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Thursday, April 30, 2009

Do People Really Spend That Much?

While I was surfing through the New York Times I saw a headline that looked just up my alley:

Three fashion stylists join the writer on a trek to find chic pieces for the 40-plus customer.

I'm about to go into the next decade, so for sure they meant me. I've been "40-plus" for quite awhile.

I was expecting some advice for real women. Instead the writer wrote:
"Although we didn’t work with a budget, we were strict with our choices; each piece had to be worth the money, as well as be age-appropriate, whether it was a $55 cardigan from Topshop or a $3,000 Rick Owens leather jacket."
"The Lim boutique, to our surprise, yielded a lot of affordable, well-made clothes, notably a tailored cream jacket ($550) and a silk jumpsuit ($450)."
"But, looking at a $1,400 silk print dress, Brana said with a rueful laugh, “I don’t know anymore if that’s expensive or not.” She decided that it was a good buy, along with a $2,100 metallic leaf-patterned coat at Marc Jacobs and a below-the-knee striped jersey dress with a long, winding sash."
"...at Diane Von Furstenberg, where Darina pulled out a beige suede coat ($885) and a flared olive cotton skirt with a canvas belt ($330)."

Next trip to New York, I'll just stick to my usual sales racks.

And for today's Health Tip, I suggest that you watch and listen to this. Be prepared to laugh. Remember that laughing is healthy!

9 comments:

  1. LOL. This post DID make me laugh! I remember my mom taking me shopping downtown as a kid. We'd usually head for AM&A's...and the bargain basement. Nice clothes and a decent price and, the cafeteria was in the basement too.

    Robert Hall for winter coats. When I was really little, around 5, my godmother made me the most beautiful dresses. Boy could she sew! Sewing I now realize is a real talent.

    Happy times. The only time we really shopped at expensive stores like Berger's was for special occassions like graduations, weddings, proms etc.


    I get a kick reading women's magazines. The fashion sections always have pieces on dressing great on a budget. Um, a $200 sweater ain't a budget in my book. Neither is a $75 belt.

    The people writing these articles have terrific high paying jobs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just think of those articles like artifacts from a different planet.

    We do not live in the same world!

    FWIW, I would choose my world over theirs any day of the week, but especially on Shabbatot and Chagim!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're right. They are on a different planet. I much prefer ours.

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  4. Keli, RivkA, B"H we have the same values. Such an outrageous waste of money.
    Last summer when I was in NY I got some stuff in Loehmann's and from the "Half price of the sales price" rack in Lord & Taylors of all places. Less than $20 for a good sweater.
    And the other week, I traded clothes with a friend.

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  5. wow, that's insane. I'm trying to figure out if $1700 is way too much to pay for an 8 week intensive ulpan (I think it is)... but the idea of spending that much on a dress (and calling it a good value) is incredible to me!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Maya, That does sound a lot for a two month ulpan, but it's probably geared to American prices for tourists and tax deductible deals.

    I saw that the Matan summer program was over $200 a week, lots more than I paid this winter for an excellent series including tours. Try to negotiate a better price. If you can't then look for courses geared for Israelis in literature, requiring writing papers. Before you sign up/pay, speak to the teacher to explain what you need from it.

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  7. BTW--I think a lot of women are relating to this post--it's on the Most Popular list on J Blog:)


    Shabbat Shalom.

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  8. I'm still shaking my head at a $3,000 leather coat. I'd like to interview the people who wrote the article and ask, "what were you thinking?"

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  9. keli, I'm glad that I'm in the majority on this!

    ReplyDelete

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