Check the quality of clothes before you spend your hard-earned money.

The following is a quick rundown on the particulars of good craftsmanship. Fabric and Stitching

• Inspect fabrics to make sure patterns line up at the seams'especially at the shoulders, collar and sewn-on (patch) pockets.

• Hold fabric up to the light and make sure the weave is tight, even and uniform, with no loose or undone threads. If the fabric has beads or sequins, make sure they're securely attached.

•Check the grain of the fabric. The vertical grain should run straight up and down the garment, and the horizontal grain should run at a 90-degree angle to this line.

• Crumple heavier fabric, such as wool, to see if it bounces back, either immediately or in several minutes, indicating resistance to wrinkling.

• Verify that all stitches are secure and straight. You should see about 8 to 12 stitches per inch.

• Examine hems, which should be nearly invisible. Hemmed bottoms should hang straight and not curl or pucker.