What a pleasure to hear someone ACTUALLY knowing what they are talking about when it comes to a garment´s quality. I am a professionally trained seamstress and I agree on the idea that once you have known great construction you never want to go back. At the moment my hunting-for-jobs budget doesn´t allow me to splurge much but I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos and tips and I am building up a fantastic database of fair and good quality brands thanks to you. Keep up the good work. :D
1. zippers 2. lining 3. natural fibers 4. neat seams 5. buttons & threads 6. how rich and even is the dye 7. matching patterns 8. proportional cuts 9. high quality and neat buttons
Walmart has made it impossible to find a high quality garment in a small town. They have driven out all the mom and pop operations where you used to be able to buy a little better quality.
I agree with the points you made. Bound button holes are especially nice in wool jackets, and coats. In a print, I want the back of the fabric to be the same as the front. I do look for short stitches. Enjoying this series very much. Blessings..MaryEllen
Really great buttons are very expensive! Great replacement buttons can be found on thrift shop garments. I sometimes buy an item just to reuse the buttons on something that I make or to replace buttons that I want to replace on an item I already own. Men's coats and shirts often have great buttons.
Apparently, I am very late to your party. What made me click the notification bell? Your voice. It’s calming. You’re not running all over the place. You show your pieces with still shots, which is also calming. I think looking for lose threads or pulls in knots. For lower-priced pieces always try them on, because different people sew the same items.
My desire to upgrade my wardrobe to a updated look started about 2 years ago when I found your channel and I've been hooked sense! Thanks to your excellent advice I am able to curate a classy wardrobe that won't fall apart after several washes! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
I want to do the same😭 however I end up being overwhelmed, EVERYTIME. Can you share some tips 😢 maybe because I think obsessively or smth, but I can't decide what to buy, my main concern is quality. I really have no idea how to pick up good quality clothes. I am very doubtful about every piece of clothing I see😂 the styles are great and evrything but is it gonna last? 😂😂~ that's what I keep thinking.
I know you receive so much comments that maybe mine will be "one more". But I want to say: your content is the best. I really appreciated. I am from Puerto Rico and sending you so much blessings! You are one of those persons that I really want to know.
Your herringbone blazer with the leather patches is my absolute favorite!!!! I need help with jeans. I will look through your videos for suggestions. They're just not made to last anymore! I want jeans that will hold their shape and made with thick material, no flimsy "jeggings" for me. But I buy mostly second-hand, so I'm not sure what brands to keep a lookout for. (Besides Levi's, although they have degraded their quality lately, too.)
Love all your videos. My mom who knew how to design patterns and clothes use to tell me so many of the things you mention. You are so right in your ideas
Hi Audrey! I just discovered your channel and have been watching a ton of your videos, just wanted to say I love your content! Super helpful & informative for someone just starting to build their capsule wardrobe! ❤️
Your videos are always so informative and well structured, It is a real pleasure to watch every one of your videos 😊 And your voice is so soothiiiing! Good job 👍👍
Thank you for including pictures of cheap, poorly done seams! (I've heard a number of videos mentioning that you should look out for french seams, but I had no idea what french seams looked like!) Very informative!
Kelly--as you saw, a French seam is doubled over so it encloses the raw edge of the fabric, but the most important part is that it also has another row of stitching one cannot see because it's captured inside the visible seam line. It makes for a long lasting (and beautiful) finish that doesn't unravel like serged (overcast) edges sometimes do. You often find French seams in the lining of skirts, in good quality pillow cases (so they last through millions of washes), in many silk pieces, and inside sheer pieces--like chiffon or voile blouses--that would look sloppy if they were serged or left with the raw edges exposed. If you search for "how to sew a French seam" you'll notice that it requires stitching and ironing each seam twice, which adds to the final cost of a piece...so obviously, in this day and age of fast and cheap fashion, garments finished with this type of seam are not as plentiful as they once were.
It's always a pleasure to watch your videos and it doesn't hurt to have a review of how to recognize quality clothing. Second hand stores are a good place to find affordable clothing, particularly in p!aces like Palm Springs; a friend and I had a great time browsing several shops one summer and I picked up some lovely designer pieces. Thank you for the great tips!
GJ Alameda you’re so right! I have my video all about second hand shopping coming up on Wednesday and shopping in thrift stores in affluent areas is one of my favorite tips
Great tips - a pet peeve is when patterns don't align, or when a lining hangs below the hem! I'm still not sure how you tell good quality cashmere and wool - I remember years ago if I bought a Merino wool piece, it would last for years, and never pill. Nowadays, even if I've paid quite a bit, I get pilling. The same with cashmere - the pieces I have bought have pilled. Even if you use a fabric comb, I'm sure that damages the fibers. From what I have learned from you - buying a second hand garment that was expensive to begin with would be the answer. Would love to know if there are brands of wool/cashmere you would recommend. Enjoy your videos so much - thank you!
Fiona Frazer for wool, I'm didn't read this anywhere, but I assume tightly knitted/woven yarns are the best, and if they are long fibres you don't see any signs of slight fluff at the surface of the jumper... All the soft fluffy surfaces of knitwear that People like to praise look to me like it was achieved using short fibres of yarn and short fibres pill. And some brands achieve the soft drapey feel by loosely knitting their yarn. Also try going for 100% of one material instead of a mix, i.e 40% wool, 20% cotton 40% linen. The difference in fibres might cause pilling as the different fibres try to break away from the fabric.
A tip I learned is to wash & dry good quality fabrics, including sweaters, inside out. If you use the ‘hand wash’ cycle in your machine, hang up or lay flat right away. That also helps to prevent wrinkling. Even washing jeans inside out prevents streaking.
I love designer Sarah Richardson and one of the things she does to test a fabric they want to use in a room is to rub it together vigorously and look for signs of pilling. I did that for a while but now know which fabrics/combination will likely give me pilling after a short period.
@@Abbyyena i don't mean to hijack this but I find acrylics might be soft and wear down like crazy. Best way to start learning quality is to go to thrift stores. Find a horribly pilled garment..is it thin?what is the material made of? Look for the fiber content on the tag. It'll tell you, look for trends in other worn down but still ok clothes . You'll start to recognize a pattern of quality over poorly made clothes
This was super helpful! I've taken on some of the tips you suggested already, but you've made me think a bit more. I guess my biggest tip when shopping is to look inside the garment, and remember that you do not HAVE to buy anything! It makes me feel better when I'm shopping to remember that I have high standards for the clothing I will purchase, and with good reason. :)
surprisingly I got some pieces I bought from burlington that literately lasted me a long time since I was in 6th grade and til this day I still wear because the pieces are timeless
Great tips. I would also add to check the way the material is cut whether they skimped on the material or have enough, so that a hem can be like down a little bit. And also whether or not the garment is cut on a bias. This is preferred for form fitting garments.
I love your channel so much! Thank you for another great video. So true that once you know this information you can't look at garments the same way again. In the end, having this in our toolboxes can make us look better, save money and help the environment.
I’m coming late to this video, but thought I’d add something. Drape of the fabric can be a good indicator of quality. I used to sew and know that pattern pieces that aren’t properly placed along the grain of the fabric will use the fabric much more efficiently, but the drape of the garment may be off. A garment that drapes nicely can be an indicator of care in construction and fit that feels comfortable.
Audrey, I wish I'd known some of your tips for shopping a long time ago. I can think of more than one piece which I've worn a few times, only to discover it was poorly seamed... pants, especially. Sometimes button holes or buttons that seemed well-sewn, but later found the thread quality was poor! I tend not to wear them much, if at all. So, according to your vlog on getting rid of clothes, I should have disposed of them in some manner. I'm starting to work on that. My husband says you shouldn't approach my closet without a whip & a chair❣ 😕 I enjoy your content very much. Well done❣ 👍
Very good tips. I love both of your blazers. I've also heard that shoulders are very important. Otherwise the piece won't be comfortable and won't hang properly. Also the neckline must be absolutely perfect because this is the area closest to the face and will be noticed. Great video.
I am obsessed with your videos. Could you maybe do a guide on how to wear midi skirts? I would love to wear one but can’t figure out how to avoid it looking frumpy or overly formal.
Hi Audrey! Would you consider doing a video on how to choose different shoes to match different type of jeans? I found it difficult since jeans come with various leg openings and hem lengths, such as skinny ankle jeans, crop jeans, wide leg jeans, etc. I recently bought a pair of loafers. While I love the quality and style I found it challenging to work with my jeans. Help!
What a lovely voice you have. I once bought a really nice jacket and right away the zip broke. I don't wear it but didn't want to throw it away so I 'll be more careful in future.
Hi Audrey, Love your channel, although I am a new subscriber! May I know which video it is where you talked about natural fabrics? I am a big fan of natural fabrics. Thanks. Linda
I’m not sure which video they were in, but there were a pair of black loafers-would you be able to tell me the brand? Or have any recommendations? I’m looking for a basic pair, not too pointy, or too rounded, and I think I saw the exact kind in one of your videos, but they weren’t listed in a description
Your tips have been so helpful to me, Audrey. Unfortunately I tend to sort of panic and forget what I'm looking for when I'm in the store. But with your tips I have noticed signs of poor quality in several pieces once I've brought them home. Hopefully as I become more familiar with "the signs" I'll be able to avoid these regrettable purchases in the future. For example a dress I bought from a shop which was made locally here in San Francisco (which I assumed would be great - made in USA, discerning shoppers here in SF) has loose seams, incredibly loose floppy buttons, and sloppy hems. I want to support this local business, but they are charging designer prices for Forever 21 quality garments. Glad I'm able to recognize that now. For some reason it would not have crossed my mind before that a button that's falling off before I even wear the garment is a sign of a faulty piece.
In building a wardrobe slowly I'm trying to find just the right shoes in just the right colors from my palette. ..have you ever purchased from Shoes of Prey.com you get to design your own style/color etc....would love to see you do a review on them. Thanks for your down to earth videos
I have seen seams that are crooked and badly sewn on expensive pieces. Collars on dress shirts not the same size and not pointy equally. Pants not the same length. So I do agree that expensive does not always mean craftsmanship is better. My mother who worked in the textile industry all her life used to tell what to look for in a garment. Everything you mention she used to tell me... I wish I would have listened more attentively I would have learned to sew by hand and make my own clothing. She was very good at the craft. I still have a table cloth and curtains she made for me.
Excellent video, very interesting and informative. I personally prefer clothing that is well made and will stand the test of time, definitely not a fast fashion kind of girl 🙋🏻♀️
Audrey, do you have any tips for shopping for jeans? I have to purchase new jeans soon and would love some hints on getting some good quality, well-fitting jeans.
Maybe you should do a video were give advice about color match .for ex i have a nice jacket but her color is hard to me to match with anything. Is is a burgundy color or dark cherry or something like this. Thank you so much for all the things you do for us
Audrey, what brands of clothing would you recommend for someone like me that has sensitive skin. I don't have a lot of money but I need some key pieces. any idea?
Great tips! I love your herringbone blazer with patched elbows. I'm looking for something very similar to that. I am wondering if you can give us tips on how to by a blazer or other garments on Ebay. Also can you drop a few names of brands that are of good quality. I see you recommend Brooks Brothers a lot. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us.
@AudreyCoyne I just love all your advices. It is on point and straight forward. Thanks for all your posts. 🤗 We both have the same brain waves regarding styles and what not. We must have been twins in our past lives 🤭 lol just kidding.
Aascot Bohlander just go for cotton/cotton flannel, I think they're just as warm if not warmer! High quality flannel feels soft like velvety, if you grab it, it should also feel thick not thin. If you have a quilt store nearby, you can go they, they usually have really nice quality flannel you can feel :)
