BlueWord
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2009
- Messages
- 81
- Reaction score
- 5
Styleforum's purpose is pretty clearly put forth in the name; it's a forum about style and fashion. This has been brought up other places, but fabric/quality of the materials is only one aspect of fashion; you can wear fabrics of the highest quality, rock jawnz with peek-a-boo selvedge, hidden rivets, and japanese hand-weaved natural dyed fabric, but if it looks like crap, what's the point?
I'm not going to argue for or against the quality of Faded Glory; you seem happy with it, you accept what it is, that's fine. But I'd be damned if the fit - the look - is in any way comparable to something like APC or N&F. If you don't care about that, then maybe you're on the wrong forum.
Also, talking politics in SW&D and making ad hominem attacks on senior members is going to make you lots of friends around here.
Show me jeans with a price vs quality ratio that is comparable to the jeans from Wal Mart, then I'll be glad to buy them, even if they are nominally more expensive. I'm more than willing to pay for quality.
I'm not a fan of Veblen because his ideas, like much "progressive" ideology, is founded on petty resentments.
Some people are inspired by the achievements of others. They look at the success of others as proof that they can achieve their own goals. Then there are those who react negatively to other people's success because they subconsciously believe that to win themselves, other people have to lose. They then spin elaborate rationalizations to justify this character flaw. The politically motivated among them seek to manipulate the state into a great regulator and arbiter of fortune and success where no achievement goes unpunished - with themselves at the top and in charge of course. One of my favorite short stories by Kurt Vonnegut does a great job of describing the logical conclusion of such desires: Harrison Bergeron
That being said, the term conspicuous consumption is apt in that it accurately describes the use of consumer goods as social signals and shibboleths. This then ties in to the way that companies attempt to manipulate their image and branding so as to control the social signals that are associated with their products. The people buying and displaying these products are in turn trying to use them to manipulate their own personal brand and image so as to control how other people think and feel about them. It goes round and round and never ends. Anyone not playing the game loses by default.
I don't have a problem with any of that. It would be hard to since I do it myself. So does everyone else from every background and walk of life. A biker who wants to be accepted by other bikers doesn't go into the clubhouse dressed for a job interview at a bank, not even on Halloween.
What I do find fault with are people who think that the way to increase their own brand equity is by using products just because they are known to be expensive. They just look childish to me. Nicer things tend to cost more money, but not all things that cost more money are nicer, or worth the money they cost. Likewise not everything that is inexpensive is of low quality.
If, as you say, the jeans endorsed here are promoted based on quality, and not as denim based bling, then I'm glad to hear it.
Styleforum's purpose is pretty clearly put forth in the name; it's a forum about style and fashion. This has been brought up other places, but fabric/quality of the materials is only one aspect of fashion; you can wear fabrics of the highest quality, rock jawnz with peek-a-boo selvedge, hidden rivets, and japanese hand-weaved natural dyed fabric, but if it looks like crap, what's the point?
I'm not going to argue for or against the quality of Faded Glory; you seem happy with it, you accept what it is, that's fine. But I'd be damned if the fit - the look - is in any way comparable to something like APC or N&F. If you don't care about that, then maybe you're on the wrong forum.
Also, talking politics in SW&D and making ad hominem attacks on senior members is going to make you lots of friends around here.
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