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AIBU?

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Original poster

How and why do people who aren’t actually well off pay for this stuff?

492 replies

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 17:28

If I told you our income I would be told we are in the top percent of earners etc but I honestly couldn’t actually justify or financially manage these sorts of purchases.

Has anyone heard of the essentials brand? Literally hundreds for a tracksuit. I think another is Bergen? Expensive t shirts. Then there’s the usual like Fred Perry etc.

Obviously I know lots of wealthy people buy these things too but it’s mostly people from low income backgrounds. How do I know this? Because people I work with who live in deprived areas and not paid much are forever talking about these things! They actually buy the stuff for holidays or as gifts at Christmas etc. Is this a misguided attempt to gain status? An insecurity thing? I find it really bizarre, it wouldn’t ever cross my mind to spend this.

OP posts:
KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:35

Gwenhwyfar · 05/07/2026 20:30

This was in reply to a question about how she can be a high earner and work with people who are not.

You would have thought people who work at a law firm could park their inner chav at the door when they come in to work though?

Trimalata · 05/07/2026 20:35

To signify their allegiance to a broad social group. Same as everybody else. There.

And genuine rich people are doing it just the same as everyone else.

Like how some on this thread would judge my brother as living off credit or whatever because he's a builder, but he apparently pulled in 200k last year. You'd better believe his horse loving daughter is dressed in the appropriate clobber for gymkhanas.

Ibrox · 05/07/2026 20:34

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:33

I wanted top line adidas trainers, my mum told me to fuck off.

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In this day and age, Vinted is a Godsend...

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:33

Octavia64 · 05/07/2026 20:31

Teens and some young adults don’t.

i grew up not poor but certainly no spare money in the house.

I really, really wanted a pair of Armani jeans when I was a teen.

i did actually buy a pair when I was a working adult but it wasn’t as nice as I thought it would be.

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I wanted top line adidas trainers, my mum told me to fuck off.

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:31

Octavia64 · 05/07/2026 20:25

People mentioning millionaires - with the price of houses being what they are there’s an awful lot of people (mostly older admittedly) who are living in a house worth 1 million plus and no mortgage but are cash poor.

the shorthand of millionaire equals rich doesn’t really work anymore.

There’s an estimated 673,00 people who live in a house worth over a million and quite a few of them are not cash rich, they’re just property rich.

Yes, but a genuine millionaire has plenty of cash, they own property as well, probably not with a mortgage.

Octavia64 · 05/07/2026 20:31

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:28

Everybody knows that someone plastered head to toe in labels like a Christmas tree is poor though?

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Teens and some young adults don’t.

i grew up not poor but certainly no spare money in the house.

I really, really wanted a pair of Armani jeans when I was a teen.

i did actually buy a pair when I was a working adult but it wasn’t as nice as I thought it would be.

Gwenhwyfar · 05/07/2026 20:30

This was in reply to a question about how she can be a high earner and work with people who are not.

Original poster
Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:30

BringBackCatsEyes · 05/07/2026 20:29

They want them.

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@BringBackCatsEyes but why

OP posts:
Gwenhwyfar · 05/07/2026 20:29

That could be almost any job, surely? OP is probably in a higher position than some of the other people at her workplace.
However, rents are lower in deprived areas so they'll have more disposable income.

BringBackCatsEyes · 05/07/2026 20:29

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 17:36

@XenoBitch of course. Just questioning the rationale

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They want them.

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:28

WanderingStar26 · 05/07/2026 17:48

Because certain brands, which change over time, build social capital and command respect from peers. Not wearing the ‘uniform’ of the time leaves people feeling marginalized and not part of the collective, and risks that they might be seen as being poor (which may be true but they don’t want to be seen that way). If you’re not in this subculture and already have social capital, these things wouldn’t be so important to you and you’d be happy to walk around in Tu.

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Everybody knows that someone plastered head to toe in labels like a Christmas tree is poor though?

Original poster
Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:26

Trimalata · 05/07/2026 20:25

And you're still only meeting the tiny minority of people who have some need of legal intervention. Unless you're judging people who come in to get their signature notarised, of course.

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@Trimalata not sure why you are struggling with this but I am talking about colleagues 🤦🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
Ibrox · 05/07/2026 20:26

I think the rationale behind it, in many cases, is the simple fact that if you buy and wear an expensive, nice looking thing you feel a lot better about yourself. The 'look good, feel good' concept, I suppose..

Trimalata · 05/07/2026 20:25

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:23

@Trimalata i have worked in four areas of the uk in six different practices. Same everywhere

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And you're still only meeting the tiny minority of people who have some need of legal intervention. Unless you're judging people who come in to get their signature notarised, of course.

Denim4ever · 05/07/2026 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

What, you don't get that posh people don't wear labels

Octavia64 · 05/07/2026 20:25

People mentioning millionaires - with the price of houses being what they are there’s an awful lot of people (mostly older admittedly) who are living in a house worth 1 million plus and no mortgage but are cash poor.

the shorthand of millionaire equals rich doesn’t really work anymore.

There’s an estimated 673,00 people who live in a house worth over a million and quite a few of them are not cash rich, they’re just property rich.

XenoBitch · 05/07/2026 20:24

LondonPapa · 05/07/2026 20:17

It isn’t just Ferrari. Pretty much every ultra high end brand has a system to filter the wrong people out before the right people are allowed to buy the exclusive items. Harrods, Selfridges et al. are not the exclusive places people think for example.

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Not high high end, but I remember going to view cars in a Lotus showroom with a knob of an ex. He expressed interest in a new Elise, and said he had a car to trade in. It was a 15 year old Nissan Micra that had an MOT about to expire. Fucking embarrassing 😆

Original poster
Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:23

Trimalata · 05/07/2026 20:21

So you've met a tiny subset of people who live in deprived areas, and extrapolated from that then?

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@Trimalata i have worked in four areas of the uk in six different practices. Same everywhere

OP posts:
Denim4ever · 05/07/2026 20:23

Real wealthy people don't wear brands. There's a Made in Chelsea type and then there's classy, no frills, no brands

Original poster
Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:22

KeepPumping · 05/07/2026 20:19

Don"t they just want to talk about aspects of their case/legal difficulty rather than clothes shopping?

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@KeepPumping you do understand that it’s not just lawyers who work in law firms?

OP posts:
Socksey · 05/07/2026 20:22

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 17:40

@Doyoumisswordpaperclip not really, im
questioning why anyone would buy them let alone those on low incomes

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A fiend once explained to me that by buying the branded stuff for her DC, even though it meant getting a loan etc it made them less of a target for County Lines etc as they couldn't be bought so easily

Mischance · 05/07/2026 20:22

Brands are bollocks and made for the gullible with more money than sense.

Quality is a different thing entirely.

Branded goods are not necessarily high quality. They are a statement of superiority for those lacking a sense of self worth.

Trimalata · 05/07/2026 20:21

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 20:16

@Wornouttoday law firm

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So you've met a tiny subset of people who live in deprived areas, and extrapolated from that then?

GasPanic · 05/07/2026 20:20

Watersunscream · 05/07/2026 17:41

@dudsville i was thinking beyond the actual expenditure itself and the thought processes around why you would chose to spend so much on such items

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Ever seen a peacock ?

Clothes maketh the man (or woman!) and all that.

If you come from a poor area wearing expensive fashion items can be a sign of "look at me, I am doing well because I can afford X and therefore you should be with me".

There are other things to it like group identity as well. So not just about spending money on any old expensive stuff. But the right sort of expensive stuff.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 05/07/2026 20:19

So I’ve just been on rbe Frasers website and they’re not that expensive. My colleague has one and she’s young but I would buy ine if I wanted and not think they’re that much for how nice they are. They’re actually about the same as my oasis concert merch hoodie or my DD’s The Neighbourhood concert merch hoodie which is really thick and warm.

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