Good quality clothing that won't fall apart?

[peach.]

Hi there! I've always shopped at small boutiques because I like to wear clothes that are unique. I like it when people can't tell/don't know where I got the top/dress from! However, I'm so sick of some of these pieces falling apart after a few washes. I pay attention to the laundering instructions, but they just don't last. I also don't want to be taking them to the dry cleaners all the time!

So now I'm trying to build a lasting wardrobe. I want clothes that are durable and remain looking new! Where can I get clothes that are in style and are unique, yet durable? DO SHARE!

 

[mooks]

What sort of thing are you after? What's your style? Difficult to offer suggestions without that info.

 

[peach.]

Everything! I like more trendy pieces as well as classy styles. I'm just looking for brands/retailers that offer quality clothes that aren't going to fall apart, but are still stylish. I like unique pieces .

 

[mooks]

Have you had a good scour of sites like Revolve? The amount of brands they carry blows my mind, you are sure to find something you like on there

 

[peach.]

Thanks, I'll take a look! Are all of their clothes of good quality?

 

[IntlSet]

I've found Anthropologie clothes to be unique and decent quality.

 

[maddog]

Since uniqueness is subjective I'll ignore that part, but here's my list of brands I'll go back to again for quality:

- Rebecca Beeson
- Bailey 44
- Esprit
- DVF
- Hayden (for thin but durable cashmere)
- James Perse (my cotton peacoat is super well made, but the tees look a little too flimsy so I'm on the fence about those)
- Magaschoni

I love boutiques too but also hardly find anything that's worth the high price.

 

[LeeMiller]

Maybe the problem is the blends you're buying? Do you mean the clothing doesn't look good after a few washes or its actually falling apart - like seams ripping?

 

[loserxstar]

i have a lot of clothes that i think are quality, but at the same time, they are very delicate. i wouldn't just toss a lot of my "nice clothes" in the washing machine, because yes, they would fall apart.

i think if you are looking for truly unique pieces, i would check out vintage clothing / consignment shops. if it's that old and is still around, it must be of decent quality.

 

[PurpleD]

I’d suggest the following labels for uniqueness and quality:
Etro
Missoni
Alaia
Marios Schwab

For pure classic quality I turn to:
James Pearce
Vince
Splendid
Thomas Pink shirts for women
Joseph
DVF
Loro Piana
Hermes

Peach - I’m also from LA and I find it difficult to find cute quality clothing in most of the local boutiques. I always end up at Fred Segal or Barneys for the quality stuff. The rest of the boutiques like Madison, Kitson, etc are more for fun/throw away clothes (don’t get me wrong, I love Madison and Kitson but I think their buyers choose style over quality).

 

[P-B]

Anthropologie, Diane vonFurstenberg, Betsey Johnson, Marc by Marc Jacobs, See by Chloe, Rebecca Taylor, Tracey Reese.

 

[peach.]

Thank you for all of your suggestions! I'm definitely going to check out all of them -- I'm really looking forward to build a lasting wardrobe!

Since uniqueness is subjective I'll ignore that part, but here's my list of brands I'll go back to again for quality:

- Rebecca Beeson
- Bailey 44
- Esprit
- DVF
- Hayden (for thin but durable cashmere)
- James Perse (my cotton peacoat is super well made, but the tees look a little too flimsy so I'm on the fence about those)
- Magaschoni

I love boutiques too but also hardly find anything that's worth the high price.

Yeah, for their high price, they fall about so quickly. I don't like to fuss about with laundry and I'm sick of dry cleaning. Where can I find these brands? Just department stores?

Maybe the problem is the blends you're buying? Do you mean the clothing doesn't look good after a few washes or its actually falling apart - like seams ripping?

What do you mean by blends? It's really both -- they just look kind of worn out/old after a few washes, or they really do rip. It's not like they're really delicate pieces, either.

i have a lot of clothes that i think are quality, but at the same time, they are very delicate. i wouldn't just toss a lot of my "nice clothes" in the washing machine, because yes, they would fall apart.

i think if you are looking for truly unique pieces, i would check out vintage clothing / consignment shops. if it's that old and is still around, it must be of decent quality.

I'm not really into vintage clothing, but you're right about their quality! I'll probably see what brands they are and go raid their stores! I'm careful with more delicate clothing, but normal clothes like white shirts shouldn't look so worn out after a few washes, right?

I’d suggest the following labels for uniqueness and quality:
Etro
Missoni
Alaia
Marios Schwab

For pure classic quality I turn to:
James Pearce
Vince
Splendid
Thomas Pink shirts for women
Joseph
DVF
Loro Piana
Hermes

Peach - I’m also from LA and I find it difficult to find cute quality clothing in most of the local boutiques. I always end up at Fred Segal or Barneys for the quality stuff. The rest of the boutiques like Madison, Kitson, etc are more for fun/throw away clothes (don’t get me wrong, I love Madison and Kitson but I think their buyers choose style over quality).

YES! Fellow L.A. PFer! I looove Madison and Kitson for their style, too, but yeah, they're quality is really not the best for the prices they charge. Can I find those brands at the stores you suggested? Do you go to other department stores besides Barneys?

 

[lilac0485]

I like to get a lot of basics at J Crew. I find the quality is good, but have had some problems with the thin cotton cardigans. Club Monaco also makes well made basics. I also like Uluru for more creative knitwear, basic colors in new shapes. Their cashmere is soooo soft. You might also want to check out opening ceremony. they carry a Chloe Sevigny line, a house label, and other indie lines.

As far as blends and the quality of clothes, my Mom taught me to pay attention to all the seams and material of the clothes. Make sure to pay attention to the construction of the garment (no loose threads, everything cut straight and evenly, etc.) Also my rule of thumb, is if the material feels nice then it is probably better. I prefer cotton blends/ silk / merino wool/ cashmere.

One thing about ripping, if you wash jeans with shirts, make sure the zippers are closed or the zippers could snag and rip your other clothes. This happened to me

 

[peach.]

I like to get a lot of basics at J Crew. I find the quality is good, but have had some problems with the thin cotton cardigans. Club Monaco also makes well made basics. I also like Uluru for more creative knitwear, basic colors in new shapes. Their cashmere is soooo soft.

As far as blends and the quality of clothes, my Mom taught me to pay attention to all the seams and material of the clothes. Make sure to pay attention to the construction of the garment (no loose threads, everything cut straight and evenly, etc.) Also my rule of thumb, is if the material feels nice then it is probably better. I prefer cotton blends/ silk / merino wool/ cashmere.

One thing about ripping, if you wash jeans with shirts, make sure the zippers are closed or the zippers could snag and rip your other clothes. This happened to me

I forgot to mention that I'm also up for suggestions on basics as well, and you got to it before I did! I always thought J Crew clothes looked so overpriced for their basics, but I guess they're long lasting . This is becoming a good reference for buying clothes! Thanks!

 

[lilac0485]

^^^Hi, I rarely buy J Crew clothes full price, unless I love it or need something to wear for work. On their T-shirts (love the tissue tees) you can sometimes find 2 for $40 deals, and at full price of around $24 still not too bad. They also have great sales in store and online the deals & steals forum always has alerts about them.