https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 05 Apr 2026 07:06:11 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season/page/2#post-2058495 Fri, 06 Sep 2019 16:51:26 +0000 Roberta 2058495@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It's interesting to me that gear and gear-adjacent clothing is a clear winner. I have Title Nine dresses, pants, and skirts that won't quit. They're a wee bit too sporty for work wear - but IDEAL for travel and casual wear. Athleta's clothes are equally well-made but too monochromatic for me. Title Nine is their colorful sister.&nbsp;</p> <p>I wish I could fully endorse Lands End and L L Bean, but I find their clothing quality uneven (just like J Crew). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058445 Fri, 06 Sep 2019 14:04:38 +0000 Angie 2058445@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>YES to Talbots, <b>Roberta.</b></p> <p><b>Jenn, </b>with you on EF's&nbsp;inconsistent&nbsp;quality. Same&nbsp;with Vince.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Roxanna</b>, YES to Sandro and Club Monaco.&nbsp;</p> <p>Gear brands tend to be VERY good quality - The North Face, Patagonia, Arc'teryx. Just not my cuppa tea.&nbsp;</p> <p>Also putting a plug in for Nordies house brand Zella. The items I've bought get a hot yoga beating and washing - and are still going strong.</p> <p>Banana Republic's JAPAN collection is sublime.<b></b> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058358 Fri, 06 Sep 2019 02:54:18 +0000 Roberta 2058358@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know they're not terribly exciting, but Talbot's still has excellent quality and nice fabrics for the price. Their garments are not as tailored as in past years, no covered button holes, no welt pockets, but they still do some really nice things. I feel lucky that Boden suits me so well, because nothing this side of the Atlantic is that interesting (to me) AND well made. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058357 Fri, 06 Sep 2019 02:48:27 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 2058357@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>+1 to Duluth Trading. I continue to be impressed with all of Target's brands for the price. Eddie Bauer. Man, I have turned into such a boring, practical dresser. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058339 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 23:46:32 +0000 Style Fan 2058339@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Elizabeth Suzann gets rave reviews from so many people.&nbsp; I am always looking at her website.&nbsp; One day. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058264 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:30:21 +0000 Roxanna 2058264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a passionate subject for me! I LOVE to Marvel at quality, and it's something I consistently appreciate and can't help but focus on. Like shevia, this is why I'm buying more secondhand than ever - or stores like Winners.</p> <p>Brands that are usually a good bet for me: Theory, Vince, Rag and Bone, club Monaco, Sandro. That's it. Most of the mall brands have all degenerated into hit or miss quality and I refused to take chances there anymore. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058263 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 17:27:41 +0000 Jenn 2058263@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b></b>My dress from&nbsp;<b>Elizabeth Suzann&nbsp;</b>has been fantastic. Highest quality silk in my wardrobe by a mile. I've also been happy with my pieces from &nbsp;<b>Fossil</b>, <b>AllBirds</b>,&nbsp;<b>Athleta, Frye&nbsp;</b>and&nbsp;<b>Duluth Trading Co.</p> <p></b>I have some fit and style issues with&nbsp;<b>Boden,&nbsp;</b>but quality has been great on the pieces I have.<br /><b><br /></b><b></b>I have to <b>disagree</b>, sadly, with the common consensus on <b>Eileen Fisher</b>. After tracking my wears for several years, I've found Eileen Fisher's quality to be widely varied. I've had particularly bad luck with their knitwear, most of it not lasting much past 30 wears, if it even gets there. My jersey tank dress has almost disintegrated after only 20-something wears. I had to repair a hole in a pair of lightweight linen pants to make it past the 30-wear mark. My Italian cashmere cardigan (thankfully, bought at the Rack on deep discount) developed holes in the seams in a single season. I've had better luck with most woven items, including heavier linen, wool, and silk. Their polyester fabrics are also surprisingly wearable and hold up well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058259 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 16:54:15 +0000 JAileen 2058259@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The things I’ve bought lately have been gear. Who impresses me? Patagonia and Arc’teryx. It’s not just the quality of the materials, but also the design details.</p> <p>An old favorite is Eileen Fisher. I think the quality is out of this world. Whoever said their things looked like they were designed for museum docents, thank you! I laugh every time that comes to mind. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058257 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 16:53:57 +0000 Kate 2058257@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Marvel, no. But COS regularly delivers quality fabrics &amp; construction and interesting silhouettes, so I’m a loyal customer. Aritzia generally delivers on wool sweaters and structured trousers. I give Uniqlo high marks for its 100% cotton tees from the Uniqlo U line, its 100% merino wool sweaters, and the interesting silhouettes in general from the Uniqlo U line. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058252 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 16:34:49 +0000 Suz 2058252@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I feel as if I am qualified to express some opinions on this after a day spent browsing the new wares (and consignment offerings).&nbsp;</p> <p>What I observed: <b>J. Crew </b>quality in the store was very mixed. I used to find them quite reliable, at times even excellent&nbsp; (even 2 years ago) and I still have many older J. Crew items going strong in my closet. But I feel there has been a drop in standards overall, although some select items looked reasonable.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Banana Republic</b>: I was disappointed with most of what I saw. I tried on a mid-coat, for instance, but the fit was poor and the quality of the wool blend was scratchy and not nice. I'll do a post about it later on if I can. I also tried on a few knits and may purchase one because for the (sale) price it may give decent value for money. We don't have the Japan exclusive line in Canada, which disappointed me, because it looks terrific.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Aritzia:</b> Mixed, with some nicer looking items, but others with loose threads hanging, icky fabrication, etc. I won't rule them out, but I won't rule them in, either. Also, I am apparently invisible to all SAs in their stores, which can be both good and bad, depending. ;)&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Club Monaco</b>: The quality looked great, actually. I didn't try anything on, but I liked the look of quite a few of the offerings more than I've liked their lines for the past few years. The stuff looked more wearable again.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Zara</b>: The store, as usual, was a disaster. In the past I've had surprisingly good luck with some Zara items, but the ones I bought this year disintegrated on me really quickly. I <b>did</b> get tremendous wear from the pants, but still...I'm going to think hard before returning there for anything this season, especially now that I have better consignment options for the types of wildcard or "fun" items I might previously have sourced there.&nbsp;</p> <p>I also went into <b>The Bay</b> and <b>Nordstrom'</b>s. The Bay, at 6:30 pm on a week night in downtown Vancouver, was a ghost town. I was the ONLY person in The Room. I was actually almost the only person on the entire floor (including SAs, ha!) </p> <p>The stuff in the Room (everything from Balmain and Emporio Armani to Rag and Bone) was uniformly GORGEOUS and stunning quality. Also, very very pricey. I have always loved looking at extremely high end clothes though, because even if I can never buy something like this, I get to know what great construction looks like.&nbsp;</p> <p>Moving on, I also viewed lines like Theory, Sandro, Maje, Eileen Fisher, etc. etc. Quality in these lines also looked terrific, but again, the price point is higher than most of us here on this forum are able or willing to pay on a regular basis. And I tried on a Theory blazer that had a big fat obvious flaw on it -- a rough and ragged patch as if something had shredded it! That surprised me.&nbsp;</p> <p>Nordstrom carries many of the same higher end lines. Their lower end house brand stuff looked like exactly that. It compared with the BR and maybe J. Crew, and did not wow me at all. The store was a bit busier but people were not necessarily buying. They were eating/ drinking, and browsing.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058188 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 12:05:33 +0000 anchie 2058188@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can’t say that I had lots of issues with quality. Except few Zara sweaters, which was kind of expected, everything is holding up pretty good. I rarely have to replace something because it is worn or have some other quality issue, but mostly because it doesn’t fit or I am bored with it. And I wash everything - even dry clean only items. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058186 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:48:35 +0000 anne 2058186@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In Australia, and I have had great longevity for a reasonable price from Portmans (knits and one zip front dress, the exceptions) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058182 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 10:49:43 +0000 Kathie 2058182@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shevia- that would be fascinating, to see what brands have stood out as second-hand, and maintained a place in your closet.</p> <p>My list is similar to others- MM.LaFleur for work clothes, Scotch &amp; Soda and COS (especially knitwear) to add an element of fun/avante garde, and Halogen, AT, BR for basics (but, for these latter three, being selective, since the quality is so variable.) For shoes, Dansko’s, Fly London, Paul Green, and, I’ve been very impressed with Jeffrey Campbell, relative to the price point. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058133 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 02:20:02 +0000 Jaime 2058133@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>When I first became engaged with my wardrobe 12 or so years ago, I turned to thrifting and second hand shopping because I could not afford the interesting, quality items that appealed to me. Although I love a good vintage piece, most of my wardrobe is not <i>vintage</i>, it is <i>second hand</i>, often pretty current. I have a pair of Frame split hem denim that I brought home this summer that I believe is still available in stores. I also find local brands are priced more realistically and in line with their quality. The costs of wide distribution and marketing are not factored in I suppose. I should survey my closet and see what the break down is in terms of brands.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058130 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 02:14:29 +0000 Sal 2058130@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am very happy with gear quality - Lululemon, Asics, Nike, Underarmour.&nbsp; Money per wear it becomes very cheap.</p> <p>I have been relatively happy with jeans recently - Nobody, Country Road and Just Jeans own brand.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Recently two Noanoa pieces are beautifully made but it is too early to really comment as they are only months old.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058119 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:45:03 +0000 bj1111 2058119@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Athlete—new to me and very very impressed with their workmanship and their guarantee.</p> <p>Ef is too expensive for me even full price. I’m not hard on clothes and can get the same look for much less at similar quality from cos—which I love.</p> <p>Skinnies from old navy, best $14 I’ve spent every time I get a pair. Colors don’t run or fade, do not bag and make my ass look golden. On the other end of the price spectrum, jeans from Judy Rosen also have magical ass properties, thick denim, made by hand in nyc.</p> <p>Mostly I’ve been buying Prada, Vince and Stella McCartney in consignment or outlet. Someone else has taken the depreciation and I get a piece that is (almost) new for a price-to-value ratio that is acceptable to me.</p> <p>Also massimo dutti—hubs has two pairs of pants we sourced from Madrid when Air France lost our luggage. Still going strong 10 years later. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058118 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:40:31 +0000 Becky 2058118@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Costco stuff. Either the Kirkland brand or other brands they carry. The Felina underwear I bought from Costco 4 years ago are still going strong. I didn't know underwears last that long! Same with Kirkland camisoles. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058115 Thu, 05 Sep 2019 01:15:17 +0000 Preppy Pear 2058115@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, I forgot to add Athleta. I am very hard on my gear and Athleta holds up very well for me. I love their swimsuits, tights and tanks. Big range of sizes, too. High-quality, comfortable and flattering - not cheap, but I would say the quality certainly matches more expensive brands like Lululemon IME. And if it doesn’t, they stand behind it - great return policy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058089 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 21:50:12 +0000 nuancedream 2058089@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Finding quality clothing at affordable price points is becoming more difficult. That is one of main drivers for me to seek out consignment/thrift/vintage shops for higher quality items. These are brands that have earned my loyalty: Club Monaco, Madewell, Theory, Pilcro and the Letterpress, AG jeans. Ted Baker (clothing &amp; shoes), Fly London and AGL shoes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058084 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:57:31 +0000 Angie 2058084@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>YES to Pendleton, <b>Anna</b>! Absolutely.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058083 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:47:18 +0000 notsaf 2058083@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>A few brands I like are mostly online: Brass, Everlane, Cuyana, MM La Fleur. I have multiple pieces from each of those brands that have lasted years.</p> <p>For shoes, Aquatalia can't be beat, and I am super impressed with a new pair from Margaux.</p> <p>I think Theory is still making good clothes too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058081 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:41:15 +0000 annagybe 2058081@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Like Angie, Scotch &amp; Soda<br /> I wish the Banana Republic Japanese line expanded their sizing upward, because it looks so cool<br /> Some Gap stuff is decent<br /> And yeah I’m beating a dead horse, I’m still very happy with Pendleton </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058080 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:36:46 +0000 Style Fan 2058080@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I seem to find good quality items at <b>Lululemon</b>.&nbsp; All of my pieces from them are going strong after lots of wear.&nbsp; My On The Fly Pants look like new and must be at least 2 years old.<br /><b>Sandwich </b>is a label that works really well for me.&nbsp; The quality is excellent and the fit is perfection.&nbsp; I wore a 10-year-old jacket today from Sandwich and it is still going strong.&nbsp; I just bought a new jacket from them.&nbsp; It looks like the quality is still just as good.<br />My <b>Levis </b>are hanging in after being worn many times.&nbsp; I bought them several years ago and they still look great.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />My <b>Frame</b> jeans are also looking good.&nbsp; Different price point than the Levis!<br />The <b>Jesse Kamm</b> pants are indestructible.&nbsp; After 3 years they are looking exactly the same as when I bought them.&nbsp; Exactly the same.&nbsp; I think the canvas is softer.&nbsp; I am not planning on buying another pair.&nbsp; They are nice though.<br /><b>Three Dots</b> T-Shirts are great.&nbsp; Mine have lasted for years.&nbsp; And I mean years.<br /><b>El Naturalista</b> Footwear is excellent.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><b>Sarah Pacini </b>is usually great quality.&nbsp; I have always found her knitwear to be superb.&nbsp; My sister also has knitwear from her.&nbsp; No problems with it.&nbsp; Spendy of course.<br /><b>Marks Work Wearhouse</b> pjs for men have lasted for a few years for me.&nbsp; I went with the men's because they had animals on them.&nbsp; I suspect they were also better quality.&nbsp; Kinda big and baggy but I don't mind.&nbsp; Not sure how Mr. SF feels about that look. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058078 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:35:25 +0000 Angie 2058078@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>YES. I have, which is why I am loyal to these brands in 2019:</p> <p>Scotch &amp; Soda, Boden, Japan EXCLUSIVE for BR, Karen Millen, Ecco, Frame, Stella McCartney, Joie, Avec Les Filles, COS, Sylver, Veronica Beard, Splendid, Donald Pliner, Kate Spade, Hobbs, Furla, Bella Freud, Converse, Levis, Johnathan Simkhai and 3.1 Philip Lim.&nbsp;</p> <p>These are 2019 and 2018 purchases. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058076 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:29:07 +0000 Janet 2058076@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Heh, yeah, I haven't marveled at the quality of much recently except for maybe footwear. Hmmm. Paige jeans still seem good. Anthropologie's Pilcro line of jeans and pants seem to hold up well. I don't have high expectations for a lot of summer garments since they get so much wear and laundering, so that may be coloring my recollections at the moment.&nbsp;</p> <p>I haven't bought anything from JCrew in probably four years except for a foldable straw hat and a tee shirt. I got two Boden sweaters last year that I expect to wear for years to come -- they seem quite well made. But most Boden stuff just isn't my style. I get an occasional surprise from Zara, mostly in jackets, in which the quality surpasses the price point.&nbsp;</p> <p>Knitwear is a big question mark right now. I have had good success with Rag &amp; Bone in the last year or so. No pilling and keeps its shape well. I have Madewell tees that are a couple of years old and still going very strong despite frequent laundering (I don't machine dry them all the way though).&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058075 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:28:04 +0000 Christina F. 2058075@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><div>The only place I've experience that has almost uniformly good quality is Boden. The dresses are better made than any other s I have, and it seems to be one of the few places to offer decent knitwear these days.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I do shop at J Crew, Madewell, BR, AT and LOFT as well. The quality for most of those places depends on the item. of those, AT has pretty good overall quality, but the styles don't always knock it out of the park for me. I sometimes luck out at Anthro, but often the pieces are vastly overpriced for what you get in terms of fabric. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I shop at Nordie's too but have become wary of house lines like Halogen. I see Nordie's now as more of an aggegator of brands I do like.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058073 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 20:05:15 +0000 nemosmom 2058073@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Back to say I wonder if that's part of my attraction to thrifting/secondhand shopping - you can get older items that are of excellent quality that may last as long - if not longer - than anything I buy new these days.</p> <p>My decade-old Jcrew peacoat is still going strong, as is a Theory blazer I bought around the same time. My Frye riding boots also come to mind - I've had them resoled more times than I can count, but they just won't die! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058071 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 19:57:56 +0000 nemosmom 2058071@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It seems so hard to find great quality at an affordable price. Or, maybe I am just impatient to hunt for it. That's my frustration - I feel like you can still find quality pieces, you just have to dig (sometimes rather deeply) for them. It seems like for every 8-10 BR pieces, I find only one of decent quality.&nbsp; Same is true at JCrew. I have been guilty of duplicating good quality pieces at affordable (for me) prices when I can find them.</p> <p>I've had luck finding consistent, excellent quality in higher-end denim (Frame, Mother). LLBean is rarely a miss for tees and casual wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058070 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 19:55:23 +0000 Anonymous 2058070@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ha. Marvel at? &nbsp;I wish. &nbsp;I too used to buy from J Crew for special things - this was years and years ago now though- but it's not any safer a bet than any &nbsp;other line now. &nbsp;Lord &amp; Taylor's own label used to have silk blouses, leather jackets, and nicely tailored pants. Now it's sketchy cashmere and shapeless cotton t's. Even my more recent standby: Aritizia, has let me down one too many times lately, and I think my days of shopping there are over unless they step their quality and fit game up to match their prices. &nbsp;</p> <p>I get my best clothes now from wholesale labels like White Stuff UK, and Yaya (Danish) which are sold by a local boutique I frequent. &nbsp;They are brining in more and more European lines which have superior fabric and construction (never mind styling and colour for grown, modern women) . &nbsp;Speaking of BR, I did recently buy a stretch wool blend plaid blazer, which I'm really impressed with. &nbsp;Fit and quality are FAR beyond what I paid for it, which makes me happy. Worn today with a 10 year old Current Elliot t which cost an arm and a leg and is still going strong. Quality is out there, it just takes some perseverance to find it.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-getting-it-right-quality-garments-this-season#post-2058069 Wed, 04 Sep 2019 19:51:15 +0000 Preppy Pear 2058069@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Marvel? I don’t really know. I have been very happy with my handful of Boden purchases in terms of quality. I think Eileen Fisher has gotten crazy expensive as opposed to just expensive, but the shoes and other pieces I have gotten on sale have been great for longevity. Haven’t bought anything new from EF in a few years, though. </p> <p>A good chunk of my wardrobe is from J Crew, BR and Madewell. It can be a mixed bag, but for the most part I’ve been pretty happy with the quality for what I pay. No marvels, but I still have J Crew coats and shirts from 10 years ago that look good. Worst offenders from these brands are sweaters that pill like crazy. I also steer clear of badly wrinkled polyester fabrics - isn’t one of the joys of synthetics is that they don’t crease easily? </p>