Tips To Spot Quality Clothing Like A Fashion Expert

Fast fashion brands are largely responsible for overflowing landfills and global pollution. As we become more aware of our destructive impacts on the environment, more consumers move to sustainable brands. With this, cheap, fast fashions are out, and sustainable, timeless styles are in. 

Sustainable fashions are high-quality pieces that can last for years if not decades. Moreover, because you won’t need to replace garments frequently, you will end up saving money on your clothing in the long run. So, if you’re switching to a more sustainable lifestyle and wardrobe, it’s crucial to know how to spot quality garments that won’t start falling apart after a few washes. But in today’s world of overwhelming consumer choice, it’s not that easy to distinguish a high-quality shirt from an inferior one. 

Here’s how you can spot quality pieces like a pro. 

Inspect The Stitching

You don’t need to be a professional seamstress or tailor to know when you’re looking at superior stitching. 

Inspect the seams inside the garment and ensure stitches are uniform and follow the relative pattern. If you notice inconsistencies in the stitching, the garment is inferior as it lacks the essential reinforcement required for long-lasting durability. 

Learn A Bit About Wool

When shopping around for winter essentials like cozy cardigans and chunky knit sweaters, you will need to know a bit about wool. High-quality wool fabrics will be tightly woven but not stiff. Moreover, quality wool will feel soft on the skin, while inferior wool will be a bit scratchy. 

YKK Zippers

YKK zippers are quality zippers that are easy to identify. The brand smelts YKK on the brass zipper that’s sometimes painted over. Unlike cheaper zippers that bend and become tacky over time, they outlast their garments. 

Look For Fabric Flaws

You don’t need to know all the different types of fabrics, how they’re made, and what they’re made from to identify quality fabrics. Often, the feel of the material defines its quality, as authentic silk feels far more luxurious than inferior synthetic sateen fabrics. 

Simply feel the garment’s fabric while inspecting it closely for fabric flaws such as pulled threads, looping, and other defects that tell of inferior quality. 

Gently Tug At Buttons

Another giveaway of inferior fashions is loosey-fastened buttons. If you’re shopping for a dress shirt, chino pants, or anything else with buttons, gently tug at each button to determine whether or not it is correctly fastened. 

If even one button on the garment slips forward and the thread loosens, you can be sure the garment won’t last longer than a few months. 

Shopping for high-quality pieces is easier than you might think. You can spot high-end clothing pieces like a pro by inspecting the stitching, looking for flaws in the fabric, and performing a quick touch test to determine the feel of the material. Once you know how to navigate the shops for quality, you can start supporting sustainable brands that really do uphold a cleaner fashion industry. 

Flush the Fashion

Editor of Flush the Fashion and Flush Magazine. I love music, art, film, travel, food, tech and cars. Basically, everything this site is about.