Prices are out of hand!

My new law office is located in an office building that is attached to Lenox Mall in Atlanta. I am heading to a new lounge this evening, so I thought I would run down at lunch and get some new items to wear out tonight. Unfortunately, I fell in love with an Etro shirt ($250) and some Ferragamo monk straps ($400), but could not justify this type of money on some whim purchases. Does anyone else feel that some prices are just getting ridiculous at the mall? I realize that I, like a lot of posters in the forum, have an addiction to some of the higher end labels, but, in all honesty, the shirt and shoes weren't THAT great and the shirt was no better quality than the Calvin Klein collection shirt that I have on, which I snagged on sale for a mere $110.00.

Despite my rantings, I did go back and purchase the shoes.

High prices don't really bother me - there's really no way to practically justify the price of designer wear. It's overpriced, you're paying for a name, yadda yadda yadda. It's just when the piece is on sale for 40% off a couple/few months later, that's when I mad.

The shirt will last perhaps 50-100 wearings. If you take good care of the shoes, they can last 20 years. (Disclamer: I don't know the quality of Ferregamo). Obvously, the shoes are cheap compared to the shirt.

My opinion is that, unless the shirt is of very high quality, charging $250 for a shirt is rude. I don't think that charging $400 for a good pair of shoes is rude.

Marcus

Yes, prices are high, but what can you do? Stop buying? As if ;p My willpower is non-existant when it comes to shopping. That said, there are certain brands which i will not buy because the prices are outrageous when you consider the quality of their products. As I've gradually become more in-tune with what to look for in terms of quality, i find myself making much smarter buying decisions. I always ask myself two questions. 1) Will it last? 2) Is it a reasonable price to pay? The second question is obviously subjective and dependant on your financial circumstances. However, even with a lot of money to spend, there's no need to be wasteful. Certain brands are most definitely a waste of money and I steer clear of them BTW, does anyone know what duty on italian clothing is in the US? It's 18% in Canada (it's built in to the price, obviously), yet it definitely feels (I haven't been able to directly compare items) like i'm paying less for italian clothing in montreal than I would in NYC. It probably has more to do with the cost of renting retail space, come to think of it.. Anyway, make your decisions on a per-item basis and don't worry about it. Personally, I won't spend more than $400 on a pair of shoes. That said, I feel a lot better paying 400 for a great pair of shoes, than i do paying 175 for a pair of mid-range shoes that I know aren't of the same quality. When it comes to shoes, i think you're better off going high-end. They last longer, look better, and are often much more comfortable. The stuff in the mid-range (kenneth cole, etc.), really isn't worth the price imo. I remember my first pair of kenneht coles.. They were stiff and they tore my feet apart. The day after I bought them i could barely walk cause the blisters were so bad.

Agree. Completely agree. Generally, I won't pay retail for anything, out of principal. I can't remember the last time I paid full retail for anything (except shoes--they last forever if you take care of them). Suits, if you're smart about it, never go out of style. I'll buy an occasional dress shirt for top retail price, if it's not going to be a daily wear item. E.g, I am going to buy an Etro shirt or Paul Smith shirt sometime soon, but will only wear it on occasionally.

I can't remember the last time I bought a tie for full price. Actually, for a few years, I only bought Gene Meyer ties, so now that he's out of business, I'm looking for a new tie passion. There's a lot of crap out there. Any suggestions? Almost bought a Burberry classic plaid tie, but decided it was too conservative.

I don't think that I agree. Items of clothing are probably cheaper today than they have been at any other point in history. Of course I am talking of prices in "real terms", related to one's income. All of us today, whether or not we are interested in fashion, have far more items of clothing than our grandparents or earlier generations would have had. GQ Lawyer has just spent $400 on a pair of shoes because he liked them, not because his old shoes were falling apart. 50 or 100 years ago a new pair of shoes would have been a major investment for any household; apart from the seriously rich ones. 100 years ago a new pair of good shoes might have been $4, but I believe it would have taken a lawyer in the early 1900s a longer time to earn those $4 than it would have taken GQ Lawyer to earn the $400 required.

We buy new items of clothing because we like them, not because we need them. We probably would not like shoes for $ 100 or a suit for $ 200; but at least it is available out there.

I agree with the above posts.  I hate to pay full retail on anything, but I must admit that shoes are one of the few things that are arguably worth the retail price due to their longevity if properly cared for and the fact that they rarely go on sale.  (Fine mechanical watches, which last longer than a lifetime if properly cared for and NEVER go on sale, are another.)  That said, I've never paid full retail on a pair of shoes.  And I'm currently agonizing over whether to buy a nice automatic watch that I've had my eye on for awhile that costs as much as a plasma TV.

What do you guys think about full-retail for jeans? They hardly go on sale (if they do they're at least 2 years old and so out of style). I usually don't feel cheated by paying, cause I know they'll last; watches definatly fall into this category as well, but I'd dissagree about the shoes. I am usually able to find great pairs for around half-off at end of season sales or outlets. Departments stores such as Sak's and Barney's usually have pretty good sales. I picked up a pair of Ferragamo for $180 down from $340 last year at Barney's on 61st.

I don't mind paying full retail for jeans. It is so hard to find the perfect style/fit/color/wash/material/etc., that when I do, I will gladly fork over my credit card for it. If you are lucky enough to find all of this for a great price, more power to you.

Hm, I don't know about jeans. Denim is becoming more and more seasonal, so I usually wait for sales as well, especially with designer jeans (PDC, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang, etc.) I used to think "I have to grab it or it'll be gone" but with outlets/last calls, eBay, sales, etc. I hardly ever buy clothes full retail anymore.

That being said... if I need a staple like a Diesel Kratt or 501, I'll probably buy it whatever the price.