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How Americans Spend Their Money on Clothes

Mustapha

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Originally Posted by Brian278
This is a chicken-egg thing---people aren't dressing poorly because they aren't spending enough money on their clothes. They aren't spending as much on their clothes because they don't care enough to dress well. The amount they spend, their attention to fit, and to the appropriateness of their attire (often "the rules") is merely symptomatic of that.

Agree. The malls are full of people with shopping bags of new clothes. My mom and dad spent their retirement going to outlet malls buying the cheapest clothes and shoes ('Comfy'-this, Walk-on-clouds'- that, as often as possible. Peoples closets are full of stuff they've been deluded into thinking wears well or worse, confers 'class'.

The masses have been brainwashed into believing that 'brand' trumps all.

The worst part is that a great part of the $$ mis-spent is on crap like Harley Davidson boots/watches/clothing.
angry.gif
 

Coho

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How do you define "dressing well"? I'm inclined to think that you'd need a nice looking girl, a nice car, and a minute repeater to qualify.
 

JLibourel

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I would echo the opinions of others that the reason expenditures on clothes are so low is simply that a lot of people, irrespective of economic circumstances, simply don't like to spend a money on clothes. Case in point: I know one fellow who makes about $300K a year. His wife also makes very good money. Awhile back he had to go to a wedding or something and discovered that the moths had ruined his blazer, so off he hies himself that citadel of masculine elegance Men's Wearhouse. There he purchases a new blazer, some slacks, a dress shirt, a tie and a pair of dress shoes. However, he was quite indignant to find that the total tab for his new ensemble came to a whacking $400! What more can I say?

I would venture that many who would regard spending $300+ for a pair of shoes or $700 on a suit as outrageous extravagance are the proud possessors of Harley-Davidsons, RVs, wide screens and other such necessities of life.

I have often remarked in the fora that I am always amazed by how much high-quality (and frequently overpriced) menswear is offered for sale at places like South Coast Plaza. I wonder who buys all that stuff, so rarely do I see an even halfway decently turned out man.

The notion that cost precludes many men from dressing well I find flawed, given the ridiculous sums that many will spend on blue jeans, sneakers and such. The other day, my stepson cajoled me into buying him a pair of "7" jeans at a ridiculous price at the Off-5th, although every fiber of my being cried out against this stupid extravagance.

Just a few thoughts.
 

Brian278

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^^^Even what Sevens go for at full retail in Saks is less than what some of the folks over in Streetwear are laying down per pair. Of course the obvious comparison is that your stepson is paying $1000 for Armani, and they're spending $1200 for Brioni.
 

Artisan Fan

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Originally Posted by JLibourel
I would echo the opinions of others that the reason expenditures on clothes are so low is simply that a lot of people, irrespective of economic circumstances, simply don't like to spend a money on clothes. Case in point: I know one fellow who makes about $300K a year. His wife also makes very good money. Awhile back he had to go to a wedding or something and discovered that the moths had ruined his blazer, so off he hies himself that citadel of masculine elegance Men's Wearhouse. There he purchases a new blazer, some slacks, a dress shirt, a tie and a pair of dress shoes. However, he was quite indignant to find that the total tab for his new ensemble came to a whacking $400! What more can I say?

I would venture that many who would regard spending $300+ for a pair of shoes or $700 on a suit as outrageous extravagance are the proud possessors of Harley-Davidsons, RVs, wide screens and other such necessities of life.

I have often remarked in the fora that I am always amazed by how much high-quality (and frequently overpriced) menswear is offered for sale at places like South Coast Plaza. I wonder who buys all that stuff, so rarely do I see an even halfway decently turned out man.

The notion that cost precludes many men from dressing well I find flawed, given the ridiculous sums that many will spend on blue jeans, sneakers and such. The other day, my stepson cajoled me into buying him a pair of "7" jeans at a ridiculous price at the Off-5th, although every fiber of my being cried out against this stupid extravagance.

Just a few thoughts.


Very well said. A friend recently gave me grief for some EGs I picked years ago in London on sale for $550. He then got in his car and I later found out went to an audio shop and bought a $2,000 cartridge for his turntable.

People have different passions for different things but I do find it wrong to be judgmental of people who don't share your passions.
 

Threadbearer

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Originally Posted by Mustapha
The masses have been brainwashed into believing that 'brand' trumps all.
Yes. And not only that, the brand must also be written in large print on the front of the garment.

When I wear a sport coat to the mall I feel like a misfit because everyone else is wearing North Face fleece or GAP sweatshirts. (And, of course, sneakers. Sneakers everywhere.) I stepped into a shoe store the other day and the sales clerk, who was from England, immediately asked me if I were also a Brit. He told me that I was dressed like an Englishmen, and he pointed out that I was wearing a sport coat, a cashmere scarf, and hard-soled shoes. That's all it took to set me apart from my countrymen. Oh, bloody hell.
 

Holstein Bilter

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Even though the larger retailers suffered low sales this holiday season,
The discount retailers like Marshalls, TJMaxx, Ross, and especially Walmart
were inundated w/shoppers who wanted to cut back.

So the ones who think 700 for a suit is an extravagance were
opting for the 300 dollar one in Wallymart.
 

Mustapha

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Originally Posted by JLibourel
I would venture that many who would regard spending $300+ for a pair of shoes or $700 on a suit as outrageous extravagance are the proud possessors of Harley-Davidsons, RVs, wide screens and other such necessities of life.

Or expensive cars. Way beyond most owners entitlement if you go by their wardrobe. Black Caddy SUVs and the slovenly are everywhere. Case in point last night at the bank ATM - a filthy man in 80s jeans and distressed brown leather bomber (remember those?) I had one
wow.gif
. Getting out of his LRover.
 

Mustapha

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When I saw the 'Trump' shirts and fragrance at Sears I thought I'd had my first Alzheimers attack.

'''Why, yes, ... it's a 'Trump' shirt.""""
 

Douglas

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Originally Posted by Threadbearer
I stepped into a shoe store the other day and the sales clerk, who was from England, immediately asked me if I were also a Brit. He told me that I was dressed like an Englishmen, and he pointed out that I was wearing a sport coat, a cashmere scarf, and hard-soled shoes. That's all it took to set me apart from my countrymen. Oh, bloody hell.

rotflmao.gif
 

FidelCashflow

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Originally Posted by Dewey
I've long been interested in the resentment American men will express toward their better-dressed equals. ...It's not that we make more than our equals -- they know how much we make (the same as them) -- it's that we somehow find a way to spend more than them on clothes... They know what they spend on clothes, they know it's not enough to dress as well as you, and they resent the obvious implications.
Wow... just wow... I can believe that your co-workers might resent you, but I'm pretty sure it's not your clothes. To paraphrase SoCal: I have the to question the reality:fantasy ratio of OP
 

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