As much as I love to shop for new clothes, and refresh my wardrobe on a daily basis, I strongly believe in purchasing clothing pieces that will last for years to come. And no, they don’t always happen to be designer pieces. When I shop, I look for a few things that will let me know if something will last a while, or not. I’ve rounded up these tips below to let you know what I look for. They’re simple, easy to follow steps that I think you’ll appreciate as you refresh the wardrobe. Here is what I look for when it comes to selecting quality clothing pieces…

• The material (or fabric) – Paying attention to the material makes a huge difference if you want something to last a long time. If the fabric is prone to pilling, it won’t look as nice after a few washes. Another question I ask myself – is the material prone to shrinking? If it is, I know not to put it in the dryer, instead I’ll hang dry it.
• The stitching – Again, another HUGE component to look out for. While I am shopping, and I find a piece that I like, I am not ashamed to say that I’ll check the stitching first. I’ll check several pieces of the same item because that usually tells me their quality control story. (Don’t get me wrong, if I REALLY like the item, but the quality is poor, I’ll still purchase it. But at least I know it’s an item that won’t last long.)
• The instructions on how to care for the clothing piece – I love to shop for pieces that are easy to care for. Because who has time to dry clean? I mean….sometimes it is required. But if I can avoid it, then I will try to. Anyway, this tip comes into play before and after the fact. Before you purchase an item, look at the care for instructions. If it says to dry clean or hand wash only, are you committed? After you purchase the item, if it’s one you want to preserve for a long time, save yourself from the headache, and just check the care for instructions again. I know, I know, it’s a pain. But I think we have all messed up our favorites by not reading the care for instructions first. (I know I have.) Here’s the thing – if it says to dry clean, that means to dry clean only. The manufacturer isn’t slapping on that label for no reason. If it says to hand wash, then you may want to use the gentle (or hand wash) cycle on your washing machine. Heck, if you want, wash it by hand. Sometimes I take it a step further…if it’s a piece with big beautiful buttons, I will hang dry it even though it may be okay to put it in the dryer. (This is to avoid beating up the buttons in the dryer.)

Following these three simple steps will go a long way on preserving those staples you love. Which by the way, today’s outfit consists of things I bought a while back but still look oh-so-fresh. I maintain my favorites by doing the above 😉

I hope you found these tips to be helpful! If you have your own tips on finding quality pieces, and would like to share, please do so. You can shoot me a a message through Instagram or email me at mrsprofresh@gmail.com.

Hope you have a lovely day! The sun is out and the sky is clear in Houston – perfect to celebrate the hubby’s birthday tonight! I think we are venturing out to the restaurant scene for the first time since March. We plan on having dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants so that will be interesting.