[Vail27407]

Speaking as someone with a fairly low income: I wasn’t aware that they do.

User Detail :  

Name : Vail27407, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : mutt, Religion : Atheist, Age : 40, City : Philly, State : PA, Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Big-Wally]

Because they can, since welfare is picking up the tab for the important stuff.

User Detail :  

Name : Big-Wally, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Ft Worth, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jacqui21040]

I guess it makes them feel important…..amongst themselves. Of course, its the dumbest thing to do!! :=)

User Detail :  

Name : Jacqui21040, City : Philadelphia, State : PA, Country : United States, 

[Betty]

Because they’re on so low a rung on the economic ladder, they want to find ways to compensate for that. One such way, probably the easiest and most popular, is to boost their social standing. Probably the most popular and easiest way to look better among their peers is to literally look better; wealthier, more stylish. Part of this explanation for their spending habits is that things like nice clothes instantly gratify their desire to feel like they have wealth. Even though something like saving up for a house benefits them much more in the long run, it’s less appealing because it’s more diffcult.

User Detail :  

Name : Betty, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Asian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Medford, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[J-French21277]

We don’t. Not all of us. But part of it may be that clothes are a really good, fast way to determine someone’s class just by looking at them, especially in today’s label-conscious market. There is a lot of shame in being poor in the US, and if you can possibly hide it, you might. If you can wear designer clothes, you can masquerade, fit in where you might otherwise feel excluded or looked down on. No one knows whether you eat Ramen in the privacy of your own home, but God help us if we invite strangers to look down on us by wearing worn, unfashionable clothes in public.

User Detail :  

Name : J-French21277, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : Houston, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : unemployed, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class, 

[Sara19628]

It may be an attempt to not appear as if they are of lower income status. For example, one woman I know, originally from a lower income status but currently living in a middle class neighborhood due to child support payments, prioritizes her spending much differently from most middle class households. She is all about the ‘bling’, showing off her expensive car, recently installed extravagent pool, multiple televisions, video games for the kids, you get the picture. She equates everything she has purchased with a dollar amount, and is not shy about telling us how much she has paid for her luxury items. I guess she is trying to impress everyone with how much money she has since she grew up without it.

User Detail :  

Name : Sara19628, Gender : F, City : Phoenix, State : AZ, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Ryan D]

In many instances, the poor (especially the young) believe that their appearance is proportional to how well they’re accepted and perceived. If you sport the latest fashions, the gaudiest jewelry, and the most ridiculous vehicles, then you’re obviously a person with some power and popularity. So, as a result, they attempt to emulate ‘power’ by skipping the whole ‘attaining power’ bit and going straight to the pay-offs. They get the gear to up their own status within their own class.

User Detail :  

Name : Ryan D, Gender : Male, Race : American Indian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 20, City : Dallas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Steve]

Shopping for things other than necessities seems to be a way to make up for things lacking in a person’s life. Look around next time you are in Wal-Mart, there are so many people walking around aimlessly, just checking things out. Then there’s living beyond one’s means. It’s the American way. Get a credit card, go into debt! You owe it to yourself and the country…. Shop!!

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Name : Steve, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Atheist, Age : 43, City : Tucson, State : AZ, Country : United States, Occupation : Retired Military/student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Ruth]

This is something I never understood, either. My hubby’s ex has nothing, but insists the children have cell phones. Now the bill is $900 and she’s crying because she can’t pay it. What happend to lights and water and groceries? I guess they see themselves in a hole they can never get out of, so why not live it up?

User Detail :  

Name : Ruth, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Presbyterian, Age : 34, City : New Orleans, State : LA, Country : United States, Occupation : Teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jones Ingram]

It’s part of the lower class culture I’ve been there done that when I was lower class. Now I still do it because it is professional to do so.

User Detail :  

Name : Jones Ingram, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 27, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Occupation : Real Estate, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[S. Willis]

Imagine yourself growing up in an urban environment where people become comfortable in an endless cycle of living in lower class conditions. In you’re mind, you feel oppressed. The rich keep getting richer while you’re working overtime weekly just to make ends meet. Your hopes of owning a house, or owning a car that’s not 10 years or older or more like dreams of what you’d do if you were to win the state lottery. Where is your pride? It’s not in yourself because you feel as if you will never make it in this society as an established citizen who can live the American dream. So to pacify your self esteem, something has to give. You need something to feel good about. It’s not going to be that Mercedes CLK, or that two-story house in the suburbs. The only affordable thing to make you feel like you’re not living in shambles is designer clothing. Subconsciously , you can’t drive what ‘they’ drive, you can’t live where ‘they’ live. But if you spend an entire check on an item of clothing, you can dress how ‘they’ dress. Now you don’t feel so bad about yourself.

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Name : S. Willis, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : New Age/Metaphysical, Age : 23, City : New Orleans, State : LA, Country : United States, Occupation : Retail Management, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 

[Justin]

I actually had this discussion with a friend recently while in Monterrey, Mexico. He has lived in Mexico for the majority of the last 20 years and has noticed the trend you describe. He says that the poor in Mexico buy the nicest clothing possible because Mexican society is all about perception. A person dressed in a tailored three-piece suit is perceived to be a man of some status and wealth, and those he interacts with may overlook the fact he lives in a cinder block house with a plastic tarp for a roof. By spending what might seem like an excessive amount of money to purchase fine clothing, a Mexican may find himself ‘socially acceptable’ and employable at a level that would otherwise be impossible.

User Detail :  

Name : Justin, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 23, City : San Antonio, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Rebecca]

There are many reasons we ‘low’ income people spend more than we can afford on clothes. As a mother of two children, I know that they are judged by peers and teachers (yes, really) by their apperance. In a perfect world this wouldn’t be the case, but this world is anything but perfect. I want the best for my children in education and socially, so I am willing to go without so that my children are not singled out or treated any different than children who come from a higher tax bracket. Another reason why the ‘poor’ seem to mispend thier money is relative poverty. When you see others with expensive things, it’s natural to envy that. So it becomes not about the object, but about relieving the constant awareness of poverty that you live with everyday. When you’re on a diet, you are restricting yourself from cake, or potato chips or what ails you. From time to time we all cheat and go for the cheesecake. It’s the same as being poor and buying something expensive. We all need to treat ourselves from time to time. Next time you treat yourself, think about how a poverty-stricken person feels when they buy top of the line sneakers. Sometimes it just feels good.

User Detail :  

Name : Rebecca, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Bahai Faith, Age : 33, City : Schenectady, State : NY, Country : United States, Occupation : housewife/setudent, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower class, 

[Kim26353]

I dont think this is the majority of lower class people. It’s probably just a few people you’ve met. In fact, basically all upper class people purchase clothing simply because it’s expensive. But the reason I can think of is, for one thing, they want to fit in. Others may not know where you live or how much is in your bank account, but they can always look at what you drive and how you dress to pass judgment on you.

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Name : Kim26353, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 19, City : bakersfield, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : varies, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jennifer-R]

I’ve been poor most of my life, so I know what it’s like to want the finer things, i.e expensive clothing. Poor people want to believe they belong to a higher class and the only way they can do that is ‘dress the part’. It helps take them out of the ghetto, at least mentally. However, you should also know that most poor people wear cheap knockoffs or just buy the items second hand.

User Detail :  

Name : Jennifer-R, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 31, City : Canton, State : OH, Country : United States, Occupation : Homemaker, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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