You don’t need a fashion degree or a microscope. You need about half a minute, functional eyesight, and the willingness to ignore the brand name screaming for attention.
Here’s how to judge a garment fast.
Check the fabric first.
Run your hand over it. Good fabric feels consistent, not thin in one spot and dense in another. Stretch it slightly and let go. If it snaps back cleanly, that’s a good sign. If it looks tired already, imagine after three washes.
Inspect the stitching.
Look at the seams. High-quality garments have straight, tight, evenly spaced stitches. Loose threads, skipped stitches, or wavy seams mean corners were cut. Literally.
Turn it inside out.
Quality doesn’t hide. Clean seam finishes, reinforced stress points, and no messy overlocking are signs the maker cared even where you weren’t supposed to look.
Check the alignment.
Patterns should line up at seams, especially on stripes, checks, and pockets. Crooked alignment is not “design.” It’s laziness.
Test the hardware.
Buttons should be firmly attached, preferably with cross-stitching or a shank. Zippers should glide smoothly without snagging. If the hardware feels cheap, the garment probably is.
Read the care label.
Good brands tell you what they made and how to keep it alive. Vague labels and missing information are quiet red flags.
If a garment passes these checks in 30 seconds, it’s likely built to last. If it fails, no logo can save it. Quality always shows up early.
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