Esquire's Salary Based Suit Buying Guide

[Harold falcon]

I know it's a bullshit consumer magazine, but not even a cursory suggestion for thrift stores for the $30k guy? He could get a much better suit.

 

[Gus]



I know it's a bullshit consumer magazine, but not even a cursory suggestion for thrift stores for the $30k guy? He could get a much better suit.

Probably because thrift stores don't advertise in Esquire

 

[LA Guy]



For what it's worth, I believe in the pre-war period of America, men used to spend about 12% of their annual income on clothes (I believe I have the figure right). Just because they've now decided to take on other expensive purchases, rather than spend the money on clothes, doesn't mean that someone making $50k a year can't afford a $1k suit (should they decide to forgo the mortgages, cars, and whatever else, of course).

Yup. People used to have considerably different consumer values. fwiw, Italian men still spend 14%+ of their gross income on clothing and accessories (national aggregate average), which is why there are more and better mens clothing stores in a smaller Italian city than there are in 1MM+ American cities like Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

On the other hand, try looking for a home improvement store anywhere else in the world, save Canada, which shares many cultural values with the USA. People try to justify huge expenditures on all sorts of stuff that in any other country, only a professional homebuilder or general contractor would have, a lot of it being that they believe that they are increasing the value of their main asset, their house, even when assessed house values are nearly always much more dependent on location and floor area.

Recently, Home Depot closed seven (massive) doors in China. They found that the "Do it yourself" mentality, which is nearly uniquely American (and, from what I understand, stems a lot from the consequences of the Homestead Act and the continuation of the pioneering ideals), did not translate into China, which has been a settled and specialized society for thousands of years. There, they apparently much prefer the "Do it for me" model.

 

[SpooPoker]



the "Do it for me" model.

Holy ****. Im Chinese.

 

[dieworkwear]

That's hilarious. I think you're right - I haven't seen those huge home improvement stores anywhere else in the world.

Business of Fashion always likes to publish (and republish and republish and republish) these stories about how people in China are buying more and more luxury-end goods. It's a pretty tired story by now, but I think sometime last year, they had these comparisons for how much women spend on handbags in various countries. I can't recall the exact figures, so I say this with some hesitation, but from what I remember, women in China were spending something like 20% of their annual income on bags alone. Some crazy number like that. US obviously was really low on the list. Italy was high, but paled in comparison to China.

Obviously whether people should be spending this kind of money on clothes is a separate issue. I'm just saying it's possible if you forgo some other major expenses.

 

[dieworkwear]



Holy ****. Im Chinese.

I'm pretty sure not. Don't you have a white wife?

 

[SpooPoker]



I'm pretty sure not. Don't you have a white wife?

Holy ****. Im mafoofan.

 

[chocsosa]

Men including colored people and immigrants?

p.s., there were no income tax, social security, medicare back in those days, ya?

who the hell says colored in reference to African Americans anymore?? Jeeze, LOL

How would the forum rank the suits according to affordability in income ranges using the same guidelines?

 

[Frankie22]

who the hell says colored in reference to African Americans anymore?? Jeeze, LOL

How would the forum rank the suits according to affordability in income ranges using the same guidelines?

Lol is right. ****, it's taboo and "un-pc" to say "black people" never mind where that dude went.

 

[chogall]

Yup. People used to have considerably different consumer values. fwiw, Italian men still spend 14%+ of their gross income on clothing and accessories (national aggregate average), which is why there are more and better mens clothing stores in a smaller Italian city than there are in 1MM+ American cities like Denver and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
On the other hand, try looking for a home improvement store anywhere else in the world, save Canada, which shares many cultural values with the USA. People try to justify huge expenditures on all sorts of stuff that in any other country, only a professional homebuilder or general contractor would have, a lot of it being that they believe that they are increasing the value of their main asset, their house, even when assessed house values are nearly always much more dependent on location and floor area.
Recently, Home Depot closed seven (massive) doors in China. They found that the "Do it yourself" mentality, which is nearly uniquely American (and, from what I understand, stems a lot from the consequences of the Homestead Act and the continuation of the pioneering ideals), did not translate into China, which has been a settled and specialized society for thousands of years. There, they apparently much prefer the "Do it for me" model.

They ares still dead wrong.

Handyman mentality is pervasive in Asia as well, except no one in highly urbanized areas needs freaking building material warehouses around the block. They just need Ace Hardware/Orchard Supply type of stores, instead of Home Depot/Lowes. Or at least model their Manhattan store instead of Salinas store...

I assume they took men as national aggregates, as people seem to be doing in this thread.
And yes, they had income taxes and social security in the mid-20th century.

Well you mentioned pre-war period and if my memory serves me correctly, income tax isn't permanent until 1913 and SSI did not exist until 1935. At 'pre-war' period, tax burden per citizen are much lower.

who the hell says colored in reference to African Americans anymore?? Jeeze, LOL

How would the forum rank the suits according to affordability in income ranges using the same guidelines?

Pre-war period reference since he is siting pre-war statistics. And 'colored' includes more than just Black/African Americans.

 

[Gdot]



I'm pretty sure not. Don't you have a white wife?

Not just any old white - aryan.

But it's ok - we taught her people a lesson in 1918 and they've hardly bothered us since then.

 

[VinnyMac]

lol....I'm not going to spend $1,500 on a suit. I dont care who makes it. I could get several suits for that price that look just as good, fit better and last for at least a few years. I like to look stylish, but I've never seen a suit that was worth that much.

 

[add911_11]



I'm pretty sure not. Don't you have a white wife?

......

 

[LA Guy]



lol....I'm not going to spend $1,500 on a suit. I dont care who makes it. I could get several suits for that price that look just as good, fit better and last for at least a few years. I like to look stylish, but I've never seen a suit that was worth that much.

Obvious troll is obvious. But... why are you here again?

 

[jrd617]



Thank God for Esquire! I have been misguided for so long but now I have direction.