I don't necessarily agree with your final points. Often tools will be branded and stylised, but as long as they hold utility they're more honest than "articles

I don't necessarily agree with your final points. Often tools will be branded and stylised, but as long as they hold utility they're more honest than "articles of self" or items that you didn't create, have no relationship with, and are using to vaguely define your sensibilities. The simplest rule: Buy tools i.e. anything that can be used to create or modify something. A knife is a tool, a (functional) camera is a tool, a microwave is a tool, a couch is a tool, a bed is a tool, a computer is a tool.