Would you spend $395 on a sweater?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't, but we have not finished saving for our kids' college educations.

Wow...so, you'll look like a hag until your kids' college funds are fully funded?

[Anonymous]

Years ago I had an Italian boyfriend who gave me several Agnona sweaters as gifts. They are beautiful, thick cashmere and I still wear them regularly in the winter. No sweater I have ever bought for myself has held up as well as they have. I have the typical American mindset that makes it difficult to buy something that is THAT expensive, regardless of the quality or how much use I will get from them. The truth is, however, that those sweaters were the wiser use of money because they have lasted almost 20 years, they are by far my favorite (so I have worn each one probably hundreds of times) and still get compliments almost every time I wear them. This is what people mean when they talk about investing in expensive clothes. Spending $50 a piece on cheaply made, poor quality trendy sweaters that you will only wear a season or two is the poor choice if you can invest in something that you can and will wear beautifully for years.

[Anonymous]

I know how to knit and would make it myself, if I really wanted it. But by my guess the op needs it to win friends and influence people and that can have some value. Though the quality of friends that you get like that can be disappointing

[Anonymous]

This is what people mean when they talk about investing in expensive clothes.

PP, your point about high quality garments/clothing being an investment is well-taken.

You cannot, however, assume an item will hold up several years by price tag alone. That $395 sweater jacket shown was made in China, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.shopbop.com/honeycomb-jacket-vince/vp/v=1/845524441952679.htm

I just came across this one and just love it...honestly if I could find something exactly like this for $40 I would buy it without question.

I love Vince clothing, and would also be tempted. Watch GILT - I've picked up a few pieces from this designer from them. I"m still kicking myself for missing a beautiful sweater coat by Vince on Gilt. At a certain age, we all stop buying trendy stuff, and want pieces that last. If you find a classic item you love, and can see yourself wearing it for years to come, then $400 isn't ridiculous for one item. Save up and buy the good stuff you will have in 10 years.

I find it more ridiculous to buy a lot of cheaply made clothing that needs to be replaced every year.

[Anonymous]

Would never ever ever pay $395 for one sweater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't, but we have not finished saving for our kids' college educations.

Wow...so, you'll look like a hag until your kids' college funds are fully funded?

Um, the opposite of not buying a $400 sweater isn't looking like a hag. Get a grip, PP. Plenty of people look fantastic in clothes that cost less than three digits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know how to knit and would make it myself, if I really wanted it. But by my guess the op needs it to win friends and influence people and that can have some value. Though the quality of friends that you get like that can be disappointing

That makes no sense. I don't particularly like the sweater but it doesn't seem to have some obvious blingy label on it. So unless she keeps the price tag on it no one would know how much it cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't, but we have not finished saving for our kids' college educations.

Wow...so, you'll look like a hag until your kids' college funds are fully funded?

Um, the opposite of not buying a $400 sweater isn't looking like a hag. Get a grip, PP. Plenty of people look fantastic in clothes that cost less than three digits.

Not in this area. Sacrificial lambs rarely look good.

[Anonymous]

No but it helps that I look good in everthing I wear. I could put a $10 sweater on and make it look like a $400 sweater.

[Anonymous]

Only certain items warrant that kind of money, in my opinion. Suits, coats, and maybe handbags. Otherwise, I don't see the point, especially not with young kids in the house. I wear some nice stuff but it has to be something that if my kids wipe their nose on it or happen to have messy hands, it's not a catastrophe.

[Anonymous]

I would if I had some spare cash and really loved the sweater. (That one wouldn't look good on me so I wouldn't consider it. But it looks like a nice sweater.)

But I see nothing wrong with spending some $ on things you like a lot, so long as you're not spending yourself into poverty doing it. Isn't that part of why we work hard - to have $ to buy things we like?

[Anonymous]

Yes, but it would be an occasional splurge type of thing, not something I'd regularly spend $395 on. I've purchased some great Vince sweaters at Last Call for less than $250ish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No but it helps that I look good in everthing I wear. I could put a $10 sweater on and make it look like a $400 sweater.

pic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't, but we have not finished saving for our kids' college educations.

Wow...so, you'll look like a hag until your kids' college funds are fully funded?

Um, the opposite of not buying a $400 sweater isn't looking like a hag. Get a grip, PP. Plenty of people look fantastic in clothes that cost less than three digits.

Not in this area. Sacrificial lambs rarely look good.

WTF are you talking about?

I rarely spend more than $50 on one clothing item and I'm pretty sure I look like neither a hag nor a "sacrificial lamb." When I go to the store I see no discernible difference between Levi's jeans and $200 ones. We do not live in an age where luxury items reflect quality or sophistication (see gaudy Coach bags etc.), although this "yak" sweater appears to be the exception (?!). Almost everything is made in the same few factories in China. People compliment a blouse I bought for $6 at Macy's every time I wear it. I would rather make my own clothes if I had to than buy this over-priced status item crap.