AIBU to feel middle-class luxuries have become increasingly out of reach?

White Stuff is always discounted on Otrium https://www.otrium.co.uk/brands/white-stuff/women

I buy a lot of my clothing here.

@cocobow, next time get the coffee.
Honestly life is short, its these small things that keep us going.

Why are you even considering buying clothes at full price? That's a mugs game!

I don't buy really cheap stuff and I don't buy from chinese online retailers. I rarely buy clothes online. I do not pay £80 for anything. I make a point not to. Its rarely worth that unless it's something really exceptional for a special occasion.

Monsoon has always had price tags in the £80 to £100 range. Why do I know? Cos I worked there after I graduated and had to buy clothes from there. Even with the staff discount it was expensive. This was the early 2000s. The prices absolutely have not increased in line with inflation.

The mistake is to go looking for something on the high street when you don't NEED something unless you are looking in the Sales. If you NEED something work out what you want and price it up first.

As for make up - you are buying a brand. Again consider what you are actually buying and when you buy it. It's often not the product it's the branding. You can get alternatives for much cheaper. Even stuff like expensive perfume - find a deal. Yes even for the big brands.

I personally tend to spend less on clothing than I used to years ago even on branded stuff because I shop smarter and there are often better deals to be had. This is priced into original prices - they initially sell at higher prices but don't expect to sell all stock at that price. They then discount heavier so if you are savvy you can get a better bargain. It's only if it's a best seller item that you want to snap it up immediately.

My rule is to never buy anything immediately. If I see something I like, I walk out the shop and go and look elsewhere first. If I want it I will go back. If I don't, I won't. The cooling off period gives me time to really think about the price and see if there is anything else similar somewhere else too (there is a much narrower trend of the season than in the past so often you will get all the shops sticking pretty similar stuff). I am patient if I do see something I like; I wait for the sales and get it then.

As for books. Second hand or on a deal again. Never buy a book at original launch price either. And don't buy hardback.

I think the money I had for stuff like this, actually goes further than it did in the past. The issue is more than being older I have less disposable income as an adult. And I don't think that has changed. My mum never bought herself stuff. She always made sure I had the disposable income instead....

I think it's expectations / shopping habits that have changed not what's available and not the prices.

Some people obviously have money. I regularly commute into central London. Places like Farmer J will have very long queues every lunch time for a salad bowl that costs between £10 -£15. Even Pret has £12 salads and they sell out every day.

I consider myself well off. I can comfortably spend £150 on a dress or buy Jimmy Choo shoes in the sale but I cannot begin to consider paying that much for a salad. I make one at home with similar ingredients for about £1 and bring it in. The savings probably pay for my posh things.

My parents would not have bought a computer or a laptop or had wi fi. That creeps up each year even after shopping around. They have us where they want us ( to quote Dolly Parton ) !

It's the quality for me. I get that inflation happened and dresses won't cost the same as I was buying 20 years ago. But now the work wear I used to buy that was £40 in the sale and really really good quality natural fibres and thick material is now £100 in the sale and it's thin, often polyester crap.

Although we grew up poor, never went on holiday, never had a car, ate out probably twice a year...so my standard of living now feels well off 😁

if all your money goes on food housing and kids, then unless you’ve over stretched on the house, this is simply you’re in low earning roles

House prices & mortgage rates have nothing to do with it? Or the increased cost of food?!

Poland and Ireland have the EU and all that comes with it.

I think the main difference is the cost of houses and how much people now spend on a mortgage.

When we first bought, the house was 2.5 times DH's salary.
My earnings went into a savings pot.

We could always manage on one income, saving mine (if we were careful and not having flash hols or changing cars every 2 years) until the kids went to uni and then we were funding both at the same time.

My local greasy spoon used to be a pound for a tea and it’s now 2,50. Still reasonable prices, but I tend to go home now to make one there. Tea in costa or somewhere more upmarket is almost the same as coffee.

Wonder what Poland and Ireland have that we don't...

Things are very expensive no doubt about it, but I think people expect to be able to spend a lot more money than they did in the past. So much of what we expect to be able to spend money on today wasn't common place even thirty years ago. Our expectations have increased massively and wages haven't kept up. I think social media has a big part to play in this.

As I said. Our parents weren’t frittering money on endless tech, coffees, fast food, eating out, skincare, nails, continual renovations, new cars, extortionate holidays every year, continual unnecessary new clothes….

BTW, I was in farmfoods today, bloody good prices. Fair enough you wouldn't buy loads of the rubbish frozen and tinned stuff they sell but toiletries, breads , diluting drinks, ice lollies etc are great prices.

Why do people pretend that in the past no one spend money on “luxuries”?!

My nan had her hair set weekly
There was 1 pub for 30 people over 150 years ago
Cinema attendance was massive in the past
Lipstick sales during the war
There were 1000 book shops in the 80s

The idea that people had one book at christmas & fish & chips was an annual treat is rubbish.

I would do my own ( Dh cut it for me over lockdown and it wasn’t that bad ) but I know I’ll end up with a wonky fringe and it’ll look awful ( I do have problem hair as it’s far too thick)
I could watch u tube I suppose , but I know I’d mess it up.
many hairdressers my way are only opening up a few days a week as well. Seems everyone is feeling the pinch :(

I don’t see these things as middle class. Working and upper class go for coffee and buy clothes, it’s just normal stuff.

the issue here is you both don’t earn enough to pay foe the lifestyle you wish. Having a degree or calling yourself a professional doesn’t dictate earnings, if all your money goes on food housing and kids, then unless you’ve over stretched on the house, this is simply you’re in low earning roles.

the question here is you’d a whole day planned, how much did you think these things would cost?

Well in America you’d be paying $$$$ for medical insurance each month( assuming you had a job)
Premiums are only part of the total cost. On top of monthly payments, you’d also face:

• Deductibles: The amount paid before insurance kicks in, often averaging over $1,500 for single plans.
• Copays and Coinsurance: Flat fees or percentages for doctor visits and prescriptions.
• Out-of-Pocket Spending: Average annual extra costs add another $1,327 for single coverage and over $6,100 for families

And then there is the extortionate cost of medication. No free prescriptions of £10 prescriptions there .Diabetics struggle to pay for insulin.

It isn't perfect but the NHS is a gazillion times better and we are hugely fortunate to have it.

I get that, which is why I don't buy daily coffees. But once a year?

I don't think Seasalt and Monsoon are THAT middle class. They are on a par with White Stuff.

Sorry.

They might be compared to H&M and Zara, but they are still pretty near the lower end for clothes if you ignore M&S as well (and they aren't cheap- their cashmere this year is £99.)

I'd call middle class brands like Me&Em, maybe Boden, whose prices are creeping up (not much under £100 unless you're talking T shirts), Jigsaw, NBY, The White Company (find me a jumper for much under £100), Mint Velvet (ditto) etc.

I clicked YABU but only because I am
mid 50s and it was like this decades ago . When I graduated my PhD in the mid 90s and taught in university I would see students wearing French connection clothes that I couldn’t afford. It was the start of loans kicking in and I think their logic was probably might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. It’s taken until now for me to be able to make purchases of clothes without worrying and that’s only because I paid off my mortgage though I still have a child to support!

I think late 90s to early 2020s prices came down for food, clothes and consumer goods and now they are going back up.

I am sorry, but £100 is not expensive for a high-quality dress.