Name Brand Clothes

I think name brand clothes wear/wash better. I have 3 boys, so I buy clothes to last (GAP, Polo, Gymboree, etc). I am also an excellent sale shopper, so I can get name brand clothes for a lot less. I just got my son a pair of GAP jeans for $9. You could go to Walmart and pay that--you just have to know how to shop!

Years ago, my daughter wanted a pair of Ugg boots for Christmas. I refused to spend that kind of money on boots for a (at that time) rather young teen. Well, she's now a 20-year-old college junior, still happily wearing the same pair of boots through New England winters.

I'm an ""all over shopper who hunts for bargains (discount stores to better mall stores). Frequently, brand name clothes last longer and wear better. Still, though, I keep my eyes open for quality over brand. If the fabric is good & the construction seems well-done, I don't care what label is in it.

One thing: I avoid Walmart as much because of their corporate policies as the poor quality of their goods.

I don't really think so. The main difference that I see is the price. I shop a lot for my son at second hand stores and even some of the name brand clothes are still super expensive (or else I'm just cheap).

Some off brands may not be of the same quality or fall apart quicker but otherwise I think they are the same.

In those brands you mentioned in weather-gear (northface, rei, OR, etc.)... YES. ABSOLUTELY. 100% are those brands completey night and day different than, say, Target/Wal-Mart/K-Mart/Chinatown knockoffs.

Why?

This may come off sounding nonsequitor for a moment:

In Seattle... Our playgrounds are empty almost all year round. Why? Because no one pays $500 a year, per kid, for gortex.

But we DO (nearly all of us) put our kids in Northface, REI, OR, Columbia, etc.

Why?

Because they work. And they're realtively cheap.

Each of those brands has different levels:

- Street
- Sport
- Expedition (that's the level for climbing/ backcountry/ etc. by the by)

Street is about $100, Sport is about $300, Expedition is $500-$1000.

Street will keep you warm and dry with little else. They're not waterproof, but water resistant. They breathe, but not as if you were running/climbing/skiing/etc. and were sweating for 6 hours solid... street breathes at running around a playground for 30 minutes, or rushing kids to and from activities. You don't need to layer up 4 different layers (because you just wear 2 layers... your clothes and your outerwear). They will last, performing at the same functionality without pilling/ fading/ stretching/etc. for 10-15 years.

Sport is also not waterproof (although usually windproof), but water resistant. Designed to handle heavy duty sweating (breathing, wicks moisture away from you) for 6+ hours a day. Strongly "overbuilt", seams and fabrics are sewn and designed to withstand MASSIVE pulling/slamming/grinding/slamming/etc... and still hold together and look and act brand new. Lasts for 5-10 years because of the increased stressors put on them.

Expedition is assuming 12-24 hours of beyond the pall activity. IS waterproof AND breatheable. This is K2/Everest/Backcountry/Pro level expedition gear. To be fully suited up for back country...expect to be WEARING 5-10k worth of clothes. Lasts for 3-5 years on average.

But back to street level. Even paying full price, $100 on average... you've got GREAT clothes, that WORK (keep you warm and dry... both from short stints in nasty weather as well as short stints sweating -wicking- like crazy) and last for YEARS.

Our kids don't have $500 gortex raingear for playing in the rain for hours at a time. They DO have $100 gortex raingear for playing in the DAMP for short periods of time. For keeping them warm, dry, well (as in not sick) as we go about our days. And then after hanging up for 20 minutes, their clothes are dry again.

One of my SILs only buys off brand, and looks down her nose at the rest of us buying OR/REI/Columbia/Northface/etc. She spends about 3x as much as ANY of us. Why? Becuase she is CONSTANTLY replacing torn up clohtes AND has to buy multiples (both because the first set gets wet and needs to dry... which being made of cheap materials takes HOURS and hours..., and becuase the first set just plain doesn't work very well, so my neice & nephew need 4+ layers instead of 2 layers. What's REALLY sad (aside from the fact that the kids are cold/wet), is that I don't know anyone who pays $100 for these coats/etc.!!! We buy them for $25-$50 during sales. And then we hand them down. And hand them down. And hand them down. And... yep. Hand them down. Because they're just made. that. well. So we're not only spending about 1/3 as much as she is to begin with, but after 10 years of a coat being worn... we're only paying a couple bucks a year for it. Meanwhile she's buying $20 things, 4-5x per year that are garbage in a year or less.

So for WEATHER gear... yes. Absolutely. Not only do the good brands WORK, but they're also a great deal less expensive in the long run.

FASHION name branding? WELL... that's more debateable. But for FUNCTIONAL clothes as opposed to "pretty" clothes... yes. Brands matter. Because materials and worksmanship really does matter.

It depends... I will never pay $40 for a shirt for example, Target or some other store with $10 shirts work just fine for me...maybe brand name would hold up in the wash better, but I tend to ruin my shirts with stains from cooking or art or even lab chemicals at school - so not worth it.

On the other hand I will also NEVER again buy cheap shoes for myself. I have been buying the cheapest shoes I could find for years and well, over the years my feet have started hurting... so this summer I bought my first pair of GOOD shoes at an outlet store... OMG I swear I will never go to Payless or Target for shoes EVER again. I typically only buy one pair of shoes a year, maybe two...some years none... so that is not a ridiculous expense.

I would never buy a $100 purse... but I may consider spending money on a good brand name jacket that I would wear for many years... if I get a good deal on it.

I don't have to have the newest "in season" brands, I rarely buy clothing that would be considered fashionable (as in the next hot thing) but on basics that you want to last for more than a season or two, yeah, sometimes brand is the way to go.

I buy my kids name brand stuff because it lasts longer. My older son loves Red Wings gear and Nike stuff. It works for us because I can pass it down to my younger son, so it's actually a huge savings.

I bought my daughter some North Face jackets and a Coach purse--three years ago, and all the stuff still looks great.

You get what you pay for.

Clearly at times its status, and clearly at times they are superior products.
Northface is a superior product, if you are planning and hiking K2, for everyone else, its about style.
I refuse to own a name brand purse, anything Northface, or Ugg boots (but I'm from so cal. so that would be ridiculous to own that kind of winter gear) But I carry a Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag (along with every other mom in Orange County), not because I needed to fit in (didn't even know they were I thing). I just needed a bigger diaper bag with a back pack option. It was worth every penny. I buy my kids Nartjie clothes, not because of status, but because I can make 5 articles of Nartjie clothing do the work of 10 articles of Carters clothing and still look great after 50 washes. My Carters and target clothes end up being too trashed to even pass on. All my nartjie clothes get passed on, even the ones that both my daughter have worn! I only wear designer jeans because I'm sick of wasting money on jeans that don't look and feel great. Once I made the switch to designer, I realized they were worth every penny. I own one fabulous pair at a time instead of 5 so so pairs. They are actually the most economical article of clothing I own if you divide the price by the number of wears.
Yes some people are label whores and they irritate me too. But I cannot deny that some labels have earned their status.

I am very frugal, but I only buy brand name clothes. I do try to buy most of our clothes second hand. I find that good brands fit better, and hold up better. A good pair of Lululemon yoga pants will last for years without fading, pilling or stretching, and they look great, and the Scuba hoodie is the warmest sweater you'll ever get. Where I live a North Face jacket is necessary if you want to be outdoors in the winter (I have a full length Metropolis parka). I don't buy the kids North Face, because they grow out of them too fast, but I do get them good quality Gap down filled parkas and snow pants. Sorel boots with felt liners are also a must up here. I have a pair of Chaco sandals I use for hiking, canoeing, kayaking and rock climbing. Mountain Equipment Coop backpacks will last the kids for years, and if the zipper breaks MEC will replace it for free. I have Ugg boots and Bear Paw boots, and the Bear Paws are just as comfy and warm for half the price. I do think expensive purses are just a status symbol. I have an expensive Lug bag, but it is a practical high quality bag. If I am talking about fashion items, it doesn't matter as much if they are cheaper brands, because they will likely go out of style before they wear out, but they have to fit right, and have to be comfortable.

In most cases imo, brand name is much better quality. I sew and have a sewing business as well, and I can tell by look and touch whether a fabric is high quality or not. Quality fabric holds up through many washes without fading or pilling, generally items from Target and Walmart don't look that great after many washes but I do purchase some basic staples there such as solid T's and leggings. I won't touch a pair of jeans or any other zippered pants unless the zipper is made by YKK. It usually costs more to replace a zipper than buy new pants.

In the case of shoes, quality brands are sewn, not glued, and rarely cause foot pain. More than anything else, shoes need to be of good quality as your feet affect your whole body. My older two love brands like Aeropostale and the fabric quality is amazingly soft and still look new after 2 years of wear.

I save a ton of money on clothes and shoes but most are brand name. There are great sites online like Zulily and Hautelook for deals, as well as outlet stores like Aurora Farms nearby. I look for name brand when I go to consignment stores like Hipsters in Bainbridge as well as children's resale sales in Fall and Spring which are all over the place, in fact there are 9 next Saturday in Northeast Ohio (search for NEO Kids Resale Events). Several Big Red Wagon sales are coming up as well and these are a must go and its important to Facebook friend and register so you can go on preview night for best dibs. I've sold at sales such as these and the items that always go time and again are brand names like Gymboree, GAP, Livie & Luca, Persnickety, etc., so resale value of brand names is excellent. Just to give you an idea, I bought Livie & Luca shoes on sale (retail $49) for $40. I just sold them used on eBay for $27. I have found that overall, I can usually recoop around half or more of retail. In fact, I had 3 pair and all 3 of that brand sold with multiple bidders.

It depends . For us.... It's what we choose and we can afford the nicer brands without breaking a budget or living above our means.

As for UGGS... Daughter and I both hate them and would never spend $$ on UGGS.

Coach? We both have some classic Coach pieces that will last a long time.

Daughter and I tend to purchase higher quality pieces and they last longer. Bottom line... What's the deal if you buy a cheapo pair of jeans 1-2 times a year? I buy 1 good pair ( $150+) and wear them 10+ years. Understand the deal???

So yes I tend to buy quality vs cheap and truly stretch my $$.

We also drive high end Mercedes cars for a long time and don't waste time or $$ on trades or leases. We buy quality

there are some good knock-offs, especially if looks are the main thing. but if you're actually doing out of doors stuff, you want something that's going to keep you warm/dry/cool/comfortable. and that's where cheaper is usually not better.
i've got a pair of ugg knock-offs. they're cute as hell but not NEARLY the comfort of uggs, and they're not holding up well either.
i'd never pay what a coach purse costs, but i'm just not a purse girl. i'm told that a good bag is better than diamonds. remember hannibal lecter noticing that clarisse had gone all out for one? that's the sort of detail i'll never pick up on.
but i can spot a *good* saddle at 20 paces!
:) khairete
S.

Well I do think that most name brands do have better quality clothing. They wash better, they last longer. That being said, I do think a lot of the name brand stuff for kids is partially peer pressure. Personally when I got my first North Face it was like a revelation! I wasn't cold any more! ;) They really do make a great coat! I also agree that, at least for my kids, I find awesome deals on name brand stuff. You have to know the stores and when to shop. Gymboree and Gap especially have great sales where you can get great stuff for cheap. I have admired those Uggs in my daughter's size, but I'm not sure I can commit to those just yet, but Gap jeans? You betcha!

I always say, everyone has there "thing".

My in-laws always talk about how much money I "waste" on brand name clothes and what a snob I am. They are total car people! They have four between the two of them and they are all top of the line. Who the heck is spending more money...me or them?? They just love to chat about me in regard to the money I spend on clothes because it is simply not "their thing" and therefore it doesn't make sense to them. It doesn't make sense to me why you would own a car that you have to park nine lots away so that no one hits it!

Yes, I love certain brands because they are easy and they last. I have tried many times to buy the less expensive brands and I always end up getting rid of them quickly due to quality and color fading issues, and therefore cannot pass them down to my niece.

I buy almost all of our clothes at J Crew. I walk in and there are five choices of dresses, skirts, etc. Easy, and I always buy for the following season on sale. Yes, I do notice others that also wear the same brand and therefore I guess there is a commonality. Not a NorthFace fan, but I am of an equally expensive other brand. The jackets last forever!!! Several children can wear the same jacket over the years and therefore after you break the price down, it's the same as if I went to Sears and bought a new Jacket for each of them every year. But, again, it's my thing. I mean my son wore a collared shirt every day to day care. Who does that! Its weird, but I can't help it. It drives me nuts if they don't look a certain way.

So I end of up saying it's their "thing" many times a week and that just sums up a lot for me.

I think it's more about what people prioritize in their life - whether it is a certain label or brand, just because of the name, or if for them, there really is a substantial difference, or they find the style appealing. Or such things just don't matter to them.

I will say that there are some things that I am willing to pay more money for, because they really are better quality - particularly children's clothing and shoes. Stuff I've gotten from Gymboree and Hannah Andersson has held up well enough to pass on to my niece. Shoes from Stride Rite have lasted until DD outgrew them. Sure, I could get them cheaper at Walmart, but it doesn't take long for them to start falling apart.

TO a certain extent I do think that there is a difference between some 'name' brand items and their less expensive counterparts. I have found some premium denim to be just much better made than store brand. The fit and fabrication are far superior. I feel the same way about a good bag. I can easily feel the difference between my good leather bags and bags from Target. It is not a financial stress for me to buy a good bag so I do. I admit it does make me feel good to have nice things. However I will say this-the 'status' of things like handbags is so relative. What is cool to some (Coach and even LV) are cheesy to others. The truly status designer bags are names such as Chloe, Balenciaga and Celine-names which I bet most have not heard of. I could go on with examples from every category.

Lastly I want to point out one of the biggest 'status' buys that I know of and one that many of you probably do. That would be Apple products. Does a $400 phone really work better than any other. That answer is NO-but it sure does make you feel cool, doesn't it???? So that is what I say to anyone who questions the cost of my handbags, shoes and jeans.

I'm with you -- I think spending that kind of money not only is ridiculous on kids who will outgrow it within the year, but also sends completely the wrong message for our values. I don't even buy those clothes for myself, although I could afford them. We live in a community that ranges from doctors and lawyers to people on public assistance. In our school, many of the kids are on free lunch. We could afford to buy all those things for our children financially, but I can't afford it morally -- the waste bothers me far too much. So yesterday, I took my daughter to a resale shop and we found a ton of clothes, most with original tags still on, for $75. She has her own look, won't look like every other kid, and she learned that we reuse and save where we can. I refuse to play that game, and she's happier knowing she can create her own look and budget her money at the same time.

I think this has everything to do with the area we live in. We are looking to move to have a bigger house, but I'm very reluctant to leave our neighborhood because I know other schools where it is exactly as you describe. Larger houses, new money, different attitudes. I say, stay true to your own values and attitudes and teach your children the same!

And by the way, the best coats and boots I ever bought were at kmart -- they were far better in warmth and waterproofing than any brand-name I had ever owned. The "you get what you pay for" attitude shows advertising works wonders!

In my opinion, MOST name brands are no better than a no-name brand. (Food is a different matter.) I think most people nowadays, for whatever reasons, feel they won't fit in unless they're wearing name brands. I don't really care about name brands, never have; some I can afford, others I cannot. I wear what I am comfortable in and what I like; if it happens to be a name-brand, so be it. There is a no-name brand of Uggs out there that are just as comfortable. Not sure what North Face is; never heard of it.

As for the Coach purses, I can almost guarantee, most of them are fakes!! The person carrying them will swear it is real but it's probably not. I know a friend of my daughter's carries a Coach bag that she brags about when I know for a fact that it's not real - her mother told me!! She tries to tell everyone it is but I just keep my mouth shut - if it makes her feel better, I don't care.

What I find interesting, is a lot of people buying the stuff are so in debt it's ridiculous!! That I know for a fact as well with a few people I know, especially my nieces. I guess because of the way I was raised or something or because I'm older, I don't know!! But I'd rather be debt free and walking around in no-name clothes than play "keeping up with the Joneses"!!!

Good question!!

There have always been and always will be status attached to whatever brand name is in style in whatever region. Many places in America would think North Face and Coach were lame but would have other favorite brands. There are always people who know flashing a label for the sake of it is silly and wear whatever they like, ignoring trends. There are always the people that like to wear whatever the trend is.

Are more expensive clothes better? Sometimes the quality is higher. Sometimes not. Sometimes you can find expensive stuff marked way down, so you don't know for SURE people paid a lot for the labels. I bet I could go online and track down a cheap North Face coat if I wanted.

I live in NY and LA for quite a few years and hung around a few famous stylists who privately styled celebs, bands, fashion magazine shoots, etc. Depending on the client or job type they might mix $3000 items with thrift shop items and it was regarded as tacky to flash labels, except for one or two big ticket items here and there (Coach was never considered particularly cool-just conservative or urban, depending)....often flashing brand names is popular among teens and people who aren't really rich but want to pretend to be. Sometimes they're just rich with no individual fashion sense.
It all depends.

Name Brands are all about status and in most instances, yes, they really are better than no name brands. Material is better, more durable. Things are well sewn, not glued or half sewn. You can always make the comparison when you buy similar things such as uggs. My oldest received a pair of UGGS from her boyfriend for x-mas, my youngest wanted a pair and there was no way I was dropping 200.00 on the pair she wanted. I happened to be in Costco and Kirkland, their namebrand, makes a similar pair. I purchased them for 29.99 and the Kirkland pair outlasted the UGGS. So go figure! Of course you could see the difference in quality, but again..the Costco boots outlived the real thing.

I really think it's better. I end up throwing away so many Target or Walmart items because they pill, twist, shrink, fade etc.. Brand name clothes can be passed down and they have a re-sale value (not high but there is one), If I have used Target stuff it goes into the Goodwill bin. Plus, the brand names are designed to fit. Cheap pants fall down, stretch out and overall don't flatter your body. They just look frumpy.

I don't usually ever pay full price. I watch for sales, buy from rummages or consignment stores or use coupons.

Shoes are very important to buy brand name IMO. They are more comfortable for 1 and they hold up better. Everyone that I know that wears Target or Payless shoes has bunions. Coincidence? I think not! LOL Same with boots. Cheap boots have liners that bunch, they are not warm enough and just don't hold up. My sons Kamiks look brand new after wearing them all last year.

Uggs (are ugly imo :)) BUT put your foot into a fake Ugg and then put your foot into a real Ugg and you can feel the difference.

I don't buy expensive purses. I think Coach is ugly anyway and they all look alike, but I do go to TJMaxx and buy the Nine West or Kenneth Cole bags as they are decent quality. I get sick of my purses within a couple months so I don't want to spend over 30 bucks for one.

My kids look much more put together with better clothes. Their pants are not falling down, their shirts are not wide and baggy, they are not faded and their jackets are really warm and have added features like fleece lining in pockets and inner drawstrings to block the wind from blowing up the bottom. I expect my clothes to fit and be comfortable so I want theirs to as well.

Sorry for those that like Coach and Uggs LOL it's just my weird opinion. I despise Toms too. :) I used to hate Crocs but I just got my wide foot son some leather ones and they are really cute on him. 26 bucks off Amazon!! 40 everywhere else.

I was brought up that you bought the best quality you could find. The items would hold up through washings and could be handed down to the next child or family member. Besides that the quality of construction is was better than the lower end products.

My clothing is basic contemporary where you can dress is up or down with accessories and does not go out of style. Of couse I add a few of the current colors or scarves to be in but most of the time I get what fits and looks nice on the body. I don't try to keep up with the Jonses.

I do have a ski jacket that is 25 years old that was an Obermeyer that still looks great. But I don't ski and the lining has gotten a bit thin but still works great for when we have cold weather. Hubby's jacket by the same company still looks brand new and it was white with blue trim. The white never turned yellow.

My son used to wear parkas to school with down filling that we bought for $15 to $25 because of the sales at the end of season. The temps were usually around 20 below and he needed that to keep warm when catching the schoolbus in Quebec.

So yes you get what you pay for. Kids clothes don't last that long because they grow so fast during the year. I get a few things and use what we have until it was worn out or didn't fit.

The other S.

PS I also sew and make many of my clothes. I just made a leather purse that is similar to a $300 Coach purse for about $35. Now everyone wants me to make them one.

Some things are, and some things aren't. It depends on the item and the brand. There are many things I am willing to pay more for, for better quality. And then there are things that I am not willing to pay THAT much more for, because it doesn't NEED to last for 9 years.

Jeans? Target brand (Cherokee) is plenty good enough. Old Navy wears out in nothing flat. But I am not spending $60 for a pair of jeans my son will outgrow in 4 months. Right now, he can (barely) get away with Levi's (which rarely go on sale) in the junior's/kids department... and they cost a lot less than the same thing in an "adult" size. When his jeans start costing $59 a pair (probably before this year is out) he will have to be happy with a brand less expensive, unless I can grab some great deals somehow.

Lunchboxes/backpacks? I buy LLBean or Land's End. Yes, they cost more than Target off the shelf stuff. But they last for YEARS. And they aren't outgrown every 6 months, or even every year. I may never have to buy my son a backpack again at this point...he's only in 9th grade.

For myself? I buy what I hope is decent quality leather, for my purses. I don't usually do cloth or other materials. But I don't buy the high end stuff, I'm usually happy with Anne Klein or Fossil, and it LASTS.

North Face? No... don't have that. But it wouldn't be needed here where we live. Not really. And I don't spend that kind of money on stuff that MIGHT get used on vacation.
I guess I don't worry too much about brands. But I am not high maintenance either, and do worry too much about my hair or nails either. I take care of them. But I don't $pend on them. No mani-pedi's for me, thanks. Not my thing. Same with clothes and accessories. If it works for me, and is good quality, by and large I don't care about the brand name. But sometimes you can know what direction to start looking for a quality item by checking out certain brands... if that makes any sense...

Thanks to having a college age brother, my older boys have a lot of labels in their closets (hand me downs are great!) and let me tell you. A shirt from Hollister or American Eagle is a LOT different than what you can buy at target. The quality is just so much better and the materials nicer. (the shirts are super soft, lol).

I think a lot has to do with the quality of the clothes. I bought my daughter a shirt from old navy once and it had holes in odd places (tummy, back, and along the seams) after only a month of her wearing it. I have also gotten her some clothes from gymboree 4 years ago and if they still fit her (they don't of course) she would still be wearing them now. I'm not saying old navy is not a good brand, but (besides their jeans, which I do like) their kids clothes have not been good quality.
I will not buy clothes at walmart, unless it's socks. they have terrible quality! I do love target though, and have never had a problem with their quality of clothes.
I also do think that sometimes it can be a "need to look good to fit in thing". I think it depends on where you live, but I do feel that some people tend to dress like the people they are around the most. I don't think most people do it on purpose, but when you only have limited stores and malls around that all sell the same stuff, it's hard to buy clothes that are different.

I wear Uggs because they are so darn comfortable and I have huge feet and it is a pain in the rear to find other shoes that are as comfortable. When I reach my target weight again after baby, I may splurge on expensive name brand jeans because they last longer and they really do fit better. Otherwise, nope, no name brands here. For the kiddos, unless they are gifted, it is Target, Walmart, Kohls and sometimes Children's place or Justice. They out grow it so fast and stain it easily. So until they request name brands and can care for them, they will not be getting them.

Yes-they are-I bought my three sons Polo, Nautica, Hilfiger, etc-after my sons wore these, I then gave them to my girlfriend's two sons-then she gave them to her sister's son -and so on. At least six boys wore a single piece of clothing. My son is wearing a pair of Sperry "Topsiders" that a hobo wouldn't wear-but he loves them-they are comfortable-and they still have a lot of wear in them!

I buy on the price and if its cute. I buy from Kohls,Walmart,Stage,
K-mart,Targert,Jcpenny etc. I do alot of instore(if i have time) and online shopping to find the best deal on clothes. To me kids grow so quickly. Maybe when they are older and not growing so much. I had name brand clothes that wear out quickly than cheap brands. It just depends.

I recently just brought fall/winter clothes for my kids from Kohls,walmart and carters online. I got a good deal on 2 shirts for my daughters,2 pair of leggings and for my son two long sleeves shirts all for about 40 dollars. With a 15% off online coupon. Same as for Carters online. Got my daughters 2 more shirts and a 2 pack of leggings for about 25 dollars. I always thought walmart was cheap for clothes but when you have the time to shop online and use promo codes you can actually get "good" clothes as you do for walmart but for the same price or cheaper.

In my lil area wearing name brands is about status not quality. Its about showing how much money you supposedly have. Sure some name brands are actually better quality in my experience. Then there are some name brands that are crappier than off brands but folks just wear them because they're expensive. I'd just use the North Face jacket as a way to start conversation. Ask if its warmer or whatever. Or I'd just go try an item myself to see if its good quality. Sometimes it is all that and sometimes its just a thing.

Don't stress.

Unfortunately, it's the American way. Why do you think a large portion of people are swimming in debt? Because they bought things they didn't need and couldn't afford to impress people they don't even like. A $200 pair on jeans? Really? They're just clothes.

I just don't get the "name brand" thing. I mean, a pair of plastic sunglasses is 10 bucks. Stick a Coach emblem on it, and the same pair of glasses costs 200 bucks. Personally, I think it's idiotic.

I buy what feels good, seems well constructed, and what's in my budget. I want quality items, and quality isn't always synonymous with name brands.

We buy name brands because they look better longer and just last longer. I am good at buying things on sale and buy almost all name brand stuff for my kids because my kids are just rough on cloths and yes I just want them to look nice:)

I guess it depends on what you consider to be an off brand. North Face is good quality, but I don't think it is any better than Land's End or REI's store brand.

Coach purses are hit or miss. If you buy a Coach Factory Outlet purse, the quality is much lower than the Coach purses sold at the regular stores. But I'm not willing to spend the money on any Coach purse.

I am willing to spend a little more money on clothes for my older son, since I want be able to pass them onto my younger son. For my daughter, I think Old Navy and Target are just fine. And I tend to buy stuff when it's on sale, so I try to get both quality and good prices at the same time.

I don't know about local law enforcement officers, but I know for federal law enforcement officers, companies like North Face, Oakley, Helly Hansen, and Maui Jim are nice enough to sell their products to them and their families at a 50% discount. Not a bad deal. Maybe some of the North Face parents got the same deal? It's a long shot, I know.... ;-)

It depends on the brand. I love Coach, but stopped buying it years ago. They just brought back their Legacy collection and I will buy it again. I stopped buying it when they started following suit of other companies and doing fabric bags with their logo all over it. I refuse to pay 300+ dollars for a FABRIC bag and unless they are going to send me a check, im not advertising for them. What makes tradition Coach nice is the quality of their leather, and their guarantees.

A lot of it is status, the stuff cost a lot, everyone knows that and it gives the impression you have money.
I don't get the north face thing and will not buy one. In the DMV people have gotten shot over them, so my child will NEVER have one.

What people fail to realize is that designers have multiple lines that they put out, and not all are equal quality. So at times one is truly just paying for the name and not the quality.

Ferragamo shoes are very expensive. They are nice shoes, however what you get now is not what made the line famous and coveted. Stars like Greta Carbo and others from that time period, went to Italy where a mold of their foot was made and the shoes were custom made just for their foot! That you pay a pretty price for and nothing would feel better on your foot. The shoes were also guaranteed, you break a heel, its replaced for free. Soles wear out same thing. You don't get that when you go to stores and purchase them today.