We often talk about checking the quality of a garment before buying it, and estimating its quality/price ratio.
However, this quality criterion is quite confusing, because several conceptions conflict. There are those for whom quality clothing is:
- solid and functional,
- beautiful and well cut.
In this article, we look at the relationship between these two criteria.
Choosing quality clothing, when you have a very functional aim
Many readers discover BonneGueule after having had a purely functional approach to clothing for several years.
“ I dress to protect myself from the cold in winter and not be completely naked .”
Following this criterion, we would choose a garment solely based on its technical characteristics:
- keeps you warm,
- raincoat,
- solid,
- comfortable,
- light.
Indeed, this is the best way to think when planning a hike on the GR20. But...
I'm warm, it's fantastic!
A good product (based on these criteria) requires specific attention to material and finish. For example, a t-shirt that is antiperspirant, non-irritating to the skin and which regulates heat well requires a technical material.
In the same way, for a raincoat to be perfectly waterproof, there is real research and development work to be done on the seams (for example, there are waterproof seams which are heat-sealed).
This type of clothing is very easy to find at Decathlon, and they are quite inexpensive. However, these clothes are generally not aesthetically successful. And that's normal: it's not part of the list of criteria for clients and designers .
How to dress well with style as a criterion
If we replace the “functional” criterion with the “aesthetic” criterion.
The well-cut shirt replaces the t-shirt won in the cognac marathon. The jacket and coat replace the old parka that is too big. We abandon the sealed seams in favor of a breathtaking style.
So, let's admit that we put all the functional criteria aside to focus on these aesthetic criteria:
- style,
- cut,
- design,
- easy to match.
Brands that focus solely on these characteristics succeed in producing inexpensive and well-designed clothing. This is the case for Zara or H&M.
Honestly, it's nice, but are you sure it'll last the distance? I feel like if I lift my arms the jacket will rip; and there, on the pants, the threads stick out.
However, these clothes are generally of very poor quality in terms of the materials used, the finishes or their solidity.
A “stylish” coat purchased for less than €50 in PAP has a good chance of neither keeping you warm nor protecting you from the rain. And after a season of heavy wear, it will have lost its shape and the pockets or lining may have torn.
Everything at once ? Solid and stylish? Airy and well cut?
If you want everything at once, you'll have to pay the price (for a good cause, you'll see).
But first, I need to clarify something. If you are looking for an item from the following list:
- a pair of sneakers with a patent toe that resist snow and with which you can climb Everest without an oxygen bottle,
- thermo-regulating selvedge jeans in which you never feel hot in summer,
- a waterproof cashmere pea coat that goes underwater and lined with Gore-Tex,
- a shirt you can play volleyball in.
I'll stop you right now!
Look no further, it doesn't exist.
However, by being a little less demanding , we find in a quality garment characteristics of both worlds. The room becomes both aesthetic AND functional.
Here is a reminder of the quality criteria for different parts:
Quality shirt : The iron-on collar is able to withstand numerous washes while remaining very smooth. Where small bubbles appear on poor quality heat-sealed collars: the piece remains beautiful for a long time. Nice cotton is also comfortable to wear, and doesn't make you sweat.
Hast, shirts that have excellent value for money.
High-end sneakers : Gluing/sewing the sole on high-end sneakers ensures foolproof robustness. Who has never faced a small pair of sneakers whose sole comes apart after a few weeks or whose cotton wears out to reveal a hole on the big toe?
An interior leather lining helps limit odors. A solid construction with a very sturdy heel makes the shoe comfortable. A cushioned sole ensures long-term comfort by molding to your foot.
Selvedge jeans (regardless of the brand): The canvas is much more robust than that of entry-level jeans. The advantages: a fabric that ages well, meaning that after months of intensive wear your jeans are nicely faded and still as well cut and sturdy. It's also a very sturdy piece of clothing, you can do just about anything with it.
Only by moving upmarket will you have access to clothes that are well cut, in beautiful materials and assembled in a sustainable way. Generally, it is the mid-range that offers this quality.
It is therefore far from impossible, but you will have to pay the price. The good news is that it's profitable . Buying better pieces, albeit more expensive, gives you access to clothes that last longer. In the end, it doesn't cost more, with the style as a bonus (of course, don't make me say what I didn't say: the price in no way ensures the quality of the garment).
I invite you to read Fabrice’s testimony published last week. He has progressed enormously and his clothing budget has not changed, following exactly the same logic. Click here to read the article .
Finally, there are many other criteria that can be taken into account when making your choice, such as the location and manufacturing conditions. Because below a certain price (let's say 20 euros), it becomes very difficult to produce a shirt without compressing an actor in the chain to one place or another (company, producer, agent, distributor). The loser may be nature, or the worker above whom the ceiling collapses. As a consumer, I readily admit that it's difficult to sort things out, especially when it comes to ethical factors.
But what you have to remember is that the only solution to wearing clothes that are aesthetic, functional, durable and designed with a certain ethic is to continue to inform yourself, compare brands , and to act accordingly.
So the next time you buy clothes, don't hesitate to question your purchase based on the different criteria that we have just seen . And stay uncompromising about those who really matter to you.
