As I get older I appreciate fewer material items, but of good quality. I’m not sure if it’s more obvious to me now or if it’s gotten worse, but it’s increasingly hard to find good quality, thick, clothing that isn’t paper thin. Even expensive items are made of cheap materials, and feel…flimsy. (Shirts, pants, hoodies, sweatpants).
Admittedly it’s fast fashion shops I’ve tried:
– Abercrombie
– Uniqlo
– Zara
– H&M
– GAP
Are there any shops I should be hitting up for thick, high quality clothes that will last a few washes?
26 comments
r/malefashionadvice and search
I’m having this same issue although i live in Scandinavia. Im looking for manufacturers online and more technical clothing thats made for either physical work or running/working out; though ill wait for a few paycheques first. Also for socks, look at darn tough made in Vermont.
For other clothes:
Carhartt used to be good but I am not sure now.
Some stuff at Zara was okay.
H&M is crap.
Levis is not good and overpriced.
Maybe GAP and old Navy for the US? I dont know about these two.
Sorry I cant provide more info. Also please correct me it I’m wrong.
I started using those clothing box online setups (stitchfix) several years ago. That was a big help, as even their lower end stuff was of pretty good quality.
Yeah, store shopping is just a no from me these days. I’ll get the occasional shirt or shorts if I’m in quick need, but that’s it.
How do you wash your clothes? Hot wash + dryer is going to eventually destroy anything.
I’ve got a bunch of Uniqlo stuff that I’ve had for a couple of years but I wash everything cold and then hang dry.
>Admittedly it’s fast fashion shops I’ve tried
You’ve answered your own question. High quality clothing is *expensive*. r/malefashionadvice has good (if old) threads on particular items of clothing; go there and search for the items you want to add to your wardrobe. The clothes are higher price points are usually much better, so be prepared to spend.
It also helps to avoid electric dryers.
You’re basically asking why there isn’t good food in McDonalds.
You gotta pay for the good stuff.
Be prepared for this to look like $150-350 for a shirt and $200-350 for a pair of jeans. Standard and Strange carries a lot of brands that would make a great list for you. Similarly, depop and ssense will have a broader mix and less “workwear” styles.
You answered your own questions.
33M. At 29 I threw out just about everything and started my wardrobe over. Shoes and all. Here are my favorite brands that are high quality, moderately priced and will last.
Luca Faloni, Overland Sheepskin Co, Brooks Brothers, and Filson to name a few. All of my work clothes are actually made by my tailor. About 15 shirts and 15 pairs of pants. Yes, it will be a hit higher priced but they will be custom to you, highest quality materials and stitching and not much more expensive than the brands listed above. Sometimes even cheaper.
For shoes, I’m a big fan of Allen Edmonds, Magnani and Paul Evans. As always, do your own research and see what you like best. There are thousands of options out there as guys. You just won’t find them at the mall.
Dont wana be a dick but these are all cheap and fast fashion brands. These items are made with seasonal trends in mind but not meant to last at all.
Go to Nordstrom rack and start there.
I’ve had good luck with the brand Mavi. In general, Turkish textiles are high quality. Dearborn Denim has good jeans too
This may induce sticker shock but you can buy super high quality stuff from brands you’ve never heard of for prices that can shock you. None of it will be recognizable in public but the quality is there. A loopwheel hoodie from Real McCoys is on another planet from the brands you listed.
If you want to look around I’d start with maybe orSlow, indigofera, and iron heart. All three are stellar and make a good range of things
You can’t find good clothes by exclusively going to shitty stores? Weird.
(Some stuff at GAP isn’t a disaster)
Quality is subjective. Good quality is easy to find. Maybe you’re just not liking in the right places.
What kind of clothes are you looking for?
Lululemon
L.L. Bean
You might like Carhartt clothing. It’s more like work wear but its usually quite thick and tough
Try vouri. Comfortable. Good quality.
Made in USA brands like Freenote Cloth, Engineered Garments, Battenwear, may be worth looking into. You can also go the Made in Japan route, but this will get a little more fashion forward.
Quality and comfort is best. I was surprised in the difference when trying different jeans of Levi vs. Calvin Klein (at Macy’s) vs Bonobos.
Although these 3 jeans quality are about the same, I’ll just say it is surprising how much more comfortable some jeans are over others.
Duluth Trading has quality clothes.
Quit buying fashion, start buying quality. I can’t speak to fashionable quality, but I can tell you that getting higher quality jeans and shirts from Duluth has been refreshing, for instance.
The brands you mention are paying high rents, high marketing costs, and what you to buy and buy and buy. At least a couple brands you mention are what’s called “fast fashion”, and they’re not meant to last more than a few washes, which to me is insane, but it’s their model.
Banana Republic Outlet has nice stuff discounted.
Not just clothes, tons of companies grow too big and start to prioritize profit over quality. Boeing is a fantastic example that’s been in the news recently.
The worst ones IMHO are the ones who used to make high quality products at some point, but after establishing a reputation they start cutting corners and quality goes to hell.
I don’t have any great recommendations, I’ll be watching the responses.
You mentioned the McDonalds of clothing. Why pay for a McDonald’s when a restaurant is close to the same price but better?
On that note, what are you looking for? Pants? Shirts? Hats? Socks? Different vendors are good for different things. I love wool socks, for example, like Vermont and Grid6, but it’s like $20/pair. Pants? Duluth or Sierra. Shirts? Actually I’m not sure here and interested in a recommendation.
I find Massimo Dutti to be very suitable for me. It’s pricey, but the material and designs are very good for me.
It’s not just men’s clothing. A lot of clothing is basically disposable now, made in sweatshops in China and elsewhere at minimal cost. I (W) cherish the few items I still have that I bought at Nordstrom etc. when clothing was beautifully made and there was some semblance of quality control at all levels.
Cases in point: Victoria’s Secret may be known for tacky, cheap-ass underwear etc., but 20 years ago, they made THE best cotton undies. No joke, I have underpants from 2003 that are still in great shape, and the newer stuff from anywhere is so bad I throw it out after a few months. I’ve kept beautiful outerwear like wool coats even though they’re not the style now. In case that changes.
I basically live in Vans t-shirts, comfy, stitched correctly, decent material and last ages. Their hoodies are just as good too.
Like others have said, you are shopping at fast fashion, what did you expect?
Can you tell us what your style is so we can give you the brands that would work for you?