How to Spot Cheaply Made Clothes Before Buying Them: 8 Simple Checks to Try in the Fitting Room

A price tag tells only part of the story, and a garment's real quality often hides in places shoppers rarely look. Stitching, seams, and small pieces of hardware reveal far more than a label does. Here is what to look for before you decide to buy anything.

The fitting room is good for more than checking size. A few minutes of hands-on testing can show whether a piece is built to last or likely to unravel after a handful of wears. Here are eight quick checks to run before you head to the register.

• 1. Hold It Up to the Light: Lift the garment under the overhead light and watch how evenly it lets light through. Patchy transmission or a sparse weave points to low fabric density, which can lead to warping, thinning, or stretching after washing.
• 2. Pull the Seams: Gently tug a seam apart with both hands. Well-made seams have tight, dense stitches that don't show gaps or bare thread. Loose threads or visible gaps mean weak tension, and the seam may burst. With stretchy fabrics, pull and release. If the fabric stays baggy, leave it behind.

• 3. Work the Zipper: Zippers are often the first part to fail. Zip it up and down at least three times, and it should glide without snagging. The fabric on both sides should lie flat, since a zipper sewn too tightly causes puckering or waves. Inspect the buttonholes, too, for clean stitching without loose threads.
• 4. Check Alignment and Pattern Matching: Lay the piece flat or hang it up to see whether the side seams run straight. Seams that twist forward or backward when worn mean a misaligned cut. On stripes or plaids, the pattern should meet across the seams. Matching takes careful cutting and extra fabric, which signals attention to detail.

• 5. Turn It Inside Out: Look at the overlock stitching. Quality pieces have dense, neat stitching and no loose threads. If there's a lining, give it a gentle tug to confirm it has room to move. A tight lining with no give pulls on the outer fabric and causes wrinkles and distortion.

• 6. Test the Hardworking Spots: Pocket corners, belt loops, straps, underarms, and the tops of slits take constant strain. Look for extra stitching there, such as a second line or a small block of dense thread, and give straps, loops, and corners a light tug. Watch for tiny holes forming around the stitches, and check the crotch seam on trousers and the attachment points on narrow straps. A little interior bulk is fine if it reinforces the seam, but a smooth seam that already feels weak is an immediate red flag.

• 7. Fasten Every Button: Button the whole garment, not just a couple of buttons. The front should lie smoothly between them. If a fitted shirt pulls, try a larger size first. If there is plenty of room yet the placket still twists or gaps, the buttons are likely poorly spaced. Tug each one gently. A single loose button is easy to fix, but several on a new piece suggest rushed finishing.

• 8. Press the Collar, Waistband, and Lapels: These areas often have an extra inner layer that helps them hold their shape. Press them lightly. They should feel fairly even, without bubbles, hard patches, or oddly thin spots. Compare both sides, since one shouldn't collapse while the other stays firm. A soft collar can be a design choice, but bubbling stays visible and may worsen after washing or cleaning.

A few minutes in the fitting room can save you from a garment that falls apart in the wash. Trust your hands and eyes, and walk away from anything that feels flimsy.

Once you've found well-made pieces worth wearing, see our guide on how to wear red this fall, from subtle accents to head-to-toe looks.