Designer clothes - how can the price be justified!!!!

BlackandGold

Right ladies, just a question I've been pondering about:

Stemming on from the Penneys debate, and some posts about Karen Millen dresses etc, I decided to look at the KM website for myself and see prices of dresses! JESUS! €200 easily for a simple dress!

Okay fair enough, I can understand people not wanting every Tom Dick and Harry walking around in the same clothes, so by going for more expensive clothes, this eliminates a lot of that.

However, women are notorious for not wearing a similar outfit more than once or twice - " I can't wear that dress again, I wore it a couple of weeks ago when I was out" - so how can spending such an amount of money on a dress be justified?

Also with shoes - I certainly would never pay near €200 for a pair of shoes - €100 yes but €200 or more is just taking it to a whole new level.

As an aside, I spotted a lovely autumn/winter coat in Debenhams - looked at the price tag; couldn't believe it! €43 for a John Rocha coat! No sale! Then I checked the others as that one wasn't my size and it seems it was a missprint - the others were €132!! If only that €43 was my size - they'd have to sell it for me for that as it was clearly marked as €43!!!

I like my shoes, I like my dresses - but couldn't spend so much money on something that only gets worn a handful of times.

So ladies - is spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a pair of shoes or little dress the norm???

Gauge

BlackandGold wrote: »

they'd have to sell it for me for that as it was clearly marked as €43!!!

Sorry to single this part out but the retail worker inside me is screaming- no, they wouldn't have had to sell it to you at that price.

sunnyside

Good question!

For me anything expensive I buy is an investment piece but you are right they don't get worn that much. I mix expensive with cheap and buy in sales.

Pinky Pixie

It's all about cost per wear. When I buy an item of clothing I look at how much wear I think I will get out of it first and the quality. If something is good quality and well made then I think it is easily justifiable to spend that bit extra on it, as it will last more than one season.

There was a recent programme was made on this debate and it concluded that the average "penny's" shopper spends more on clothes annually than the average "better quality Joe".

I have indeed spent over €200 for shoes. They have been re-heeled numerous times and yet still look as fabulous as the day they were purchased.

Also, I think if you spend that bit more to get a nice piece of clothing then you are more likely to look after it than some penny's top which will shrink/fade/stretch or generally fall apart after a couple of washes, despite the level of care you take cleaning it.

lgoring21

the amount of profit they are makin on the clothes is unbelivable....add a couple of 00's at the end cause it has a tiny hilfiger flag on it...a lot of the times i have bought a few bits and bob designer and the quailty isnt great on them...

if i buy penneys i dont expect it to last forever....

if i buy in brown thomas i expect it to last forever:D:rolleyes:

BlackandGold

Gauge wrote: »

Sorry to single this part out but the retail worker inside me is screaming- no, they wouldn't have had to sell it to you at that price.

If it is advertised as that, surely it's not sticking to the rules of advertising? It's completely false and misleading. Yes I know a John Rocha coat would cost more than that but still. It's not MY fault they put the wrong price on it. And it wasn't another tag or label that was stuck on top of it by someone else - that's the way it was printed.

BlackandGold

lgoring21 wrote: »

the amount of profit they are makin on the clothes is unbelivable....add a couple of 00's at the end cause it has a tiny hilfiger flag on it...a lot of the times i have bought a few bits and bob designer and the quailty isnt great on them...

if i buy penneys i dont expect it to last forever....

if i buy in brown thomas i expect it to last forever:D:rolleyes:

That's exactly it - amount of profit being made. Even with the abundance of sales on at the moment, we're led to believe we're getting a good deal. WE'RE NOT. We were just being overly ripped off before hand. Prices at the moment are more reasonable and reflect the product better.

Something like a coat I could see how someone would want to get a good quality one [although I just bought a lovely black one for €30 in Dunnes today!], but a pair of going out shoes, or pumps?! PUMPS for over €100?! I suppose "they're much better for your feet" compared to the "tack" in Penneys.............

tribulus

BlackandGold wrote: »

If it is advertised as that, surely it's not sticking to the rules of advertising? It's completely false and misleading. Yes I know a John Rocha coat would cost more than that but still. It's not MY fault they put the wrong price on it. And it wasn't another tag or label that was stuck on top of it by someone else - that's the way it was printed.

It's not false advertising, it's just a mistake.

Having to sell items to people because of mistakes like that would be ridiculous.
The price tag is merely an invitation to make an offer, not some official contract.

In relation to the OP, I don't mind spending extra if it's worth it in terms of quality/fit but I certainly wouldn't pay extra just for the label.

For example I've a relatively small waist but also relatively big legs (male btw) and getting jeans to fit is a pain as what's wide enough for my legs is huge on my waist. However I got a great pair of G-Star jeans that fit perfectly...they cost 110 but with the fit and the quality I didn't mind.

Similiarly I'm starting a new job where I need to dress professionally so I spent a bit extra on getting some nice-fitting shirts and good shoes etc.

lgoring21

and yet sometimes penneys clothes last longer than the other brands

yeah was lookin at shirt for my mam today in pamela scott,100 reduced to 20...who in their right mind wood pay 100 for a shirt??

a very similar lookin shirt in penneys i could buy 15 of them 4 a 100euro...

grr it sickens me...

BlackandGold

The way I see it, I get tired of looking at the same clothes for too long, so I've no problem shopping in Penneys or cheaper high street clothes as I know that a couple of months or so down the line I'll be trading them in. I see T shirts for €50 in Brown Thomas [most of the clothes aren't even NICE!] and just wonder who the heck pays money like that for a T SHIRT! I'd rather get a T shirt in Penneys for €4 and only wear it twice.

Lia_lia

I've never (bar my debs dress) payed over €100 for an item of clothing/pair of shoes. About 80% of my clothes come from sales. I just don't feel the need to buy expensive designer labels!

And I don't understand this wearing a dress only 1 or 2 times thing. A lot of my friends are like that. I always get loads of wear out my clothes. I also try to buy clothes that I know won't go out of fashion in 3 months.

Snowie

Im pretty bad,

All my jeans are either Animla jeans cause the fit is really nice, , I go buy fitting with jeans, I wear Futura Labs t shirts at the pop of 75 £s :rolleyes: but there nice. runners M i have 8 pairs and if i get a job il buy a pair every second week. :pac:.

BlackandGold

Nice or not, £75 for a t shirt?!!! OMG!!!

gaeilgegrinds

My favourite dress was a fiver in Dunnes but I have spent up to maybe 200 on coats and the like. I buy lots online, I've about ten designer dresses but most were fifty or sixty. It's about having style I think, mixing and matching, can be done on a budget or by splashing out. Some people think just because they spend a bomb they look good, not so.

Snowie

BlackandGold wrote: »

Nice or not, £75 for a t shirt?!!! OMG!!!

yes futura labs tshirts arnt cheep but are really cool, I've only worn a couple of times:)

Joey the lips

Becuase for cheap designer clothes that everyone wheres we all go to penneys

pingu_girl

Regardless of desingner label or not personally I wouldnt wear anything that somebody else I knew had. Im very odd like this and have been since I was about 13.

I Dont care if its a belt for a €150 or a dress for €20, if I like it and have the money i'll buy it (as long as nobody else I know has ever worn it to my knowledge). Very very fussy when it comes to clothes and generally spend a lot on casual gear, jeans and hoodies €100+ but I always get plently of wear out of them.

I used to buy mid price range clothes in A wear and Dunnes/Savida and they almost always looked great when I bought them then fell apart/ lost shape after a few wears. Really you should look at things price per wear not price at frist glance.

Some of the "over priced" things I bought 5 years ago I'll still wear today and they look great, if you see a nice top/tshirt and its expensive but you'll get the wear out of it its so worth it.

Twee.

I like to spend on key wardrobe pieces. I mean I'd rather spend over a hundred quid on a great pair of jeans and crisp white shirt, but wouldn't dream of spending it on say Ugg boots, which will go/are/are going out of fashion. Autumn/Winter are my favourites so I will splurge on boots and coats. I rarely buy clothes just for that sake of it, I have to love it before I part with my hard earned cash! My Best Boots EVER have been rehealed three times. If I had bought three more pairs it would have cost almost €400. Bargain :pac:
If I have the money, I don't see them problem in buying expensive clothes. If I don't have the money, I won't buy...or I'll save!

SeekUp

tribulus wrote: »

In relation to the OP, I don't mind spending extra if it's worth it in terms of quality/fit but I certainly wouldn't pay extra just for the label.

+1

I always used to buy cheaper clothing, but have started to see the difference in terms of quality, fit, and longevity. That being said, it's still hard for me to spend a lot on clothes because my work environment is extremely casual, and on evenings/weekends, I usually don't dress nicely unless it's for a particular occasion -- not that often!

If I have the money, I would be much more likely to spend a lot on a nice pair of shoes; it takes a lot more to ruin them and my feet are much less likely to change size!

Agent Smith

And now, for some economics....


and here's some cute pandas...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dMnAPZu70

CathyMoran

I vary my clothes, I do buy stuff from Promod for day to day wear, I don't expect it to last but sometimes it does which is great. I do buy some Karen Millen but normally tend to buy it in the sale/outlet shop - was really dissapointed when one of my dresses from there that I wore a lot only lasted 4 years. I wear these labels because they look well not because they are a label - am perfectly happy in my then 12 Euro Marks and Spenser jeans.

I think that the point is to buy clothes that will last the seasons for the most part and then get one or two en vogue things if you really feel like it.

YT

Lia_lia wrote: »

I've never (bar my debs dress) payed over €100 for an item of clothing/pair of shoes. About 80% of my clothes come from sales. I just don't feel the need to buy expensive designer labels!

And I don't understand this wearing a dress only 1 or 2 times thing. A lot of my friends are like that. I always get loads of wear out my clothes. I also try to buy clothes that I know won't go out of fashion in 3 months.

Me too. Actually I didn't have to pay for my debs dress!
When I buy something from pennys or Awear before I wear them I change them. I can't sew, but nan can! Be it changing buttons, taking up the hem or adding trim. Sometimes I might dye it.
I also shop in second hand shops or vintage shops. I bought a dress for 20 Euro last year and the amount of wear I have gotten from it! And it was an under slip dress! A fiddle about with and the amount of people who asked where I got it.

I just don't have the money for designer clothes, I think even if I did I wouldn't pay it.

250€ for a tracksuit...No thanks!

Xiney

I prefer quality over quantity when it comes to clothes.

I have a dress that springs to mind, by Joseph Ribkoff. I had a semi-formal event in University and I had absolutely nothing suitable to wear. I went to the mall at 9am but the stores didn't open until 10. So I walked around looking in the windows. One shop had this dress in the window and essentially I camped out for 45 minutes waiting for it to open. Once it did, tried it on and bought it. Essentially bought a dress in 5 minutes.

It was expensive enough, around 300 dollars Canadian if I remember correctly. But it was worth it. It hangs so beautifully. It's very flattering. It's just perfect.

Two years later I got married in it :P



I also have a few cashmere sweaters, some pieces from Jones New York, a couple Anne Klein coats, (my suede jacket is 6 years old and I had to have patches sewn on the elbows but it looks like it was meant to have those :P) and so on. I don't have much because I've never had much money, but I think I'm saving money really by buying quality items that last longer than repurchasing cheap stuff every few months.

lgoring21

Ok so you spend 400 on a coat bag or pair of shoes etc do you not feel extremely uncomfortable while wearin them incase you ruin them and waste a whole load of money?i know i wood

pikachucheeks

I think some designer clothes' costs can be justified.

If you have the money to be able to afford a statement piece, then why not buy it?

I think it's worth splashing out for some items ; leather bags, coats, as you'll have them for years and the quality means they'll stay in good condition.

I think the High Street has improved in recent years though, so I fail to see the logic behind spending 100 euro on a designer t-shirt, when you can buy one almost identical for 10!

I also don't really understand why people would pay through the roof for items that will be "on trend!" for one season! If you're not going to get the wear out of it, or your money's worth, I wouldn't bother parting with my cash!

d'Oracle

TK Maxx.

That is all.

ciagr297

a friend of mine is all about the designer gear. to the point of stupidity to be honest.
i caught her wearing a god awful jumper the other day (she has broad shoulders and was wearing thick horizontal stripes which exaggerate them)
her reply to me was "but its Juicy"
like it justified everything

thats what i don't like. people wearing designers just for the sake of it. i mean, if the cut is nice and the style is flattering, grand. but don't buy it otherwise. don't blame the designer!

I would generally rather pay more and get loads of wear out of an item than pay a few euro and wear it twice (obviously there are exceptions - some of my Penneys stuff is lovely and still going strong!). The problem I had was living in university accommodation and flats with no washing machine which meant I'd have to do my laundry in a laundry place and therefore dry it, so I ended up buying lots of cheap clothes which I didn't have to worry about shrinking or fading. It's a pain in the arse to wash stuff like cashmere sweaters without the right facilities. I now have a wardrobe crammed full of stuff so that I can't see anything and I forget what I already have, leading to the 'I have nothing to wear!' scenario. I'm trying to get rid of it bit by bit and only buy stuff I really, really love.

I don't find it worth spending money on stuff like knickers, socks, tights, hair stuff, but I would spend more on jeans, jumpers, coats, boots and shoes. I always get my boots reheeled/resoled rather than chucking them out and getting a new pair.

Red Alert

Buy your designer stuff online - the shops are generally putting a 100% markup on designer goods.

dearg lady

Yeah, agree that quality is more important than buying something exp just for the snob factor! And quality can be found everywhere, some penneys stuff lasts blimmin ages.

There's a few things I'm happy to splash out on cos I knwo I'll wear to death, namely boots, jeans, coats, bras.

I think different people have different definition of splashing out tho, most exp item I ever bought was a coat for 270, I've literally never before or since spent anything even close to that on any one item! Love it tho, and it does get plenty of wear. I don't fall into the 'keeping things up for good' trap, if ya liek it, wear it. My beautiful coat even wound up with a lil oil on it from my bike, but feck it, I aint gonna leave it in my wardrobe lookin lovely.

My usual 'splash out' figure would be around the €100 mark(not for bras tho )

Acacia

200 squid for a dress is out of my range but still not the worst. It's more the 4 grand designer bags and such that are absolutely ridiculous.

Novella

I don't give a fcuk about labels, if I like something and can afford it, I will buy it, whether it be in Penney's or in Brown Thomas!

kizzyr

BlackandGold wrote: »

Right ladies, just a question I've been pondering about:

Stemming on from the Penneys debate, and some posts about Karen Millen dresses etc, I decided to look at the KM website for myself and see prices of dresses! JESUS! €200 easily for a simple dress!

Okay fair enough, I can understand people not wanting every Tom Dick and Harry walking around in the same clothes, so by going for more expensive clothes, this eliminates a lot of that.

However, women are notorious for not wearing a similar outfit more than once or twice - " I can't wear that dress again, I wore it a couple of weeks ago when I was out" - so how can spending such an amount of money on a dress be justified?

Also with shoes - I certainly would never pay near €200 for a pair of shoes - €100 yes but €200 or more is just taking it to a whole new level.

As an aside, I spotted a lovely autumn/winter coat in Debenhams - looked at the price tag; couldn't believe it! €43 for a John Rocha coat! No sale! Then I checked the others as that one wasn't my size and it seems it was a missprint - the others were €132!! If only that €43 was my size - they'd have to sell it for me for that as it was clearly marked as €43!!!

I like my shoes, I like my dresses - but couldn't spend so much money on something that only gets worn a handful of times.

So ladies - is spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a pair of shoes or little dress the norm???

I would spend that amount of money on my clothes. I like clothes, shoes etc a lot, don't drink (save for a glass of Bucks Fizz at Christmas), don't smoke and so chose to spend my money on good quality investment pieces of clothing.

midlandsmissus

kizzyr wrote: »

I would spend that amount of money on my clothes. I like clothes, shoes etc a lot, don't drink (save for a glass of Bucks Fizz at Christmas), don't smoke and so chose to spend my money on good quality investment pieces of clothing.

I don't smoke, rarely drink and I wouldn't dream of spending that amount of money on clothes. You obviously value fashion more than I do which is fair enough.It just seems like a huge waste of money to me.

bnagrrl

Pinky Pixie wrote: »

I have indeed spent over €200 for shoes. They have been re-heeled numerous times and yet still look as fabulous as the day they were purchased.

+1 on this. I have several pairs of heels that I spent a lot on but they are still going strong years later. (Always get new shoes soled before you wear 'em!) They don't pinch or squeeze or make my feet sweat and I can happily wear them for hours.

My wardrobe is a mish mash of designer stuff (basic items that I can wear from season to season) and inexpensive high fashion items (Penneys etc that are only "in" for a brief time.)

chocgirl

I spend a lot of my money on clothes. I always have, even when I was broke and in college I spent proportionately way more on clothes than anything else. I know it's a cliche but I view nice items as investments. I suppose I spend more on accessories, bags and shoes, than on clothes really.

I'm not a label snob though and I'd shop in penneys as quickly as anywhere else. I don't like anything that has an obvious label on it though. I just don't believe in free advertising:).

The most expensive item in my wardrobe is a DVF dress, it was a really ridiculous price but I've worn it a ridiculous amount and I still absolutely love it over two years later.

I don't really feel I need to justify it but it constantly comes up with friends and family. I work really hard, I don't smoke and don't spend as much on drink as most of my peers and figure I might as well spend my money on something I enjoy.

midlandsmissus

chocgirl wrote: »

I spend a lot of my money on clothes. I always have, even when I was broke and in college I spent proportionately way more on clothes than anything else. I know it's a cliche but I view nice items as investments. I suppose I spend more on accessories, bags and shoes, than on clothes really.

I'm not a label snob though and I'd shop in penneys as quickly as anywhere else. I don't like anything that has an obvious label on it though. I just don't believe in free advertising:).

The most expensive item in my wardrobe is a DVF dress, it was a really ridiculous price but I've worn it a ridiculous amount and I still absolutely love it over two years later.

I don't really feel I need to justify it but it constantly comes up with friends and family. I work really hard, I don't smoke and don't spend as much on drink as most of my peers and figure I might as well spend my money on something I enjoy.

Yeah I agree you should spend money on what makes you happy.Clothes is definitely not where it's at for me.I look at something that's 200+ and think 'you could get a holiday for that!'. It just seems like an unbelievable waste of money to me.

tinkerbell

I have a mix of designer pieces and high-street.

For handbags, I only will buy designer. I'm not interested in high street bags, they fall apart too quickly and show wear and tear easily and the quality is just not that great.

MadgeBadge

My income has never afforded me the experience to answer this question thoroughly.

However, I have been fortunate enough to come across the odd designer bargain during sale season. I would happily pay full price if I could afford it, and it was good quality, and I knew I'd get plenty of wear from it.

For the moment, I'm happy enough shopping in the high street, especially Pennys, and second hand shops. I'm also getting into altering my own clothes, when I have enough patience to thread a needle.

For those of you who are interested in designer goods, I hear that Jimmy Choo is doing a line for H&M.:)

tinkerbell

^^ Yes he's creating a shoe collection for H&M!

lemon_sherbert

I buy all the basics on the high street; jeans, t-shirts, tops etc. But I do have quite a few designer things that I bought because they looked really well on me. But none of them have worn out yet, contrary to lots of the high street stuff. Though I am always fairly wary of buying clothes from places like Penneys when I have doubts about the ethics of their production.

I am definitely willing to pay more for clothes if they are different/make me look great/top quality. But to buy purely for the brand is nonsense.

JP Liz

If i have money i will splash on designer stuff (not doing it much nowadays) - its nice to say this its deisgner also

I agree shopping online you can find plenty more bargains

Clare Bear

MadgeBadge wrote: »

For those of you who are interested in designer goods, I hear that Jimmy Choo is doing a line for H&M.:)

Oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :eek: When when when? Oh excira!!!!!!!!

I buy what looks nice to me. I won't go overboard on spending though, I think it's silly to spend so much on clothes, I hate label snobs. I'll shop anywhere from Penneys to High Street to Boutiques. It depends on what I want but I don't discriminate, I'll shop everywhere, I'm an equal rights buyer :pac:

Tony EH

Designer clothes - how can the price be justified!!!!

Unfortunately, as long as there's gob****es that are willing to pay exorbitant prices for a bit of cloth that has been produced for 1/70th of the price, then "they" won't have to justify anything.

Fools and their money...

IvyTheTerrible

I don't care about labels and never really buy "designer" stuff. However, as someone else mentioned, it does depend on how much wear something will get.

So I would have no problem spending more on a good winter coat, or a pair of good shoes because I will wear them a lot. But holiday clothes? Nah.

astrofool

A lot of designer labels aren't that profitable, it costs a lot of money to maintain a brand, LaCroix, for example, has never made money.

I do laugh when someone says "well I'd spend €100, but not €200", as if 100 was a little and 200 a whole lot more. People have a very personal concept of money, and what its value is to them, be very careful before judging others by it.

MadgeBadge

Clare Bear wrote: »

Oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :eek: When when when? Oh excira!!!!!!!!

November 14th, I hope they're practical for winter. Here's the link;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1193640/Celebrity-favourite-shoe-brand-Jimmy-Choo-announces-new-designer-collaboration-H-M.html

cuckoo

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Though I am always fairly wary of buying clothes from places like Penneys when I have doubts about the ethics of their production.

+1.

I'm trying to reduce the amount of stuff in my life, and would rather buy more expensive clothes that will last longer. I have a zip up hoodie that is going strong over 10 years later - the amount of photos of me wearing it throughout the years is crazy, this top has grown up with me!

While I can't be 100% sure about the ethics behind any brand of clothing (except People Tree, etc, which I don't seem to fit me nicely), I would be more cautious of the v. cheap end of the market. It's not just the exploitation of the workers - there's also the impact manufacturing outside the EU has where there may be less controls regarding pollution, and the fuel used to ship the finished item over to us.

Then there's what happens to the cheap clothes after a few wears if people are tired of them - the charity shops are swamped with what are unsellable items that they have to get rid of, a lot of textiles are unsuitable for recycling (and the processing involved in this is again using more energy) and too many people just throw them into the black bin for landfill.

Then again, my opinion is also coloured by the fact that I'm a bit of an awkward size to fit, so would prefer clothes that have a bit more work in them (ie tucks, bust darts, etc). If i were an industry standard proportioned size 10 and could look good in off the shelf stuff then maybe i might be buying more clothes at a lower cost per item.

Shoes/boots are one area i'll always spend on though - taken care of they last for ages and keep me comfortable.

kizzyr

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I don't smoke, rarely drink and I wouldn't dream of spending that amount of money on clothes. You obviously value fashion more than I do which is fair enough.It just seems like a huge waste of money to me.

I like fashion, no point in denying that. I also get a kick out of new clothes, shoes, bags etc all the more so when I get something unusual that no one else (or hardly anyone at least) will have. I hate nothing more than every second woman on the street having the same clothes as me.
I suppose I'm lucky in that I earn good money and bought my house 9 years ago before things got crazy in that market and so my living expenses are pretty low. However that said, if I had less disposable income and I could buy new things less often, I'd save up and wait to be able to buy something rather than get something cheaper of lesser quality.
Have to ask, isn't Karen Millen, Coast, etc more high street than designer?

BlackandGold

Maybe you're right, but to me they're expensive enough for designer!

kizzyr

BlackandGold wrote: »

Maybe you're right, but to me they're expensive enough for designer!

They're not cheap, wasn't trying to imply that they are;) There is quite a difference though between €200/ 300 for a Karen Millen dress and €2000/3000 for an Versace gown.