Is it me or are clothes getting more and more and more expensive?

[maggiethemagpie]

I'm sure compared to even five years ago clothes are FAR more expensive even allowing for inflation.

Eg White stuff knit dress going price around £45 five years ago, now £60-65

Per una padded coat I bought one four years ago for £100 saw similar last week in store £125

Seasalt which I consider to be a mid range brand selling cardis for £90 and they're not even cashmere just lambswool.

And don't even get me started on kids clothes, £24 for a cardigan for a 3 year old from Next????

I know some brands have always been expensive, but they've never been brands I've bought. I'm talking about your ordinary high street stores, that used to be reasonable but now I can't afford to shop there.

When I had my son 6 years ago I could afford to buy some new clothes along with some second hand but now most of the time I just put the new, full priced stuff back on the shelf and think 'they are havin a larf'

I can now only afford to shop at Sainsbury's Tu, which is questionable quality or wait til the sales and hope there is some good stuff left.

Anyone else?

I think it's the constant promotions and sales, and this particularly affects clothing. Stores have to hike the regular prices so they can seduce us into believing we're getting a bargain at sale-time. Which is pretty much all the time nowadays.

A few years ago, you NEVER saw a Sale sign before Christmas. Everything was full price during November and December. Now I feel cheated if I haven't secured a reduction for everything I buy.

Thanks Emoji I was never sure what the difference was other than that velour had a horrible shine to it. I still recommend a good rummage in a vintage shop if you want decent, old school velvet.

Yes and no.

On the upper end, clothes prices have risen in an inflation busting, reason bewildering way. In 2000, I purchased a dress for a very special occasion and I gulped at the price tag. It was not couture, but it was from a very hot designer, pictured on his celebrity muse, and was shown in his collection show. It was just a smudge over $1000 (about £750 then). Today, for a not very special designer dress you will have to pay £2000-3000 easily.

On the other hand, there is pressure on the lower price end with stores like Zara, Primark and Topshop making it very difficult for small designers to break into the industry as they cannot compete.

Also, some things which were considered luxury items in the past have been so diluted that they have lost that special status. An example which comes to mind is cashmere. It used to be considered a very special thread, very expensive, and saved for best. I hardly consider it special now when every shop carries it and I can find an OK quality 100% cashmere jumper for just over £30 (today in Costco!). No, it is not the best, longest and finest tread cashmere, but still softer and lighter weight than equivalently priced wool.

It's partly due to the weak pound. Companies are paying more for everything than a year ago.

I suspect the rise of discounting everywhere from high to low end stores has a lot to do with it.

Prices now are not 'full price', they're 'opening price'.

Cotton is miles more expensive than it was 5 years ago - hence the rise in polyester. Incidentally, cotton harvests are failing thanks to global warming.

Apparently clothes are about 10 per cent cheaper, but I must say I haven't noticed.

I thought the cotton harvests failed about 6 years ago, but are ok now. But retailers have discovered that there are higher profits in polyester. So everything us polyester now.

I agree that the quality is appalling, the fashions seem unflattering, boxy so I've bought very little.

I want cotton or wool not polyester- hideous

Polyester is why I took up dressmaking.