What clothing brands do you feel have gone downhill in quality?

[disneyofcourse]

American eagle has been horrible recently. The sweatshirts shrink upwards, shirts get holes in them and just major shrinkage! I have shirts that I found in my closet from 5+ years ago and they look brand new and I've been wearing them and no shrinkage.

J-crew. Terrible Terrible quality in comparison to what the quality was before. Cheaper fabrics, poor stitching and just things falling apart over a couple wears.

Old Navy has been a joke recently. The quality of fabrics used to be decent.

So many stores are following this trend of poor quality. Just things are made cheaper to make more money. Things made to last a few washes so that consumers keep on buying to replace the old items.

 

[snowy76]

We recently received an ad for Consumer Reports Savvy Shopper that said VS bras were poor quality and recommended Target instead.

ITA with that. My Target bras (which I bought to just have a couple extras around) are now my favorites. VS bras are awful. Best bras come from the specialty shops ($$$) or online (Bare Necessities, for one).

 

[Tiger926]

Are the tiny holes around the lower middle area? I have done a google on this as I have had this problem in AT Loft and other shirts. Turns out in my case it was some threads on the back of my Honda carseat that was the culprit! They attach a plastic piece to the other side. I have duct tape around it now. Others were getting holes from rough edges on granite countertops and some from zippers. I was blaming Loft then realized it was happening on other thin shirts too.

I have this same problem also. I was not from faulty clothes, it was from my middle spreading

We have the same problem, but no granite here, no middle spread, and I don't sit in a car seat - LOL! It's just cheap fabrics, as far as I'm concerned. Unless there is some other reason, which I can't seem to figure out at this point.

Tiger

 

[Lucille1963]

J Crew, especially their cashmere sweaters. They pill like crazy! The price has gone up and the quality has gone down - some business model. I have sweaters of theirs from 10 years ago that look better than ones I bought 3 months ago.

(I know, cry me a river over cashmere sweaters - first world problems. But I buy classic, nontrendy clothes and expect them to last!)

I refuse to buy ANY cashmere sweater that was made in China. A few years ago the Chinese figured out how to manufacture cashmere sweaters out of the short fibers that used to be useless. This is why Chinese cashmere pills so easily. I have many cashmere sweaters dating back to the 1940s that look lovely and that I wear year after year. I won't buy any Chinese cashmere, even at thrift stores for a buck.

Three brands that I will spend money on for cashmere sweaters are Hadley, Pringle and Dalton.

Hate Coach - their purses look disgusting after 6 months of use. I buy brands of purses that will last a lifetime- and they truly do.

I have many vintage Coach and Dooney and Bourke pieces that last and last, but I don't buy the modern bags. The vintage quality of construction and materials used are much higher. I have read on purse forums about the responses from Coach, when the modern quality is questioned that is something to the effect of "they make fashion accessories and they're not meant to last forever". So sad, when you know how they used to be made.

 

[si-am]

I have to agree with everyone about Old Navy. I used to shop there all the time but now it seems the entire store is geared to teenagers and even their basic tees are really thin and tight and cheap looking.

 

[Anne34]

Ann Taylor Loft - This used to be a favorite "go to" for some quick basics especially for work, mostly because it was machine washable, they had great color choices, and it fit me. Now, almost all of their stuff is very skimpy/thin materials, more casual in appearance, and doesn't last nearly as long. (I have some stuff I bought there several years ago that looks much better than what I bought there last year.)

Another one who feels their quality has been lacking lately!

 

[Wonderlandmom]

We have the same problem, but no granite here, no middle spread, and I don't sit in a car seat - LOL! It's just cheap fabrics, as far as I'm concerned. Unless there is some other reason, which I can't seem to figure out at this point.

Tiger

No middle spread here either. The holes are tiny and round. Google it as people have found several causes for this. I do agree that thin material is why it happens, but something has to start that hole from forming. The duct tape around the car seatbelt threads seems to have done the trick for me.

Just 2 of MANY forums on the subject. Washing machines are blamed by some:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf38944249.tip.html
http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/laundry/msg1217375725006.html?12

 

[princessbride6205]

I always love coming to this board, as there are way cool tips, and shopping reviews. Seeing as how it's 2011, I've been adjusting my budget a bit (more things have gone up in price), and so it got me thinking about our clothing budget.

Gymboree - This is a hard one for me, as my kids are outfitted from head to toe in Gymboree. A few years ago, I noticed a difference between Canadian and U.S. clothing, so I no longer purchase any U.S. Gymboree. I was hoping this wouldn't make its way to our Canadian products, but sadly, it has. I have had to return coats for broken zippers, shirts that shrunk, leggings that lost their shape and dresses that just came apart at the seams. We are regular customers, so we get treated like royalty at our local store, and even the manager is starting to worry, as the quality of some of the products is going downhill. Still have great quality baby blankets, tights, metal hair accessories, flip flops and bathing suits.

Agree on Gymboree - I've had holes after one washing, and they keep changing the fit of their pants. I'm extremely unhappy about their Christmas line this year - they have paired white and red fabrics together and did not prewash the red I guess. Two different shirts are now red and white with big pink areas on the white. I wash in cold, remove right away, re-washed 3 times, never put in the dryer - still didn't come out. Was I supposed to not ever wash it? (It didn't stain other clothes, just itself.) I only buy when there is a sale PLUS a coupon - otherwise they are way overpriced. Also noticed a lot of shrinkage in their shirts this past summer - and nothing went in the dryer - so it's just from washing in cold or warm and line drying. All of DD's 3T tops were showing her belly by September - so I bought her all 4T fall/winter stuff - which she is still completely swimming in!

Old Navy - I used to buy DH's clothes there since they were so inexpensive - but every single pair of shorts/pants he ever got had the pockets fall apart. I originally blamed it on his keys - but no other brand has been a problem.

I don't do a lot of clothes shopping. DH now buys his work clothes (cargo pants) from military or sporting supply stores. Various brands - but all good quality. We can go to REI sale rack and get him new pants/shorts that really last.

On to the good brands:
Dansko - these are the only shoes I wear to work now. I have had one pair for 2.5 years and they're just starting to show wear. I have had another pair for 2 years and the shoe has held up extremely well, but it's a little color, so it's showing more scuffs. I've recommended these to several people. They are excellent for anyone who has foot problems or does a lot of standing/walking. My sister (a chef) bought a pair last year for work, and just bought 2 more.

Target - I file this in the "value" category - are the items wonderfully sized and high quality? Not really, but when I pay $3 for a pair of leggings DD will grow out of in a few months, I'm okay with that. I'm choosy about the fabrics and pick ones that feel nicer or softer. Items shrink more than I'd like, but I've not had any other problems. I haven't found as many items there lately for myself, but I'm still finding a good value in the children's play clothes and school clothes.

Carter's - very consistent quality - especially happy with their baby clothes.

I've also been trying to buy from some smaller brands for DD - like Tea and Nosilla Organics.

 

[here757]

i have a very rough 7 year old boy. so alot of name brands are out for us.
i have had real good luck with tough skins.( also remember if you are a member of the kid vantage program if he wears them out before he out grows them they will replace them at no cost to us. has to be same size!)
good luck with vans. (jackets and shoes)
sketchers for sneakers
targets house brand . i think its cherokee, for jeans.
joe boxer for jammies long as they are not fleece ewww

we cant do faded glory ( unless its school uniform tops because we only wear them 6 hours a day then changes when he gets home)
i have never had any good luck with walmart/kmart shoes. i have always gone to places like ross, tj maxx and got last years nikes for the same prices

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Baby Gap. There is a big difference in quality from 2007 to now. Some things are still OK, but man, some of the sweaters are CRAP!

Childrens Place, I won't even shop there anymore, it's all junk. I found better quality at Target.