Recently I’ve been doing a lot of clothes shopping and thinking about my wardrobe. I’ve had to ponder how much is too much for clothing and ask myself the question, “Is Designer Clothing Worth It?”
Is Designer Clothing Worth It?
Designer clothing is something that comes with a higher price tag that many people feel is worth it.
There are many reasons to buy designer clothing:
- prestige of the brand name
- designer clothing is often better quality
- stay current with fashion trends
- you can often resell well taken care of designer clothes
- designer clothing helps you project confidence
That last reason is the one that makes me most want designer clothing and accessories. I feel like it would make me feel and project more confidence.
I’ve always wanted to own some designer items just to see how it feels to walk around with something that has a designer name attached. I thought it might make me feel more professional, like I’d made it, like I’d finally outgrown my poor past of hand-me-downs. Buying designer clothing and accessories feels like a luxury to me. It feels like a luxury that is indicative of being successful. My desire to buy and own these designer items was the desire to show people around me that I’m successful.
Was that desire to own something designer worth the $300+ price tag? It’s hard to say yes to that right now when I’ve got many other more important financial goals.
Maybe I can’t justify designer stuff right now because I’m still paying off my debt. It’s almost impossible for me to justify buying a $200 watch and $400 shoes when I still have debt to pay off. I know girls that do it and do it often, but I’m clearly not one of them.
Questions To Ask When Buying Designer Items
When you are about to drop several hundred – or thousand – dollars on designer clothes, you should ask yourself some questions to determine if you are making the right choice.
Can I afford it?
The first question to ask yourself is if you can really afford the designer item you are wanting to buy. What’s your financial situation like? Are you in debt and trying to buy a $2,000 coat or $700 purse? If so you might want to reevaluate if you should be buying luxury items
Is it really high quality?
Sometimes luxury brands have the high price tag but don’t have the corresponding high quality. Have you checked out the quality of the item thoroughly? Where do they source their materials? Is there a warranty? What are the reviews like? Before you drop your dough on a designer item, make sure it will last.
Who am I trying to impress?
One question you must ask when buying designer clothing and handbags is who are you trying to impress? If you weren’t trying to impress anyone, even yourself, then the designer label would not matter. So accept that it does matter and find out internally why it matters. It’s ok to want the designer label but you should understand your motives behind it.
My Experience With Designer Clothing
One of my siblings has a closet full of designer clothes and accessories. Actually, he has a closet full of designer clothing in addition to a storage unit where he stores his out of season and less worn items. He has ties, shirts, pants, suits, shoes – all from top name designers in mens fashion.
Some of his favorite items are the “lower priced” shirts from Polo Ralph Lauren which all run around $50 and up.
He has spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours amassing the latest designer clothing over the last four or five years. He considers clothes shopping to be his hobby and I admit, sometimes I get jealous of that closet. It’s full of thousands of dollars worth of swag and I wish I had even 1/4 of similar items in my own closet.
This same sibling recently got a job selling designer accessories. I went by for a visit one day and looked at all the different brands of things I could buy. Armani, Michael Kors, Coach, Betsey Johnson, Guess, etc. Clothes and accessories for hundreds of dollars on the minimum. I looked at all these things and I *wanted* to buy them.
At the same time that I really wanted to buy the designer items, I couldn’t but wonder if each item was worth the cost to my bank account. I admit it – I *want* designer clothing. But is it worth it?
Will I Buy Designer Clothing In The Future?
Sometimes I wonder if by the time my debt is payed off I’ll feel like I can splurge on designer clothes (or even just new clothes from Target). Will it be something I can do regularly? Will it be something I do as a treat? Will it even be something I want once I’m debt free?
I doubt I’ll ever have a closet stuff full of designer duds but it would be nice to upgrade a few items for sure. I’d like to own at least a nice pair of designer shoes, one watch, and maybe a few different designer dresses. Nothing too crazy but I’d like a few nicer, higher end items to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe that comes from Target.
Update! In the end I did decide to splurge on a Michael Kors watch that was on sale and discounted thanks to my sibling.
I’m not sure if I could say it was “worth it” to buy a designer watch but I do enjoy wearing it and like how it makes me feel. So far it’s not been a gateway piece and it is still the only designer item that I own.
Is designer clothing worth it to you? Do you own any? Buy any? Avoid it?