Clothing Brands - what is good quality - or poor?

sillywilly

Dakine - they make kitesurfing harnesses and parts. Their clothing is very good quality and hard wearing. Also their bags are fantastic.

As are Eastpak bags. I think they offer something like a 30 year guarantee - that's how confident they are in their product!

gazzard

sillywilly wrote: »

I will start off: This is menswear from experience.

ADIDAS ... are not great.
ORIGINAL PENGUIN has small sizing and very poor quality.
FIRETRAP - good shoes - poor quality, small clothing/

Please feel free to add your own brands and opinions and hopefully there will emerge a consensus into clothing brands.

Please try to make the actual brand stand out by spacing round, highlighting or capitalising. Thanks

The only problem I've ever had with ADIDAS trainers is that the three stripes detail in the sole was made of some weird plastic and wore away - but no-one can see so I don't mind.

ORIGINAL PENGUIN I think is top stuff! Fits well, good quality, a bit expensive but worth it if you see if on sale.

I agree with you on FIRETRAP though. I got a decent pair of pumps for a tenner once from a shop that was closing down, and they lasted some pretty serious partying, but I wouldn't touch the clothes if you paid me.

mippy

I grew up in a sizeable town that only seemed to have very cheap and crappy clothes shops (think off-brand Primark, but less fashion-forward) - after seeing my friends buy things that had holes in after the first wear, I decided that when I had a bit of money I'd try and buy a few things that last rather than cheap stuff.

For me:
I only buy cotton and wool clothing, generally, and never wear sportswear bar trainers. (£90 to wear a nylon tracksuit that doubles up as free advertising for Nike etc? No ta. My nephew rates Helly Hansen though.) Never even been in Jane Norman or some of the shops mentioned here - they're just not familiar to me - and I've not bought from RI since I was about 18...

Boden, and older Next things (as in, things purchased from charity shops that have outlasted things bought new from the store) have lasted forever. Monsoon last well too. For Boden and Monsoon I wait for the sales

Topshop size very, very small - as with many high-street stores aimed at the younger end of the market don't bother if you're C-cup and up. Dorothy Perkins often has similar stuff for a little less and with a better cut for older/curvier people. I rarely buy from Topshop and New Look now as I find thigns are too short or tight on the bust for me (though oddly New Look's bigger range is longer). I also find a) a lot of their hems are unfinished which means they don't last long b) two of the same top but in different colours will fit differently. They also seem to have gone massivley expensive for a shop that caters to younger people - how many teenagers can afford £45 for a jumper?

New Look jeans tend to wear out for me very quickly. Gap last a while.
I've found that I need to check European sizing for shoes more now - many 8s are a 41, not a 42. Rocket Dog and Irregular Choice, to name a couple, will not fit in an 8. Topshop and Office do 9s, but I like Clarks best of all as they are true to size and have started doing funkier styles. River Island and most other clothes stores I don't even bother with - they will not fit. I have to buy my shoes as quick as they hit the shelves as manufacturers make very few in a 9.

Tesco and Asda can be pretty good - my interview dress came from Tesco.

I only wear Freya bras, but this is because I like the shape on me more than them being 'quality'. But I have tried the uber-costly Rigby and Peller and much prefer Freya (and they can be picked up cheap from outlets).

My favourite jumpers are from Uniqlo - merino wool, £20 a pop, and wash incredibly well. Sadly they're mainly in London now, but online is pretty good.

I don't like American Apparel for many reasons, but their T-shirts have lasted well - I buy Threadless/Tee Fury/Oddica shirts online which print on AA stock, and they fit nicely.

Primark I don't even bother with as the cut is terrible. However their leggings and tights are OK. I try not to shop there too often though.

mippy

sillywilly wrote: »

Dakine - they make kitesurfing harnesses and parts. Their clothing is very good quality and hard wearing. Also their bags are fantastic.

As are Eastpak bags. I think they offer something like a 30 year guarantee - that's how confident they are in their product!

Agree on Eastpak. I really abuse bags and mine still looks new.

claire21

Planet - like the quality and do a good long length trouser. I normally buy at outlet store but Debenhams also have it in sale.

Jaeger - again I like quality and buy at outlet store

gazzard

mippy wrote: »

I don't like American Apparel for many reasons, but their T-shirts have lasted well - I buy Threadless/Tee Fury/Oddica shirts online which print on AA stock, and they fit nicely.

I'd be interested to know why - I've had a few problems with their t-shirts, silly stuff like colours running when they've gotten wet outside and holes appearing in the fabric after just 6 months. I like the fact the make it all in America but if they can't make decent stuff there, kind of defeats the object!

mippy

Mainly their advertising practises and that their CEO is a sexist douche. I don't want my money making that sort of person richer. I'd like to support their anti-sweatshop stance, but I can't.

The tees I have that have lasted best are printed on AA ringer tees. I tend to wash everything on 40, but even if you don't take care of things the colours shouldn't run in the rain!

sillywilly

mippy wrote: »

Agree on Eastpak. I really abuse bags and mine still looks new.

I bought my Eastpak bag a couple of year ago when M&M were knocking them out for a fiver! One of my best buys. Gets loads of abuse, has been filled full of cans and tins on a shop - probably completely overloaded it but has suffered no ill effect.

I think their guarantee only covers "normal" wear and tear - not the abuse I have subjected mine to! I would happily buy one at full price and for a traveller, commuter or school or college kid who has to lug heavy books and folders I would DEFINITELY recommend.

A no fault product IMHO and from my experience.

Another brand I would recommend is SPEEDO. I have no experience of actual "speedos" but their swimming shorts have lasted me for 10 years! There has been no shrinkage or damage and they have put up with a lot of chlorine, sea salt, watersports and sun. General abuse. The only "fault" is that the colour has faded a bit but i guess you would expect that after 10 years.

Another brand is NEW BALANCE. Excellent quality, well made trainers, especially the leather ones and accurate fit. Apologies if I have repeated brands already mentioned.

Keep up the suggestions and your experience. Thanks!

faithless

Great thread!

LK Bennett - heels are very well made, you can tell they've been constructed by a cobbler rather than a fashion designer - I have problems with my knees and ankles, and had never found heels that I could walk properly in, tried Clarks, Faith, Dune, Jones, etc, normally when I stand up my foot wobbles in heels but the LK Bennett ones are so stable I can wear them all day for work, and I've even bought a pair of stillettos for the evening! The only problem is they cost like £150, and then you have to factor into the cost of putting a rubber sole on as they're leather - do this before weaing or you'll just damage them, and reheeling them as the ones they came wih were rubbish and only lasted 3 weeks -I'd recommend
Timpsons for soling and re-heeling, the soles are £17.95 and come with a lifetime free replacement/guarantee and they did a good job, plus they usually have a 'free heels when you buy soles' offer on.

Dorothy Perkins - mostly junk, but I've had a few great pairs of trousers there cheaply that are well cut and have lasted well - you can usually tell which are good and which aren't from just glancing at the material.

Next - mostly overpriced junk same as Dotty P etc, but some stuff I've bought second hand has washed and lasted very well, like jumper-shirts etc. Trousers are very weird shape - small on the bum/top of legs, and if you go up a size the waist is massive. (A friend and I have concluded that you're either Next or M&S-shaped in trousers!)

Fit-flops - I bought a bronze/black pair 2.5 years ago and they are still going strong and look smart despite wearing them for work every day in the summer, and clambering through rock pools and mud in them.
The ones with black soles/insides are better than the white - because they are open, your feet can get quite dirty, especially in a city, and the white insides/top can look filthy after one wear! They are really good for my knee problem as well, quite a few people have said the same.

Wallis - well cut suits, not too expensive, and I've been lucky and got a suit in the January sales the last 2 years. Sizing can be odd though.

M&S - trousers fit well, but quality is not the same as before, and a bit overpriced - I now only buy in the sales.

Primark - mostly tat, but have had some things that have lasted really well: stretchy fitted tshirts -way better quality than H&M!, bikinis, pj's, some bras. Knickers are useless, but as someone said, their hold up stockings (in classic looking boxes rather than their 'trendy' ones) are great for £2, don't ladder easily and do stay up.
Good for cheap sunglasses for holiday - I always sit on/scratch/lose/otherwise destroy mine and at £1.50 each I don't mind so much.

GAP jeans are well-cut, can't comment on whether or not they last yet though.

La Senza - the fashion bras are crap, but their Prescision fit range - each cup size is shaped slightly different to adjust to needs - is excellent.

Payless_2

The only place I buy bras at is the M and S sales. I'm a 32G and find that the fit and support from M and S is brilliant for the price. I'm not that bothered about what they look like as no one ever sees them

I once bought some from a Next outlet shop and may as well have gone braless when I wore them