Many people, myself included, enjoy shopping for clothes as it can be a relaxing activity. It’s also a great way for them to get creative with their wardrobe and discover fantastic new pieces for it.
If you’re such an individual, you probably know what it’s like to have so many fashion options that it becomes quite difficult to choose what to bring home. That being said, you might feel like it’s relatively easy to decide between cheap and expensive products – after all, doesn’t it make the most sense to always go for the more affordable option?
While that may seem logical at first (especially if you’re trying to stay within a certain budget), this thinking couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead of focusing solely on price, you should also take a clothing item’s quality into consideration. But what exactly, are the benefits of investing in well-made clothes? Here are some compelling reasons to consider:
They’re More Comfortable to Wear
The main reason to prioritize quality when you buy hosiery, tights, blouses, or other clothes is to ensure your utmost comfort. While it’s important to find comfortable clothes in general, it’s even more crucial for intimate items such as underwear, shapewear, and hosiery.
When you choose well-made garments, you can be sure they’re made out of fabrics that won’t feel rough, itchy, or uncomfortable when worn, so they wont be digging in. And because these fabrics are usually treated and dyed using non-toxic products, they’re unlikely to cause irritation or allergic reactions even if you have sensitive skin.
They Fit Your Body Better
Unlike fast fashion, where workers are forced to work quickly to produce tonnes of finished clothing, brands that focus on better output provide their employees with enough time to create well-made clothing. Thus, quality clothing is often cut with care to fit you better, which means they’re more flattering for your body compared to cheaper alternatives.
Additionally, many trusted clothing brands make it a point to maintain consistency in their product sizes and styles. This means that you’re less likely to accidentally buy pieces in your usual size only to discover that they don’t fit you the same way your previously purchased pieces do. You can find more information on this in a previous blog post I wrote about buying well fitting clothes online.
They’re More Durable
Quality clothes tend to look more “premium” compared to their cheaper counterparts because the former use thicker, more durable materials. To test this, you can try putting your hand underneath a well-made shirt and underneath a low-quality shirt. With the former, you’ll likely see only the solid color of the fabric, assuming it’s not advertised as a sheer garment. With the latter, you’ll notice your skin showing through the material.
Another reason why quality clothes are so durable is because the fabrics they’re made of are tightly woven or knitted. As such, they’re less likely to rip or tear. And when you lightly tug on these kinds of clothes, they won’t easily fall apart because they’re evenly stitched, meaning there are no skipped or loose stitches. I can vouch for this because I have some high quality, expensive coats and shirts, and if I compare them to cheaper versions, the more expensive options will stand the test of time.
They Feature Quality Craftsmanship
When making quality clothes, everything is carefully considered during the production process. From the type of thread to the sewing techniques used, all materials and procedures are perfected to ensure the final output meets certain standards. Many brands that offer top-tier garments also pay attention to the little details, such as zippers, buttons, and cords, and they make sure that these are complete and work as intended. Quality control is at its best with quality clothes.
The Colour Won’t Bleed in the Wash or Fade under the Sun
With quality clothes, you won’t have to worry about the fabrics bleeding in the wash or the colours fading when exposed to sunlight. This only typically happens with cheaper clothes, since they‘re usually coloured using poor-quality dyes or incorrect dying techniques. By contrast, trusted clothing manufacturers make sure to use the right dyes and the proper dying processes so that colours properly adhere to the fabrics.
You’ll Be More Likely to Use Them Regularly
By prioritizing quality whenever you go out shopping, you become more mindful of your purchases. To put it another way, you take more time to think each purchasing decision through. You’ll also be more likely to do some research first to ensure you get the best products for your money. Because you’re more conscious of your purchases, you won’t be tempted to buy more than what you really need, and you’re more likely to cycle through all the items in your wardrobe.
Additionally, you’ll be more likely to select versatile pieces you can wear again and again instead of buying cheap, trendy items that you might only wear a few times. This, in turn, increases the chances of stocking your closet with clothes you’ll be happy to wear over and over again.
They’re More Cost-Efficient
While investing in high-quality clothes will initially cost you more than getting a bunch of low-quality clothing, you’ll end up saving more money in the long term. All you have to do is look at the cost per wear, or calculate a clothing item’s cost based on the number of times you’ve worn it or plan to wear it.
For example, if you buy a £100 jacket and are able to wear it for a total of 500 days over five years, the jacket’s cost per wear would be £0.2.
Now, let’s compare this to buying and wearing a less expensive but lower-quality at £50. If you’re able to wear this jacket for 100 days over only a single year, the cost per wear ends up being £0.5. This is £0.3 more per wear than the cost per wear of the higher-quality jacket.
Looking at these sample computations, you can clearly see that while the better quality jacket may cost more upfront, it’ll pay for itself in the long run.
If you have a limited budget, it can be tempting to stock up on cheaper clothes, even if they may not exactly be the most durable. Unfortunately, this strategy can cost you more money over time. To make matters worse, you may find wearing low-quality clothing to be incredibly uncomfortable, too. I know I made these mistakes in the past and wouldn’t invest in more expensive, quality items. I ended up with a closet full of pieces that I no longer wear, or broke, and it just wasn’t great for the environment either. I tend to now mix more quality expensive pieces with some random, cheaper on trend pieces, just to keep up with the trends and seasons. It’s much better!
So, the next time you go shopping for clothes, prioritize quality whenever you can. It may feel like you’re spending way more than you should at first, but you’ll soon realize that it’s the more practical choice once you see the benefits for yourself. How do you like to shop?
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I buy less expensive clothing. Since I know how to wash them right and take care of them. I have had piece that only cost 5 dollars last 10 years or more.
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Oh that’s really good that you know how to take care of them!