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?

@featherrr

@TizerorFizz what do you earn?! You really don’t think over 300 on a coat is a lot?
Tbf I thought you meant a lot higher priced coats than £300.
How much do you spend on a big night out with friends?
I find it crazy that people balk at spending money on a coat but would happy spend the same amount on 2-4 nights out with friends

I own a lot of a particular designer brand.
My coat retails at about £2.5K
Trainers at £600
I hvae bags, jewerllry, charms, shoes all in the £500+bracket
4 scarves worth between £200 and £600.

HOWEVER.

Until a few years ago when I met DP, I had none of this.
DP works for them so gets a huge discount and buys any xmas/birthday presents from there.

To be honest, things like this don't really appeal to me generally.
If I had a lot more disposable income, I'd choose other things over clothes and accessories every time.

I've no interest in stuff like that and actively avoid label products. Much of it isn't even well made.
I prefer to spend my money on travel but each to their own.

But why?
Cashmere is frankly a lot nicer to look at and to wear than some mixed fibre thing from Amazon. Good quality long fibre cashmere will last decades.

I have Scottish cashmere garments that I've had for over 25 years. Classic pieces that have been worn some seasons and not others.

They cost hundred back then but cost per wear makes them good value. Then there is the lower environmental aspect too.

Cheap clothes are just that. Cheap. Poor quality fabrics poorly constructed.

"Cheap clothes are just that. Cheap. Poor quality fabrics poorly constructed".

And far more likely to be made in less than great conditions.

I have some things that didn't cost much but which I've barely worn. Other things that were much more expensive which I've worn over and over again. I also have some designer handbags I've used for 20 years and will use for another 20 - why is that worse than a £30 high street bag that gets used for a summer.

I have a few designer pieces yes – bags, coats. To me they are meant to be owned for life. I’m not a huge clothes person, so other than investing in bags/coats, I don’t tend to splash out, though my shoes and knitwear will tend to be £80+ at least. My tend to spend more on home stuff – armchair, paintings, lighting, wallpaper are the most costly items. Cheapest of those being £500 and most expensive £5000. Again, they are bought with the intention to last for life. Household income is £185k.

I mean everyone prioritises different things. I tend to buy things that are from various brands that I know suit me and my shape, but I often buy second hand or in the sale. So I would buy a coat (mine would have been £230 full price but I got it reduced to £150 and it should do me for 5 years, plus I love it and get compliments on it all the time - cost per wear will be down in the pennies), but I probably wouldn't buy a designer handbag.

It also depends massively on your housing status - you have expensive rent, other people may have mortgages taken out before interest rates went up, or with a big deposit, or both.

Obviously your colleagues prioritize and organize their income and spending differently than you. I am not sure what is unbelievable or unclear. Also, to all the people saying they don’t understand why anyone would buy a designer bag because they would never - again, obviously different people (even with the exact same salary!) like different things. Given you don’t care to buy Nike or Reiss (whether it’s to do with price or preference) then you’re clearly not best placed to answer OP who seems to want to buy these brands but can’t afford to on her current salary. And finally, to the people saying Nike and Reiss are not designer (and only Mulberry/LV/Gucci are), it’s obvious that to OP these are outside her normal budget and to her are expensive.

Anyway - @featherrr you may want to consider verified discounted designer brand sellers for example Vestiaire Collective or Farfetch. You can also check out eBay, they have an authenticity guarantee so you know you’re getting verified designer brands. Several women I know also rent designer clothes and accessories - I have never though so can’t personally recommend. There are also lots of pretty good designer dupes on sites like Amazon - include the name of the designer and dupe in the search bar and you could get lucky, especially if it’s an item that doesn’t have the logo everywhere. For cheaper Nikes, provided you don’t need the very latest/are not tied to a specific pair, I have scored a few at outlets and shops like TK Maxx. You could also post on the Style & Beauty Board - I often see good advice there.

Personally my designer bag, shoe, jewelry and clothes are mainly the result of saving a bit for several months and then selecting one or two pieces that are classic or that I really love so I know they’re worth the investment.

I have pretty expensive rent, and a relatively ordinary income. Part of the reason I can pay my rent is that I buy top quality clothes and accessories - mostly second hand - which have lasted me for years so I don't need to keep replacing them.

My warmest winter coat was from Belstaff twelve years ago and cost £800 in the sale; this last year is the first time I've barely worn it as it never got cold enough. I also have a merino/cashmere mix Burberry trench which cost less than £100 second hand because the lining was torn - I don't particularly care about the specific brands, but I buy things to last so I want top quality and plain styles that don't date in a few weeks

My husband’s salary is 100k and he doesn’t own ang designer items. In fact she wears shirts 20 years old.

He doesn’t believe in designer clothes and shops in the supermarket for clothes or Christmas gifts from his mother!

Everyone I work with has designer bags, coats from Reiss, Nike Air trainers etc.

My kids have all got Nike Air force trainers, but none of my colleagues or friends do.

we are all on above minimum wage and salaries in range of 50-70k.

I'm sceptical of the honesty of someone who can say this with a straight face. You're on double or nearly triple minimum wage. If you want to buy a Reiss coat, either save up for it, put it on a credit card, or get one off Vinted. Your colleagues with branded gear are all doing exactly that.

Yes and I always have done. I don't have children and we have a healthy amount per month after bills and savings for frivolities so buying things like that doesn't really make any dent.

I could buy all that stuff, but I have zero interest.

My salary is at the top end of your range and together DH and I earn £170k. We prioritise pensions, savings and school fees etc so don't tend to splash out on designer gear but I don't really consider your examples to be designer gear to be honest. A pair of Nike Air trainers at £100 is what I'd expect to spend on branded trainers. I bought a £300 Reiss coat when I was single, jn a corporate job and felt ok chucking it on a credit card. Now I'd spend £150 max on a coat but I'd keep for years. I buy from Vinted, New Look etc but for a timeless piece I'd spend. Have no interest in designer handbags or shoes. I'd consider them a waste of money.

Well, my dp and I earn £300 million per calendar month.
Nothing to add about designer handbags.
Just thought you should all know our income.😊

I typically find that the people spending on these items tend to not own property, and perhaps sadly never will. So they are their big, dream items.

A home owner priorities different things.

It depends on priorities surely. I like clothes so spend quite a bit on them, but we have fairly cheap holidays by mumsnet standards and drive old cars. Earn similar to you.

Where have you found this? I've bought three properties and sold two in the last thirty years, and most people I know with similar shopping habits own at least one, but I may well be older than the people you're talking about.

Same here. We're mortgage free and also own a second property that is mortgage free.

Have never found that. Those in my social circle that buy those things are all homeowners, as am I. They also aren’t ’big ticket items’, or purchase out of the ordinary. Nor are things like holidays sacrificed in order to have them 🤷🏻‍♀️

:( these posts make me feel shit. £60k isn't a good salary? Come on, the average person earns £30k. Very insensitive.

100k + here, dh likes branded stuff but im
not interested and buy a lot of my clothes in charity shops and will wear the same things for years and years. I’ve never had a designer bag. I don’t mind spending a couple hundred on boots but they’ll last me a long times

People prioritise what they want to spend money on OP. For some it's holidays, others it's clothes and shoes. For some it's expensive handbags.

I also prioritise stuff that others would find weird. I could be a multi millionaire and I still wouldn't see the appeal of expensive handbags. They're things to hold your shit.

Everyone is in a different situation and plenty of people do have stuff like this. We both earn a decent income, about 250k, and are happily child free so we have more than enough disposable income. I don't like designer for the sake of it but I have loads of designer bags, shoes, clothes etc. and I have no qualms or guilt over buying them, why should I? I also give to a few animal charities monthly, we have nice cars and we go on nice holidays pretty regularly, about 4-5 times per year. What's the point of money if not to spend it?