Questions & Answers

...in this section, I delve further into my intellectual, political, and whimsical thoughts regarding clothing. Keep in mind, the opinions and ideas expressed here are my own and should be read as such.

1. What's so great about custom clothing?
2. What do you love about vintage and vintage style clothing?
3. What is the difference between heirloom culture and consumer culture?
4. Why do some clothes wear out or fall apart quickly?
5. What's 'wrong' with ready-to-wear clothing?
6. Why not buy the cheapest dress I can find if it's just as cute as a more expensive offering?
7. If price does not indicate quality, how can you tell if a garment is well made?
8. Are garments made in certain countries better than others?
9. Why has clothing quality become less important than quantity and sale-ability?
10. What can I do about the troublesome situation of garments? I am not rich and I don't sew!

Q: What's so great about custom clothing?

A: Clothing is an important part of our daily lives. Some of us take pleasure in creating our own style, while others may simply need to dress a certain way for their job. Since we spend so much time wearing our clothes, shouldn't we enjoy wearing them? For some, this is a matter of style while others seek comfort or fit. Many people can feel limited by the clothing options available to them

While custom clothing is often expensive, it is usually more comfortable, flattering, and lasts longer because it is made to fit and to function. Though it may seem like a big expense at first, it will likely outlast other less expensive store-bought clothing in both durability and wearability. Think of purchasing a custom garment as an investment; you will get more out of it in the long run.

Q: What do you love about vintage and vintage-style clothing?

A: Vintage garments function as objects from the past that allow us to embody past eras and situations within a contemporary context. A certain attention was paid to garments in the past that seems unmatched by by the present, especially in terms of quality, functionality and style. However, the situation in which these notions of value existed left much to be desired in terms of human rights and agency. Wearing and studying vintage clothing is a way for us to remain connected to the past within the present, and to glean useful information otherwise forgotten in the passing of time.
While I would certainly argue that the 'good old days' were far from perfect, there are valuable lessons to be extracted from times past. As we have evolved (slightly) beyond the restrictions, oppressions, and hardships (too many to name) of the centuries leading up to today, we have lost a bit of the ingenuity that came with these tough times. While there is certainly something problematic, for example, about requiring high school girls to take a 'home economics' class to prepare them for their predetermined lives as housewives, we have buried the practical advice from this education along with its misguided directives.
One of the 'values' forgotten as particular human situations evolved is the care of and relationship to clothing that people used to have. We learned how to properly care for and repair our clothing, giving us a relationship to our garments that forced us to be conscious of the work that went into making each piece, its use value, and what it meant to not be wasteful. Until mass production became standard and was accepted by the general public, clothing was scarce and precious and valued as such.
On a more romantic note, the subtleties within garments from the everyday to the couture, along with the specifications to which each phase of popular fashion materialized, are endlessly fascinating to me. As a dedicated clothing maker, I take pleasure in the examination of historical garments and how they were produced and by whom. I am also quite movingly attuned to the material, spectral qualities of previously owned clothing and the power of its discrete histories. The study of used clothing creates a sort of intimacy spanning time and space, especially when a relationship between people is cultivated in the process.

Q: What is the difference between 'heirloom culture' and 'consumer culture'?

A: A heirloom is an item that is intended to be passed down from generation to generation. Historically, 'heirloom' has implied an exclusivity and hierarchy that we can set aside for our use of the term today. The quality of an heirloom is a result of its designation as such: it needs to last to be passed down. What could be seen as the opposite of an heirloom is an object that is meant for quick and limited consumption that is ultimately disposable, as are most of our everyday objects.
There are three types of everyday consumer object classifications: disposable, reusable, and renewable. I believe it is best to stay away from disposable objects all together and focus on reusable or renewable objects. When disposable objects are the only option, I encourage purchasing those which involve methods of production and disposal that create the least amount of waste and are most responsible in their use of resources.

Q: Why do some clothes wear out or fall apart quickly?

A: There are lots of reasons. Some clothing is not meant to be washed after every wear and doing so weakens it. Sometimes the materials or construction cannot withstand a washing or heavy wear. This is why jeans are made of heavy weight denim with very sturdy seams and evening gowns are made of soft silk. Think about how often you wash and wear each thing.

Planned obsolescence is built into contemporary clothing just like other consumer goods. Clothing is often no longer made to stand the test of time. Additionally, fashion dictates a short life span for garments even if they can physically last beyond their seasonal fashionability. Most clothing companies must also sacrifice quality in order to make clothing that can be sold for a low price, as most clothing is today.

Q: What's 'wrong' with ready-to-wear clothing?

Due to the fact that many RTW (ready-to-wear, mass produced clothing) garments life spans are intended to only last one fashion season, they need only be made to last one season and must be produced in quantities to meet the demands of that season and the price point that consumers expect.
Since the margin between manufacturing cost and retail price is so large, little markup is required to make large profit since people do not intend to hold on to an item of clothing beyond its fashionable wear-ability. There is more demand for cheaper clothing, so lower quality clothing is produced. Obviously, some RTW clothing manufacturers are aware of this problem and are more progressive in terms of making better quality clothing staples.

Additionally, because large clothing companies often have headquarters in one country and produce parts of and assemble clothing in multiple other countries, there is a lack of communication. In many cases, this results in poor quality clothing, mistreatment of workers, pollution at factory sites, excessive amounts of waste, and other forms of environmental and social exploitation.

Q: Why not buy the cheapest dress I can find if it's just as cute as a more expensive or better quality offering?

A: Although the low price of clothing at a lot of big stores is enticing, take into consideration what that low price implies. Lets say the dress costs $24.95. If it took you 4 hours to cut out and sew a dress, at minimum wage, here in MA for example you would be paid $32. Take into consideration the cost of materials, we'll say $4 for a dress. Add on to that the shipping costs to deliver an item to stores, packaging, presentation and marketing, and we'll bump it up to a modest $40. If the company has to mark up the dress up from its manufacturing costs by 200% to make a profit, then a $24.95 dress only allows for a budget of $12.50 for production and shipping costs. $12.50 does not equal $40.00. This discrepancy has to be made up somewhere and usually it is made up by outsourcing production to countries with cheaper labor, using cheaper materials (that don't last as long) and cutting the amount of time taken to produce garments to make more pieces, faster (also compromising quality).

These days, however, a more expensive garment doesn't automatically mean a better one, as even historically high quality luxury brands have started to cut costs in similar ways to increase profit.

Q: If price does not indicate quality, how can you tell if a garment is well made?

A: The first thing to look at is who made the garment. Is the company well established as having good quality products? Have other garments you or friends have owned from this company stood the test of time? Was the garment made in conditions that valued quality construction?

Then, look at the garment itself. Are the seams strong when you tug them? Does the material feel substantial, even if lightweight? Does it fit well and comfortably? Is it made of quality materials? (cotton, wool, linen...some synthetic fabrics don't feel as nice as these or wear as well). If the price of a garment fits your budget and it seems fairly well made, then it might be worth buying. More expensive garments should therefore illicit more careful examination of quality. This system is can be used to determine a garments 'use value'.

Use value is the value of something based on how useful it is. In the case of clothing, this usually means durability and comfort but can also include aesthetic appeal. Cost is often included in determining use value, as 'value' often implies the most return for the lowest cost. This concept is illustrated by the index below.

click image to enlarge

Ideal clothing would fall into the bottom left sector: Well made and inexpensive, valuable. Paired with factors like production details and attractiveness, one would find the ideal garment. Although, clothing on the top left can also be considered highly valuable if one is able to make the investment.

Q: Are garments made in certain countries better than others?

A: Garments are not bad quality because of where they are made, but rather could be considered 'undesirable' as a result of the circumstances under which they were produced. Most of us are aware of the 'sweatshop' and that many garments available could have been made in places where laws governing fair labor practices are weak or nonexistent, or rush orders and last minute changes put stress on workers. Often, mass-produced garments are of lower quality than those made by tailors, skilled craftsmen, or co-operative/living wage factories. In many cases, mass produced garments are created in conditions where the person making them is unable to do so in a comfortable, safe work environment.
However, it is problematic to assume that a garment made in Europe or the US is by its nature superior to a garment made in China, for example. Labor in developing countries can certainly be less expensive, but their people are by no means less capable. It is often likely the case that high demand and bad working conditions are the cause of poor quality. There are considerable instances of this in the USA as well. Garments made by skilled craftsman in any country are proportionately more expensive. Often, the extra expense is worth it if the result is supporting the fair treatment of garment industry workers and getting a long-lasting, quality piece of clothing.

Q: Why has clothing quality become less important than quantity and sale-ability?

Since the role of clothing has shifted over the past century from necessity to luxury, many no longer consider the use value of their clothing when making a purchase.

Clothing became a way for people to present themselves visually as what they want to be. While the power of clothing as a form of agency is an important development in our culture, as a result, many rate their clothing by its sign-exchange value rather than its use value. 'Sign-exchange value' is determined by how popular, fashionable, and desirable a garment is and how the wearer is perceived while wearing it. 'Use value' is determined by how effectively a garment lives up to its use: being worn, comfortably and happily. Sometimes these two go hand in hand, in the case of a well established clothing company that is rightfully so because of its quality. Though more often than not, quality is sacrificed to make a desirable garment that is inexpensive and generates immense profit.

Q: What can I do about the troublesome situation of garments? I am not rich and I don't sew!

Buy less and spend more on quality garments. You will get more enjoyment out of your clothing while creating less waste! Only buy things that will last and repair them when they need it. Support companies that allow garment workers to take pride in their craft rather than begrudgingly produce items in exchange for wages (most of the time, garment workers do not even make a 'living wage'). By doing so, you can help reduce the market for rapidly produced, ultimately disposable clothing. Buy secondhand clothing when you need a cheap solution, it is a form of recycling and often benefits charities. If you have a special garment need, support local tailoring and dressmaking businesses and friends who sew, or give sewing something yourself a try, rather than giving your money to a big company who doesn't care about you.

If you have any other questions or thoughts, please feel free to email me at functionalgarments (at) gmail.com