Cheap Clothing, Expensive Handbags

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#31
LuvDesignerBags said:
My question is as you purchases more quality handbags and luxury items has that transferred over to your clothing and your style? As person buys more expensive handbags and the quality rises does that translate into other areas of one life, especially there clothes? Would a person seek out more quality in that area?
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Hmm ... well, personally, I think my bags have gone way up in quality and price over the last decade, but my clothing is pretty much the same. Maybe I've gone from Gap/Ann Taylor to J. Crew/Burberry, but that doesn't come close to my jump in handbags, where I used to buy Coach and Kate Spade and slowly, over the years went all the way up to Hermes. Part of it is, bags are my thing. Clothes just don't give me the same happy feeling as bags. Also, I work at home, take care of lots of animals, and don't have the lifestyle that warrants expensive clothes. Most days, I am in sweats at home and in jeans when I go out. I've always dressed simply (jeans, J.Crew sweaters, etc) and put the oomph in my outfits with accessories. I do love coats and will spend the money for higher quality on those, as I believe a good coat can elevate an outfit much the way a great bag can.

One other thought: we don't need to look any further than celebrity photos to see where the expensive bag/cheap clothing trend is coming from. How many pics are there of celebs in their yoga pants and Uggs, carrying a Birkin?
 
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#32
There are entire books devoted to this subject. Though I am not suggesting anyone should buy clothes they can't afford, the tendency for very cheap clothes is hugely problematic. Causing environmental issues, workforce exploitation as well as the degradation of the entire fashion industry by lowering standards.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overdressed...F8&qid=1401915451&sr=8-1&keywords=Overdressed

http://www.amazon.co.uk/To-Die-For-...TF8&qid=1401915640&sr=8-3&keywords=To+die+for

http://ladysarahinlondon.wordpress....-review-giveaways-for-your-library/#more-3618

http://drnonews.blogspot.co.uk
 
#33
Most of my clothes are Zara, H&M, asos etc, with some iro and acne here and there, whereas my bags are designer. Simply because right now I have to compromise, been a student for too long:p But when I get a full time job, I would like to buy clothes from Isabel Marant for example, but doubt I will stop going to H&M. I only buy clothes that I can see myself wearing for years anyway, and if I like the item and the fabric and fit is good, I will buy it, no matter what the label says.
 
#34
I like to think that most of my clothes are good quality, even though some are from target (the long and lean tank tops) and gap (jeans, cotton blouses, cozy scarves, tanks and lightweight tees). I pick out the pieces that are mostly cotton and well made. Some are heavy-ish, some are lightweight but still work since lightweight items are good for warmer weather.

I have some nicer pieces (silk) but don't wear those as often because I want to keep them nice. I avoid wool because wool items attract dog hair and are more vulnerable to pests. I had a really nice lightweight wool suit that got holes in it after a few trips to the dry cleaner. Had to throw it out. Tweed seems to be OK though.

Lately I have found nice pieces at Banana Republic, and I shop Ann Taylor for blazers, skirts and trousers because they fit so well. They used to have nice tops but I haven't found good tops there lately (maybe one).

I have some nicer items from the Adrienne Vittadini boutique, but that closed several years ago. :sad:

Most of my pieces are between $20 and $100 (blazers are more). A lot were on sale. I think you can find a lot of nice clothing in that price range if you look over a long period of time and are selective. I don't feel the need to spend more than that for something that needs regular cleaning unless it is a special piece.

Coats, shoes and bags don't need regular cleaning so they should last longer which justifies the added expense.
 
#35
I have expensive clothes, but I have bought them second hand due to the fact that I'm a teacher with expensive tastes. My salary doesn't match my taste. Clothes and shoes are just not my thing. With my salary, I have pared down what I like to spend my money on. Hence, my 30+ pair of sunglasses, jeans, handbags, and nail polish (50+). Clothes and shoes? Not so much.
 
#36
While I've outgrown h&m, I still stick to a streamlined wardrobe of clean cut silk shirts in black or off-white, tees and my staple black 'jeans. An assortment of long and wide scarves as well as coats or jackets is a must to get me through the British weather. I invest in shoes, bags and jewellery...they tend to last longer than clothing.


I exist purely to amuse myself.
 
#37
I saw the title of this thread and laughed because it's me! I have no problem spending hundreds on a bag, but I refuse to pay more than $50 for a piece of clothing! Lol I get most of my clothes in Kohls or Macy's. I go thru clothes way too often to spend money on them (get bored with clothes easily). I'm the girl that will walk outta the house with leggings, tunic, uggs and a LV ;)


Sent from my iPhone using PurseForum
 
#38
I think for me the main mental block is dry cleaning vs machine wash. So much designer RTW is dry clean only so you're not only looking at the upfront cost but also the ongoing maintenance costs. If more designer pieces are easier to care for, and can be machine washed on delicate, then I would be more inclined to buy designer RTW.

The only major exception I make to this is outerwear, for which I prefer designer. I guess it's because coats have to be dry cleaned anyway, plus the cost-per-wear is generally pretty good for something you have to wear virtually daily for an entire season.

Also, a lot of the designer RTW I come across just don't seem to have quality that matches the price tag, IMO. They're usually a bit nicer than high street - decent high street, not the really cheap disposable fashion kind - but for prices at 4 - 12x? Certainly the quality isn't 4 - 12x better, so I feel like I can't justify the spend.

But I suppose you could run the same argument for handbags and I'm perfectly happy to spend a lot on my premier designer handbags, so I acknowledge a disconnect there. But my mind keeps coming back to the dry clean issue. I don't so much mind the upfront costs but I really can't get over the ongoing issues of upkeep.
 
#39
I can't speak for anyone else OP but I would have a mix of designer and contemporary clothing - sort of reflects my bag collection which includes Hermes and Michael Kors. I don't have any real 'high-street' stuff - those stores like Topshop, H&M, Zara have only come to Australia in the past couple of years. But I definitely have contemporary stuff like Country Road, David Lawrence, Witchery etc sitting in my closet next to Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Maxmara.

The truth is, I am very sentimental about it all: clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery - I want it to last. I find that perfect perfect piece and I never want to look for another one of that kind again! I feel that way whether it's a $100 dress from Country Road or a $1000 dress from Rachel Gilbert. I wear a Ralph Lauren jacket quite a bit that has a gorgeous peplum, is such a sturdy fabric and beautifully lined in satin. I bought it on lay-by when I was a student and have worn it routinely ever since - that is over 8 years ago :faint:

Quality lasts. It doesn't have to be expensive (and in fact, there are plenty of expensive clothes that you look at and think, are they high when they price these things?? :wtf: :thinkin: ) but you can usually tell that something is worth it or not.

The flow-on effect of my approach is that I wear things over and over: that honestly is probably quite boring to a lot of people, who prefer something new and exciting and are prepared to potentially sacrifice quality for the thrill of something on trend and different. I enjoy dressing well, but I don't have the energy or imagination to endlessly put together complex fashionable looks: I have a uniform. I LIKE it if it looks good, flatters my figure and practically and aesthetically suits my lifestyle.
 
#40
I love bags and shoes but spend more on good hand made Italian leather handbags. My clothes are a reasonable quality Ann Taylor, J Crew and a couple of designer pieces like my coats and jackets. My true love are great handbags beautifully made by great Italian leather craftsman.
My latest find is the new Massaccesi line of bags. Great styles superb leather and beautifully made by a true Italian leather craftsman at a pretty reasonable price.
 
#41
A good portion of this is I've bought an expensive piece of clothing that has burned out quicker than my cheap ones. I personally think investing in some key pieces is the key to a good wardrobe. Also, I have my blazers tailored in a different country for peanuts.

For me, a definitely though has the longer value.
 
#42
Bitten said:
I can't speak for anyone else OP but I would have a mix of designer and contemporary clothing - sort of reflects my bag collection which includes Hermes and Michael Kors. I don't have any real 'high-street' stuff - those stores like Topshop, H&M, Zara have only come to Australia in the past couple of years. But I definitely have contemporary stuff like Country Road, David Lawrence, Witchery etc sitting in my closet next to Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Maxmara.

The truth is, I am very sentimental about it all: clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery - I want it to last. I find that perfect perfect piece and I never want to look for another one of that kind again! I feel that way whether it's a $100 dress from Country Road or a $1000 dress from Rachel Gilbert. I wear a Ralph Lauren jacket quite a bit that has a gorgeous peplum, is such a sturdy fabric and beautifully lined in satin. I bought it on lay-by when I was a student and have worn it routinely ever since - that is over 8 years ago :faint:

Quality lasts. It doesn't have to be expensive (and in fact, there are plenty of expensive clothes that you look at and think, are they high when they price these things?? :wtf: :thinkin: ) but you can usually tell that something is worth it or not.

The flow-on effect of my approach is that I wear things over and over: that honestly is probably quite boring to a lot of people, who prefer something new and exciting and are prepared to potentially sacrifice quality for the thrill of something on trend and different. I enjoy dressing well, but I don't have the energy or imagination to endlessly put together complex fashionable looks: I have a uniform. I LIKE it if it looks good, flatters my figure and practically and aesthetically suits my lifestyle.
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I am the same, keeping to a simple clean style seems to work for me. I don't have time for complicated looks that need constant readjusting. I had masses of cheap coats and gave them all away when I bought I a new 'good' one, -:cool: the quality difference was so clear I only needed the one good coat - did not want to wear the other ones any more.
 
#44
Fimpagebag said:
I wear what I like with whatever bag I choose. If I like what I see in the mirror, that's all that matters to me. I am not an actress stepping out on the stage or a celebrity pursued by paparazzi. A passing stranger's opinion does nothing to undermine either my composure or self confidence.

It's good to be old. :broom:
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LOL! I am no spring chicken either. I would love to get a few very high quality basics and then just keep it all neutral. However, my job doesn't call for clothes like these, and so I really keep it simple now w/basic comfy pants and a decent knit top, sometimes linen, w/ scarves for accessory. And neat earrings. I LOVE the fact that I can get bags that have pops of color (see Legacy line in Coach) and are kind of the star of my outfit. No trying on, (well, not like clothes, anyway) no moaning about how you need to loses 20 lbs, horrible fit, awful quality, etc.

I think it's really difficult today to find high quality clothing. They just make things cheaper w/out any thought put into it. So if I keep it simple, I can wear basic tees and pants/skirts and add nice scarves/earrings/bags and look fine...

For me, it's just not as fun as it used to be to shop for clothes (actually, I don't find it fun at all now..lol)
 
#45
ladysarah said:
I am the same, keeping to a simple clean style seems to work for me. I don't have time for complicated looks that need constant readjusting. I had masses of cheap coats and gave them all away when I bought I a new 'good' one, -:cool: the quality difference was so clear I only needed the one good coat - did not want to wear the other ones any more.
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Yes, I just like the simpler approach - I do have to remind myself though that I can throw things away once they're worn out :D I am looking forward to a good wardrobe clean out and refresh in the next couple of weeks as summer really kicks off.

Disposable fashion is just not for me, I get very attached to really beautiful items and I only need a few of those :yes:
 
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