Identical clothes - look expensive and cheap?

[HotDogsJumpingFrogsILoveTurkey]

I follow the Fairfax and Favor facebook page (for the competitions, not that I've ever won anything!).

All the pictures are very much of a certain type ie long blonde highlighted hair, white jodhpurs, wearing your £500 boots to walk the gun dogs in a muddy field... but whereas some of the women look very expensive, some of them don't. They all wear the same uniform so I can't put my finger on why the difference. I won't say which picture because that's mean but there is one lady in particular who makes the (really expensive) clothes look very cheap.

Why is that? What are the identikit women doing differently? Is it just something as simple as their pose?

F&F is not my sort of thing but I'm hot footing it over there now to see if I can spot the odd one out!

TBF I probably couldn't even fit my calves into their boots and if I managed to squeeze them in, they come up to my chin.

Was it the dog wearing the boots 😆

If it's the posts I think you mean I think they are just trying to be a little more 'current' ( and failing miserably). I don't think it looks cheap, necessarily but it's just a bit of a Mis-step when 99% of their audience are Princess of Wales acolytes.

I think the brunettes look more expensive.

The brand has quite a modern history and was started in a shoestring (friends rather than models etc - not that I think that’s a bad thing!). But it’s definitely a case they’ve always pitched their stiff as aspirational rather than truly being aspirational.

It’s usually the most subtle things, isn’t it. Like eyebrow shape, make up style, whether they’re thin and toned instead of just thin (they can be the extract same size).

Reminds me of all the ‘looking expensive’ threads there used to be.

To me it is the try too hard posts that don't work. I love some of the F+F stuff and have a selection of pieces but I wear them with non branded stuff and I also do have an outdoorsy/horsey lifestyle. I don't think F+F works as well with loads of other branded clothes and some of the posts are literally just a label dump ie H+C, H+H alongside the Fairfax and that's what cheapens it all.

@twistyizzy yes, some of them are very brand next to brand next to brand which is a bit flash/showy.

@HotDogsJumpingFrogsILoveTurkey does the lady in question post a photo every day of herself taken in a mirror by any chance?!

I think it’s the pics with the more “urban”/edgy clothes or with very frothy midi dresses. The whole brand seems to need either a more tailored look or a properly rural feel. Maybe it’s not so much looking cheap as just not working as well?

This is a bit mean. I’m also mean though, I think the brand generally is quite tacky. Some people do make it look decent.

I generally think the brand now I'd going downhill, too many of the same instagram 'influencers' getting sent items as PR gifts constantly, like it's a job for them. It's made me stop buying if I'm honest...

There's one on IG who drives me insane and reminds me why I don't buy anymore... posh and Norfolk should find it.

And yes, I also know who you mean it that group.

Its a shame, its become a fast fashion brand now, I prefer penelope chilvers tbh

I think it might be something to do with their hairstyles, some of them look a bit cheap/ lank/ thin or over styled, and some are wearing really cheap looking skinny jeans that look fresh out of Primark. I think the models that look more effortless look more expensive.

They all look like Jilly Cooper heroines

Well I'm clearly not the target market. Their stuff is generic country look with a hefty price tag. It's an embarrassment. Who wants to dress like that? It's so dated now.

I’d never heard of it but just looked at the website and the women on the homepage, although very young and beautiful, look very Real Housewives of Cheshire to me. Skinny jeans, heeled boots, tonged waves.

I think it’s the cheap looking jeans.

They all look new money/equi-chav types to me. The neon teeth and tonged extensions look is grim.

It's the slightly OTT and dated make up. The models look like "townies" trying to achieve a "country" or Kate Middleton aesthetic. The chavvy make up and hair doesn't turn in with the look the clothes are trying to achieve.

Yes the neon teeth is a big clue

Yes, maybe that's it. Maybe the ones who look "expensive" are the ones who seem to naturally fit into the clothing ie the type of women who look like they would take the photo then go and muck out their horse in sensible clothing. Whereas sometimes the women in the photos look more like they are "playing the part" and are more likely to do the photo shop and then go shopping at Meadowhall.

Nothing wrong with either. Maybe it's just that some people seem more comfy in that style of clothing and it shows?

Some of the boots and bags are definately nicer than others.

It's a bit of an "old money" versus "new money" thing I think.

I guess you think the more Sloaney looking women look more expensive, they give off that air of always having been loaded, the types you see at royal weddings and society events. Whereas the ones wearing the more modern looks wouldn't fit in amongst that kind of set.

My post isn't intended to be a judgement on either btw.

I've taken a look at their own website.

Such an odd presentation. There's a huge disconnect between their flying-by-the-seat-of-our-pants 'Story' and the brand image.

Do they identify 'British' with some sort of poorly thought out amateurishness in business? There's no discernable link between the van winding around the hilly boreens of Alicante and the luxury and finish of their product, or the market position they're trying to stake out.

Plus, the long-winded 'Story' is not as amusing as they think it is.