I’ve been thinking about price, style, fashion, and why we spend. As a shopper as well as a marketer, I’m often curious as to why certain lines/brands get a free pass for being spendy whilst others get raked over the coals to dare price a blouse/skirt/dress/pant higher than $X or so.
I might as well admit it: I am not a fashionista. I would like to think someday I’ll become a fashionista, but since it’s generally inappropriate (and ahem, illegal) to run outside sans clothes, I have to find something that fits, looks fairly nice, and wards off evil…I mean, oglers.
Fashion is so fickle. I have a hard time purchasing something trendy to watch it fall out of favor, then watch it come BACK in style 2 years down the road. To ward off this sadness, I generally stick to the classic pieces: pinstriped slacks, heather-gray pants, black, close-fitted jackets and button down blouses with adorable princess seams.
I’m often agitated when I surf through general fashion sites, as they carry an air of “oh, look at me, I paid all this money for these items…” — is that how we want to look as women, breaking the bank on the latest designer, yet struggling with the concept of automagically withdrawing money every month for that nest egg at the end of the rainbow?
Granted, you can do both — $600 shoes and the 401(k), but sometimes I get a little itchy when the expectation is that you have to be spending money on the latest dress from …you name it…no matter what the cost.
in plus size fashion land, the phenomenon seems to be even more intense, as it’s seen to be /expected/ that prices can skyrocket out of this world. Huh? What? If we’re going to make plus size fashion political, then I think pricing and justifications also need a close look-over as well.
I’m intensely interested in this, because I know that for every woman that can buy a Monif C., Abby Z., or Igigi / Kiyonna / SizeAppeal / etc creation, there’s three women that can’t. It’s not just college students that I’m thinking of — I’m also thinking of the woman that’s struggling to make ends meet, the one that’s trying to get an interview for a job that could pay a lot more than what she’s making now, but if only she could find proper interview clothing in her size…
Price, as most of you know, is always going to be relative, perception wise. A $125 dress may not seem like a lot to some people, but for the groups I’m speaking of, that could easily be groceries, or an electric/gas bill, or a car payment. I’ve seen the prices of looking halfway decent brushed off as “that’s just the way it is”, but is it really?
I attack the problem from the other side of the house — I write, coach, mentor, and speak to women (and men, I’m an equal-opportunity business builder) about starting microbusinesses and passive income streams.
Although I’m one person, my greatest wish isn’t that every woman in America can purchase a $150 dress from Igigi — it’s that every woman in American can freely decide to do that without having to juggle 2834982732092 other expenses that are keeping her up at night.
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March 5th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Here’s my thinking on this, since I am decidedly a fashionista who runs into budget issues all the time (and who does not have credit cards to aid my bad habits):
I will never, for single minute, begrudge the price of a really nice item that I know will last.
While fashion itself is fickle, personal style is not, and it is entirely possible to put real investment into personal style - to the tune of buying wardrobe pieces intended to last around ten years - and after you have built reasonable, strong basics that you know how to take care of, you can spend $250 or less a year including nods to current fashion that fit with your personal basic style.
A lot of this demand for quantity and cheapness is the result of the Wal-Mart effect. It’s not good for these smaller businesses, and it’s really not good for the way we think or how we spend money. In the long run, you do spend a LOT more on the cheap stuff, and because it’s cheap you easily get caught on constantly spending money and thinking it’s normal to have to replace basic items like jeans and T-shirts before a full year is up.
I do think for the most part that complaints about price are based on short term consumerism thinking. I don’t mind paying $200 - $300 for a nice wardrobe piece every couple of years; all that means is that the $25-40 a month I set aside for clothing will once a year be invested in something that will clothe me for ten years or more, dry cleaner and alterations willing.
March 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Classic pieces that fit well never go out of style. In years past, well constructed garments could be expensive with regard to individual incomes. The difference in the consumer’s mind (compared to modern consumers) was the price per wear rather than the sticker price of the garment. I have some vintage home-ec books that devote whole chapters to this subject. I had one experience, out of many, that exemplified this. Five years ago, I purchased a full fashioned yarn dyed top for $128 from a boutique designer. This was out of my budget but the top fit so well and was beautifully constructed. At the same time I purchased a piece dyed knit top for $45 at a large department store. After 3 hand washings, the $45 top had faded and the seams had completely dissolved. Five years later, I still have the $128 top and have worn it over 75 times and it still looks amazing. No calculator necessary to see where the real value is here.
As for fickle fashion, I find my best options are at thrift stores and vintage shops. If purple is the hot color, I scout for a scarf or clutch in that hue and set my budget to under $10 dollars, and since many of these pieces are pre Fast Fashion, they tend to be of a higher quality.
March 24th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
cure for nail biting…
My kids need help stopping biing their nails. I just found this site….
April 1st, 2008 at 8:55 am
Just like there are classic pieces in the under size 10 market, there are classics in the 10+ as well. As a plus size woman, if I find something that looks good on me and will last a long time, i will spend the extra to have that piece (god knows it’s always been hard to even find good plus size pieces).
]. This is why I love Lee Lee’s Valise, she carries both classics and trend pieces and i mean CURRENT trend pieces at various prices. So ladies, show off your style.
Why shouldn’t wehave the choice of having classics as well as trend clothing [damnit I’m sexy too
April 8th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
“I’m intensely interested in this, because I know that for every woman that can buy a Monif C., Abby Z., or Igigi / Kiyonna / SizeAppeal / etc creation, there’s three women that can’t.”
I whole-hearted agree. I think someone mentioned something similar above that when it comes to suiting putting out the the extra bucks pays off later. They last longer, look better and become staples for the cheaper pieces that you co-ordinate with. The problem comes with finding the cash when you are cash strapped. It’s an endless circle.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I am a huge fan of this store called Susie’s Deals!
They carry clothes for everyone, men’s, women’s, and kids too. And yes they carry plus sizes and lots of them! Sometimes plus size clothes are hard to find and often they are super expensive, but I always know that I can walk in to one of their stores a come out with a big bag of really cute stylish stuff for like $25! Everything in the store is sold for $5.99 or less and you can even find things that are 2 for $5.99!
I have bought some really nice name brand things at this store and given them to friends and family for Christmas. People have NO idea that these nice items only cost me $5.99 each .. It’s Awesome!
They also have a web site where you can shop online or snatch an e-coupon to use at the store, and if you spend $50 the shipping is FREE which is a definite plus!
Their web site is http://www.susiesdeals.com , they have stores in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah too.