I’m 45. Have been complaining about declining quality since the 2008/2009 financial crisis. Haven’t bought a lot for work since then other than a couple of Boss dresses and a few other odds and ends. However, I’m going to have to do something about my wardrobe soon. I’ve gained some weight due to changing hormones and really need to go up a size. I wish shopping was still fun. Sigh.

I was able to wear all that stuff I bought in the 90s until just a year or two ago, then the perimenopause weignt gain hit and now nothing fits. I am weeping at my beautiful wool wide leg Ann Klein pants from 25 years ago….
Not, not really weeping, but so sad I cannot wear them anymore/.
But I still can fit into my cropped DKNy suede jacket I bought on the same shopping outing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd be disappointed if I shopped all the places you mentioned.

How about up your game?

Ok. Where would I shop to do that?

Saks
Revolve
La Perla
Agent Provocateur
Elie Tahari

Or just find designers you like and buy them from wherever. Stella McCartney, Rag & Bone, Chloe.

The places you've been shopping are all pedestrian fast-fashion trash. Truly.

DP. Idiot, the point of the thread is *they didn’t used to be*. Also LOL at the brands you suggested to avoid this problem.

Okay, lady. It's clear you have no taste so we don't really need your snotty comments. I was answering the OPs question directly. Sorry that went over your head. Maybe you can try to keep up or just take a nap.

Maybe your family puts up with your name calling but it's really an absurd overreaction here.

NP. Reread your incredibly condescending and rude first pp, then your incredibly rude and condescending second pp.

Money can’t buy style. Or class.

Anonymous wrote:I need some new t-shirts. My many years old Lands End, Eddie Bauer and, even, Target are finally wearing out.

What are decent brands quality-wise now? I buy to wear out. So, I’m not super price sensitive.

I just bought 3 long sleeve t-neck (I needed some to wear under sweaters but they had a variety of necklines available) from LL Bean. When they arrived I had to check the tag to make sure they were 100% cotton because they felt so different than I typically experience, and yes they are. Very tight knit, smooth finish, dense fabric, keeping their shape beautifully, I paid $90 with tax for the three. Very happy.

Yes, although not uniformly so.

It's a common topic among my peers and we're in our early - mid 40s, so we remember shopping for the nicer "upper mid-range" clothes at J Crew and Ann Taylor and Brooks Brothers and there's unquestionably been a decline in the quality of clothing. What's happened is that the middle range has been decimated. You can still buy very good quality but very expensive clothing or it's cheap and falls apart quickly. Brooks Brothers is a perfect example. Everything in there is either very expensive, or cheap. Nothing in between.

On the flip side, the leisurewear and outdoor gear like Patagonia have exploded in scale and offerings.

There are also things we rarely wear any more. No one seems to wear wool sweaters. My father has gorgeous English and Scottish wool sweaters that he paid up to $300 apiece 25 years ago but even he never wears them in lieu of lightweight polar fleeces. I also have a rubber container filled with nice durable wool sweaters from my 20s that I just never wear either.

Anonymous wrote:We have disposable clothes now. And the middle class hasn’t had a raise since 2000. So they still think $100 is a lot to pay. Plus so many manufacturers get very cheap stuff from overseas. Real clothes are VERY expensive.

On top of that at least a generation hasn’t worn clothing that fits, so expectations are low on every front. Retailers will make more of anything that sells, so cheap, shapeless disposables it is.

We have disposable clothes now. And the middle class hasn’t had a raise since 2000. So they still think $100 is a lot to pay. Plus so many manufacturers get very cheap stuff from overseas. Real clothes are VERY expensive.

Anonymous wrote:I was talking about this recently with a much younger parent at my son’s school. She was shopping for new boots. I mentioned my Frye’s, which I’ve had for approximately 15 years and just had resoled. She looked horrified and said she’d never want to wear the same thing 15 years from now

I turn 50 soon. That conversation made me feel like a cranky old lady with a root cellar.

I've seen a statistics that some huge % of people now consider an outfit past its prime if it's been worn more than 3 times. The disposable fashion is now a right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ I love Secondi. Haven’t been since covid but hope to return soon.

I am PP. They are the best! Got so many nice professional and nicer quality clothes and accessories there. I consigned some of my own clothes which of course had me returning to use store credit! Once I lose my baby weight/wean my baby I have to check it out again!
By far the best consignment store in the city. Redddz is more trendy, the other one (on 14th st nw I believe?) isn't as curated... Secondi is the only one I would expect to find good quality in excellent condition.

The store on 14th street is like the worst of all worlds. It is all junk from the fast fashion era…. So it will have a ton of 2005-2015, heavily worn and clearly used stuff from jcrew and banana and hm. You can go to the jcrew clearance rack, which is always filled with stuff and plenty to choose from, and find new stuff for the same price. I have no idea why anyone buys anything there.

I heard this season at Banana is getting back to decent quality but haven’t checked myself yet. Anyone confirm?

Last time I really enjoyed shopping there was ~2007

Anonymous wrote:^^ I love Secondi. Haven’t been since covid but hope to return soon.

I am PP. They are the best! Got so many nice professional and nicer quality clothes and accessories there. I consigned some of my own clothes which of course had me returning to use store credit! Once I lose my baby weight/wean my baby I have to check it out again!
By far the best consignment store in the city. Redddz is more trendy, the other one (on 14th st nw I believe?) isn't as curated... Secondi is the only one I would expect to find good quality in excellent condition.

^^ I love Secondi. Haven’t been since covid but hope to return soon.

Online shopping has to exacerbate this trend. I mean, you can touch and feel the quality of a beautiful, long-lasting fabric. But online? Click for 5 for $20! You can't really tell the quality of the fabric, and retailers have likely taken advantage of this. Surely it's advanced the march toward cheaper fabrics.

This thread has inspired me to start buying second hand again.

I used to a lot, but with 3 kids under 5 years old right now, my bodily changes and the type of wardrobe I need (easy to wash and change and breastfeed in) isn't so conducive to second-hand/consignment shopping. h&M it is, for now...

But I look forward to returning to Secondi in DC later this year as I return to my more stable body shape/weight!

https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1993-JCPenney-Christmas-Book/0058

Check out this JCPenney catalogue from 1993. A wool coat was around $150 (almost $300 in today dollars). Now you can’t find a majority wool coat from JCPenney, and your poly blend will cost you $80 (about $40 in 1993 dollars). https://m.jcpenney.com/p/liz-claiborne-wool-jacket/ppr5008096424?pTmplType=regular&catId=SearchResults&searchTerm=wool+coat&productGridView=medium&urlState=product_type%3Dcoats%2B%252B%2Bjackets&badge=onlyatjcp%7Ccollection&selectedSKUId=26302770075

We love cheap crap.