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There are certainly basic necessities of life which take a chunk out of the monthly budget, and clothing is definitely one of them! It is not usually cheap either.
You know I talk about the concept of “conditioning” a lot on this site. Advertising, capitalism, and economics are strong forces. Sometimes without us even knowing it, we subconsciously make a purchase decision based on societal “norms”, trends, or simply with the belief that such and such brand must simply be the best, because everyone else is using it.
This may be especially true when it comes to clothing. Having the latest trend or most fashionable brand is very important to many people. And they are willing to pay a hefty premium for such things. They may not even consider going below their standards by purchasing an article of clothing that is not name brand.
But why? Do they really feel like they will be inferior to others or substandard if they are “caught” wearing something without a fashionable (and most of the time) expensive label on it?
I remember in my public school years growing up, it was almost like a fashion competition. My parents, for good reason, didn’t believe in paying a premium for name brand clothing for me, so I went to school in threads from Target, which was fine, because they worked for me. But that didn’t seem to pass the muster of many of my classmates though, as from time to time, the label “dork” was thrown around because I didn’t have name brand clothes on like the “cool” kids.
Amazingly enough, this sense of fashion competition can carry into adult years for many, so they feel they still have to go out and pay $120 for a shirt, just because it has a label on it that is recognized by some as “special” and “premium.” And this is when they could go out and find a comparable looking shirt, but without the label, for like $20!
So you see where I’m going with this – in these recessed economic times, if you happen to be one who, by no fault of your own, purchases brand-name clothes, and are looking to save money, you can surely get an idea of how much you may be able to save by looking for items that are the same level of stylish, but without that label that costs so much. And remember, the quality of the brand name garment is likely not much better than its less expensive counterpart. It’s still probably made in a foreign country in a factory right next to the other.
I have never been one to buy branded clothes. I look for what I feel looks and fits me best, in the realm of style that I like, and if I find something that works, then I could care less what brand it is or if it has a premium label on it. And I feel that I have a good fashion sense as well, dictated by what I feel looks best on me and not by what the latest trend is, so it’s not like I’m just going out directionless and just buying the cheapest clothes or pair of pants I can find!
A couple of the main stores I have shopped at for a long time are Anchor Blue (formerly Miller’s Outpost) and Kohl’s. Granted Anchor Blue primarily only sells clothes with their brand on it, but I would say price wise, they are remarkably lower than the clothes found at department stores like Dillard’s, Macy’s, Neiman-Marcus, Abercrombie & Fitch, etc. I’ve always found jeans and such that fit my tastes best at Anchor Blue, and last time, I found nice quality jeans for $29, which is about the average for them there.
And if you’ve never been to Kohl’s before and are looking to save money, this is the store! I usually find many options that fit what I am looking for there, and they always have fantastic sales! The stores are huge with a wide selection for both sexes, they are everywhere in my city and many others, and I would say they have something for just about everyone’s tastes.
These are just stores that work for me – there are many options where you can find much more economical, but all-the-while fashionable clothing that fits your tastes. Just shop around a bit and keep an open mind – you will find great options and pay much less than the premium brands. And that’s savings you can take to the bank!