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My friend told me to check the stitching on a viral dress I wanted
She said, 'Look at the seams, not the price tag.' I bought it anyway for $25 from that site everyone was talking about. After one wash, the hem came completely undone and two buttons fell off. Now I get why she said that. Anyone have tips for spotting bad stitching before you buy?
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holly7093mo ago
My local thrift store taught me to tug gently on a seam. If you see more than a thread-width of space, it's a pass.
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corah753mo ago
Honestly @holly709, that's a solid tip for spotting cheap stuff anywhere.
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erickelly3mo ago
Actually gotta disagree on that seam test being a solid rule. Seen plenty of good vintage pieces with a little gap that have held up for years. Sometimes the fabric just relaxes. Feels like you could miss out on some real gems by being too strict about it.
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holly709 is right, that tug test is the best thing I ever learned. I had a similar thing happen with a pretty blouse from a fast fashion place - it looked fine in the store but after one gentle wash the whole side seam just gave out. Now I always give the stitching a gentle pull, especially around the armholes and the bottom hem. If you see any gap at all, it's just not worth your money, no matter how cute the dress is. Another thing I check now is the thread itself - if it feels thin and flimsy compared to the fabric, that's a bad sign too.
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