IF you are someone who loves a great deal as much as you love new clothes and shoes, there are some amazing bargains to be found in Yangon’s shopping centres. But to avoid wasting your money, it pays check the quality closely before you put down your cash.

A shirt that seems like a bargain at 2000K may actually not even be worth that much once you’ve examined it thoroughly. If you don’t check it before you buy it, you’re stuck with it, too: There is no return policy in Myanmar.

So don’t let shopping mania get the best of you. Here’s what to look out for so you can avoid the trash and go home with the treasures:

Clothing
- Stitches. Are there loose or hanging threads or seams? Are buttons already falling off? In high-stress areas (seat of pants, armpits) are the seams heavy-duty?

- Fabric. Is it already discoloured, faded or dirty? (Don’t buy the excuse that it just needs to be washed.) Are there lipstick stains on the neckline? (This is common if the garment has been tried on by a lot of people already.) Are there threads hanging off the material? If there any obvious imperfections (snags, crooked seams), can you live with them?

- Manufacturing. If it is a print pattern, do the patterns line up on the seams? Is the hem evenly and closely sewn? Do the buttons fit in the buttonholes? Are buttonholes reinforced? Are any sequins, beads or other details firmly sewn on? Are belt loops attached with solid stitching? Are jeans sewn with heavy-duty thread?

- Material. If the garment is made out of viscose, taffeta, silk, satin or wool, are you prepared to have it dry-cleaned regularly? Note that monthly dry-cleaning of a garment will at least triple the original purchase price in a year.

Shoes
- Heels. Is the heel made of a durable material? Is it cracked, chipped or missing the plastic protector on the bottom? Are the plastic protectors firmly attached with nails or staples? Is the heel firmly attached to the sole? (The heel and sole should be all one piece, or else the heel should be nailed on firmly.) Glued-on heels are likely to fall off quickly, and thin stiletto heels and kitten heels wear out very fast on Yangon’s rough pavements.

- Insteps. Is there firm instep inside the shoe? (Dress shoes, which are less flexible than flip-flops, should have insteps to prevent back pain or foot pain if you have an arched foot. This is especially true if you stand a lot.) Is the instep firmly attached to the inside of the shoe under the lining?

- Soles. Is the sole firmly attached to the body of the shoe? The sole should be attached with nails or staples plus glue, and reinforced at the toe if it is a closed-toed shoe. If the sole is just glued on, it will come off very quickly, usually starting at the toe.

- Straps. Are straps made of a sturdy material? Are they both glued and stitched to the body of the shoe? Are they easily adjustable? When you buckle the straps, do they stay buckled when you walk? (There is nothing more annoying than straps that keep popping open every five minutes.)

- Hardware. Is the shoe hardware (buckles, etc.) good quality and not tarnished or flaking? Is it attached firmly to the strap or shoe with glue and stitching?
- Material. Is the fabric of the shoe durable? If you are buying the shoe for outside wear during rainy season, is it waterproof or will it dry quickly without getting ruined?

Costume jewellery
- If it is jewellery with a metallic coating, is the coating even applied and without tarnish? Are there spots where the tarnish has already worn off?

- If there are fake gems in the piece, are the settings secure? Try wiggling the stones. Make sure none of the fake stones are missing, loose or cracked.

- If it is a necklace, check the closure: it should be sturdy and easy to operate. Longer and heavier necklaces should have larger closures, preferably made out of metal and firmly attached to the rest of the necklace.

Handbags
- If you are looking for a leather handbag, don’t be fooled by imitations and labels that read “real leather”. To check if it’s the real thing, open the bag and sniff it. It should smell organic and musty – more like an animal, not like chemicals or plastic. The back of a piece of real leather is velvety, soft, and nubbly – not shiny or smooth like the outer side.

- Make sure the inner lining and straps are securely attached to the outer layer of the handbag with heavy-duty stitching at the top edge. This is a common weak point in cheap handbags and if they are badly sewn here the lining will rip away from the outer layer of the purse very quickly.

- Make sure any hardware is heavy duty, securely attached and not tarnished or broken. Make sure all buttons and snaps work.

- Check zippers carefully – they should slide easily, without effort, back and forth several times without catching. Go for metal zippers over plastic.

- Make sure the straps are sturdy enough for the bag. A large handbag with very skinny straps is likely to break if you put a lot of things in the bag. The larger the handbag, the thicker the straps should be and the more securely attached. For large hold-alls, try to find one where the straps and body of the handbag are made from one piece of material, or make sure the straps are secured by metal hardware, not just stitching.