That’s actually why I get high quality basics. I wear the statements less often so they don’t wear down that quickly, but if I get high quality basics they wear down less often. Except loungewear that never leaves the house. I can get low quality and it will last forever.
4 Likes
I love turtles!
4 Likes
As with anything frugal I think the key with clothing /fashion is to not buy things that you don’t use (and don’t give you pleasure in some other way that you deem “worth it”). Ideally, with clothes, you use them up, because the resale market is pretty full and stuff gets wasted.
If dressing presentably is the entire goal of clothing, a capsule is sufficient, but if it’s an important form of self expression for you, maybe that isn’t enough. Basically I think the proponents of capsule wardrobes may have different goals than you, and that’s ok. Don’t get striped shirts, or florals, or a trench if you don’t wear them. Do get 5 black shirts if you wear those almost daily in various looks. Account for weather and setting… Multiple rain coats may make sense in Seattle but not LA. If you can’t wear something to work, will you wear it at home, or default to sweat pants 9/10 times? I don’t think this means you can’t have a thing just be mindful of the use it will get (or not). Similarly, aspirational clothing can be tricky. Do you not wear jackets due to not having a comfy one, or do you like the idea of jackets more than the execution?
I feel like I need to wrap this up but have a million little caveats. Basically there is no moral high ground to what anyone calls their capsule but you can still avoid mindless consumption of clothing…
4 Likes
Question on high quality basics : what constitutes a high quality cotton tee? I feel like the usual markers (thicker fabric, e.g.) kind of defeat the purpose of a summer top? And that jersey will wear out, absorb smell, stretch, etc even if it doesn’t rip/tear so it will at least be downgraded if not retired in roughly similar time. Thoughts?
2 Likes
oooh I’m excited about this thread in general.
For me, a high quality cotton tee:
- has been properly preshrunk, so it won’t turn into a weird shape when I wash it
- the neckline / cuffs won’t stretch out into weird shapes – they’re stabilized somehow. women’s vneck tees are my worst offenders here.
- the seams in general will hold up to rough wear & washing (do they look visibly wonky from the inside when it’s new? I’m looking at you, old navy. (I have old navy tees I love but some of them are really bad quality.))
- it’s the right thickness for its intended purpose – like you noted, tissue-weight jersey is often the best choice for summer, and it will wear out, and that is OK.
5 Likes
the idea of high quality basics + low quality statement / fun pieces is also not something that would have occurred to me but actually makes a lot of sense! I love it.
does anyone have reccs for brands that 1) sell ethical basics 2) in colors/prints other than just neutrals and 3) offer plus sizes? I’ve been making a lot of my clothes for the last couple of years but tbh sometimes I just want to buy a couple of t-shirts.
ETA also I’m just going to use this space to complain about how much I love so many of Nooworks’ prints and general aesthetics but their clothes just don’t fit my proportions. 
I want a pink longcats dress darn it.
6 Likes
Have you looked into The Kit? Simple shapes, bold prints, sizes up to 3XL, print on demand for reduce fabric waste. I don’t own anything of theirs yet but I really like the approach. https://www.thekit.com/collections/tops/products/turtleneck-indigo-iris
4 Likes
So… in my experience Target tees fit these requirements for a quality tee (but maybe not your ethically made stipulation)… I would not call them high quality in general… Am I wrong or is this reasonable? (Question to everyone. )
2 Likes
My favorite “high quality” tees (soft, thick enough not to be see through, seams hold up in the wash, neckline that has a style (boatneck or v or something) and has a nice hem) are Lands End, but I bought them at a weird Maine wholesale discount store and haven’t been able to convince myself to buy them full price. Also not sure about ethical construction.
I loved Mossimo tees and tank tops from target from a “fits my particular body really well” standpoint (decent quality, no idea about ethics), but the new line (Alex and Ani or something?) changed how big the shoulders are and don’t fit me as well.
3 Likes
When I was living in Maine I went to the LLBean outlet and bought their iconic snowboots. Outlets feel like a very Maine thing, especially for Lands End!
So to recap, our postcovid list is: share desserts, throw themed parties, go buy stuff at outlets in Maine.
I made the last one up just like I invited myself over for cake. But rest assured I have actual boundaries in person 
5 Likes
Ooh this looks exactly like what I was looking for, thanks!
3 Likes
LL Bean outlet is excellent, but the real gems are Renys (RENYS MY LOVE, I CANT WAIT TIL COVID IS OVER AND I CAN TOUCH EVERYTHING IN THE WHOLE STORE) and then sometimes Mardens has really wonderful craft supplies for .76 cents.
5 Likes
I think plenty of target’s t-shirts are good quality for summer. For heavier weight, more durable tees I do like lands end, ll bean, and muji.
3 Likes
Sometimes all the shoes at Mardens smell like smoke because they came from a store that caught on fire. It’s hit or miss
4 Likes
L.M.A.O.
2 Likes
Aw dang I love the stuff on The Kit’s website … but this is part of what makes plus size shopping so hard … everyone means something different by 3x. Like this 3x is a good 6” smaller in bust and waist from say Old Navy’s 3x. It’s better than nothing but still leaves so many people out.
Anyway I’ll stop bitching about yet more pretty clothes I can’t buy but also don’t need 
7 Likes
Yeah a 40" waist is still pretty small, I’d call this straight sizing with generous margins rather than true plus sizing. 
4 Likes
caveat: not a fashion forward person
I was just thinking to myself the other day that for the first time ever I’m actually very happy with my wardrobe. The number of clothes I can own at one time is forcibly limited by way of sharing a studio apartment (also I had to / wanted to buy all new clothes when I transitioned, lol). The nice thing is as a masculine person nobody’s surprised or judgmental if I’m always wearing the same clothes.
I’ve handled mercurial tastes by restricting myself to two groups of aesthetics, which I think of more or less as ‘East Asia-inspired ivy’ and ‘wannabe skate kid’. The former I wear to work, the later I wear out and about. how did I settle on this? I dunno, I hung around Uniqlo a lot for a year and it just sort of happened.
I really miss thrift shops, I’ve found surprisingly few places to buy masc clothes secondhand online. I like Grailed if you have the time to sort through old luxury items people are trying to turn a profit on.
6 Likes
I haven’t actually bought anything from them so can’t vouch for the fabric quality, but I’m pretty tempted by the colors at Big Bud Press.
5 Likes
It took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out, but here’s what works for me:
- When wearing long pants, 90% of the time I reach for black jeans. There is a Kohl’s store brand that fits great and is no longer made, but they do come up on Ebay, so when I see them, I buy them.
- This being Florida, I wear lightweight capris 8 months of the year. Woolrich makes a style that fits me perfectly, and again, when I see them on Ebay, I buy them.
- I like a gauzy shirt over a bra top (tank top that incorporates a bra). Chico’s size one generally fits. If I need a new one, I look on Ebay, Thred Up and Poshmark.
- I like Lilly Pulitzer dresses. DH LOVES them. Lilly has a big dress sale once or twice a year and if I need a new one I buy it then. If it’s sleeveless, I buy a shrug on Amazon to match. Florida air conditioning is COLD.
3 Likes