They Don’t Make Clothes Like They Used To…

In another case of random oddity, I pose the question of, “What’s in your closet?“

As I was looking for something to change into recently, I chose an old pair of comfy sweat pants. I realized I got these particular pants in 1994, and they are just as comfortable as when I first wore them.

This got me to thinking…

I looked around further in my dresser and closet and found I have multiple items of clothing that are 10, 20, even 30 years old in some cases, and they are all just fine to wear. Everybody has old clothes, but to take it back even further, my kids still wear some of my “hand me down” t-shirts I wore in the 1980’s. I’d probably wear them still, but I’m a hundred or so pounds heavier than I was back then.

It probably isn’t too weird to have old clothes, but these things are actually still in fairly decent condition. It’s not like they’re torn old rags that should have been tossed away years ago. The designs are still crisp, the fabric is intact and they look good.

Is it about nostalgia?

Not at all.

Is it that I’m too cheap to buy new clothes?

Well, maybe a little.

I do buy new clothes from time to time, but the new stuff just doesn’t seem to last very long, and if the old stuff is fine, why should I get rid of it? Some of my favorite clothing items were my old Army socks and underwear that lasted nearly 25 years. They were not glamorous by any means, but they were functional, comfortable, and I couldn’t give them up until they literally fell apart due to being worn so much (If you’re wondering, yes, I did wash them occasionally). They were awesome. The socks and undies died a while back, but I do still have a couple of the t-shirts. For being low bid government acquisitions, I’ve never seen anything as durable as these.

One would hope military attire would be durable (It usually isn’t, especially in the modern era), but everyone has a pair of old comfy jeans, or a favorite shirt they won’t give up that gets worn all the time. The question is always how long it will last. Considering the clothes I’ve bought more recently, I think about how quickly they fade, rip, shrink, or just wear badly. I often end up throwing them in the trash after a few months or maybe a year because they’re so cheaply made. It’s not like I’m out rolling around in the forest. They just don’t last. One thread comes off and the whole thing falls apart or looks like garbage.

We live in a disposable society.

It’s not financially feasible for companies to make things that last. They would rather sell you poorly made items that will fall apart so you need to go buy more. It’s actually a pretty smart business plan. Home appliances are a great example of how the quality of construction has changed over the years. Buy a washing machine or dishwasher now and maybe it’ll last you five years at best. Ovens, microwaves, TV’s and other electronic household items are the same. You get a one year warranty, if you’re lucky, and you hope for the best. It’s a near certainty something break that will cost you some crazy amount of money to fix, so it’s easier to just toss it and buy a new one. “Smart” phones are a perfect example of this. You buy it today, then a year from now they become “stupid” phones because an upgrade renders them obsolete.

Look at things made back in the 1920’s – 1980’s and you’ll see they were made to last at least 25 or 50 years. If you look at other more durable, heavy duty items (farm equipment, tools, etc.) built around the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, it wasn’t uncommon to see these things last as long as 75 or 100 years, or even longer in many cases before they ended their service lives (many are STILL in service today).

How about cars? Do you think you’re going to see that 2022 Kia become an antique being driven around 30 years from now? You probably won’t see it on the road 10 years from now. This is such a contrast to how manufacturing used to be.

Things simply won’t last anymore.

There will come a time soon where I will have no choice but to retire my old attire. I will be sad to let them go, not because of what they were, but rather, what they represent. Until that time comes where my clothes become ragged and worn and are no longer usable, I shall be a rebel, fighting against the modern garbage being made today.

~ Marty ~

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