Some of us are weak when it comes to designer brands. Despite many women’s impenetrable, business-like exterior, we go weak in the knees at the mere sight of a little black dress by Chanel on sale and drool over a pair of high-heeled Jimmy Choo. For some of us, it is simply hereditary.

Many of us have a yearning for quality, luxury goods that we often can’t offer. It doesn’t take a fashion genius to know that designer brands with hefty price tags scream out top-notch quality. Nonetheless, what is more important than who made the garment is how it is made; keep your eyes out for signs of not so quality finishing.

With a little bit of trial and error, you can train yourself to spot shabby making, identify cheap materials and take well-informed decisions. Here are a few quick ways to help you nail down that perfect new outfit — be it high street or designer.

Fittings are free

Before buying a garment that you hope will last your for a few years, head out to an unaffordable, high-end boutique. No, We are not trying to tempt you to buying something way out of your budget, but this will give you a sense of how a garment should ideally fit and look on you. If you can’t afford Beymen goodies, just get a feel of how this Christian Dior suit you’re longing for fits before you head out to Marks and Spencer.

Zippers and buttons

• Sure, some wax and dry soap may do the trick, but you don’t want to start off with a bad zipper. So try the zipper out a few times to make sure it’s smooth.
• The button holes’ threads need to be subtle.

Check seams, hems and stitching

• Hems need to be double-stitched.
• The seams should be straight throughout and never crooked.
• You don’t want your shirt looking like your grandmother hastily sown the hems in as her glasses went missing; make sure the stiches are tight, small and event.

Go organic when it comes to fabrics

When it comes to fabrics, the most natural ones are normally the best. To judge a quality garment you need to know which fabrics to look for, it isn’t just that silk is luxurious-looking, a good fabric will drape well, feel good against your skin and last longer with the right care. Synthetic fabrics may also cause allergies and are definitely not a good idea to wear in summer.

Look at Linings

You can immediately tell if the garment is of top-notch quality or not looking at how straight the linings are sown. The best linings are made of silk, but you can still find higher quality garments with a less fancy rayon (manufactured fiber that makes a nice alternative to silk and is used mainly in evening dresses and other flowing garments) or acetate (has a good drapey quality with a luxurious feel and a bit of shine to it) linings.

Post-Purchase Care

Pre-purchase inspection is a vital step in helping you get the most out of your new clothes, but sadly it doesn’t just end there. Once you have your new purchase safely in your own closet, proper care is paramount. You should start off by following the instructions on the tag, but here are a few more steps you can take to keep your garments pristine.

• Turn your jeans inside out while in the wash, doing so helps prevent fading.
• Most fading occurs in the dryer, so you might want to keep your drying time to a minimum, or even better allow the clothes to air dry instead — away from direct sunlight though.
• Lingerie should be hand-washed, but if you are too lazy to do so, make sure you put them in a lingerie bag or pillowcase before dumping them into the washing machine.
• Wire hangers are a big no; they are just too thin to provide any shape support, and rusting and snagging are most likely to occur.
• To avoid stretching, make sure that you fold all your sweaters and knits instead of hanging them.
• Hang like fabrics and colors together; you don’t want your denim rubbing your precious silk top now, do you?
• Sometimes good ironing is all a garment needs to look new.
• Don’t wash your clothes too often. Depending on what you’re doing and where you are going and where you’ve been, a pair of denim can get two to three wears before washes and jackets even longer.