The myth of declining quality

[Fuuma]

Wonderful to see you, Fuuma!

OMG a veteran of the CE culture wars. How are you?

 

[RSS]

OMG a veteran of the CE culture wars. How are you?

Getting too old to argue. Well, at least I don't feel much like it anymore. I'm once again trying to venture out into threads that are actually style related. That said, this one is reminding me a bit of CE.

 

[ValidusLA]

Getting too old to argue. Well, at least I don't feel much like it anymore. I'm trying to venture out into threads that are actually style related. That said, this one is reminding me a bit of CE.

 

[EUtroll]

In a number of western European countries the average male spends closer to 500€ than 1k/year on clothing.

 

[comrade]

"Seems weird to accuse me of being an elitist when I spend more time than most people on here recommending affordable options to people. I spend hours every week digging up eBay finds for people on a budget. I've written for Put This On for over ten years, and nearly every post includes an affordable version of whatever I'm talking about."

That could make you patronizing…. Kidding !!

 

[AlexanderWestwood]

Quality can be:
- Durability (this suit should last a long time)
- Comfort (this suit should feel good on me)
- Precision of manufacturing (this suit should have perfect stitching)
- Or some other more subjective definitions, like style

This thread is all over the place talking about different aspects of quality.
I do agree that quality of the past has been romanticized, and there certainly is a cause for declining quality, as companies race to the bottom to stay affordable.

 

[EUtroll]

If I don't remember wrong, it was a top manager at one of the leading American manufactures who praised the Chinese knit production as next to none simply because they alone invested in the best and most advanced machines which also allowed them to produce very decent quality in great quantities at a decent price. As a general rule, I think it's fair to say that affordable clothing has become a lot better over the years.

 

[ValidusLA]

If I don't remember wrong, it was a top manager at one of the leading American manufactures who praised the Chinese knit production as next to none simply because they alone invested in the best and most advanced machines which also allowed them to produce very decent quality in great quantities at a decent price. As a general rule, I think it's fair to say that affordable clothing has become a lot better over the years.

Chinese investment in textile production is hard to overexaggerate. I've been in mills there the size of US distro warehouses that run 24/7. You have to wear earplugs in those places.

They have also invested heavily in Laser and waterless dye / laundry / finishing machines to try to attract eco conscious foreign production. Most Western producers aren't willing to pay the extra few cents to use them though.

 

[standaloneprotein]

Seems weird to accuse me of being an elitist when I spend more time than most people on here recommending affordable options to people. I spend hours every week digging up eBay finds for people on a budget. I've written for Put This On for over ten years, and nearly every post includes an affordable version of whatever I'm talking about.

That said, I think there's an online culture now around classic men's style that's not really about classic clothing at all. I think many end up looking like internet dandies. So yes, my view on Manny pants has changed after seeing more men in them. I think many end up looking bad in those pants.

Do not feed the trolls my friend.

 

[radicaldog]

I am enjoying this thread.

Good to see you again. I suppose the pandemic is taking its toll.

 

[radicaldog]

I don't think you have to wear particularly high-quality clothes to look good. On balance, the stylish people I see are mostly wearing lower quality clothes. People who can afford nice clothes are often not very well dressed, even if they've spent a lot of money on their duds.

This is my impression as well. People in the arts and culture sectors who have a well-cultivated aesthetic sense and little money usually dress a lot better than iGents & co.

 

[radicaldog]

I haven't yet, but hope to at some point. I've been slowly collecting interviews with people who work or worked at Brooks Brothers, and hope to write something more comprehensive about the company. (If time allows anyway, I feel like I'm always sitting on various projects and ideas. But I have collected a handful of interviews already)

When you eventually write a book it will be one of the better trade books on fashion, ever.

 

[jefferyd]

Getting too old to argue. Well, at least I don't feel much like it anymore. I'm once again trying to venture out into threads that are actually style related. That said, this one is reminding me a bit of CE.

Would this, then, be an appropriate moment to mention divots as they relate to declining quality?

 

[CBrown85]

Always thought it was funny that it was the biggest contributors to the forum who got chirped the hardest from rando boomers and trolls.

 

[Nigel Scott-Williams]

Nigel I forgot you were on Styleforum.

Well, obviously my publicist isn't doing much of a job! We will be having a little "chat" !!