Do you own these sorts of things?!

[featherrr]

And if so what do you earn? I am in a professional career but don’t earn masses, it’s only really at the top when you tend to start making a lot. That said we are all on above minimum wage and salaries in range of 50-70k.

Everyone I work with has designer bags, coats from Reiss, Nike Air trainers etc. I have none of these and it wouldn’t occur to me to buy them as I would find it a huge outlay on my salary (mid range of the above). Do people just spend this? Even on a modest income? What do you sacrifice to buy it? I am in rented which is 1500 a month so maybe that is the difference?

I do have a Reiss coat. I also have a lot of other expensive coats, bags and boots. I buy some new and a lot of second hand and vintage. I own one pair of Nike trainers simply because I need a pair of trainers for sport.

Mainly though I look for quality, look after things and expect them to last years. I spent £170 on a pair of DM boots that I've now had for five years and wear regularly as my everyday winter boots. I think my choices save money in the long run.

I've never once had to go on a mad spree ordering numerous outfits for specific occasions because I always buy when I see something I love and put it aside, keep it for years and because I will have worn it before I know it suits me and feel confident whatever the occasion. My income is not your beeswax but I'm neither poor or rolling in it.

On that kind of salary, no I don't think £300 on a coat or £100 on trainers is a lot. Although obviously personal circumstances comes into it.

My DC are grown up and my outgoings are reasonably low. I also don't buy clothing regularly, so when I do buy I spend more money on better quality. Generally speaking I wait for sales, when you can get some really good bargains. I also make use of "pay in 3" and don't buy anything more until the current one is paid.

2 salaries of between 50-70k each? That's a fair amount OP. But no, imo 'designer' items And brands are a colossal waste of money.

Mil is on a low wage and still manages to have a lot of designer labels. She spends A LOT of time in charity shops / boots sales / vinted etc and often brags about how cheap they were 😂 I don't give a shit about any of it to be honest. I suppose if it's a priority to you then you save or carve the money out somehow.

I prefer to buy less often but well. A good quality wool coat is usually going to be around £300 these days, but if you’re clever you can buy in sales at end of season. For things like coats I do splurge but I’ll only ever have two that I own and they last years because I buy well. Similarly things like boots, I’ll buy one really good pair maybe once every two years and that is my boot for winter. I have experimented with buying cheaper things but feel like it’s often a false economy as unfortunately they just don’t last - I think this is a new phenomenon though as quality of clothing and shoes has been completely eroded unless you’re buying at the high end now. A decade ago you could buy cheap good things but I don’t think that’s the case anymore. You can still get good high street things but you really need to go into the shop and feel the fabrics and look at the stitching etc.

I don’t think I have expensive taste. I have 4 Mulberry bags, but they were all gifts from my husband, so not something I’d buy myself.

I buy decent trainers for both everyday and the gym. But I don’t buy really expensive ones - my gym trainers are ASICS, and I wear a lot of Adidas or Converse. This is true of all of my friends, although some buy all of their footwear from Russell and Bromley. I baulk somewhat at the price of their shoes.

My clothes are all high street. I buy some things from Reiss. It’s slightly more expensive that other high st but always good quality. I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than £300 on a coat. My husband buys himself expensive coats and jackets but only about once every 2 years.

I think Reiss coats and Nike trainers are very possible on that salary for many people, depending on other outgoings. Designer bags, well they can vary from a few hundred to thousands so it depends on the brand.

I pay around 140 for running trainers, but that's sports equipment.

Haven't bought a new winter coat in years. My work coat was high wool content from m and s and was about 65quid in the sale. I love it to bits and don't want to replace it.

I don't buy expensive handbags because I don't often go anywhere that needs a nice one.

I tend to do adidas for general trainers. Kids nike or adidas. But the kids have fewer shoes than me overall. I don't buy them expensive coats because they'd rather freeze in school blazer than carry a coat round school all day.

For your salary those items are not out of reach, they should be comfortably affordable IF you wanted them. You clearly don’t want them and spend/save your money in other ways instead, which is entirely your prerogative and so it’s a null point. Everyone is different but the people you see with those items in that salary range are not being unreasonable.

£25 trainers must be a false economy, doesn’t feel like a wise choice in terms of how long they would last.

My husbands wardrobe is full of Reiss, it's all from Ebay.

I own pairs of Nike Air's, they are worth the investment of the cost in my experience. I've also invested in expensive winter coats before for similar reasons, better to buy one good item that lasts than cheaper items that wear out quicker.

Same income band as you and don’t have any designer gear. I spend over £100 on running trainers but they’re no fashion statement!

My partner earns six figs and works in banking. There are women in his office with £6k handbags and 509 quid shoes he tells me. Most of his stuff comes from Amazon or Next, his laptop bag is Fat face. Horses for courses,

Agree, they'll be utter crap and end up in landfill very quickly

I have one designer bag that cost a Lot £350

Not 1000s but
That's still a lot to me. I love it and it's a one off hand painted so I though I'd splash
Out

Otherwise I'm
Happy with tkmaxx or accessorize.

Coats no. Tkmaxx Superdry or north face But From Outlet stores and supermarkets

I have one pair air
Force but they were a xmas gift

My dd
Has some
Bags and Vivienne Westwood but also
From outlet
Store.

I buy things because

1. I like them
2. I need them
3. They are good quality

I never buy because of a label. Sometimes overt labels put me off buying.
DD’s have bought designer stuff from Vinted. A Ralph Lauren slip dress for £60- rrp was £350.

It depends what your priorities are I suppose. I could buy those brands but we wouldn’t save as much and we certainly wouldn’t be able to go out for coffee and brunch as much.

Same here - a visible brand label usually puts me off buying it.

I’m in that salary bracket and don’t have anything like that because they mean nothing to me.
I drive an old banger car and wear sketchers or Merrell shoes.
Experiences are more important than commodities for me.

Depends what your values are. I give not two hoots about impressing others or “keeping up with the joneses”

It’s actually worth investing in a decent coat and paying more than £300 should mean it lasts at least a decade. I had one very good coat for £400 and I’m still wearing it 13 years later - that’s £30 a year. But generally no I don’t spend that much on clothes. Nike air are really good quality and again last 2/3 years of winter wear for me.

We both have salaries at the upper end of the range quoted and we have those things. Well, not Reiss specifically but similar prices brands, plus more Nike trainers between us than I dare to count.

We have a fairly big mortgage (£2500 a month including overpayment) and still save a decent chunk each month (at least £1k between us). I wouldn’t think those kind of things should be unaffordable on the salaries mentioned unless you have very high childcare costs as well as a big mortgage.

I have a couple of Reiss suits. I have to look smart for work meetings and they are well made and have lasted four years plus. I have also got loads of cheaper work clothes but a couple of really well made outfits will be economical in the long term as they will last longer. It’s a false economy to only buy cheap clothes for work as you will end up buying more.

I have bought Nike trainers in the sale but wouldn’t pay full price.

Well, yes.
Very fortunate re earnings.

I have no interest in designer anythings. If I can afford it I will pay for quality but a label and quality aren’t always the same thing.