I literally taught myself to sew clothes (dresses, tops) because the quality was so discouraging. I LOVE my me-made clothes! I hope to tackle sewing pants in the upcoming months!
I invested in small designer patterns like cashmerette or my fav sew liberated. I find them more detailed, with sewalongs or even online courses. I sewed py pants from sew liberated via their online course and learned SO MUCH. Even their pattern alone help so much.
Gosh the amount of disappointment I’ve had in the last few years because of the quality of clothing is not even funny. Money wasted and pieces just sitting in my closet. I have since sold a few, donated some and now I look for quality in the second hand market.
I am so sick of crappy quality clothing! It seems no matter where you buy or how much you spend the item just doesn’t last long, the stitching is bad, it pills, the fabric stretches and is misshaped etc… thrifting older, good quality pieces is the way forward
Online retailers do their best to make it hard to even search for clothes with natural fibers. I've noticed lately that some companies I used to be able to rely on for natural fiber clothing have started touting brushed polyester as 'SO SOFT,' or whatever. It's polyester. It's awful. They switched it in for cotton or linen or wool to slash their production prices without cutting their retail price, so they can keep showing profit growth in their sales reports. It's harder to thrift natural fibers too, as more and more people are hunting breathable, well made clothes.
The clothing styles and fabrics are horrible. Now I'm sewing my own clothes again; and I also do the vintage thrift thing for the fabrics. Clothing made in Turkey, Jordan or Egypt I've found to be the real thing, and nicely sewn too. I'm an older lady, but young at heart; it surprises me that I'm 75 now, so I can remember the quality we used to be able to buy anywhere, and for next to nothing even at the old 5 and dime stores.
I knit my own garments, that way I can wear silk, cashmere and merino jumpers at a fraction of the price, I buy when the yarns are on sale. It also has the advantage of being a calming occupation ( I listen to audio books at the same time!)
I started sewing because of lack of quality. I also thrift vintage, and look for the Made In the USA tag, especially for natural fibers. Enjoyed the video!
Not only is ready to wear of poor quality but often the fit is terrible. I sew most of my own clothes now. Even a beautiful wool coat. Now I have the quality and the fit I like in my clothing,
It’s so true the quality is declining! The smell alone is off putting when I enter stores! The clothes stink! For years I buy my clothes in consignment stores! I find cool stuff at great prices
The problem has taken over all levels, not just fast fashion, even Dior is guilty of trafficking immigrant workers for cheap labor, bad working conditions, steep markups on cheap products, etc. If luxury labels are no better than fast fashion, then why are we always only blaming fast fashion? We can blame Zara and SheIn all we want, but that doesn't solve the issue with quality problems with higher end stores nowadays. The problem has only grown and it's because of greed. Capitalism is (usually) great and provides competition in the market for the best, highest quality products, even from "the little guy" who deserves to get recognition, but cronyism and corporate greed is what we are dealing with nowadays. Workers are treated terribly, marketing is straight up lies (remember green-washing, anyone??), low quality because they know some people will only see a label or brand name and assume good quality. Consumers need to be more aware, and corporations need to be held accountable.
I recently ordered clothes from a sustainable German shop Armed Angels, and surprisingly, the quality was bad. The sweaters were very thin fabric and see through, but it was not like that in their pictures. And it’s ”organic cotton”. I was disappointed
One cannot assume nowadays that buying from a reputable company that is charging exorbitant prices means that one can rely on a high quality garment. I have recently found that “like for like” purchases, from previously reliable, go to firms, certainly here in the UK, are thinner, smaller in comparison and seams and buttonholes etc, very poorly finished, but.. the prices are much higher. My husband was purchasing a coat yesterday for me as a 70th birthday gift, from a well known, so called high end company here in Scotland and I was appalled at the exorbitant prices being expected of coats which were , supposedly, good materials, (cashmere and wool etc ) chosen to last, but of extremely poor standard and finish. I certainly won’t be parting with our money, even as this was in a sale, unless I feel it’s worth every penny and constructed to stand the test of time!
I spend a bit of time trying to repurchase gently used versions of my older much loved items that have worn out. I have been on the hunt for the last two years looking for a vintage Victoria Secret cable knit cardigan I purchased in 1997 from a catalog. I wore mine for 15 years and would love to find a replacement.
What a thoughtful young lady you are, and your top tip is the sewing one indeed! Along with mending and maintaining one’s garments, sewing…even as you said with just needle and thread allows us to customize and perfect the things we have. Sometimes these fast fashion pieces are cool but the neck is too droopy…or the armhole too big…or what ever…if you can tweak it you can wear it! As a lifelong serious seamstress I can’t urge people more to learn some basics! Excellent of you to tell the young ones! 🙂❤🙏🏼⭐
This was SO well articulated. I loved the segment where you broke down HOW to feel the difference in material quality. When I first started switching my wardrobe to natural fibres I was so confused on how to know the difference at the thrift, if I would have had your breakdown it would have saved me so much time figuring it out!
This was an excellent video! I love all of the information and suggestions. Never knew Zara was at the heart of this shift, but it certainly has been a growing problem. I remember the first time I participated in a huge Nordstrom sale (back in 2018 or so); literally everything I purchased was such a disappointment and either looked or felt very different and cheap compared to what was pictured online. I believe I returned all but one of the tops. That was probably the beginning of my realization that I was going to have to make my own clothes if I wanted quality material _and_ fit. It's taken time to get there, but I've finally made a lovely dress and am currently working on a structured top, and now there is no turning back! Also, I recently learned a bit of simple sashiko embroidery and repaired a linen fitted sheet instead of having to replace it. It was a bit intimidating at first but SO gratifying!
Ethical, size inclusive pret a porter brands close down because potential clients say it's too expensive. We provide cloning services, made to measure and produce only what is payed for. Thankfully we have day jobs because many folks are not willing to wait a few weeks for a garment created to their measurements. Our prices are overall under 100€ but we don't have the shein money machine for advertising. Our faithful customers are older women who love our reproduction clothes from discontinued and vintage patterns... hopefully attitudes will change soon.
@@dougdoug9223 older people do but most people don't. We are not Chanel so people don't get why we should charge 300€ for a tea dress. Also we are in Europe...So to bring the price down we offer different types of finishings, full of partial lining for a supplement. But when faced with a 2€ similar dress on Temu in doggy wax print, all we can do is keep on keeping on. We will find our people in time.
@@dougdoug9223 older people do but many people don't realise that quality and durability doesn't have to mean expensive. We believe that everyone deserves good clothes for affordable prices. We don't even compete with places like Temu. We can only keep on keeping on and stay the course.
Oh my!! I’m so glad it’s not just me! I’ve had the same thought and have started buying used clothes more frequently just to have higher quality material and construction. Really wishing I hadn’t decluttered some things, too. Ugh. 🤦🏻♀️
I still have clothing from my teenage years (half my lifetime ago). Those are the ones that were made well. Some walmart shirts were so thin they were ruined in a few washes, even 15 years ago. I listened to this video as I sewed a panel into the side of my kiddos pants (like a racing stripe) in order to extend the life of the pants. They love the comfiness of these pants and with a bit of work and some fabric scraps I have on hand, it is doable. Stains? Make an applique and sew that on or get iron on patches.
I just bought new undies (a brand known for underwear, undershirts, etc) and when I opened the bag they felt so thin I thought they’d tear when I put them on!
The highest quality cotton undies I've finally found is Natori Bliss Cotton panties (3 diff cuts). The color doesn't fade and they last 6 years for me. So expensive but worth it. I get the 3 pack to save $.
I did a fisheyed pikachu face when you said 68 pieces in a year at the beginning 0_0 I only bought two brand new pieces of clothing this year and something over ten from thrift stores and second hang online platforms. I'm shocked that people literally consumes like frickin influencers ;0
About 90% of my clothes are thrifted in good quality. I get lots of compliments on my clothing. I very highly recommebd everyone to try at least a few quality peaces, it will make such a difference in how you feel
Your video really resonates with me. I just commented on another video about my go to jeans and how the cut was very different (yes, found I actually have to go to a store and try things on sometimes). My husband is a great example of quality vs quantity. He has always bought better and more thoughtfully than I, but less, now he's got fairly timeless pieces he has owned since before fast fashion and are lasting.
Only luck I’ve had recently is with Banana Republic, Levi’s, some basics from Target if they’re Cotton/Modal and some sports stuff from UA and Nike if it’s Nylon/Rayon with as little polyester < 9% if any in any. I know those big brands are still fast fashion but I don’t really want to spend the extra money buying from the sustainable start ups without knowing the fit of their garments and there’s still a lot of greenwashing and overstating quality from what I hear.
I also had some luck with Uniqlo (EU). Basic T-shirts are great, some merino wool sweaters too. Cashmere is not so good EXCEPT plaid scarfs. Only plaid scarfs for some reason
It's inflation. 20 years ago, a good jacket was $500, and 20 years later, people don't have $1000 to spend on the same jacket. They can only buy a lower quality version of that jacket.
Most companies have outsourced to 3rd works countries. Labor is cheap and the employees are treated like dirt. Why should they care about quality? Companies in the l1990s would hire Americans to be fired models who are if European ancestry and now the fur models are the Asian workers who are typically more petite, slimmer hips and thighs so that’s why clothes are cut narrow and they simply just expand horizontally and shape isn’t taken into consideration.
If it were not for online shopping it would be literally impossible for me to buy many of the things I need. Because they are just not available locally here in my city at all ( and I live in the largest city of my state). Take barefoot type shoes. Because of the hEDS I have (which is a genetic condition that affects my joints including the ones in my feet) I cannot wear shoes with arch support or raised heels. You know how all athletic shoes these days have that spongey stuff at the heels and its raised? Cannot wear that! The heel would go all crooked, cave in on one side and the arch support would not only cause heel pain but also wreck my feet. So I have to buy shoes online. I have in years past gone in and out of almost all of the shoes stores in the city here and cannot find any that fit right. There are also many supplements I have to buy online. Need to be corn free! Yeah that is not available locally either! They put corn in everything. I have been investing in wool clothing from the thrift. And buying wool socks online. Its warm. I love wool! Back in spring I went into Kohl's and virtually NOTHING in the store fit me right. The women's clothes were too big. Fitted odd too. I tried the kid's section. Before a kid's 8-10 used to fit but now it didnt at all. A size 8 sort of fit but then the Tshirt was ballooning around my narrow waist and sticking way outward. Looked totally bizarre!! I also tried on some somewhat flat looking sandals at Kohl's too. Out of sheet curiosity. Once again the women's all had raised heels. Why? So I tried the kid's. One size seemed to fit my foot from heel to toe....BUT then my foot was too shallow for the straps that went over the foot. Foot was all loose inside the shoe. Left Kohl's totally disgusted!!
Let's stop giving 5-star reviews for the garbage we're paying for, only to pitch out before wasting our time washing it! The garbage we're buying only needs to last long enough to be purchased.
❤ fast fashion sucks. 68 items a year. No way. The best advise -- stop shopping wear your clothes. Shop your closet. It’s life changing and the best way to help the planet and develop your style. I’ve done a no buy year this year and it got easier as each month passed.
This is a multi part issue, but you encapsulated it in your intro. There are clothes made just as well today as it was 50 years ago. You just have to pay for it. Like you said, people in the olden days spent 10% of their income on fewer items. Today, people spend 3.5% on multiple times the number of items. I deal in vintage clothing. 80% of the stuff I find is poorly made. They had garbage in the olden days, too.
I literally taught myself to sew clothes (dresses, tops) because the quality was so discouraging. I LOVE my me-made clothes! I hope to tackle sewing pants in the upcoming months!
I find it hard to even find quality fabric!
Where do you find your fabrics? There are no fabric stores where I live.
I invested in small designer patterns like cashmerette or my fav sew liberated. I find them more detailed, with sewalongs or even online courses. I sewed py pants from sew liberated via their online course and learned SO MUCH. Even their pattern alone help so much.
Gosh the amount of disappointment I’ve had in the last few years because of the quality of clothing is not even funny. Money wasted and pieces just sitting in my closet. I have since sold a few, donated some and now I look for quality in the second hand market.
I am so sick of crappy quality clothing! It seems no matter where you buy or how much you spend the item just doesn’t last long, the stitching is bad, it pills, the fabric stretches and is misshaped etc… thrifting older, good quality pieces is the way forward
Online retailers do their best to make it hard to even search for clothes with natural fibers. I've noticed lately that some companies I used to be able to rely on for natural fiber clothing have started touting brushed polyester as 'SO SOFT,' or whatever. It's polyester. It's awful. They switched it in for cotton or linen or wool to slash their production prices without cutting their retail price, so they can keep showing profit growth in their sales reports. It's harder to thrift natural fibers too, as more and more people are hunting breathable, well made clothes.
Amen, i can't stand FAKE fabric.
Most deceptive is when they advertise, for example, a "linen blazer" or "wool trousers" but the highlighted material only makes up 5% of the item!
@@Jessica_Jones That drives me CRAZY.
The clothing styles and fabrics are horrible. Now I'm sewing my own clothes again; and I also do the vintage thrift thing for the fabrics. Clothing made in Turkey, Jordan or Egypt I've found to be the real thing, and nicely sewn too. I'm an older lady, but young at heart; it surprises me that I'm 75 now, so I can remember the quality we used to be able to buy anywhere, and for next to nothing even at the old 5 and dime stores.
I knit my own garments, that way I can wear silk, cashmere and merino jumpers at a fraction of the price, I buy when the yarns are on sale. It also has the advantage of being a calming occupation ( I listen to audio books at the same time!)
I started sewing because of lack of quality. I also thrift vintage, and look for the Made In the USA tag, especially for natural fibers. Enjoyed the video!
Thrifti g takes so much time unless doing it for fun. I am so tired of crappy clothing now
Not only is ready to wear of poor quality but often the fit is terrible. I sew most of my own clothes now. Even a beautiful wool coat. Now I have the quality and the fit I like in my clothing,
It’s so true the quality is declining! The smell alone is off putting when I enter stores! The clothes stink! For years I buy my clothes in consignment stores! I find cool stuff at great prices
The problem has taken over all levels, not just fast fashion, even Dior is guilty of trafficking immigrant workers for cheap labor, bad working conditions, steep markups on cheap products, etc. If luxury labels are no better than fast fashion, then why are we always only blaming fast fashion?
We can blame Zara and SheIn all we want, but that doesn't solve the issue with quality problems with higher end stores nowadays. The problem has only grown and it's because of greed. Capitalism is (usually) great and provides competition in the market for the best, highest quality products, even from "the little guy" who deserves to get recognition, but cronyism and corporate greed is what we are dealing with nowadays. Workers are treated terribly, marketing is straight up lies (remember green-washing, anyone??), low quality because they know some people will only see a label or brand name and assume good quality. Consumers need to be more aware, and corporations need to be held accountable.
Lets bring back sewing instruction in the schools! Its great to learn real skills to develop creativity, skill development and a useful trade.
Let's bring back parents teaching their children how to sew & do laundry. Seems babies come out of the vagina with their own phone nowadays.
I recently ordered clothes from a sustainable German shop Armed Angels, and surprisingly, the quality was bad. The sweaters were very thin fabric and see through, but it was not like that in their pictures. And it’s ”organic cotton”. I was disappointed
I've seen a lot of brands edit pics especially with white shirts to make it seem like they aren't see through
One cannot assume nowadays that buying from a reputable company that is charging exorbitant prices means that one can rely on a high quality garment. I have recently found that “like for like” purchases, from previously reliable, go to firms, certainly here in the UK, are thinner, smaller in comparison and seams and buttonholes etc, very poorly finished, but.. the prices are much higher. My husband was purchasing a coat yesterday for me as a 70th birthday gift, from a well known, so called high end company here in Scotland and I was appalled at the exorbitant prices being expected of coats which were , supposedly, good materials, (cashmere and wool etc ) chosen to last, but of extremely poor standard and finish. I certainly won’t be parting with our money, even as this was in a sale, unless I feel it’s worth every penny and constructed to stand the test of time!
I spend a bit of time trying to repurchase gently used versions of my older much loved items that have worn out. I have been on the hunt for the last two years looking for a vintage Victoria Secret cable knit cardigan I purchased in 1997 from a catalog. I wore mine for 15 years and would love to find a replacement.
What a thoughtful young lady you are, and your top tip is the sewing one indeed! Along with mending and maintaining one’s garments, sewing…even as you said with just needle and thread allows us to customize and perfect the things we have. Sometimes these fast fashion pieces are cool but the neck is too droopy…or the armhole too big…or what ever…if you can tweak it you can wear it! As a lifelong serious seamstress I can’t urge people more to learn some basics! Excellent of you to tell the young ones! 🙂❤🙏🏼⭐
You are very sweet, thank you so much!
This was SO well articulated. I loved the segment where you broke down HOW to feel the difference in material quality. When I first started switching my wardrobe to natural fibres I was so confused on how to know the difference at the thrift, if I would have had your breakdown it would have saved me so much time figuring it out!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
This was an excellent video! I love all of the information and suggestions. Never knew Zara was at the heart of this shift, but it certainly has been a growing problem. I remember the first time I participated in a huge Nordstrom sale (back in 2018 or so); literally everything I purchased was such a disappointment and either looked or felt very different and cheap compared to what was pictured online. I believe I returned all but one of the tops.
That was probably the beginning of my realization that I was going to have to make my own clothes if I wanted quality material _and_ fit. It's taken time to get there, but I've finally made a lovely dress and am currently working on a structured top, and now there is no turning back! Also, I recently learned a bit of simple sashiko embroidery and repaired a linen fitted sheet instead of having to replace it. It was a bit intimidating at first but SO gratifying!
Ethical, size inclusive pret a porter brands close down because potential clients say it's too expensive. We provide cloning services, made to measure and produce only what is payed for. Thankfully we have day jobs because many folks are not willing to wait a few weeks for a garment created to their measurements. Our prices are overall under 100€ but we don't have the shein money machine for advertising. Our faithful customers are older women who love our reproduction clothes from discontinued and vintage patterns... hopefully attitudes will change soon.
Don't the customers realize that it's expensive because it's actually of higher quality and built to last?
if you're based in europe, id love to see your instagram/website:)
@@dougdoug9223 older people do but most people don't. We are not Chanel so people don't get why we should charge 300€ for a tea dress. Also we are in Europe...So to bring the price down we offer different types of finishings, full of partial lining for a supplement. But when faced with a 2€ similar dress on Temu in doggy wax print, all we can do is keep on keeping on. We will find our people in time.
@@dougdoug9223 older people do but many people don't realise that quality and durability doesn't have to mean expensive. We believe that everyone deserves good clothes for affordable prices. We don't even compete with places like Temu. We can only keep on keeping on and stay the course.
Oh my!! I’m so glad it’s not just me! I’ve had the same thought and have started buying used clothes more frequently just to have higher quality material and construction. Really wishing I hadn’t decluttered some things, too. Ugh. 🤦🏻♀️
I still have clothing from my teenage years (half my lifetime ago). Those are the ones that were made well. Some walmart shirts were so thin they were ruined in a few washes, even 15 years ago. I listened to this video as I sewed a panel into the side of my kiddos pants (like a racing stripe) in order to extend the life of the pants. They love the comfiness of these pants and with a bit of work and some fabric scraps I have on hand, it is doable. Stains? Make an applique and sew that on or get iron on patches.
I just bought new undies (a brand known for underwear, undershirts, etc) and when I opened the bag they felt so thin I thought they’d tear when I put them on!
The highest quality cotton undies I've finally found is Natori Bliss Cotton panties (3 diff cuts). The color doesn't fade and they last 6 years for me. So expensive but worth it. I get the 3 pack to save $.
@ awesome, thanks! I’ll check them out.
I did a fisheyed pikachu face when you said 68 pieces in a year at the beginning 0_0 I only bought two brand new pieces of clothing this year and something over ten from thrift stores and second hang online platforms. I'm shocked that people literally consumes like frickin influencers ;0
About 90% of my clothes are thrifted in good quality. I get lots of compliments on my clothing. I very highly recommebd everyone to try at least a few quality peaces, it will make such a difference in how you feel
Your video really resonates with me. I just commented on another video about my go to jeans and how the cut was very different (yes, found I actually have to go to a store and try things on sometimes). My husband is a great example of quality vs quantity. He has always bought better and more thoughtfully than I, but less, now he's got fairly timeless pieces he has owned since before fast fashion and are lasting.
I rarely buy anything now. I use what I have as it is much better. Natural fabrics
And the hefty bags (today's clothing) just goes to the landfill - and choaks the people of west africa.
Only luck I’ve had recently is with Banana Republic, Levi’s, some basics from Target if they’re Cotton/Modal and some sports stuff from UA and Nike if it’s Nylon/Rayon with as little polyester < 9% if any in any.
I know those big brands are still fast fashion but I don’t really want to spend the extra money buying from the sustainable start ups without knowing the fit of their garments and there’s still a lot of greenwashing and overstating quality from what I hear.
I also had some luck with Uniqlo (EU). Basic T-shirts are great, some merino wool sweaters too. Cashmere is not so good EXCEPT plaid scarfs. Only plaid scarfs for some reason
It's inflation. 20 years ago, a good jacket was $500, and 20 years later, people don't have $1000 to spend on the same jacket. They can only buy a lower quality version of that jacket.
They would if they weren't trying to buy another 60+ items that year.
You are very knowledgeable Hailey. Well done.
Most companies have outsourced to 3rd works countries. Labor is cheap and the employees are treated like dirt. Why should they care about quality? Companies in the l1990s would hire Americans to be fired models who are if European ancestry and now the fur models are the Asian workers who are typically more petite, slimmer hips and thighs so that’s why clothes are cut narrow and they simply just expand horizontally and shape isn’t taken into consideration.
If it were not for online shopping it would be literally impossible for me to buy many of the things I need. Because they are just not available locally here in my city at all ( and I live in the largest city of my state).
Take barefoot type shoes. Because of the hEDS I have (which is a genetic condition that affects my joints including the ones in my feet) I cannot wear shoes with arch support or raised heels. You know how all athletic shoes these days have that spongey stuff at the heels and its raised? Cannot wear that! The heel would go all crooked, cave in on one side and the arch support would not only cause heel pain but also wreck my feet. So I have to buy shoes online. I have in years past gone in and out of almost all of the shoes stores in the city here and cannot find any that fit right.
There are also many supplements I have to buy online. Need to be corn free! Yeah that is not available locally either! They put corn in everything.
I have been investing in wool clothing from the thrift. And buying wool socks online. Its warm. I love wool!
Back in spring I went into Kohl's and virtually NOTHING in the store fit me right. The women's clothes were too big. Fitted odd too. I tried the kid's section. Before a kid's 8-10 used to fit but now it didnt at all. A size 8 sort of fit but then the Tshirt was ballooning around my narrow waist and sticking way outward. Looked totally bizarre!!
I also tried on some somewhat flat looking sandals at Kohl's too. Out of sheet curiosity. Once again the women's all had raised heels. Why? So I tried the kid's. One size seemed to fit my foot from heel to toe....BUT then my foot was too shallow for the straps that went over the foot. Foot was all loose inside the shoe.
Left Kohl's totally disgusted!!
I completely change my wardrobe to cashmere best quality items.
Just found this video, happy it was in my feed!
Let's stop giving 5-star reviews for the garbage we're paying for, only to pitch out before wasting our time washing it! The garbage we're buying only needs to last long enough to be purchased.
Me, with all of my sweaters on hangers: 😢
I have loved all your video topics recently!!! ❤
I've been having a great time making them! Glad you're enjoying them too!
I only buy stuff made in Europe at this point
❤ fast fashion sucks. 68 items a year. No way. The best advise -- stop shopping wear your clothes. Shop your closet. It’s life changing and the best way to help the planet and develop your style. I’ve done a no buy year this year and it got easier as each month passed.
Never seen your videos before but you are beautiful!
Thank you so much!
Please make a podcast! ❤
Maybe one day! :)
Early. (19mins since upload.)
🎉🎉🎉
sending some love to the Algorithmus
Appreciate you!
This is a multi part issue, but you encapsulated it in your intro. There are clothes made just as well today as it was 50 years ago. You just have to pay for it. Like you said, people in the olden days spent 10% of their income on fewer items. Today, people spend 3.5% on multiple times the number of items.
I deal in vintage clothing. 80% of the stuff I find is poorly made. They had garbage in the olden days, too.