Cheap Clothing, Expensive Handbags

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#61
Very interesting thread!

I think I do a bit of everything - I have some cheaper bags, as well as more expensive ones. Same for my clothes. Also, I love shopping at TJMaxx as our local store has a runway section, and I can find some great clothes at discounted prices!

Sometimes, you'll see me with a Versace coat and a Coach purse, other times, it'll be my latest Fiamma with say a JCrew sweater... It all depends on what looks and feels good to me :)
 
#62
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but another thing to consider is that clothing is so fragile/prone to damage! I was wearing a silk top with a bag that had an external zipper, and I noticed that the zipper ripped open the shirt on the sleeve where it rubbed. I also have a dog and am fairly klutzy and I work with little kids every day. Some nice cashmere or merino sweaters I have bought end up pilling after 1-2 wears. I love good quality but for me it has to be at a great price (I also love TJ Maxx Runway)!
 
#63
I buy used bags and clothes from goodwill so I guess that means I'm really awful.

I don't know, I kind of took offense to this thread. Maybe it's because I can't afford LV bags or Burberry scarves.

I bet when I walk out my door, no one knows that everything but my undergarments and shoes (sometimes) came from goodwill.
I can afford new clothes from Target (which sells nice things IMO) or Old Navy but I choose to buy used. I can't think of one piece that has really withstood time and the washer.
 
#67
I'm definitely in the 'cheap clothing' category too. I never really think that clothing material itself would cost a lot. Just like bags, there is a lower limit of how much a good leather bag would cost, then anything above that is just paying for the label, so in clothing, there is a lower limit of how much a good cotton blouse would cost, and lucky for me the designs I tend to love are from stores like H&M. TBH I am still wearing clothes that I got from H&M in 2005 mainly because I love the designs - boho tops and empire waist tunics, just because I am kind of over current trend - boyfriend shirts / plain chiffon blouses, no matter what the brand is. I didn't think of hoping they would last me up to 2014, but they do! All the $20 for each blouse in 2005 that I spent was all money well spent. :)
 
#68
LaLaLea said:
I'm definitely in the 'cheap clothing' category too. I never really think that clothing material itself would cost a lot. Just like bags, there is a lower limit of how much a good leather bag would cost, then anything above that is just paying for the label, so in clothing, there is a lower limit of how much a good cotton blouse would cost, and lucky for me the designs I tend to love are from stores like H&M. TBH I am still wearing clothes that I got from H&M in 2005 mainly because I love the designs - boho tops and empire waist tunics, just because I am kind of over current trend - boyfriend shirts / plain chiffon blouses, no matter what the brand is. I didn't think of hoping they would last me up to 2014, but they do! All the $20 for each blouse in 2005 that I spent was all money well spent. :)
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+1....I have some clothes from H&M as well as Forever that have literally lasted forever haha....if I find a designer piece of clothing on sale and I can afford it and love it I will buy it but I love cheap chic with a great bag and shoes....I'd much rather buy a higher end bag or shoes than clothes since I have some high end designer clothing that is just such a pain to care for....I bought the A.Wang parental ******** t and it literally says "organic dry clean only" and it's only cotton!
 
#69
I definitely mix and match cheaper high street clothing with designer brands. I love h&m, Zara, topshop sometimes even primark but I also love RL, DKNY, Rag & Bone etc. I tend to invest in handbags and shoes more than clothes. Although I have splurged on a few classic items such as a Burberry trench and classic Blazers that I know won't go out of fashion. X
 
#70
I have a difficult body shape and changing from winter to summer or whatever diet fad I'm on so my clothes can't keep up with me. In the past, I've bought expensive fabric and had them custom tailored or bought custom woven knitwear. But when styles come and go on top of everything else I've had to throw out quite a bit of clothes before I'd had the chance to wear them. I still have some Harris Tweed fabric I bought in the Isle of Harris/Lewis a decade ago but have put off having it tailored because of this. So now I've gone the opposite direction and buy clothes as disposables. I also scour the second-hand route for occasional bargains on good fabric which may or may not be designer. But I do buy off the rack office wear and hate owning and having to wear them.


Handbags wear much better and much easier to sell if you tire of them. As a caregiver, I've seen many people having to downsize on their way to an assisted living facilities or their children just handing off their parent's possession to estate sale agents. So while I'm still in my early 50's I'm planning to make my treasured possessions as portable as possible.
 
#71
As I've gotten older, I've tried to spend more overall on better quality, more classic pieces. I used to shop mainly at F21, H&M, Topshop, but I've come to realize that the things i was picking were way too trendy and overpriced (Topshop) and I'd get sick of them in less than a year. I still have things from all these brands I still love, like little summer dresses and such, but for the most part, I've phased these brands out (except for Topshop Baxter jeans - the perfect jeans to cuff). I think cheap clothing can look chic and stylish with the right person and style, and vice versa. It's not about owning expensive items really, it's HOW you wear it. Spending more or sticking exclusively to designer does not automatically give you great style.

When I see someone wearing an LV bag with an outfit that isn't necessarily cheap, but has poor or outdated style, that's what I notice most. I don't think an expensive or really nice bag can save an outfit or make it look good. Plus, we put bags down all the time and are not constantly carrying them. I'd like to still be stylish without depending on a bag to do it for me. I think good hair, skin, fit of clothing, and sense of style are most important -- cost of clothing and bags don't matter if you don't have at least these. With that said I prefer a good mixture clothing from Zara, contemporary brands like Theory and Rag & Bone (skinny jeans!), and premier or mid-level designers for bags (Marc by Marc, Chloe, Chanel). All super discounted, of course! A Chanel bag alone does not make me feel fabulous. I need great clothes (cheap or not), skin and hair to go with it!
 
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#72
missy_g said:
I buy used bags and clothes from goodwill so I guess that means I'm really awful.

I don't know, I kind of took offense to this thread. Maybe it's because I can't afford LV bags or Burberry scarves.

I bet when I walk out my door, no one knows that everything but my undergarments and shoes (sometimes) came from goodwill.
I can afford new clothes from Target (which sells nice things IMO) or Old Navy but I choose to buy used. I can't think of one piece that has really withstood time and the washer.
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I totally get you. I do have designer bags, shoes and accessories and I will wear them with comfy clothes. I have joked with my hubby about the fact that my bag/shoes cost thousands and I'm wearing them with a $40 pair of Levi jeans and a $15 tank all the while feeling utterly fabulous. I have some designer pieces but that's just not my thing, I adore bags, shoes and accessories. Honestly, it never dawned on me that anyone would assume that my bag or sunglasses etc. are not authentic because I didn't get dressed to the nines to go to Walmart. Eyes have been thoroughly opened...
 
#74
I would deff fall in the category of cheap clothing expensive bag .... First I think it is foolish to think that a high price tag means high quality. I have done expensive clothing and am not opposed to it but in generally I like h&m target Zara of Tjmax jcrew etc. I'm not very trendy and my clothes tend to be on the more simple side (I think so but I'm told otherwise) ...... I like bags and watches... I wear my louboutins with h&m and it looks better than some completely high priced ensembles ive seen.
 
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