<p>That thread was about looking decent and well-put together in a casual setting, which could easily be accomplished by clothing that one might find at, say, Target. It wasn’t about “having to wear designer brand clothing” or being overdressed for an occasion / situation (such as high heels for walking around a hilly campus).</p>
<p>bluebayou</p>
<p>I have several pairs of Allen Edmunds and have had them recrafted at the factory in WI. Also have an old pair of Florshiems back when they were all made in the USA. I get 15-30 years worth of a shoe for $300 plus a periodic recraft. </p>
<p>The problem with many pieces of designer clothing is that they are made like **** but cost a fortune. </p>
<p>A well made fully canvased men’s suit that molds to your body (because of the a layer of horsehair canvas underneath the wool fabric shell) from the ‘trendy’ Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald line will last a lifetime with proper care and will cost about $1,000.</p>
<p>A piece of crap fused suit (fusible interlining is glued to the wool shell of the suit that creates an unnatural stiffness) by Prada will last maybe 10 years and cost you $3,000.</p>
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<p>What is “looking decent and well-put together in a casual setting” is in the eye of the beholder, just like how one views status symbol clothing (one can argue that all clothing, including sweat pants, announces some kind of status, even if it is just to “blend in” with everyone else and avoid “sticking out”).</p>
<p>My older son seems to share your observations, Haystack. He is almost 4 years out of college now and I think he has 5 pairs of Allen Edmonds shoes (one for each work day-too funny!) and just bought himself a Brooks Brothers suit. The first bigger purchase he made out of college was a Barbour jacket. And, his girlfriend graduated from George Washington (which is why I started looking at this thread). She likes nice ,classic things but does not “flaunt” anything-lots of neutral colors, classic jewelry,etc.</p>
<p>Whenever I see these types of articles, I’m always most amazed by the anecdotes about bottle service. It’s not just GWU and DC–NYC, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami and many other cities have the same sort of thing. Worst of all is when some kid of more modest means goes out with a group of high-rolling buddies, expecting a night of bar-crawling but not knowing about just how pricey this can get. :(</p>
<p>$3900 a month for apartment rent–wow. That’s more than many a mortgage, and it’s without the interest write-off! 
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<p>As for designer bags costing thousands of dollars, that game starts in high school or earlier. I can’t find it, but a few years ago the Los Angeles Times wrote about how some well-off students at the area’s most expensive private schools were getting around the fashion restrictions of uniforms by getting expensive accessories, including “book bags” costing thousands of dollars.</p>
<p>People who buy Prada don’t plan to wear them 10 years. Buy new every year or so.</p>
<p>Could it be that anyone who worries about a handbag…or needs a very expensive one…has too much baggage ;)</p>
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<p>You don’t know that, barrons. It depends. There are people who want the new “it-bag” of the moment, and there are people who buy one or two high-end pieces and wear them until they wear out. You just have to witness the Chanel 2.55 bag - that’s a bag that women buy and wear forever, or give to their daughters. </p>
<p>Even within designer, there are things like the Louis Vuitton Sprouse look - which are trendy, of-that-season and will look dated the season afterwards – or something like the Louis Vuitton Beige Monogram Vernis which will look classic for years.</p>
<p>Things like a Burberry trench coat will last for years. My husband got one as a young adult - it will never go out of style. He’ll probably give it to my son at one point. </p>
<p>Other things are also timeless. I have a Cartier tank watch. I just replace the band as it wears. It will be stylish and classic til I’m in my grave. </p>
<p>That’s really an odd and an off-target generalization on your part, barrons.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl,</p>
<p>You have referred several times to my post about “flaunting” wealth and entitlement, so I must have hit a chord with you. I guess we’ll just have to disagree.</p>
<p>I know it may be my “judgment,” but I find it odd that students WHO DID NOT EARN THEIR MONEY are wearing clothing that costs a fortune. The parents who foster the expectation that they need to maintain this lifestyle are setting them up for future goals that may be hard to achieve. I have witnessed many kids who have felt devastated because they could not afford the latest designer whatever, or who could no longer adhere to these standards when they get out in the real world and have to earn a living and don’t make what their parents did.</p>
<p>I am not begrudging grown-ups their spending. Just the conspicuous consumption that is conveyed by so much materialism in youth. Again, we may have to just disagree.</p>
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<p>On the other hand, if the kids will be unable to maintain this lifestyle, then there is all-the-more reason to indulge when they are young.</p>
<p>Why? (Not rhetorical; I don’t understand the reasoning. But it isn’t important.)</p>
<p>Prada…PG is correct…</p>
<p>Purchasing data suggests that consumers who shop at luxury retailers are very often “one-off” shoppers—people who purchase one particular item at a luxury store and never return.</p>
<p>Many (like my brother and his friends in dowmtown Chciago) are ‘middle-income’ consumers who save their dollars to peridocally buy a special item, with no intention of shopping there again for another 10-15 years. They save up to buy an expensive ‘trendy’ suit for weddings with no intention of buying one for another 15 years. I had my brother try on a $2,500 fused suit (which would have looked out of style in a few years) and a $1,300 canvased trendy but classic suit. After trying on the canvased suit, he was hooked.</p>
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<p>I consider it my job at this point to pay for my children’s clothing, winter coats, etc. Whether that’s at Target, Macy’s or Neiman’s isn’t really the point. In none of those cases did they “earn” it - so what? I saw a great sale at Eddie Bauer on winter coats and contemplated buying one for my S for when his current coat wears out. He didn’t “earn” that money - but right now it’s my job to provide him with a winter coat. What difference would it have made if it were a more expensive winter coat than Eddie Bauer? </p>
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<p>Over spring break, I took my D shopping for clothing appropriate for job interviews, internships, etc. Among other things, she got a fairly expensive Tory Burch dress and some Cole Haan shoes that she’ll wear forever – and some J Crew stuff on the sale rack and some shoes from DSW (Discount Shoe Warehouse). Help me explain why the first set of stuff is “bad” and the second set of stuff is “good.” She knows the value of what I got her and she’s appreciative. I’d rather outfit my kids for the work world with “good” investment dressing, so they needn’t worry about “having to go buy” clothing when they are young and starting out. </p>
<p>I think you’re confusing “has a designer whatever” with “highly values and would just curl up and die if didn’t have that designer whatever.” Those are two different things.</p>
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<p>Materialism is the quality of valuing material possessions and physical comfort as more important than other values. Purchasing a designer (handbag, whatever) doesn’t mean that one values that possession more than other values. People are fully capable of purchasing designer-whatevers and still value helping those less fortunate, developing their minds, being concerned with social justice, whatever.</p>
<p>Of course this leads to the inevitable “well, they could have saved the money they spent on the X and donated the rest to charity.” Well, yeah, but that applies to every last bit of spending everyone on CC does that isn’t strictly devoted to basic food / shelter / clothing requirements. </p>
<p>You could all give away your computers to charity, stop paying for internet access, and just go surf the internet at the public library. Or you could send your kids only to community colleges and donate the rest to charity. Oh, wait - that’s different. Anything that I do = necessary; any luxury that’s above my means = well, people shouldn’t do that, it’s “showy” and speaks to poor values.</p>
<p>I have a dear friend from many years ago, and I also have a SIL, whose clothes, shoes, handbags and such are ever so expensive that i don’t want to borrow any of their things. I needed a sweater one cool evening, and looking at the pickings in my SIL’s closet, I decided to wear an old sweatshirt of my brother’s. </p>
<p>But they have lean, mean clothes closets, whereas mine…well, it’s so full of junk from years way back. Both worked for designers, as did a SIL’s SiL and for a time had access to some stuff at bargain prices or free even. I don’t begrudge their tastes in expensive, designer clothing, and both women are wonderful people ranking up at the :10" line in my mind. </p>
<p>I agree that each school has a vibe to it as do many environments, and it appears that GW has one of the rich kids’ school whether or not, statisitically that is the case. That’s why visiting a school can really add another dimension to the process of deciding where one gets to go, a luxury i did not have back in my day. You did it all by paper. First time I set foot on my college campus is when i showed up with my suitcases to move into the dorms. Two of my kids bought into their schools due to atmosphere, vibe. How important this is in the long run, when it comes to enjoying ones school and graduating I don’t know. </p>
<p>I did a quick look at some stats on GW. 13% of their students get PELL as compared to 15% at Catholic and American Unviersities. About half the kid are on financial aid as opposed to 75% at American so ,that is big differnce there. But then 70% get full need met wheras only 30% do at American. Also a lot more kids getting heftier merit money at GW that have no need as opposed to American.</p>
<p>“Well, yeah, but that applies to every last bit of spending everyone on CC does that isn’t strictly devoted to basic food / shelter / clothing requirements.”</p>
<p>Yup. I’m up with that. (and haven’t got there).</p>
<p>What I;ve always wanted my children to learn is that their degree of responsibility to the world is directly related to the degree of privilege they’ve had growing up. </p>
<p>“Things like a Burberry trench coat will last for years. My husband got one as a young adult - it will never go out of style. He’ll probably give it to my son at one point.”</p>
<p>It’s currently the en vogue clothing for drug dealers in London. 
(But no joke.)</p>
<p>Well, personally, I happen to value the work and craftsmanship that goes into really well made and well tailored clothes in the same way I value the work and craftsmanship that goes into a well made and beautiful building.</p>
<p>My kids have picked this up and lean towards things that are not particularly showy, which is very different than expensive, frankly.</p>
<p>Showy is tacky, but everyone knows a fruit of loom t-shirt is better with jeans and a nice blazer than any other kind of t-shirt. ;)</p>
<p>Should we eschew frye boots, too? Even if we’ve worn them since the beginning of time? Or is it okay if we like Frye now if we liked it back in the day?</p>
<p>I’m just reading through the posts here and, with the exception of a few brands, I’ve no idea what any of these things are.</p>
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<p>Assuming your dimensions stay the same. </p>
<p>Or maybe it last a lifetime because you cant wear it beyond year 7 ;-)</p>
<p>I love impeccably dressed women. You can’t beat a woman that looks like a million bucks.</p>