Criminal Prices | Imamother

amother

Taupe

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 11:25 am

Unless you can well afford it, why are people spending so much money on clothes? I am well dressed and I buy on sale at L&T. I have money BH and would never spend like that.
Do we have uber-rich people and very poor people, as every other thread is an inability to afford tuition and/or food, or do people have a warped sense of spending?

If you are wealthy, enjoy, but if not, there is no reason to be spending money you don't have.

amother

Aqua

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 11:39 am

160 is not bad for a dress that you claim is made well . Most of these jewish brands are made of cheap junky material and forget the material but they're sewn uneven! People are running to buy these garbage looking skirts and dresses because bloggers and fashionistas are wearing them . The worst part is people are walking around in them thinking that it's normal to spend that much on junk and they think that they actually look good!!

amother

Tan

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 11:40 am

amother [ Beige ] wrote:

Wealthy people would never spend only $160 on a dress, it's too cheap for them.
.

why do you say that? It hurts me to spend a lot on clothing- personal hangup, even though I can definitely afford it I wouldn't spend that much. I can't imagine my definitely wealthy relatives snubbing a dress because it's not expensive enough. I think you are referring to a certain "type" of wealthy person.

watergirl

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 11:42 am

amother [ Aqua ] wrote:

I didn't claim it's made well. I said the dress is popular and flattering on most body types. I have no idea how well its made.

watergirl

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:01 pm

hodeez wrote:

How many times are we going to do this? It's well known that quite a few women shop above their means just because they wants to emulate the ones who can actually afford it. Nothing new...

I wrote this post upon the assumption that the people making this purchase can afford it, not that people are buying what is beyond them. I was just shocked to see so many people where I live in this particular dress, at this price point, in all sorts of settings.

33055

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:01 pm

hodeez wrote:

How many times are we going to do this? It's well known that quite a few women shop above their means just because they wants to emulate the ones who can actually afford it. Nothing new...

Unfortunately, it's not a few women. The women feel pressure because it is more than a few which snowballs.

I think social media makes things more competitive.

allthingsblue

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:04 pm

watergirl wrote:

People have different priorities.
My priorities don't really allow me to spend $1000 on myself each season...
I do get the attraction because it's easy fashion, just pull on the dress and don't think about coordinating a skirt etc but since it's not in my budget at the moment, I don't think much about it.
I also do like individuality, I don't like looking like everyone else. And I find that being a mom, with all the baby-caring and cooking I do, I need clothing that washes well. I don't find that the Jewish clothing in the lighter colors meets that criteria for me... and I don't love black.

groovy1224

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:05 pm

I personally don't spend that much on clothes, but I think you could argue that maybe people spend that much BECAUSE it's an every day dress. You can get away with 'cheaper' finds for shabbos because they're just worn once a week or on yt, so they don't get washed as often. But for every day use, people might prefer something solid and comfortable, even if it costs more, because it will hold up to more regular use and laundering.

My weekday wig is more expensive than my shabbos wig. It seemed counter intuitive at first but my weekday one is washed more often and gets more abuse.

mommy3b2c

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:09 pm

amother [ Beige ] wrote:

Wealthy people would never spend only $160 on a dress, it's too cheap for them.
$160 for a dress from a local Jewish store is really not alot. It's even cheap for lord and taylor, Macy's, saks.....

That’s not true at all. I know lots of wealthy people. All of them shop at handm, Zara, Amazon, etc...

they also buy expensive clothes sometimes.

People do what they want.

meme6

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:12 pm

If the dress is $160 and needs no work or she’ll it’s really not that much but truthfully I’m a sale shopper and wouldn’t pay that amount.

I buy my sweaters from tj max etc but when I splurge and buy something expensive in the Jewish stores the quality is way better and lasts way longer more then just a season.

I have teen girls and I find there clothing costs way more then mine why is that everything in the non Jewish stores is open necked or to short and the fixing costs more then going to Jewish stores the Jewish stores though are selling basics starting at $65 a skirt I do believe this all has happened because everyone just buys it why are kids winter jackets costing $100+++ I have my kids whole wardrobe though from last years sales and now I’m appreciating it even more.
My teen girls though I can’t buy advanced

amother

Jetblack

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:30 pm

I don't know which dress.
I don't care which dress.
I just want to really object here to the use of "criminal".
Nothing criminal is going on here.
A person or company can sell a product for any price they like. You are free to buy or not buy.
I also, having grown up with parents who were in the fashion retail industry, want to point out that there are so many overhead costs of doing business you don't think about and I know people came into my parents store thinking they were making a killing on the clothes. They were not. They made a living. We were never wealthy. Looking at a dress that costs $180 and deciding in your head that it should only be $90 or $50 or whatever you have come up with is unfair. Deciding the sellers or designers are theifs is unfair.
If you don't want to pay, don't pay.
But PLEASE stop calling the price of clothes criminal.
Thank you!

southernbubby

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:38 pm

For whatever it's worth, one of my teenage granddaughters is super frugal and has a bank account for her future and deposits her babysitting money in the account.
She buys her clothes used from a frum Craig list group and refuses to spend her money on expensive clothes. She always looks fashionable, at least to my mind.
Somehow if a child can do it.....(yeah I know I am being judgmental).

mum22

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:38 pm

Are these the same people who complain about tuition, and all their expenses.

Is there any sense of proportion anymore?

No 160 isn’t so much money for a dress, but if you consider that the Jewish lifestyle is more costly in so many ways, it adds up so quickly.

Someone wrote on imamother, I can’t quote- don’t know where to find it....
It’s not the big spends that create debt. It’s the accumulation of many small decisions.

I wish all imamoms reading this health and wealth, an abundance of beautiful clothes and all pretty things you may desire.

Good shabbos x

amother

Copper

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:44 pm

$160 is not considered to be expensive for a dress. I don't think it would even be considered to be in the "bridge line" category.

In my experience there is generally a correlation in quality for a more expensive dress. Obviously not all dresses are created equal but in general the fabrics are nicer and they are cut better so along with the nicer fabric they look nicer. The materials used - the finishing - the buttons or zippers are all of better quality.

I grew up when clothing was expected to last and my Bubbe and my mother sewed so I was subjected to their opinions on clothing like how there should be seam allowances and how seams should be finished. Or how prints should line up - especially plaids.

And depending on the style, I would definitely wear a dress that cost $160 around town. But then I believe in quality over quantity so I generally reach for the same stuff often - e.g. amortized over the number of times I wear something a higher cost higher quality more beautiful garment is actually less expensive per wearing than something that is initially less expensive.

I have absolutely no idea what this mitziah of a $160 dress that "everyone" is wearing.

And I absolutely don't put a dress for a woman in the same category as a dress for a child or a baby - exception being a Bas Mitzvah dress. ETA - That most teenagers are looking for trendier clothing items so that there is no reason for the most part to buy clothing that they won't want to wear in a year or so when there is a new trend.

FWIW I ran an inflation calculator for the clothing that I had as a teenager and the dresses I bought in high school - adjusted for inflation - would now cost $140. These were not "special" dresses or considered to be super expensive dresses. They were purchased at stores like Macys and Bloomingdales - and NOT in the designer sections Very Happy

amother

Amethyst

Fri, Oct 11 2019, 12:53 pm

amother [ Copper ] wrote:

FWIW I ran an inflation calculator for the clothing that I had as a teenager and the dresses I bought in high school - adjusted for inflation - would now cost $140. These were not "special" dresses or considered to be super expensive dresses. They were purchased at stores like Macys and Bloomingdales - and NOT in the designer sections Very Happy

I dont think you can compare today's clothing prices to the prices of say, the late 80's when I was a teenager. Much of the clothing was made in the USA and lasted for years.