Is it just me?

[Mummylovesmonkeys]

I enjoy looking at the queries on Mumsnet, but can't help thinking why?

Motheroftwo asks for help with a dress for a work do, and gives a budget of £200 - why? - Imanidiot suggests a Louis Vitton dress for £750, or Imbetterthanyou suggests a jumpsuit for £195. What the hell is wrong with a dress from M&S for £50, or one in the sale at Yours for £25?

Ineedideas asks for help with a plain white boxy t-shirt, Superspender suggests one from some obscure designer that costs £150 - what's wrong with the identical Sainsburys Tu one for £5.50?

It seems to me that some people have more money than sense!

It’s not just you!

what's wrong with setting a £200 budget for a dress??

I think if some sets a budget of £200 giving suggestions for £25 dresses from Yours is pointless.

I also think it's pointless, but happens often, that a size 14 or a 16 gets pointed to Yours.

It's vanishingly unlikely that a £25 dress from Yours will be just as nice as a £200 or £250 dress.

isn’t just you.

I “invested” in a piece of quality clothing from Reiss recently and it was absolutely identical to something in M&S for 75% less.

But I would say that some stores do not fit all people.

I almost spent £65 of birthday money on a pretty broderie blouse that I wanted and found an identical blouse in Tesco F&F for £14! Was just walking past, saw it, gasped and said “no fuckingggg way!” a little too loud

😂 I am amazed and the fabric is lovely quality.

But this is the beauty of S&B. I couldn’t afford half of what is posted on this board but it doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy seeing what’s out there, even if it is out of my budget.

I'd agree with you if people are suggesting things well over the budget set, but not over the £25 dress from Yours us just as good. They're really not. Nothing wrong with it, if that's what you want/can afford, but IME it's always best (financially speaking) to buy the best quality you can afford and wear it for years.

I suppose if you can afford it, then good for you! Plus if you are buying for a posh event or occasion 5hen I can understand wanting to splurge.

I don't get the snobbery though where people dump all over cheaper brands.
I think alot of high St brands have some really good quality, lovely stuff.

It annoys me when people ask ' can I wear this to a wedding?'.

Of course you can . Nobody has the authority to tell you otherwise ,especially once you've turned up wearing it.

For you, @Mummylovesmonkeys:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5130057-what-do-i-wear-to-this-wedding?reply=137155062

I’m a little with you but I don’t understand your thought process of if the budget is 200 someone should suggest second hand crap from vinted.

however, I find some of the styles suggested very frumpy in the main and am absolutely positive there is Joanie employees on here , as they are awful and someone always suggests them.

As i get older the more I value nice fabrics and well made clothing. It’s unlikely that I’m going to find that it a £25 dress from the High Street. Fast fashion doesn’t offer that. If you ever come across old St Michael garments you’d see how superior they are to modern M&S items. I think it’s depressing how often fast fashion is recommended on here… I can’t say I’m recommending £80 T shirts either but if someone has a £200 budget for a dress they’re obviously in the market for something a little nicer.

I disagree - what I usually see is an OP who hasn't given a budget, so they get suggestions at all sorts of price points. OPs often don't give nearly enough details, that's my bugbear.
People on here aren't a homogeneous group, we all have different tastes and budgets. It's not 'more money than sense' if you can afford it, if it is decent quality and will last, and it brings you joy.
£200 or whatever doesn't guarantee you good quality (looking at the likes of Whistles and other high-street 'higher-end' shops) but someone here might know a good indie brand, or hidden gem.

I'm more suspicious of posters who refer everyone who is a 14 or above to Yours or Scarlett and Jo. This happens a lot- both are awful.

I'm a 14 or 16 or 18.I want brands that go up to those sizes- not brands that start at those sizes, especially when most of their stuff isn't nice at any size.

There's also posters who say £100-£150 won't take you far. But I've often found nice quality dresses for £60-£80 from high street that are worth it and good quality.

It's like AIBU on here 😂

Article on mark ups on clothing:

https://www.vogue.com/article/what-is-the-right-price-for-fashion

The problem is that a £25 dress from Yours is probably made of polyester which is not an environmentally friendly fabric, probably hasn't been sewn well, probably hasn't been cut properly for any one with more than a C cup bust, may well not have been preshrunk in the manufacturing process, was made in a factory in Asia where the workers were paid peanuts etc.

I'm lucky that I can afford to spend more on my clothes and I have found some great independent labels through recommendations on S&B. For example I bought a skirt from Justine Tabac - it is beautifully made (in the UK) from a fabric she bought from a mill in Ireland - a totally transparent supply chain. The skirt is really good quality and I am expecting it to see me out.

Surely, there's nothing to question. Someone is giving you a budget they are willing to spend. It's not up to you to decide if it's too much or too little.

I deliberately don’t put my age otherwise someone will link to Roman Originals. It won’t be done nastily but I equally don’t want to be nasty and say that I thought it was for a much older age range.

Sometimes people want to be helpful and maybe they have found something lovely on Vinted or the High st but they dont know what is available in high end shops because its out of their budget...no need to shit all over them.

Also there is alot of 'this style/company doesnt suit me or my tastes therefore it is rubbish'....sheer snobbery with a side of individual taste.
As an example I adore Joanie clothing! The styles and cuts really suit me and frankly I think I look awesome in one of their dresses. Maybe its not your style but it could be somebody else's who is after a dress.😁

If I ask for advice without a budget, someone may suggest Shein or Chanel, neither of which I'm going to buy. A budget is just an indicator, as is size, style or height and is a vague limit, not a target.

More often than not, I try to suggest all the sources I can think of for an item. (Particularly so if the OP suggests a budget that might not be enough to get her dream outfit without effort.) So I might say you could get a perfect jacket from:

The shop - full price.
Or in the sales.
Or from a discount place like The Outnet.
Or pre-owned from Vestiaire.
Or another pre-owned site.
Or from a rental site.
Or even borrowed from a friend / relative.

So a budget limit is generally only the starting point.

If anyone wants to spend £200, or whatever, on a dress and they have the money that’s up to them. Nothing more annoying than posting about looking for a dress at X budget and people pile on with things that don’t fit the brief. If I or others don’t want an M&S dress - or whatever it is - that’s fine - people can spend their money how they want. (And I’m wearing an M&S dress right now, lol).

TBF I dont think Ive ever seen anybody post 'I need a dress, it must cost at least £200!' its always up to £200.

In other words if people really want the good shizz then they should start setting the lowest price as well as the highest!

Generally if people have 200 then yes they’d consider less, but second hand or cheap fast fashion unlikely to make the grade.

its like saying I’ve 500k for a house, here’s a 80k one, do you fancy it.