Friday 18 April 2008

Stapler's Question Time

After my recent ode to APC, MR Style commented that APC is a little expensive. I'd like to open this up to debate; Here's my take on it...
For me, buying APC (or really any 'expensive' item) has two main advantages. Firstly, the buying experience; making a purchase in Liberty with space to breathe and wander around without queueing or fear that some 15-year old might steal your bag, is infinitely preferable to H&M's poorly-designed shop on Regent Street. In addition, there is a sense of the 'reassuringly expensive' from this kind of purchase. The act of buying something like this is a luxury; the pleasant assistants, heavy card embossed bag and feeling of indulgence that engulfs you as you swish out of the plate-glass doors. A guilty pleasure with a short-term high. The long-term high comes from buying an item that is well-made and ethically so (in Tunisia), to a design which is both fashionable and rare enough that every second person won't be wearing it. Further, this quality means that it will last for longer than my current falling-apart coat. My APC coat was expensive (£155), but the combination of the above factors, in my eyes, makes it good value for money. I've also had many flattering comments about it as well. As a young man with no real committments, a relatively high disposable income and more than a passing interest in fashion, these purchases are made only at the culmination of a lovely thought process, and though I am the first one to scoff at stupidly expensive purchases, I also believe in paying for what you get. In short, I reckon that some items from the current APC collections are worth the premium, and I reckon MRStyle would too...What do you think? How much is too much? Is it better for the short-term to buy Primark, or should we all be buying clothes hat last longer than two weeks? Let me know via the comments...

2 comments:

Style Salvage Steve said...

This is an interesting debate. When it comes to menswear, quality really should be strived for. The hfashions of womenswear change and evolve alot more fluidly than in menswear. Menswear is all in the details! I completely agree with you XS, there are so many reasons as to why there is nothing wrong with buying something on the racks of Liberty's. Firstly, if you have the momney then why not treat yourself to something that will fit better and last longer? Secondly, from the minute you walk in the doors the whole shopping experience is so much nicer in a store like Liberty's and this is continued throughout the shopping experience. In a store like H&M the clothes are everywhere, the aisles are busy, the lights are far too bright...now I'm sounding like an old man but you get my point. Buying clothes should be enjoyable, both in the shopping, on the journey home with full bags and a smile on your face and of course in the wearing.

Anonymous said...

cheap clothes tend to look exactly that. Pay peanuts, get monkeys...