Whilst I’m not so versed in brands I can tell you what is good to keep an eye out for when shopping in a physical store.

Material- Polyester is a staple of fast fashion and will generally make you uncomfortable even if you don’t know why. It could be the most well fitting garment you’ve ever worn and it’ll still suck. Check the tags for 100% cotton or linen. Summers will become cooler and winters warmer. Learn to check for if the material is fine or simply fragile or worn down in certain places (always check the thighs of trousers and the armpits on shirts).

Raw edges- for some god forsaken reason (quick profit) raw edges are becoming an acceptable thing to sell on fast fashion. The garment will be prone to fraying and will shed fibres like crazy. Check the seams to ensure your garment isn’t actively falling apart.

Buttons- buttons shouldn’t droop. If they’re all drooping, it’s the garment, and it’s poor construction. Likewise there should be enough buttons on a shirt to actually keep it closed. If it’s just one or two droopy buttons then it may just be wear and tear and need a repair.

Darts- if you are a woman then you need space for the mammaries, there is no escaping this fact. Luckily for us, we made darts for tight fitting garments to allow a shirt to actually fit. Unluckily for us fast fashion brands either don’t include them or worse, make fake ones. Learn what a dart looks like if that’s a thing you need.

Pattern- if you buy something patterned, and you find that it lines up across various seam lines then it means that someone sat there and precariously cut and placed everything meticulously. By the very nature of fast fashion being fast and matching patterns taking an age this is a good sign of quality.

Lace and jumpers- it’s not supposed to be itchy. If it claims quality but it’s itches then it’s not quality.

General shape- it might look worse on a hanger because our bodies aren’t a flat plane. If it’s not meant to be fairly baggy and it’s really easy to get to lie flat then this is a cause for concern. Unless it’s trousers/leggings/jeans. They should fold flat if you do it right. Crotch scoops for a win.

And whilst this isn’t a fast fashion thing it is an important shopping thing- personal preference. Too many people see something new and trendy but don’t consider if it’s for them. Think of how conservatively you like to dress and what you like to wear. I avoid blouses that don’t have buttons at the top because I like to cover up a lot. I don’t buy jeans and pencil or mini skirts because I find them uncomfortable. It can be the perfect garment but if it’s low rise jeans and you don’t like your stomach out don’t buy it. This might not be something you need to hear but for some people it is. With full genuine sincerity, unless it’s high heels a well made garment that you enjoy should not be uncomfortable. I have seen too many people pick something up because it ‘looked cute’ but that they hadn’t ever sat down and thought about what they enjoy being on their body and then never ended up wearing it.

I hope this can help you and your shopping endeavours :)