downside of shopping in a resort area is that what looks great on Maui can look pretty stupid in Seattle...so I've had to learn THAT lesson, too.)

 

Looking back, I realize that most of the clothing I have *loved* has come from these small shops (or from small, very focused catalogs).  There was one store in Boulder that both my dh and I loved.  The store itself was smaller than my downstairs living area, but everything in there was great.  And the owner *knew* us...so when I would go in to look for something, she knew my size, my tastes, and what I had in my closet, so she would match for me.  I could even buy shirts and ties for my very picky dh because SHE knew his tastes better than I did.  That store made it awfully easy for BOTH of us to buy birthday presents!  

 

 

[Guest]

Talbots, White House/Black Market, LL Bean, Lands End, Athleta. Nordstrom, but I rarely shop there.

 

But I also agree with Ravin; second-hand clothes that look decent are a very safe bet.

 

I don't buy "fast fashion" stuff anymore for myself.

[kewb]

I think lands end quality really tanked when sears bought them.

 

Eddie Bauer and LL Bean are still decent quality. As is Nordstrom's and Neiman Marcus. Although I only shop there for special items.

 

I love my long tail tank tops from Duluth trading but their quality is also not the same from a couple of years ago. Same tank purchased recently is thinner than the one purchased two years ago.

[HomeAgain]

Talbots and Boden are beautifully made.  LL Bean tends to shrink, but Land's End - I have kids' clothes from there that are fabulous.

 

The one place I will never order from again is Loft.  They sent me a pair of pants that was so shoddily made that one of the pockets had a reversed seam.  The waist was a good two inches bigger than the other pants I had from them.  And then when I sent them pictures and asked for a refund I was given no apology and told to ship them back on my own dime for a partial refund.  No.  It was such a bad experience that I have yet to even look at any Anne Taylor clothes again.  It doesn't matter if it was a freak lack of quality control at the factory - their customer service made it clear that customers are not worth keeping.

 

[Ausmumof3]

clothing purchased at outlets may or may NOT have come from their retail stores. those clothing items made specifically *for* outlets, are often inferior to that that would be carried in their actual stores.

Oh yes and the fancier shops here often get in cheaply made shirts etc specifically for the end of year clearance sales.

[SamanthaCarter]

Talbots and Boden are beautifully made.  

 

Boden. <swoon>

 

I look through the catalog cover to cover every-time it comes before I throw it away. I've never actually bought anything from them. Sigh.

[JulieA97]

I have a black dress from Talbots that has lasted 6+ years and still looks brand new. Wear it to church, funerals, parties, pretty much everywhere with various accessories or tops in all seasons. My son poured an entire bottle of lotion on it, dry cleaned it and still looks new. Its about the only thing I have from there and splurged buying the dress but I have certainly gotten my money's worth!

[snickerplum]

Some clothes are just cheaply and poorly made, but quite a bit of making things last longer is how you care for them. I took a (overly) in-depth fabrics college class where I learned more than I cared to know about caring for fabrics. :-) I do not have the time to spend on garment care like I'd like to, but you can take a well made garment and ruin it by how you launder and store it.

That being said...

I'll second the votes for Boden, Talbots, Eddie Bauer, and J Jill. I used to like Lands End a lot, but I've found some of their things to be hit and miss lately.

Also, Hanna Andersson for both children and adults last very well! I had a Hanna dress that seemed indestructible. April Cornell items are all made, but not everyone's taste. :-)

This is a helpful and interesting thread.

[Mom-ninja.]

What are the good brands of "expensive" clothes or the stores that you rely on for providing high-quality clothing that will last? I'm asking because I bought my daughter 2 pairs of dress slacks and 3 sweaters at the Loft outlet store this past year. The seams at the bottom of the pants' legs came out of both pair of pants within 2 wears and the bottom of the sweaters don't want to lay flat. I thought the Loft sold high-quality clothing, but my experience doesn't prove that. I would be interested in hearing your recommendations for both male and female clothing lines and/or stores. Thanks!

 

Clothing is now made especially for the outlet stores. They are of different quality than what is in the regular store. So something you buy at Loft outlet is usually going to be of lesser quality. I have read about this in various places, and found it to be true by my own experience. This goes for all outlet stores with the exception of Nordstrom Rack.  

[OhioMomof3]

This has been so helpful. I didn't know that clothing was made just for the outlet, but that could explain the shoddy garments I purchased at Loft outlet. I am excited to have some new store recommendations. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

[magnificent_baby]

I have Dress Barn clothing that has lasted for years and still vibrant colors after many washings. I also buy second hand, such as older Gap clothing which seems to also hold up really, really well. I'm not sure if their newer items are made to last; I went in looking for their 'super soft' line of long sleeve tops to replace the second hand ones I've worn for years (and still look fairly new) and everything in the store looked so thin and cheaply made. I didn't buy anything. Not super impressed with Land's End bathing suits that I spent a lot of money on for my daughter, they faded terribly in one season. 

Edited May 26, 2016 by magnificent_baby

[Arcadia]

Bloomingdale outlets get season overruns from the store. Now the outlet near me has plenty of dressy gowns and winter coats. Somehow they tend to have a rack of Burberry coats that has Bloomingdale store returns tags evey year.

 

Some stores would have tags that say made for outlet on bags, clothes and shoes.

[KungFuPanda]

I've had good luck at Nordstrom Rack.

[trulycrabby]

Eileen Fisher, Talbots.

[redsquirrel]

What are the good brands of "expensive" clothes or the stores that you rely on for providing high-quality clothing that will last? I'm asking because I bought my daughter 2 pairs of dress slacks and 3 sweaters at the Loft outlet store this past year. The seams at the bottom of the pants' legs came out of both pair of pants within 2 wears and the bottom of the sweaters don't want to lay flat. I thought the Loft sold high-quality clothing, but my experience doesn't prove that. I would be interested in hearing your recommendations for both male and female clothing lines and/or stores. Thanks!

 

Outlet clothes are specifically made for the outlet. They are generally of very poor quality. Stuff that is sold in the outlets is not stuff that is leftover from the regular store. It's just another way for the brand to sell their brand.

 

If I buy from outlets I consider it to be of the same quality as Target. I might luck out and get an outlet item that is a step above Target level, but I don't expect it. 

 

I got my son 2 pairs of outlet Levi jeans and 2 pairs from some other store, all in August. They were, in theory, the same jeans. The 2 from the outlet store didn't make it to Christmas. They frayed in the crotch (He's so skinny his thighs don't touch, so I don't know how they frayed there) and got holes.  The other two pairs, non-outlet, are still going strong.

 

You will have better luck getting on the email list of a store you like and getting notified of sales.  I have had very good luck with Lands End and Talbots with that...but you get at least one email every single day.

[Paige]

I won't shop at Loft anymore or Ann Taylor, outlet, or not. I've been too disappointed in the quality of almost everything bought within the last 2 years. I've made purchases from all of them and the quality seems to have approached that of Old Navy. I used to love them about 10yrs ago!

 

For myself, I mostly buy Old Navy or Target if I'm feeling cheap, or mostly thrift/second hand stores if I want something nicer. I look for pricey, boutique type labels and well known designers that I can't afford new. I also like some Lands End, Athleta, White House/Black Market, and places like REI. 

 

It's not that I love Old Navy or Target either, but for basic things, if it's going to be cheap quality I don't want to pay $$$. 

 

Edited May 27, 2016 by Paige

[Annie G]

I've learned so much from this thread- thanks!

 

It's annoying to hear that outlet stores often sell lower quality items.  It seems crazy to risk a company's good name by putting their name on poor quality clothes. 

 

I cringed the first time I bought a pair of Athleta yoga pants but over a  year later they look brand new even though I wear them a few times a week. At the same time I bought my usual yoga pants from Kohl's and after a few months those were looking baggy and worn.  

 

Sometimes you get what you pay for when you bite the bullet and buy quality...but it's not as easy as looking at the price tag.