[Dan]

I was looking at some prices for the Prada label, just out of curiosity. A pair of pants was 400 bucks, and a coat topped a few thousand smackers! Military surplus gear and Dickies would probably last five times as long, and take five times as much abuse. How can wealthy people, even though they're wealthy, justify spending thousands on an outfit that will go out of style in three months? This has always greatly puzzled me.

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Name : Dan, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : na, Race : Chicano, Religion : Pentecostal Christian, Age : 21, City : Los Angeles area, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Andrew19446]

People, in general, like to be surrounded by nice-looking things. Some people like nice cars, others like to decorate their houses. Clothing is simply another aspect of this. Prada and other designer labels go beyond being simple articles of clothing. They can be thought of as art that is worn. A similarity can be drawn to 'classical art': Some people buy because they truly like it, others buy for prestige, and some people just don't understand. I happen to like the design aspects of much of the higher-priced clothing - it appeals to my esthetic side. On the other hand, I can't justify to myself paying any amount of money for a jacket with a sports team logo on it - I find them devoid of almost all esthetic quality. That isn't to say I am a clothing snob - I mainly shop at The Gap and the like. It's just nice to clothe oneself in a little piece of beauty, if only once in a while.

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Name : Andrew19446, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA Country : Canada, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Marcia22183]

Think about it this way. Maybe you'd spend $10 on something you thought was nice/fun/trendy. It's not going to last forever or it will go out of style before it wears out, but you like it and it's not that much money. Very wealthy people can afford to think about $400 the way you think about $10. I don't buy $400 pants, but as I've gone from being a student to working for a living and as my salary has risen substantially, I'm certainly willing to spend more on an item without considering it expensive than I would have 10 years ago. Also, you should realize that sometimes, some of what someone is paying for is real value. The fabric or cut or manufacturing may well be of higher quality. The expensive stuff frequently just looks better.

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Name : Marcia22183, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, 

[Samuel]

I'm afraid I can't be as diplomatic as Andrew when I offer another possible motivation for the excess in designer prices. In spite of the lofty language of the Declaration of Independence, America is and has always been a nation divided, first and foremost, by socioeconomic class; in this respect we are little different from any civilization preceding us. The wealthy (and those who desire to be or appear to be wealthy) will always have the option, of which they frequently avail themselves, of indulging in that wealth and showing it off. Is it just about having something 'nice?' Well, 'nice' is subjective, 'price' is not. Consider this: Why would someone buy a Cadillac Escalade when a Jeep Cherokee will do? Does the extra $25,000 spent help them 'see the road better?' More to the point, the owners likely believe it helps others on the road to see them better. The same could be said of any similar products that tangibly differ only by price tag and brand name.

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Name : Samuel, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 31, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Occupation : Firefighter, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Nancy]

The funny thing is, whether a price is high or low is entirely relative. It depends on expectations and habit. I remember when I was a kid, $5 seemed like a fortune. People used to think it was ridiculous to pay over $2 for coffee beverages. Now with Starbucks on every corner it seems normal. The attitude becomes, "Well, that's just what things cost." And we often don't question that. Believe it or not, there are some for whom paying $400 for pants just seems normal.

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Name : Nancy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 32, City : Berkeley, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[susan]

15 years ago I was a starving grad student. $20 was a lot for a shirt and $15 for a restaurant meal was a special treat. Now I'm a well-compensated lawyer. $70 is a lot for a shirt and $50 for a restaurant meal is a special treat. I have friends who make more money than I do, whose standards for what's expensive are even higher than mine. It's very much a function of how much money you have. As for not just buying practical army surplus even when you can afford Prada, well, Prada is just nicer. It looks nicer. It's more fashionable. It fits better. And yes, for some people, there's a snob appeal. Some people aren't into stuff, but for some of us, there's a pleasure in having nice things.

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Name : susan, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 39, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : attorney, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Mar]

I don't usually spend that much on clothing (casual stuff)while I could get some nice stuff in say CK or D&G. There are times that I do have to get something exclusive so it's a must do. But when it comes to accessories it's totally worth paying the prize. I for example I don't spend that much money on clothing but I do spend it on bags colones and jewelry oh and sandals. The clothes are just there and stand out alot more with a nice designers bag or a nice watch even if I'm in sketchers lol. Oh and it would be nice to hear from you.

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Name : Mar, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Christian, Age : 19, City : Peking, State : NA Country : China, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper class, 

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