@Dung_Beetle opened a thread today on “Your attention-getting clothes.” I have a small number of what I call “graphic tees” but I actually hate wearing anything that attracts attention so I almost never wear them. I also go out of my way to avoid logos on clothing. So no alligators or polo ponies on my polo shirts, for example. The worst are the designer-brand clothing at Macy’s with stuff like Tommy Hilfiger or Calvin Klein’s name all over the fronts of the sweatshirts. By buying this stuff, I’m paying extra to advertise their brand.
Oh. A pet peeve.
My girls wanted the “Pink” clothing. Made by Victorias Secret, targetting teens.
I hated buying it. I hated they had PINK on their butts. I hated they were advertising for a fast fashion company.
Personally, I like non-descript things to wear.
I have some tees and hoodies I’ve put words on. But they are meaningless to all but me. Still, occasionally someone will ask me why my shirt says “Be-bop-a-lula” or what does “Bad choice, kinda, sorta” mean?
Eh.
I bought myself Calvin Klein jeans back in the 70’s when they were ‘all that’, and very pricey at $75+. And promptly removed the sewn in tag. When asked, “Are those CK jeans?”, (more often than you’d think!), I’d admit yes. When asked why I took the tags off, I replied, “If he wants to advertise on my ass he’ll have to pay me for the privilege!”
I’ve never really gotten the appeal of expensive name brands. If it pleases you, I’m happy for you. But count me out.
A $7000 handbag? I’m trying really hard not to, but I am judging you, (just a titch!)
Not all expensive designer clothing has visible logos. If something is covered with ostentatious logos, that is as much a design choice as anything else.
Actually removing all traces of tags is something out of a William Gibson novel…
I tend not to wear branded clothing, but I don’t see them as the opposite of attention-getting. In fact, they’re so ubiquitous that they can, in themselves, be contributors to anonymity in the right milieu, IMO.
Not always “expensive designer clothing” – cheap, sturdy, functional clothing sometimes also has labels. Fore example, Levi Strauss jeans. But in those, the designer label is small & understated, barely visible.
Not all clothing type or piece has an iconic look. Instant recognition. Hence, the labels and logos.
I’m sure the design houses pay some huge team of people to figure out if they need the name or picture logo. Where and on what items. And then how to advertise it.
If the kids pick it up and it’s seen in the culture, they got a winner.
I thought the giant lettering was going out. But it seems just as strong around here.
Same here, tho I’d not recognize one, nor do designer names mean much to me. I’m not sure why a Coach purse is any better than the leatheroid bag I carry. My brother has a Rolex - it provided the same information as my Timex. And my Sonata can go the same places as that Jaguar on the same roads. (yeah, I know, it’s not clothing.)
Honestly, the only branded thing I ever wanted was back in the 70s when I lusted after Wrangler jeans with the W stitched on the back pockets. But I couldn’t afford them and my mother surely wouldn’t buy me any.
Anyway, clothing keeps me from running around nekkid - as long as it fulfills that function and is reasonable quality for the price, I pretty much don’t care who made it. And depending on my mood, I may or may not wear a t-shirt that I know people will comment on. Life’s too short…
I’ve long been fascinated by the idea of brand-name or designer goods. Things like Coach leather bags are supposed to be made by craftspeople with years of training. I would appreciate owning something of that quality, given that so many of our goods are produced at low quality in factories, though I have no need for leather bags. (My suitcases are all nylon for the lighter weight.)
As for clothing, I’ve had polo shirts in my summertime wardrobe for a while, partly because the knit fabric doesn’t need ironing. I bought ones without logos from places like Lands End for perhaps $30-40 each. I can go to Macy’s or Nordstrom where I can get Lacoste polo shirts (with the alligator embroidery) or Ralph Lauren polo shirts (with the polo player embroidery) for perhaps three times the price. I’m willing to pay the difference if the quality and construction are better but I don’t see that it is. It appears the additional cost is simply for the prestige.
And regarding luxury goods, a couple of months ago, the New York Times ran this Op-Ed (gift link) a couple of months ago that there’s been a steep drop in the quality of luxury goods.
I’ve always hated branded clothing; when I was younger I’d go to the trouble of slicing the logos off things like jeans just because I disliked being walking advertising. I don’t bother anymore, but still don’t like it.
Ditto! And not only manufacturers – I feel the same way about team logos (baseball, football &c) and bands. (I do have one Sabaton t-shirt, an Xmas present from my wife, but I don’t wear it.)
I don’t oppose it on principle: if people want to spend their money on ‘designer’ items, that’s their choice. Not something I would do.
As a practical matter though, when I’m travelling, especially outside the US or western Europe, I make a point of trying to avoid anything, clothes or accessories, which would identify my country of origin.
There are brands like LL Bean, Columbia, North Face or Patagonia that have their logos on the breast. None are really luxury but instead are seen as quality. I’d prefer to avoid their logos as well but that doesn’t seem to be an option.
Something like 10 (maybe 15) years ago when shopping for new clothes (which I very seldom do, but when I do, I buy quality) I realized the new ubiquitous fad was to plaster the manufacturer’s name in huge white block letters etc. on T-shirt fronts and such.
I really don’t want to advertise anything, so I was miffed, didn’t buy anything, and never resumed my clothes spending, opting to use up my existing clothes stash until it fell off, piece by piece. Still working on it, as quality lasts.
As a kid, our family didn’t have the money to dress all four of us girls in the latest name brand clothing. We wore the knock-offs. I don’t remember it bothering me. So I was never into the name brand clothing, even now. I think those designer purses are ugly. The shirt I buy at Walmart will last just as long as a shirt from a high-end store. I have a few LL Bean jackets but I have to say, the quality is just not there. All of them have zipper issues. Either the zipper will split on the bottom or I can barely get the the thingy in the slot. I pride myself in looking nice, but I don’t spend a lot of money doing it.