this piece makes me think that not living in New York and not being surrounded by beautiful fashion girlies is saving my gd life in a way I had not considered before
The cost thing sometimes feels catch-22, on the one hand the cost for many things are ridiculous, on the other if we want things made with fair labour/living wage, good materials, and well crafted, the labor/making alone is a cost, tariffs might factor in, and then the brand markup. Derek the menswear guy broke down the economics earlier today on Twitter and it well-explained costs using suits as examples. That being said, the profit markup for some brands is also HELLA WTF i mean i get needing to make returns but damn, 60% or higher is a little nuts.
I think the sad thing is that even with the expensive pieces, the brands are not necessarily paying a fair wage (eg Dior). So it’s just all feeding their fat margins.
this! I have to add, I don't think the prices are the only thing to blame. There are two sides to the issue, with the other here being WAGE STAGNATION. The real problem IMO is that our salaries have not increased in alignment with the cost of goods (or housing, or food, etc.). Of course, there are some really exorbitant prices in the high end designer fashion space. But there's a middle ground - like you said, there's also the reality of fair labor, good materials, etc. Working in fashion - as in the design, product development, materials sourcing, etc. spaces - NOT marketing - gives you some insight into how much things should actually cost. I have limited experience here, so my perspective is not totally accurate, but even from those small stints in these spaces and the fact that I studied design in undergrad so know the complexities of patternmaking and actually creating products, I have my own framework for how much I think things should cost. For instance, here's a very rough overview what I personally think is reasonable/what I would spend:
- woven separates (silk/cotton/linen) and sweaters (cotton/wool): $50-200
- casual dresses, heavy sweaters, & light jackets: $100-300
- occasion dresses & winter coats: $200-500
- sandals, heels, nicer shoes: $100-300
- boots: $200-500
- bags: $200-500
Caveats: I often spend less on these items because I heavily buy secondhand on TRR or wait for biannual sales. I sometimes spend more on splurge items that I really love. I definitely worked up to this, although I always knew these prices were what I thought was reasonable, I couldn't really afford to spend this much until I broke a $100K salary.
I think about this all the time. I started buying more pricy clothes (pricy as in, Madewell, Aritzia, Anthropologie) assuming that higher cost = better quality and likely fairer treatment of workers, but really, NONE of these things are a guarantee. I've started drawing the line on synthetics -- $70+ polyester sweaters, $200+ "vegan leather" (aka pleather lol) bags. These items just aren't worth it.
Jennifer Wang (@wangjenniferr) on Tiktok does such good breakdowns looking at textile quality and garment construction from different brands. She's so worth following. Also vegan leather drives me bonkers. I am excited though and optimistic about innovations in the mushroom/pineapple/bacteria process made leather alts.
I too have fallen victim to the lifestyle creep normalising insanely expensive clothes, “investment piece” culture on a normal even above average wage but even that doesn’t mean I can and should spend $900 on a jacket but I have 😬😭
I loved and appreciated this post so much because you brilliantly articulated so much of what I've experienced. There is a lifestyle creep wherein our favorite influencers start out with enough money to buy nice clothes, they gain influence, then they are gifted pieces OR make enough money as an influencer to be able to buy designer items then turn around and shill those items to their followers. As regular people deciding what to consume, it's impossible.
I have to admit I was influenced into buying some expensive costume jewelry after seeing it on multiple influencers I trusted. When the pieces arrived, I was so disappointed. They felt cheap and almost plastic - couldn’t tell the difference between them and pieces from Zara which are 10% of the price!!!
"Let this note be a lighthouse among this very chic storm: we have to get a grip." Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel like everyone around me has lost their minds. I am not responsible enough for a $600 purse. That thing is going to be flung on the passenger seat floor of my car, dropped on the porch when I'm fumbling for my keys, and the interior is going to be covered in Revlon red lipstick when the cap falls off and it goes tumbling around inside my very fancy purse. Same with clothes. I need a shirt that can handle me spilling my coffee down it when I slam on brakes during my morning commute. I would cry if I spent an entire paycheck on it. Like, I am not a celebrity or a millionaire and I'm going to keep wearing my Calvin Klein work pants and TJMaxx blouse thank you.
This is the third time I've come back to re-read this post, it's that good. The other element of this is just how many fashion influencers come from vast generational wealth. If you're a Carnegie or a Pierrepont I have no business taking shopping pointers from you.
This was so good! I actually work in PR myself and so I understand both sides of this coin very well. Personally 99.9% of what I feature in my Substack - I’ve bought myself. 98% of the time on crazy sale!! I am almost never gifted and if I was I would absolutely call that out- which I think is necessary and important so readers are aware. But yes secondhand is the way to go - currently wearing pants form The Row that I bought for $50 on TRR…!
this piece makes me think that not living in New York and not being surrounded by beautiful fashion girlies is saving my gd life in a way I had not considered before
I think about this so often
Like if I lived in nyc the pressure to buy buy buy seems way more intense
The cost thing sometimes feels catch-22, on the one hand the cost for many things are ridiculous, on the other if we want things made with fair labour/living wage, good materials, and well crafted, the labor/making alone is a cost, tariffs might factor in, and then the brand markup. Derek the menswear guy broke down the economics earlier today on Twitter and it well-explained costs using suits as examples. That being said, the profit markup for some brands is also HELLA WTF i mean i get needing to make returns but damn, 60% or higher is a little nuts.
I think the sad thing is that even with the expensive pieces, the brands are not necessarily paying a fair wage (eg Dior). So it’s just all feeding their fat margins.
this! I have to add, I don't think the prices are the only thing to blame. There are two sides to the issue, with the other here being WAGE STAGNATION. The real problem IMO is that our salaries have not increased in alignment with the cost of goods (or housing, or food, etc.). Of course, there are some really exorbitant prices in the high end designer fashion space. But there's a middle ground - like you said, there's also the reality of fair labor, good materials, etc. Working in fashion - as in the design, product development, materials sourcing, etc. spaces - NOT marketing - gives you some insight into how much things should actually cost. I have limited experience here, so my perspective is not totally accurate, but even from those small stints in these spaces and the fact that I studied design in undergrad so know the complexities of patternmaking and actually creating products, I have my own framework for how much I think things should cost. For instance, here's a very rough overview what I personally think is reasonable/what I would spend:
- tees/lightweight knits & synthetic separates: $30-50
- woven separates (silk/cotton/linen) and sweaters (cotton/wool): $50-200
- casual dresses, heavy sweaters, & light jackets: $100-300
- occasion dresses & winter coats: $200-500
- sandals, heels, nicer shoes: $100-300
- boots: $200-500
- bags: $200-500
Caveats: I often spend less on these items because I heavily buy secondhand on TRR or wait for biannual sales. I sometimes spend more on splurge items that I really love. I definitely worked up to this, although I always knew these prices were what I thought was reasonable, I couldn't really afford to spend this much until I broke a $100K salary.
BINGO. The wage stagnation is also a big part, rising costs of production, overhead costs like...
What also rustles the jimmies though is high ass markup but non-fair labor wages/exploitation.
I think about this all the time. I started buying more pricy clothes (pricy as in, Madewell, Aritzia, Anthropologie) assuming that higher cost = better quality and likely fairer treatment of workers, but really, NONE of these things are a guarantee. I've started drawing the line on synthetics -- $70+ polyester sweaters, $200+ "vegan leather" (aka pleather lol) bags. These items just aren't worth it.
Jennifer Wang (@wangjenniferr) on Tiktok does such good breakdowns looking at textile quality and garment construction from different brands. She's so worth following. Also vegan leather drives me bonkers. I am excited though and optimistic about innovations in the mushroom/pineapple/bacteria process made leather alts.
This is an amazing piece.
I too have fallen victim to the lifestyle creep normalising insanely expensive clothes, “investment piece” culture on a normal even above average wage but even that doesn’t mean I can and should spend $900 on a jacket but I have 😬😭
this was so good and I was extremely flattered to be mentioned!!
Omg duh!!!!!
I loved and appreciated this post so much because you brilliantly articulated so much of what I've experienced. There is a lifestyle creep wherein our favorite influencers start out with enough money to buy nice clothes, they gain influence, then they are gifted pieces OR make enough money as an influencer to be able to buy designer items then turn around and shill those items to their followers. As regular people deciding what to consume, it's impossible.
Amen. Thank you for sharing this.
I have to admit I was influenced into buying some expensive costume jewelry after seeing it on multiple influencers I trusted. When the pieces arrived, I was so disappointed. They felt cheap and almost plastic - couldn’t tell the difference between them and pieces from Zara which are 10% of the price!!!
"Let this note be a lighthouse among this very chic storm: we have to get a grip." Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel like everyone around me has lost their minds. I am not responsible enough for a $600 purse. That thing is going to be flung on the passenger seat floor of my car, dropped on the porch when I'm fumbling for my keys, and the interior is going to be covered in Revlon red lipstick when the cap falls off and it goes tumbling around inside my very fancy purse. Same with clothes. I need a shirt that can handle me spilling my coffee down it when I slam on brakes during my morning commute. I would cry if I spent an entire paycheck on it. Like, I am not a celebrity or a millionaire and I'm going to keep wearing my Calvin Klein work pants and TJMaxx blouse thank you.
I’ll take the John Deere 🚜
So good! As consumers we get wrapped up in the smoke & mirrors of PR/marketing and sometimes lose sight on how to be more conscious.
Thank you 🤎🤎🤎🤎
This is the third time I've come back to re-read this post, it's that good. The other element of this is just how many fashion influencers come from vast generational wealth. If you're a Carnegie or a Pierrepont I have no business taking shopping pointers from you.
okayyyyy ily
Such a good piece and also i have screenshotee this entire thing to reread when i feel like i should buy something new. Thank you
Thank you for the eels and real talk!!!
This was so good! I actually work in PR myself and so I understand both sides of this coin very well. Personally 99.9% of what I feature in my Substack - I’ve bought myself. 98% of the time on crazy sale!! I am almost never gifted and if I was I would absolutely call that out- which I think is necessary and important so readers are aware. But yes secondhand is the way to go - currently wearing pants form The Row that I bought for $50 on TRR…!
My Brilliant Friend
"Dyson handed over $600 worth of product to a girl from central Virginia with 500 Substack subscribers only to flame them later for their approach."
you're kinda a legend for this ngl