Submitted by heycassi t3_10hi6eg in BuyItForLife
My husband and I are trying to get away from fast fashion garbage and slowly trying to upgrade our wardrobes. In the past more of our clothes came from your average "mall stores." Old Navy for casual, Express or Loft for the "nicer" stuff, etc.
Where do you start as a 30-something year old trying to buy basic wardrobe staples that will actually last more than 2-3 washes?
Second this. You can also send in clothes for mending.
LLBean clothes last forever! Great sweaters, flannels, boots, tees, etc.
LL Bean is pretty timeless and definitely makes for a more sophisticated casual without succumbing to fast fashion.
If I had the money, I’d redo my whole wardrobe with LL Bean, and Filson.
LL Bean and Filson aren't what they once were for the most part.
ASKET is a Swedish brand that is all about simple staples, sustainably made that are long lasting. I highly recommend them for basics.
Comparable in price to LL Bean or Filson for U.S. residents?
For me LL Bean can be pricy and any Filson purchase would have to be a major splurge, so there’s always a limit in terms of practicality.
On par with Filson.
If I had a more limited budget I'd probably have a lot more of Target's house brand Goodfellow in my wardrobe. The price/quality ratio is a ton better imo than a lot of your typical US brands.
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I'm sure this is true for most of their clothing but my medium weight long johns are tearing and my blue Sherpa hoodie is ripping at the wrist cuff. Simple fixes, I think pstt of BIFL is knowing how to sew and being able to look at these small issues as easily reparable, rather than a death sentence. That being said I've had them both for 1 year and they only are used in winter .
Came here to say LL Bean! Timeless styles, high quality construction, a pretty great price for longevity.
As a little "case and point," I had a windbreaker from them that my grandfater purchased in his late teen/early 20's for a trip to Yellowstone. I took it as a teenager and it went on many adventures with me, and now my little sister owns it. You would never know this windbreaker is decades old- it looks brand new, and like an anorak LL Bean is currently selling in stores.
Learn to store and launder stuff appropriately to help make it all last. Even great quality goes to shit quickly if you don’t look after it well.
Water temperature: hot washes aren’t usually necessary but sometimes they’re appropriate
Type and amount of clothes in the machine: overloading, not shaking out items prior to loading, mixing towels with clothing, mixing colors can all reduce life
Amount of detergent used (and which one—some are useless): too much detergent makes clothes gross and dingy, and fabric softener leaves residue which isn’t great for many fabrics. A hygiene rinse like Lysol or dettol rinse keeps clothes fresher.
Drying: dryers are really hard on clothes, if you can line dry it’s way better for longevity. I moved from circumstances where I line dried or used a clothes horse in winter; now I have to use a dryer and I’m noticing how much faster fabrics deteriorate.
Agreed. I have some cheaper clothes from fast fashion places that have lasted for years. I usually wash cold and air dry. But to be fair (to be faaaaaaaiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrr) I am not too hard on my clothes.
To be faaaaaiiiiih
Amen on the detergent. When I go to the large laundromat down the road, I usually wash the first loads without any detergent at all. Reason - most people seem to pour detergent like it's the Salvation of the Clothes (it's not). The end result is they usually leave enough detergent residue behind in the washer drum that adding more detergent will just transfer the extra detergent onto my clothes even after rinsing - why waste my money and end up with itchy clothes?
My trick when I have to use the dryer is to run it only to steam the wrinkles out of my clothes. I then put them on hangers and stick them in the closet, well-spaced, with a fan in front to finish the dry.
Something I do with more delicate clothes is use the coolest part of my coolest dryer cycle for short periods of time and then open the dryer door for a bit to partially cool them down. Line drying became impractical but the clothes are holding up well this way. Just takes a bit longer x
Patagonia, Marine Layer, Everlane, Toad & Co, Pendleton
First person apart from myself to recommend Marine Layer.
I fucking live this brand. Everything I own from them is top tier.
Not biased at all as the mod of /r/marinelayer
Dang, I guess I've had bad luck with Marine Layer then. I purchased two shirts from them and they both fell apart shortly after. They both ripped on the sleeves, just above the cuff, after pretty light wear.
I will say their customer service handled it great though.
Yeah, I'm not a fan of their tees personally, but I have a few button up shirts, hoodies, and outerwear that I've had since 2016-present.
Their pants are generally too short on me.
I used to really like Everlane but I feel like the quality has deteriorated a bit recently. Still good, but not BIFL anymore. Anyone agree/disagree?
Everlane was never BIFL imo. It started out "slightly better than mall brand." But fully agree the quality has tanked.
Look into ASKET, Octobre Editions (and their sister brand Sezane), Portuguese Flannel, and other sustainable European brands for quality pieces.
Costco, not the most fashionable but damn good products for good prices.
Edit: typo I think
>for food prices.
This checks out.
Lol, oops
One could argue whether or not it was even a typo. 🤷♂️
Clothes made by companies traditionally thought of as "skater clothes" or "surfer clothes" are pretty durable. I have a few pairs of Vans khakis, belts and shirts from similar companies, hoodies and sweaters, and collared shirts that I've had for years. They tend to be comfortable, as well. Part of the trick is reading and following the washing directions. Not everything should be washed in hot water. Most things shouldn't be dried above low heat. We tend to over soap and overheat our clothes and they wear out faster.
Here are some of my favorite brands: for jeans, TCB (priced around $200, made in Japan), for dress shirts, Agnes B (priced around $150, made in France), for sweatshirts and such, LA Apparel or Camber USA (priced around $50 made in USA). I also really like Patagonia fleeces and Chuck 70s (the premium version of Chuck Taylors).
2nd chuck 70’s. They’ll never go out of style.
Camber is awesome
Wearing a work issued Chill Buster from them right now. Pretty well made
FYI Camber USA can only be purchased from All Seasons which has an 8-10 week lead time for their products.
American Giant is a great start, so is Camber and Origin
I don’t know why everyone’s saying Ralph Lauren. I spent $140 on a dress for work and it tore on the collar after, like, 10 wears. Cheap.
The company has several lines, some are better than others. Some fabrics hold up better than others as well, even if the construction is good. Their men’s dress snd casual shirts are as good as they have ever been, their denim is still great. If you buy a lightweight polyester dress, it’s just not going to have the longevity.
True. Look at their jeans. Ralph Lauren jeans are okay. RRLs are solid
Barbour and Brooks Brothers used, on eBay. Also? Making the effort to find all-natural fibers pays in the long run...it looks better and is better for you.
i like dickies and carhartt, especially when found at goodwill
Both have outlet mall stores in the US with lower prices on certain things
Some outlets are only stocked with lower grade goods. In my experience, it depends on the place. Might get a good deal on something worthwhile or you might get what you pay for
That may be true, but I have four pairs of Dickies cargo pants over 5 years old that have rarely missed a wash day, bought at the outlet mall, so I have no complaints. Buyers beware, of course!
nitpicky, but i noticed the walmart dickies stuff has a button sewn on instead of the metal snap that i really love.
Yes, I prefer the button myself.
I’m not sure how it is across the board but in my own closet Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren, Tahari, Kenneth Cole, Adrianne Vittadini seem to have classic lines and staying power. Also some of my older Ann Taylor and JCrew pieces
Duluth Trading Company had become my guy’s favorite brand. Not exciting clothes but durable and roomy in the crotch.
I love Duluth Trading pants! This is one of the few brands that actually fit me and doesnt slide down when I sit down.
Patagonia, somehow their clothing last 10 years+ and super comfy
Ralph Lauren I have jeans and polos from 15 years ago I still wear.
Always grab stuff on sale at their outlet. Looks great, fits great, and most importantly, priced great, even after all these years
For casual or outdoor labor, Duluth Traders is fantastic. Women, the pants have POCKETS!! Also for outdoor or casual, some Carharts last.
I’ve been happy with J Crew, their t-shirts and jeans are especially nice imho. Keep an eye on their sales and you can find very good deals.
I like to only buy a few brands of clothes. This makes me not go out and buy a bunch of random clothes on sale when I see them. I buy LL Bean and Eddie Bauer for casual tops,Lucky Brand jeans, Carhartt work wear tops, and Duluth underwear and work pants.
I actual recommend banana republic (not outlet) even though it is a mall brand. recently they’re using nice material (silk, wool, cotton etc) and are nicely priced when on sale (downside to this is you can’t return final sale items from online purchases).
I bought my husband some clearance t shirts from Banana Republic recently and they look to be fantastic quality. Natural fibers (100% pima cotton), great stitching, thick but not too thick. They look like they'll hold up really well.
This is a bit on the expensive side but I really recommend Outlier. They have a subreddit r/outlier - they make very high quality stuff and it’s definitely built to last. Really I got one pair of slim dungarees and it became my favorite brand I think though expensive there’s actually a decent value there for what you get and how durable it is. I have a pair I’ve worn at least weekly for a few years and is still holding up great.
Lands End is a good brand and they offer a selection of items made from recycled materials. The clothing is well made and in classic styles. I originally thrifted pieces that went through all 3 of our kids and have since passed along to several other families and the new stuff we’ve bought seems to be just as high quality. I typically don’t buy bright colors (with the exception of childrens swim wear and their hot pink swimsuits were just as bright by the end of the season!) so I can’t attest for longevity of bright dyes on cotton but our black/deep greens/plums/burgundy pieces all look great after years of use. We wash cold and hang to dry (drying rack) but do tumble on low heat sometimes. Occasionally using a fabric shaver to remove pilling and that’s about it. If you have the time and inclination, definitely hit up thrift or consignment stores. I prefer small community support based ones instead of bigger ones like goodwill because in my area they are better for the types of clothing I’m interested in and not as overpriced. We have a large aging population that are clearing out closets and it’s been a treasure trove each time we go.
The majority of my wardrobe right now is: Octobre Editions (and they have a sister brand Sezane).
For basic staples across the board: ASKET
Linen button downs: Portuguese Flannel
Outdoorsy hiking stuff: Royal Robbins (especially if you catch it on sale at Moosejaw or elsewhere), Outdoor Research, REI (Patagonia is great as well but often just not my style)
I've found the price difference over mall brands is more than worth it.
Honestly I buy Goodfellow t-shirts at Target too and they hold up better than Everlane, J Crew, Banana, etc. Some of the stuff I've bought from Tie Bar in terms of button ups and button downs has held up better than those mall brands as well.
Make your clothes last by owning a small functional wardrobe of high quality clothing & washing it all by hand.
Research the correct methods of washing for your fabric type. Cold water is best for most things, but hot is appropriate for whites, especially towels. Know what you can & can't wring out, & make sure you never use standard detergent on wool, cashmere, mohair, or silk, they are protein fibers that need special care.
Invest in a clothesline or a big drying rack, & have something ventilated that you can put "flat dry" items on. The dying machine is the biggest clothes killer, the heat literally destroys fabric.
Never use fabric softener either. It ruins the fibers and causes a buildup that makes clothes reek and feel floppy and heavy.
Carhartt, make robust good quality kit. Ridgeline, swaandri, Pike Brothers are all hard wearing everyday clothes. Lems boots are smart casual and wear really well.
Lands End has excellent quality Supima Cotton shirts. When buying cotton products, the cotton quality matters.
Hunt for quality brands at the thrift store. If it still looks good, you know it’s quality and it’s under $10. I other than socks and a few splurges, I thrift for nearly everything and I have most of the brands listed in this sub.
Taylor Stitch
They used to be, quality has declined.
Honestly, it seems that is said about every clothing brand on this sub. Everything I’ve gotten from them is quality and looks great.
They're still good but not what they were and I'm not sure they're BIFL when compared to other brands I've been buying from.
And it's true about most brands that people parrot to be fair. PE firms buy a lot of these companies and cheapen the product to cut cost. Like Filson.
For TS, some of it is their fit changed when they moved their manufacturing to China which isn't really quality. But QC got worse and the fit became more variable as well.
Clothing is weird for me. Some pieces are the best I can afford while other pieces are the intersection of affordable and durable. Simple breakdown. Feet, spend. I wear smart wool socks almost exclusively or similar brand/quality. All footwear except flip flops is top dollar stuff. Not extravagant. Chaco sandals, Merril, New Balance, 5.10, Keen, etc. Pants and Shorts are the intersection of cheap and durable. For ages the pants/shorts of choice were dickies, now it’s Wranglers outdoor line for shorts and Magellan brand for pants. Shirts are whatever graphic tees, outdoor shirts on clearance, blood donation shirts lol, 6dollarshirts dot com, etc. Jackets, base layers, outdoor gear that can keep me alive, we go back to the top brands. Mountain hardware, Patagonia, Kuhl, Smartwool, etc. Dress nice clothing comes from nicer retailers as I rarely dress up and I will not have threads and flaws at all. I’m a big guy so DXL is my home for dressing nice, Dillards has a good big and tall too. The only items I really expect any real run of time are my work boots, mostly cause I don’t use them anymore, my dress shoes for similar reasons and I work from home now. Outter wear and most outdoor items should either last a while or I buy from brands with lifetime warranties. I’ve legit had some mountain Hardwear pants repaired 3 times now, something different each time, all free, cover the shipping there. Oh yea underwear is hit and miss whatever from Walmart or like TJ max, if I find some I like and can hold up, it’s almost certain I will never find them again so it’s just whatever there but I’d say Hanes would be the ones I land on the most. I’m brand loyal to a point, I’m rough on some items so I balance how much and what the item is and try to make solid purchases.
Thrifted mountain hardwear a while back. They're amazing. Found some Kuhl at the same time. Nice and thin, breathable, but notably less durable. Also the pockets are small?...
Anyway, I second mountain hardwear.
Vintage levis, you can pick up a pair for £40 in the UK. The denim is very thick and hard wearing. I have a pair from the 90's and they look almost new
Make sure you buy actual vintage, not the vintage line.
Buy these things used. Thred up has great selection. Quality clothes, discount, and less waste.
I also love Mercari for shopping secondhand!
Uniqlo has decent basics for the price
I really like Gap jeans - they hold up well and look good (I do mostly manual labor/office type stuff). I bought some gap tshirts too. Well constructed, cheapish. Levi’s are good too, but you really have to try one a bunch to see which ones work best for you.
Hit up REI
I buy all my basic clothes from landsend.com.
They have 100% Pima cotton options for many of their items
Banana Republic non iron formals have lasted me 15 years. Some everyday use.
I've been buying bespoke for years now. No clothes that fall apart in a week, no fruitless searches for clothes that fit my style, no endless fittings. If I see something online that I want in a different color, with different touches, or in my size, I can just send a screen shot and they'll make a pattern and sew it.
Example - I wear a suit 7 days a week for work. My employer will even provide them - but they have all the class and style of prison uniforms. So I started thinking and researching. I realized that suits have been around for about 200 years, that they were at one time comfortable enough for officers to wear them to war, that butlers (think dalton abbey) were comfortable enough to do hard labor in them, and they've been around since before zippers. So I ordered suits with reinforced pockets on the jacket, deep pockets in the pants with canvas linings, extra trousers with each suit (cause the pants always wear out first anyway), and button fly on the trousers.
My three piece suits (actually 4 piece with the extra trousers), are less than mens warehouse prices, and have lasted me for almost 15 years. I also have jeans, oxford and casual shirts and overcoats that are made the same way.
I use makeyourownjeans.com, but there are a number of shops that are based in India, Hong Kong, and Singapore that are online and do this for similar prices.
Costco has good stuff
Kirkland and Tractor Supply (Blue Mountain, carpenter style) for jeans.
Lululemon for workout gear and tshirts especially. They’re T-shirts are incredibly well made and treated with zinc so they don’t accumulate smell. They also don’t shrink - as a taller guy I find ALL tshirts shrink after washing especially at the back.
I’m trying to figure this out myself. Here are my opinions:
Jeans- Madewell. I don’t usually spend that much on jeans ($100) but I tried these secondhand in a couple of pairs and now they’re my favorite!
Sweaters- I have a cotton sweater from the Gap that has held up really well for 5 years and I wear it a lot. It’s hit or miss there. Banana Republic is a step up with good options.
Secondhand- if you’re not sure about a brand you haven’t tried before, try buying secondhand. You can try out the brand at a low price point and see if it’s worth the hype.
Dresses- Stick to established brands. I have a couple of dresses that I love from boutiques that each got torn somehow after a few wears. But then I have a wash and wear dress from Calvin Klein that’s a workhorse.
Omg Madewell jeans! The only thing is the ones I got are stretchy and I should have listened to the salesperson and sized down. But they have high-waisted jeans that actually look good and make me feel good. You can get them for approx 50% off at Saks Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack. I have found a couple of pairs at thrift shops too.
The shirts I wear everyday are the Graphene-X Layer Shirts.
I’ve been wearing them since June 2021 almost everyday at work and at home with no issues.
I like true classic tees online, great for men, its just a tiny bit long so if it shrinks its always perfect. not gonna lie, shop at stores like Cabela's, bass pro shop, or similar. Not many places that sell guns and high quality men's clothes, rather plain. Amazing quality, beats most stores. Weird cus my grandad loved it and I used to cringe, just about to turn 30 and damn, its all good stuff. Wait for sales, browse online before going.l
LL Bean.
Patagonia. Carhartt. Polo. J crew. LL bean. Stuff from REI.
Uniqlo
(quality like the Gap in the 90s but better)
LL Bean, Big Bud Press, Uniqlo, and American Giant are all really good for basics, and I practically live in my Lou & Grey Signaturesoft Sweatpants when I’m working from home
For active wear: Girlfriend Collective For casual clothes or work clothes: Frank and Oak, Everlane, Naadam, Eileen Fisher
The unfortunate part is that a lot of these retailers are hard to find in brick and mortar spaces unless you're in a big city, so you may have to shop online. If you're wanting to browse in person in the casual to outdoorsy genre, I'd recommend REI because they really only sell high quality, sustainably made clothing brands.
Uniqlo. Can never go out of style with unbranded
Go secondhand shopping find old Levi’s, old Wrangler’s, old Carhartt buy Good socks
Patagonia, Filson and North Face. Under Armor for socks and underwear.
I feel like the biggest thing that helped me was learning about clothing construction and materials. A lot of stores tend to have hidden gems that can be constructed very well and made with quality materials. Things I tend to look for are a good lining in dresses and jackets, natural materials or blends at least, taking a good look at the stitching work and how sturdy the seams feel (give it a delicate pull if in person and see how the threads in the seams hold up), how thick a material is, etc. I've found a lot of really nice stretch silk blend shirts at thrift store in great condition that have become staples.
Another thing I've discovered on a budget is that good quality syntehtic products exist. I usually only buy skirts in synthetic materials as skirts in general are rather breathable. Thick sytehtics with a good weave can last a long time and have the perk of being wrinkle free if you're getting the right stuff. I also like synthetic outwear as its not right next to my skin making me sweat but still keeping the heat in in a good way if that makes sense.
If you're on a budget like I am in my twenties, educating myself to hunt down quality has helped a ton. I've started to invest more in some pieces one by one by quality brands as things have worn out (shoes primarily) but until then, I will just hunt down those quality outlier pieces in person as much as possible and thrift what i can.
Go to a thrift store and have the clothes tailored if needed. I got a 100% cashmere jacket for my nephew.
In order to make money clothing companies have to use super cheap fabrics.
I’m an avid fan of Tellason. Wonderful quality, wonderful service. Own their denim, shirts, and jackets. The hand-signed thank you card with every order is just the icing on the cake.
Littletwists.com is a great one that has all the simple clothing items like hoodies and crews at pretty affordable prices! Its student run and has some cool designs
I've had most of my clothes for 10+ years.
Lands end is incredibly unfashionable, but their materials are very solid. I'm a fan of their basics, things like t shirts, button downs, etc. Their dress shirts and slacks are especially nice.
Eddie Bauer has some nice heavier options for flannels and henlys. They look basically new still.
For jeans, I highly recommend getting some cheap raws. I'm bougie, so I like the weird materials naked and famous uses, but almost any sanforized raws will treat you well. Unsanforized shrink with exposure to water, which makes sizing difficult.
Boots: Red wing. Expensive but irreplaceable. I've worn them every day for years, and they still look great.
Socks: I like gold toe for any non-wool socks I need. If I need wool socks, I get the Kirkland ones. I have some from high school still, they've faded, but they're for boots, so who cares?
Non-boots: I get my dress shoes from Allen Edmonds, and my sneakers from vans or converse. I get running shoes and nonslips from new balance. To be blunt, they're borderline disposable, but I want all that damage going into my shoes and not my joints.
Belts: Pretty much anything full grain will last forever.
Everlane!! One of my all time favorites for wardrobe staples; their jeans are amazing, awesome tees and sweaters. I shop on Poshmark for this brand too.
For women’s stuff: Nisolo is great for shoes, Able has really decent prices, MM Lafleur has basics and business casual, and Boden has cute stuff.
Quince has AMAZING prices for cashmere, washable silk, and linen, but they’re a newer company and I can’t speak to how my purchases will hold up over time. However, I’ve bought some solid gold jewelry pieces from Quince that I never take off, and they’ve held up beautifully.
I’ve also been on the hunt for more sustainable and better quality clothes, I found this site a good source of info:
https://directory.goodonyou.eco
Edit to add: vintage Levi’s rule. If that’s your thing, check out this.is.loved on Instagram, she shows how to find your size in vintage denim. I found a pair of mom jeans from 1998 that I love.
If you think Everlane is good and want a sustainable brand, check out ASKET their stuff is way higher quality than Everlane.
Man, this is a great thread.
Thank you all for contributing! I have tons of great brands to check out!
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OP: Asks for non-mall brands
r/BIFL: Proceeds to list almost exclusively mall/mass market/disposable brands
What has happened to this sub? Too many people are SO eager to give out their lukewarm dog turd opinions on topics they don’t fully understand.
Try Banana Republic. It’s like an adult old navy.
Same quality too. They're both owned by the same parent company.
I mean that’s like saying Toyotas and Lexus vehicles are the same quality. Not gonna say BR is buy for life, clothing is a wear purchase. It’s a nice upgrade from Old Navy and the Gap (also under the same parent company), but beyond more expensive materials, and some better stitching, it will still suffer wear and tear like all clothes. Having said that, my BR items don’t show much change after washes, so if the deal is decent I wouldn’t say no.
Exactly. Toyota and Lexus aren't the same quality- Toyotas are far superior. Just because something costs more doesn't mean it's better.
Quail-a-lot t1_j58wksr wrote
Patagonia is known for hiking clothing, but they have plenty of non-technical looking stuff too and also a great workwear line.