bluefly is brilliant.
And actually, I’ve had a lot of success finding things on E-bay - Custo Barcelona shirts, for example - as I said in the original thread I have a printed shirt fetish.
I think I currently have 6 Custos and always on the hunt for more. 
More then one outfit a day? I guess it depends on what you mean by outfit. I can easily change clothes four times a day.
First I have to get dressed in a suit for work. After work I go to the gym. After the the gym I shower and dress in casual clothes. At about 9:00 in the evening I put on my jamies.
I can’t stand wearing the same clothes all day anyway.
People who have a lot of clothes or shoes buy them because it makes them happy. You must have something you do or buy or collect that makes you happy, right? How is it any different with clothes or shoes? Some people collect CDs or tools or jewelry or stamps or they have 10 TVs or Tivo or every piece of stereo equipment known to man. It’s not like they’re going to listen to all those CDs every day or even very often, or wear the jewelry every day, or watch TV 24/7. But people still want those things and spend money on them. Why should shoes or clothes be any different?
I understand that you are mystified but I don’t understand WHY. At least clothes and shoes are something people will definitely use every single day. You can’t say that about almost anything else someone might collect.
No, I’m not a collector of any kind. I own books and CDs and DVDs and videos, but I don’t consider myself a collector. I don’t go hunting for particular ones - if I happen to see one that appeals and I’ve got some extra cash, I may treat myself. But if I could never buy another and I’d have to spend the rest of my life reading only what I already have, it wouldn’t bother me all that much.
And while theoretically people could use their clothes every day, alice did mention buying things from the consignment store that still had high dollar price tags attached. At least if I buy a DVD, I’ll watch it. I don’t think I’ve got an item of clothing that I’ve never worn. And once I don’t want to wear them any more, they go to Goodwill or the garbage, depending on their condition.
I’ve been accused of being too practical. Maybe that’s why I don’t see the appeal.
This was exactly the appeal to me of having lots of shoes when I was younger. I didn’t have the money to buy anything expensive, but it wasn’t necessary because I was going more for quantity than quality at the time. Cool, different shoes are just fun. FCM, think about what you do for fun, and equate it to this. Your fun was/is just different than my fun.
This is absolutely true. The next time you look at those designer labels and wonder why anyone would buy such a thing: It’s not always about status, fashion, etc. Good shoes are much better for your feet.
I have a pair of Manolo Blahnik dress shoes - frivolous, right? Nope. Even though they have heels and they look great, they don’t hurt my feet. I can stand and walk all around in them for a long time - I wore them to my last job interview and was so glad I did, seeing as how it seemed we toured half the campus on foot. And I did buy them at a designer consignment store, so I didn’t pay full price. But even if I had they would be worth it.
I don’t consider myself a collecter of anything either. We have hundreds of DVDs and CDs but I wouldn’t say we collect them. We’ve watched all the DVDs at least once and listen to the CDs all the time. Same thing with clothes… I don’t collect them, they don’t have to be designer label, and almost everything I have I can wear… except a couple of bridesmaid dresses that I’m unsure what to do with.
I love to shop and sometimes I feel like I do have a shitload of clothes! I could probably wear a different outfit each day for a month (maybe 6 weeks) and never wear an outfit twice. That’s just work clothes too. I have enough summer outfits to wear two a day for a month! That’s probably not a lot of clothes to some people, but to me it is. I also only have about 30 pairs of shoes. That doesn’t seem like a lot to me either. The most expensive item I buy is shoes because cheap shoes hurt my feet. I have no problem dropping $100-$150 for a good pair of shoes. They are so much better for your feet than cheap, poorly made shoes.
My FIL retired from JC Penney’s so he now gets a 25% discount on everything from there so that’s where I buy most of my stuff. I also order a lot of stuff online and I like the clearance racks at The Gap and Old Navy. (I found a couple pairs of jeans at The Gap, low-rise, boot cut, size 4 long, for $12!! Very rare for me to find my size and style I want and not spend $50 or more on them! I was very happy with that buy.) I’m usually a pretty frugal preson so I don’t buy a lot of expensive stuff for myself. My husband OTOH, wants everything to be name brand and thinks that the more it costs, the better it is. :rolleyes: It drives me crazy!
Some of those Via Spigas shoes were yummy! However, I have a hang-up about slides. If they make noise, they’ll drive me nuts. That’s why I prefer an ankle strap.
My white jeans (that I’m not particularly fond of) have been making noise all day. I’m about up to “here” with them.
Maybe it’s just the idea of collecting that is foreign to me, and the clothing thread just triggered it. Who knows.
I do agree about getting good shoes - I spent too many years buying shoes with plastic uppers that were uncomfortable and fell apart fairly quick. My absolute favorites now are SAS shoes and I don’t have a problem paying $60 or $70 or whatever they cost these days. In fact, I need to head to the SAS store - my old ones are pretty ratty.
The concept of a comfortable high heel doesn’t compute either. I don’t know if it’s because I never learned to walk in them properly or because I never bought them wide enough or what, but if I try to wear a heel higher than 1.5 to 2 inches, I’m in agony, and I’ll probably twist my ankle.
All in all, this sounds like something that I may never completely “get” - Ah well… But you should all keep this in mind should you ever meet me - it’ll explain the way I dress.
Eh - some people aren’t into it. I would certainly never criticize someone for that; however, I wish people would return the favour.
It’s amazing how much flack a person can get just for liking clothes, and if I hear one more person tell me that my $550 boots would have helped a lot of orphan children, I’ll scream! Let the orphans get their own damn boots! 
I’m kidding of course, but given the amount of time and money that I donate every year, I find criticizm on these points difficult to take from persons who donate nothing and then claim they don’t have time or $$ because they’re 1) a full time student, or 2) a single mom, or 3) they have a full time job. whatever - I have a full time job and I work at the store. I also take classes and volunteer - can’t do it, fine but if you criticize my boots you can have a big cup of Shut-the-F***-Up.
Ahem. I’m glad I got that off my chest.
The Carlos Santana shoe line is pretty affordable. I believe most of them ran $65 to $85-ish. And waaaay cute, too! I’m going to have my feet write him a fan letter!
alice - this is not criticism but curiosity - what is it about the boots that makes them worth $550? Are they that stylish or comfortable or durable? Honestly, my practical side wants to scream “They better last for 20 years at that price!!!” Ok, my frugal side. Ok then, cheap… :o
Really, tho - why are they worth that much to you?
(bolding mine)
Wow! Six weeks. That beats the hell out of my “two days in a row” rule.
While I do not “collect” clothes or shoes, I do not skimp when it comes to work or hiking boots. Most everything else can be generic but having spent long painful days in the field wearing crappy boots, I will happily spend the extra cash on decent boots.
This is true - I have Carlos Santana black suede boots with fringe, agonizing to walk in, 4 inch heels! Ouch! But they’re cute, and I believe were around $50.
I’ve tried to back off on the clothes/shoes fetish lately, but I have a massive closet packed to the edges. My problem is that I don’t have the time (and am too lazy) to take good care of my clothes. I envy those who have everything hung up surrounded by plastic, neatly organized. I tend to put dry-clean-only clothes in the washer.
Most of our clothes budget dollars go towards our two boys at this point. Old Navy rocks.
In my case, it usually starts innocently enough.
I find a top that I like, or a pair of shoes that I think look good.
Then my family siezes upon the idea, and starts giving me those kinds of things for presents, or pointing them out to me in stores.
So, in my case, that’s why I have two pairs of mid-thigh high black suede boots, three pairs of knee-high black suede boots, one pair of black patent leather boots with 2" heels, one pair of a bit more than ankle length black suede boots with 2" heels, one knee high pair of blue suede boots, and one pair of just above ankle length brown suede boots. (And, I’m sure I’m forgetting a few pairs.)
It’s also why I have a walk-in closet full of clothing, some of it rarely worn. If I get rid of something too soon, I’ll be asked why I haven’t worn such-and-such recently. If I wait too long, someone assumes I must still like a given article of clothing, and suddenly I find myself with umpteen million more of it.
Personally, I like to have a few good basic items: roughly one or two outfits for any given occasion, with the exception of casual stuff. (Jeans, basic nice looking shirts, etc.) I don’t really care to have a lot of clothing, nor do I see a real need to.
<< This post made from 100% recycled electrons! >>
If you like Via Spiga, you may want to try Paolo. http://www.paoloshoes.com A sales person at Nordstrom told me he used to design for Via Spiga but I don’t know how reliable that is. Nonetheless, I’ve got two pair of his boots and they’re not only yummy and comfortable but slightly cheaper. Just slightly.
I think a lot of it depends on your job. I’m a stay at home mom so I spent an awful lot of time in jeans and t-shirts. I do have a husband in the business world (and I just moved to NYC) so I’ve also got a healthy collection of clothes that match his uniform (suits) and am branching out into things that are a bit trendier. If you were an advertising executive on Madison Ave and your career depended on your image, you’d better damn well have a closet full of designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
As for cost, well…I’m an odd size (curvy but thin) so I generally buy anything I run across that I like, fits and meets my requirement of hiding a bra underneath it. The most expensive thing I own is a Chanel cocktail dress that is to die for. It was horrendously expensive but we had been invited to Rudy Guiliani’s New Years Eve party and well, it was Rudy in NYC on New Year’s. If you can’t wear Chanel then, when can you? Generally you’ll find me in Gap t-shirts and a baseball cap though.
Or how about the look when they say incredulously “you spent that much … on a bag?” Then smugly telling you how their friend bought a copy for $5 in Taiwan that looks just like the real thing.
Nobody bats an eye at huge CD or stamp collections, but liking nice/expensive clothes suddenly means you’re a frivolous label whore who doesn’t know the value of a dollar. I’m definitely not aiming this at anyone in the thread, by the way. Alice’s post just reminded me of a particular attitude that unfortunately I’ve come across too often.
Aw hell. I’m just depressed because the people who are altering my silk dress haven’t called me back yet. Monday! They said they would call on Monday! Bah.
Yes! YES! YES!
Basically, they’re like buddah…
The suede is the softest, the detailing is the finest, they have a high heel, but I can walk in them all day.
Every time I wear them strange women approach me to gape at my boots. No, I’m not kidding.
Really, if you don’t get it, you don’t get it.
Suffice it to say - to a shoe maven, they are Da Bomb Baby!
I adore clothes!! At work we wear company logo shirts, jeans and steel-toed workboots or tennis shoes, so when it comes time to teach my dance classes or go out on the town, I LOVE dressing up.
Some women come home and gratefully strip off all the pantihose, skirts and high heels. If I’m going out, I can’t WAIT to get out of my “comfortable” clothes.
I have enough of a wardrobe to outfit probably 5 women. About 50 pairs of high heels, dance boots, and color coordinated (you guessed it!) canvas shoes to go with more casual outfits (I still have a really cute plaid teal and blue pair from which I got my username several years ago, long story :)).
I love the pleated skirt and the long fitted jacket look, and they’re fun to dance in too, they swirl up a little, but not enough to show “anything”.
Now, as to the why? I think it all harks back to my days in High School. All the “cool girls” and the girls in the “cliques” had huge trendy wardrobes. My family wasn’t poor, but we weren’t well off enough for me to compete in any way, wardrobe wise.
Once I got out of high school and started working? Cute and cool clothing became my addiction.
Shoes? Aaaaah shoes, sexy high heels (with REAL spiked heels, not the icky clunky things), cute little dance booties, or ballet shoes for dancing in. Keds (of all colors), and other “deck” or canvas shoes, for wearing with colored jeans, or casual clothes.
The beauty of shoes, they are an “instafit” you never have to “lose 5 pounds” to get into them, and they are an instant lift to your day.
I could go maybe five days without duplicating an outfit. In pratice, I find something I like and wear it all the time. At the moment that’s a stripy stringsleeve top (I don’t even know the proper name!) and very short khaki shorts.
I think I don’t collect clothes because:
[ul]
[li]I don’t collect anything else either. Never felt the urge to, even on the rare occasion I’ve had the money to. I’m not that big on ‘things.’ [/li]
[li]I’m very very poor and always have been. [/li]
[li]The cheaper clothing ranges here usually start at UK size 10, somtimes 12. I’m an 8, and that’s often too small, but I’m too tall for petite sections too. Kids clothes are OK sometimes, but they don’t have adult proportions, and I do (just sized down). I also have narrow feet, and a lot of shoes don’t fit me. [/li]
[li]I don’t often like to make a ‘statement’ with my clothes. Really, I quite like the fact that people wouldn’t be able to guess much about me from the way I dress. I probably usually look like a conservative Mum. No-one would ever know that I’m really a left-wing club-hopping lesbian! 
(Though I do have thigh-high boots and some very short skirts that I wear once in a while to shock my friends ;)).[/li]
[li]I hate shopping. Yes, I am female. I’m actually pretty femme in most respects too.[/li][/ul]
I like seeing people in cool outfits, though, and I know that sometimes designer clothes really do fit better and last longer (well, physically - fashionwise they’d go out of date, unless they’re the kind of ‘individual’ clothing some people here have mentioned). More expensive shoes are better quality too. Wish I could afford them!
I must admit that I do feel shocked sometimes when people tell me how much money they spent on their new shoes or stereo system or whatever, but that’s because I wouldn’t get any pleasure out of it: others obviously do, and for them I guess that pleasure is worth the pricetag. Besides, it really is none of my business what they do with their money. That’s their bag - in more ways than one.
I know I’m pretty lost in the female rush here, but I should have mentioned earlier one thing I do spend money on: My wife.
I like to get her expensive stuff. For our anniversery this month, I planned a very expensive dinner, where we dressed all nice (me in my single nice outfit). With the help of a friend, (Persephone) I tracked down the sites y’all are talking about.
Got her a pair of Via Spiga Melines. Horrifically expensive, but got’em nearly half price. She loves them. Says they feel great, they look terrific, and the smell of leather fills the whole car.