Has clothing gotten too expensive?

[Artisan Fan]

Is it me or are things just very pricey now in the better clothing brands. I was at Neiman and Sak's over the weekend and K fabric Zegna is $1,600+

Incotex trousers, a favorite of mine, are well into the $400-500s. Isn't this clothing outpacing the rate of inflation by a good multiple?

Yet another expensive hobby for those of us who like the good stuff.

 

[stach]

Our purchasing power is not so hot any more.

 

[maxnharry]

Inflation is on the move, oil costs have driven up transportation and the dollar is weak at the moment. This is impacting the price of our favorite clothing imports. The makers will have to decide if they are so reliant on US customers and lower their prices if they can.

 

[odoreater]

Also, part of the fun of this hobby is waiting around and hunting for the good deals. Getting EGs for $500, a Corneliani suit for $400, a T&A shirt for $75, stuff like that. If I could just go to Neimans and buy whatever I want at retail this hobby wouldn't be as much fun.

 

[nmoraitis]

We can also blame the hot world economy. When the world is doing well, people have more disposible income to burn and companies, being the greedy entities that they are, want higher profits. How else can we explain number five on this list http://magazines.ivillage.com/townan...672613,00.html.

 

[Artisan Fan]

part of the fun of this hobby is waiting around and hunting for the good deals

Agreed.

 

[wvuguy]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Agreed.

Ditto.....

 

[Artisan Fan]

I have started to do a "barbell strategy" on clothes and buy as much handmade as possible but save up by buying good values on basics and casualwear.

For instance, I like the Dockers shorts which I can find on sale for $21 locally and I also like the Target T-shirts sometimes as low as $6. Both suprisingly good quality. I also find New Balance tennis shoes at Kohl's for about $40 which I wear on my daily dog walks. Usually I pair all this with a thin polo shirt like Jeff Rose or Bobby Jones. Nike Golf polo shirts hold up well also and are very soft.

 

[GBR]

Probably not - we all probably just spend too much

 

[chorse123]

I know my taste has certainly gotten more expensive. But so have my buying skills. I wish I could say it was a wash....

 

[kitonbrioni]

Quality has always been expense and hard to find. As many have noted above, the chase of finding the best quality at the best (lowest) price is in some ways part of the motivation of building a wardrobe.

 

[GQgeek]

I can't remember when the best was ever cheap. Personally, I don't find $300-400 for a good pair of pants or $450 for a bespoke shirt unreasonable. I can't say I'd pay $500 retail for a pair of Incotex pants... I'd maybe pay that for Borrelli since they have so much hand-work. Then again, I did pay $500 for an Armani scarf last winter so there probably aren't too many limits to what i'll spend if I really like something...

Seriously though, find someone local (or in North America) to do some of your clothes. The Samuelsohn MTM program could copy the cut of your Incotex pants almost exactly. I did exactly that and ordered 8 pairs not to long ago and the quality was very good. The things that set my Incotex apart are very small details that not even I can nitpick about too much. The fit is a lot better too. I'd never replace my Borrelli jackets with Samuelsohn, but for pants they do a very satisfactory job.
.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Quality has always been expense and hard to find.

True, but it seems the rate of price increases has accelerated.

I can't say I'd pay $500 retail for a pair of Incotex pants...

It is a lot. I look for 50+% off at NM Last Calls or try to time my Boston business trips for the Louis Boston sales in freezing January.

 

[StevenRocks]

I don't think clothes are getting more expensive, but rather expensive clothing companies are getting better at marketing to the masses.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by StevenRocks

I don't think clothes are getting more expensive, but rather expensive clothing companies are getting better at marketing to the masses.
ironically from this end, the manufcturing of clothes is getting cheaper - cos they are all either made here or in China....marketing bills getting higher and margins getting wider