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>They were maybe, I dunno, $20-$30 at the time. They would fall apart within a year. This is fairly bullshitty and something I question as to being real. My im

>They were maybe, I dunno, $20-$30 at the time. They would fall apart within a year. This is fairly bullshitty and something I question as to being real. My immigrant family has always bought cheap shit. $30 shoes from DSW or wherever lasted a long time. Our clothes from Sears lasted forever. The expensive stuff wasn't for quality, it was for brand and social signaling. That $800 Gucci purse isn't bought because its durable. There's simply not a price/durability relationship in fashion. >and bought a pair of Doc Martens Of course leather boots last longer, that's a serious edge case that has no bearing on the norm. I don't know anyone who regularly wears boots on a daily basis and its unrealistic to pretend its a normal footwear for most people. Heck, most people can't wear shoes that like long term as its uncomfortable and can cause foot issues. Middle class people don't sigh in relief about being able to afford hipster boots, they just buy the same sneakers they always did. In fact, its pisses me off that at my wealth level how easily shit breaks. My fancier clothing wears out faster, my more complex lifestyle means more handymen and repairs, etc. >It's expensive to be poor. Its really not. When we were poor we just didn't buy into the consumerist lifestyle. We just kept stuff forever. The problem is some of the poor people in my neighborhood would buy into it and bought all the blingy shit with their money instead of saving or trying to work their way out of the poor neighborhoods.

steveklabnik 11y ago
Okay cool well I can only tell you how my childhood went. I certainly did not have a "consumerist lifestyle". I'm glad yours was better than mine. (Also, again: I lived on a farm. Boots were a much more practical form of footwear than sneakers, though I did, from time-to-time, get sneakers instead. They fell apart even faster.)
creshal 11y ago
> This is fairly bullshitty and something I question as to being real. My immigrant family has always bought cheap shit. $30 shoes from DSW or wherever lasted a long time. Lasted a long time doing what? Doing farm work every day will wear out shoes a lot faster than just walking around in the streets. > There's simply not a price/durability relationship in fashion. You need a certain minimum price to get a certain minimum quality, simply for materials expenses. Stuff can't get cheaper than that, even if there's nothing stopping you from slapping a "premium!" sticker on it and selling it for ten times as much as it's worth. > Of course leather boots last longer Leather boots can last longer. You can have crappy worksmanship with leather boots too – sure, the leather will last forever, but if it's poorly done, it'll fall apart after a year or five anyway. It's not just boots, anyway. Computers (Thinkpads and Macbooks last forever, you don't hear anyone saying that about the $200 notebooks off Walmart), appliances (a good washing machine can survive their owner while a cheap won't last 10 years), …
- odonnellryan 11y ago
  Also, regarding this point: >and bought a pair of Doc Martens Of course leather boots last longer, Look at this: http://drmartensforlife.com/ http://drmartensforlife.com/ Coach (bought my GF a wallet for her birthday once, ~$250) and Gucci have similar policies.
odonnellryan 11y ago
I don't know what you're arguing against here. More expensive stuff definitely lasts longer, in general. > $30 shoes from DSW These shoes aren't cheap, they are what is called "seconds." They have design flaws. I buy shoes from DSW because they are $300 shoes for $60 because they are missing a stitch. They are still technically $300 shoes... > Our clothes from Sears lasted forever. That's fine, but Sears is mid-ranged. If you buy something from Walmart it's going to lose the wear-ability very quickly. Maybe a polo would be fine, but a Jacket, pair of shoes, or pants will not hold up like something a few times more expensive will. > Middle class people don't sigh in relief about being able to afford hipster boots, they just buy the same sneakers they always did. Middle class people generally buy $100-$200 Nikes. > My fancier clothing wears out faster, my more complex lifestyle means more handymen and repairs, etc. ??? What? What are you buying, exactly? > Its really not. When we were poor we just didn't buy into the consumerist lifestyle. We just kept stuff forever. Very-cheap end things don't last as well as mid-ranged things do. It's a fact. You won't be buying new TVs, but the consumables you buy suck: watches, jackets, the food, your cars, dishes, forks and knives, computers (for work), so on... which leads to you purchasing them more often. It doesn't mean the HIGHEST END stuff is much better. You have diminishing returns. But, it's very tempting to buy the CHEAPEST when you are poor.

steveklabnik 11y ago

Okay cool well I can only tell you how my childhood went. I certainly did not have a "consumerist lifestyle". I'm glad yours was better than mine. (Also, again: I lived on a farm. Boots were a much more practical form of footwear than sneakers, though I did, from time-to-time, get sneakers instead. They fell apart even faster.)

creshal 11y ago

> This is fairly bullshitty and something I question as to being real. My immigrant family has always bought cheap shit. $30 shoes from DSW or wherever lasted a long time. Lasted a long time doing what? Doing farm work every day will wear out shoes a lot faster than just walking around in the streets. > There's simply not a price/durability relationship in fashion. You need a certain minimum price to get a certain minimum quality, simply for materials expenses. Stuff can't get cheaper than that, even if there's nothing stopping you from slapping a "premium!" sticker on it and selling it for ten times as much as it's worth. > Of course leather boots last longer Leather boots can last longer. You can have crappy worksmanship with leather boots too – sure, the leather will last forever, but if it's poorly done, it'll fall apart after a year or five anyway. It's not just boots, anyway. Computers (Thinkpads and Macbooks last forever, you don't hear anyone saying that about the $200 notebooks off Walmart), appliances (a good washing machine can survive their owner while a cheap won't last 10 years), …

odonnellryan 11y ago
Also, regarding this point: >and bought a pair of Doc Martens Of course leather boots last longer, Look at this: http://drmartensforlife.com/ http://drmartensforlife.com/ Coach (bought my GF a wallet for her birthday once, ~$250) and Gucci have similar policies.

odonnellryan 11y ago

I don't know what you're arguing against here. More expensive stuff definitely lasts longer, in general. > $30 shoes from DSW These shoes aren't cheap, they are what is called "seconds." They have design flaws. I buy shoes from DSW because they are $300 shoes for $60 because they are missing a stitch. They are still technically $300 shoes... > Our clothes from Sears lasted forever. That's fine, but Sears is mid-ranged. If you buy something from Walmart it's going to lose the wear-ability very quickly. Maybe a polo would be fine, but a Jacket, pair of shoes, or pants will not hold up like something a few times more expensive will. > Middle class people don't sigh in relief about being able to afford hipster boots, they just buy the same sneakers they always did. Middle class people generally buy $100-$200 Nikes. > My fancier clothing wears out faster, my more complex lifestyle means more handymen and repairs, etc. ??? What? What are you buying, exactly? > Its really not. When we were poor we just didn't buy into the consumerist lifestyle. We just kept stuff forever. Very-cheap end things don't last as well as mid-ranged things do. It's a fact. You won't be buying new TVs, but the consumables you buy suck: watches, jackets, the food, your cars, dishes, forks and knives, computers (for work), so on... which leads to you purchasing them more often. It doesn't mean the HIGHEST END stuff is much better. You have diminishing returns. But, it's very tempting to buy the CHEAPEST when you are poor.