Fashion question about rich people

Parent Cafe
21

When I was very, very poor, I would go to the library to read Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Wear Daily and the international high end fashion magazines because at that time I was interested in fashion as an aesthetic matter. I probably would have been able to recognize many high end designers, and, being young and starry eyed, if I were at an art gallery opening or something (great source of free food and drinks) and saw someone wearing something fabulous from a well-known designer – say some amazing Jean Paul Gaulthier creation – yeah, I would probably have commented on it.

For a very short period of time quite a long time ago, my income was quite high but I was working 13- or 14-hour days, seven days a week. I had no time to pay any attention at all to fashion.

Now, I work fairly normal hours and make much, much, much less. I’ve never regained my interest in fashion, but I’ll occasionally glance at a magazine or window shop in a high end fashion street. Again, if someone were wearing something truly spectacular and I recognized it as a particular designer, I might comment on it with delight.

I do recognize many items that people wear as being from mass market brands of the sort that I myself wear. Many women wear Tory Burch shoes, for example, which have a distinctive but tasteful logo built into the design. And it is pretty easy to recognize the J Crew sweater or whatnot. Would I comment on something like that by brand name? Not usually, unless there was some reason to – “I just bought three of those same J Crew sweaters” or something.

I think recognizing brands is something that, for many (most) of us, happens fairly automatically and unconsciously; the thought appears and then flits away, like if you pass a McDonalds or something. The mind automatically recognizes the difference between a Vans sneaker and a pair of Nikes, but there’s no particular significance associated with that recognition, unless it is something we particularly like (or I suppose, loathe).

(Or maybe there’s some sort of unconscious assessment of tribal affiliation that occurs with some brands. You’d be surprised to learn that the young girl wearing the Lilly Pulitzer sundress was in a punk rock band at UC Davis, perhaps. But maybe that’s based solely on style, not brand).

22

If I were to go to lunch with a friend with a Birkin bag - which has no logo - I’d ooh over it and if they were really nice, they’d let me sling it over my arm for ten seconds :slight_smile:

23

I have a girlfriend who has a really cute Kate Spade. It does say the name but it is very subtle. We passed it around our group of friends and Kate accompanied each of us on various adventures. We anthropomorphized the heck out of her :-). It was fun. Clothing and fashion are fun. I’ve been selecting outfits for my kids’ graduations and associated events and it’s fun for me. I have a Tory Burch dress (bought at resale). No one will know the designer unless they check the tag. I have a Missoni dress (real not Target) and 99% of people at the graduation won’t recognize it, they’ll just think it’s a knit dress. Oh well! It’s what I like. I’m frugal on most other things so this is my thing.

24

Oh, yes, then there is that. And I’d be sure to take a selfie with said Birkin bag.

(And then ask everyone to whom I showed the picture: “Do you think a Birkin is aging on a 50- year old? Cool for a 30-y.o maybe, but matronly on a 50-y.o?”)

Oh, and I’m sure if I had lunch with Oldfort and her daughters, I would be oohing and ahhing over their accessories with delight.

25

Related question – I’ve never worked someplace where I’ve had to dress really nice. If a woman is a lawyer/investment banker/etc., in a metro area, and has to wear suits and business wear regularly – do people recognize whether she is wearing a designer label or something from H&M? Does it affect her reputation, her image, how people respect or treat her?

Even I can tell the difference between nice leather shoes and cheap ones from Payless – but a pair of black pants are black pants to me. I also understand that there can be fit differences, but let’s say that those cheap pants fit really well.

26

If a Birkin is aging, I’m happy to take it off someone’s hands, because I’m a giver like that.

27

I can tell well made (expensive) suits relative to less expensive ones. It is the material, stitching and how it hangs on you. Tehari does very good knock offs of expensive suits (I have few), but you could generally tell the difference if you were to hold it up against a Max Mara suit (not their weekender).

28

Over the years I’ve been on various fundraising boards and committees with " ladies who lunch".
I don’t remember anyone ever commenting on a designer by name.

29

LOL. I had the Birkin thought when watching Blue Jasmine with Cate Blanchett. She looked sublimely gorgeous as usual but it occurred to me that the Chanel-plus-Birkin look was a bit aging on her.

(Confession time: I do enjoy browsing in high end stores that are way out of my league from time to time. Sometimes, when I have a spare afternoon in New York, I’ll give myself a fantasy budget of $50k or so and spend the afternoon deciding between, say, the Caroline Herrera gown or the antique emerald necklace on a certain stretch of Madison Avenue. Things I would never ever, ever be able to actually buy. After seeing Blue Jasmine the Birkin fell off my fantasy shopping list).

30

Yes, you can tell the difference between a H&M suit and a well-tailored, beautifully made suit, say by Akris, Jil Sander, Dolce and Gabbana or Stella McCartney. Really, anyone could.

Yes, the woman in the well-made suit is going to come across as more polished, all else being equal.

Most professional women who have to wear suits choose mid-range brands, ranging from Theory and Tahari on the low end to St. John or lower-range Armani brands on the higher end. Suits in that range don’t get much notice, positive or negative. It reads as the default. But honestly, you see very few suits these days, except in very formal settings, like court. And even there women tend to wear professional separates more than actual suits.

31

I agree with the very few suits. I only own two at this point compared to the olden days where it was suit, silk blouse and heels all the time! Every client I have is business casual if not casual casual.

32

My daily wardrobe (for fall and winter) are pants (jeans, twill, and wool) with a shirt orsweater. On top I wear a blaze. I can use anything from a suede Eileen Fisher to a Chanel. I don’t wear the two piece suit. In summer I wear long dresses and sandals.

Ok…and for my shallow rep: When I am asked how or why I look so good…my face or hair…it is something…I say it…face and eye eyes. Don’t lie, just say it out loud.

33

No, really not.

OK, forget about suits. A pair of black pants, H&M or Limited or Gap vs. whatever the higher-end brands are (I don’t even know).

34

My mother loved clothes and was always dressed fashionably. She bought me Ferragamo Vara when I was in high school because they were so comfortable. I haven’t inherited her style, but learned from her to always “buy quality” (Amy Tan’s words).
If I see something I like that my friends are wearing, I will comment that I like it, not mentioning any designer.
And oh, I can spot plastic surgery, fillers, botox from a mile away.

35

Re H&M black pants vs designer: Well, on me you’d notice a difference because I’m 6’0" tall and so the H&M pants will be five inches too short. I often have to buy more expensive pants to get the length. But otherwise, for average sized people, if you are not into clothes you likely aren’t going to notice much of a difference in cheap vs expensive pants when they are new. However the cheap pants will not hold up to multiple cleanings well so you’ll start to see a difference soon. People who have an eye for clothes may notice differences in cut and fabric.

Also cheap fabric tends to be stiffer and doesn’t drape as nicely as more expensive fabrics so you are unlike to get as good as a fit (despite your hypothetical which builds a perfect fit into the question.)

36

When a well-executed “fraud-a” is indistinguishable from a Prada, I don’t see the point in spending that kind of money on a handbag.

37

Same as in a suit, even if the cut is similar, the fabric used to make said pants makes a huge difference. Gap etc. simply cannot make their $30 pants out of fine wool fabric the more expensive brands use (like Max Mara, which is my favorite brand, mentioned by oldfort). BTW, Max Mara does not have any visible logos or any signature elements on their clothing (think Ferragamo bows or Burberry checkered fabric), but I follow their collections and can identify a MM dress or suit.

38

When a well-executed “fraud-a” is indistinguishable from a Prada, I don’t see the point in spending that kind of money on a handbag."

I didn’t say I would buy a Birkin bag. Just that I would go to lunch with people who do :slight_smile:

I like nice leather goods. There are plenty of discussions on CC about things I’d never spend a lot of money on - cars, stereo equipment (don’t own any), big-screen TV, nice wine / alcohol.

39

Rich or not, Lily Pulitzer is one thing I never understood why anyone would wear. I like coloful at times but Lily Pulitzer is loud and very recognizable. Its like wearing the company logo. I was sure it would go out of business but instead it’s seems thriving. Was I wrong.

40

I agree LP way too loud for me!