Andy F wrote:
>
> Has anybody observed similar trends? Or, as shag put it, am I getting old?
I've been making clothes for the last forty years and, yes, I've
noticed. Here are your real choices right now: I'm quoting Bay Area prices
1.Buy upscale clothing at astronomic prices: $150 and up.up, up for a shirt 2. Buy midscale clothing at high prices: $50 and up for a shirt. 3. Buy cheap clothing at cheap prices: $15 and up for a shirt. 4. Buy at deep designer label discounter at the end of the season $20 and up for a shirt. 5. Buy at Goodwill at $5 for a shirt.
There is no diff between the quality you find for #2 and #3; you're just paying for store location. Unless you buy designer stuff or cut label designer stuff, you are basically buying shit. (Sometimes designer stuff is shit too.)
You can still find good quality at reasonable prices for #4.
You can sometimes find excellent quality at #5. I make a habit of checking out the local Goodwill in the Oakland hood, about once a month, and I have found good quality, practically new men's shirts for $5.00.
But, yes, basically the quality of all clothing is seriously deteriorating. It's the same for shoes. Actually it's worse cause it's almost impossible to find used shoes that are still any good.
My solution is to sew/knit everything myself or to shop at the end of the season. The great thing about making stuff yourself is that 1) you get exactly what you want and 2) it lasts for ever. If you pick classic styles, you'll never look out of fashion. Besides, there's no such thing as fashion any more. They are changing "the look" SO fast, that nothing really fixes itself in your mind any more. And, if you go sit in any mall in America for a half an hour, you'll notice that despite the fashions and the zillion stores that surround you, everyone is basically wearing jeans and a shirt.
Joanna