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Why is Quality Important?
When shopping for clothes, besides searching for a piece that compliments my taste, the number one leading quality that I look out for by far is the quality of the clothing (what is it made of?). The quality of the clothing will determine how the piece sits on your body, how it feels against your skin, how well it will bring out the color in the fabric, and how long it will last and withstand the test of time. If you are unsure of what to look out for then might I suggest my top 5 personal favorite fabrics that almost never disappoint and that you should look out for which include: cashmere, cotton, silk, linen, and wool.
Top 5 High Quality Clothing Materials:
1: Cashmere
In it’s rawest form, most cashmere is sourced from goats from the Gobi Desert. The cashmere’s delicately soft and plush material when made into a fabric will sit comfortably and in most cases loosely on your body. This creates an effortless casual and classic look in which anyone with a good eye will be able to see it’s high quality material. Against your skin, cashmere feels soft and lightweight, but don’t be deceived by its weightlessness, it will indeed keep you warm in fall/spring weather and can easily be layered with in the winter as you can find the cashmere in mitten, scarf, and hat form as well. Cashmere typically keeps dark and light toned colors best, it’s not often that you see them in any bright colors, however this does suit it’s casual look. Although cashmere is a very luxurious material, it does require upkeep. I recommend hand washing it as I do with all my pieces in a cool temperature water. Hot water will shrink the material almost instantly and if handled roughly, it will be more likely to form balls of fabric on itself. Overall I rate cashmere 4/5 stars because although it has most qualities that one might look for when shopping for fine materials and it’s quite lovely indeed, the longevity of it isn’t as reliable as I’d like especially if worn frequently.
2: Cotton
Cotton fabrics are made from, well, cotton itself. Cotton is quite the versatile material, it is often mixed with other materials, made to be into thick and thin fabrics. What I recommend is to only accept and purchase the clothes that are shown to be 100% cotton. The thinner cotton fabrics will typically be shown to be more see through and although it will most definitely give you plenty of air flow, I prefer the thicker cotton fabric which will sit on your body with more structure and will usually last you longer. Cotton is a very gentle material and is often recommended for those with sensitive skin and is loved by just about everyone. It keeps color like a gem no matter what the shade. Cotton is also an extremely reliable material in the long run, it can shrink but be stretched back into shape (sometimes), it can be washed a number of times without losing its quality, and is overall an excellent material. My rating for cotton clothing as a whole is 5/5 stars as they are my forever items and don’t usually need to be replaced unless perhaps I get a stubborn stain on them.
3: Silk
Silk. To create such a rich material such as silk it takes a lot of work. The material is made from the natural protein fiber that is taken from the cocoons of larvae. When in its refined form, silk will hug, shape, and flow from your body. It is by far one of my most favorite materials when it comes to how it feels against your skin. It’s as soft as butter and is incredibly light. You’ll never want to stop touching it against your skin as the silk is very comforting. Of all materials, silk will make any color vividly pop from its surface (it is often used to create beautiful artwork and paintings on)and is able to catch anyones eye. Silk will last as long as you will allow it to. If you are always gentle and treat it with care, as long as you cold hand wash the silk, it could last you a lifetime. My rating is 5/5 stars, highly recommend.
4: Linen
Linen, a material made from the fibers of flax plants will make you feel at ease as it’s natural sourced fabric will leave you feeling more earth friendly. When choosing a size in linen clothing, be sure that the size will fit you just right because it will not stretch or give, it will sit on you as is. Linen fabric typically has a more rough surface to it but at the same time, it will be gentle to the skin. Most linen clothing pieces come in black, white, and tan but occasionally you’ll see pieces that’ll be in deeper toned colors. Linen clothes will last a long time but before you buy, be sure to note that linen does wrinkle easily and you’ll often find yourself needing to iron it out but besides that, it’ll quickly turn into your go-to summer piece as it’ll give wonderful aeration! I rate linen 4.5/5 stars as a fabric because although it wrinkles easily, it is often noticed as being linen and is therefore almost expected to be wrinkly. An excellent fabric overall.
5: Wool
Wool, sourced from sheep, primarily comes in forms of sweaters and coats -ideal for winter time. The material is reliable and typically thick so when worn, it will act as a protective layer between your skin and the cold winter air. Wool is indeed a bit itchy but when layered on top of another thin blouse, shirt, or sweater, you’ll soon adapt. Wool clothes mostly come in black, brown, and white but when made in a rare baby blue or emerald green, the clothing pieces are breathtaking! Wool clothes will last a lifetime or longer, just be sure to keep those pesky cloth moths away! Store your pieces in garment bags on the off seasons, and wash them on the wool setting if need be. My wool clothing rating is a 5/5 stars because although you won’t wear them year round, when you need them, you’ll be happy to have them.
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