Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I used to collect vintage clothing. I don't anymore, partly because it is getting hard to find and partly because I gained so much weight that I can't get into some of my best pieces. But yes, the quality just isn't there. I recently bought a new suit and coat that probably cost more than my car is worth, and compared them to a 1940s suit that I have in my closet that I picked up in a yard sale in the Montreal neighborhood of Westmount years ago. There is no comparison. But even in a thousand dollar suit today, you just don't get the degree of hand tailoring and expensive construction that used to be found in suits and coats. On the other hand, wages are often higher for skilled workers in the garment industry (at least for domestically-produced suits) than it used to be. My grandfather was a tailor, and two of his brothers were organizers for the ILGWU back in the 30s and 40s. I grew up on tales of family poverty back then. Mark On 1/22/06, Kenneth Frazier <kennybod@mac.com> wrote: > > > On Jan 22, 2006, at 4:47 AM, feli wrote: > > > It is astounding how poorly clothes, at almost any price point, are > > made today. > > My Dad taught himself tailoring and modified all his old suits > because he couldn't stand paying today's prices for junk. > > Last suit I bought, the seams under the arm tore loose, and when I > took it back, the sales manager grimaced and said, "Rotten thread!" > > I shop at Goodwill.....why pay exorbitant prices for something that > isn't going to last? > > Ken > ----------------------------------- > The Rev. Kenneth Frazier > Connecticut Conference, United Church of Christ > Current Leica Photography (PAW): > http://tinyurl.com/6sc2r > > Current Medium Format Photos: > http://tinyurl.com/bjvfn > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >