Have you ever wondered how we let clothing quality get so bad? It wasn’t just desperation for cheaper options- the 18th century consumer would never have been willing to pay so much for such poor quality cloth. And yet, they stayed clothed. Even their cheaper options lasting years of hard wear. But they knew what quality looked like and for the most part, we don’t.
When did we forget how to shop for good clothing rather than just trendy? What makes clothing “high quality” is so complex and nearly impossible to track with online shopping. Even in person, it’s not a simple answer. But it used to be that more money meant more quality, plain and simple. Where did we mess up this system? Turns out, standardized sizing allowed (and even encouraged) far more than just issues with poor fit and body image.
Back in the day you’d get a pair of jeans and they’d tailor it to your needs. If it was high quality materials I’d pay 200€ for a pair. Much cheaper than 5 x 60-80€ for bad / low quality crap.
My guess is that’s more about fashion than not knowing how to buy good quality things.
In ye olde days, like the 1950s, jeans were jeans, and a pair that lasted years was great. Then in the 1980s trends started emerging like stone washed jeans, or acid washed jeans. Then there were the boot cut, tapered leg, loose cut, baggy, bell-bottom, and all kinds of other trendy cuts.
What’s the point in buying a $200 pair of jeans that will last decades if they’ll be out of fashion in 5 years?
High quality clothing is still out there, but it’s not fashion clothing, it’s work clothes. If you go to a store that caters to construction workers, factory workers, or other people who have to wear durable clothes as part of their job, you can still get stuff that lasts a very long time.
If anyone is down for a fascinating video essay about this by a textile historian: Standardized Sizes Ruined our Clothing Quality
Back in the day you’d get a pair of jeans and they’d tailor it to your needs. If it was high quality materials I’d pay 200€ for a pair. Much cheaper than 5 x 60-80€ for bad / low quality crap.
My guess is that’s more about fashion than not knowing how to buy good quality things.
In ye olde days, like the 1950s, jeans were jeans, and a pair that lasted years was great. Then in the 1980s trends started emerging like stone washed jeans, or acid washed jeans. Then there were the boot cut, tapered leg, loose cut, baggy, bell-bottom, and all kinds of other trendy cuts.
What’s the point in buying a $200 pair of jeans that will last decades if they’ll be out of fashion in 5 years?
High quality clothing is still out there, but it’s not fashion clothing, it’s work clothes. If you go to a store that caters to construction workers, factory workers, or other people who have to wear durable clothes as part of their job, you can still get stuff that lasts a very long time.