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Americans are spending less on clothing

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Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#51

Post by mrarjen »

klipt wrote: post #48
mrarjen wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

True, but quality wise it's far lower in the Netherlands than it is in the US from my experience. Plus now a days it seems most people buy from the Primark, as it's ridiculously cheap...

English does have phrases that tend to stereotype Dutch people as frugal (or sometimes even stingy) E.g. "Dutch treat": taking someone out for a meal but only paying for yourself, not also for the person you invited.

"Going Dutch" also similar. But that's due to some dates would be offended if the man pays for the meals. But this is kind of drifting off topic :)

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#53

Post by dalbasal »

dandare wrote: post #8

European here: when visiting my company HQ I was surprised how casual Americans dress for work. I am not saying devs should wear suit and tie, nothing like that, but even my bosses boss* was wearing what looked like a rumpled sweater with worn out jeans. And I don't mean like fashion statement rumpled and worn out, more like the "great depression" crumpled and worn out. Jules and Vincent in their new t-shirts would f…

That could be a factor. Casual office clothes (closely related to post 90s tech culture) probably halves apparel costs for a lot of people. In a suit and tie company, the average person probably buys 2 suits and a half dozen shirts/ties pa, in addition to their casual clothes.

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#54

Post by jimmies »

>Apparel is being displaced by travel, eating out and activities—what’s routinely lumped together as “experiences”—which have grown to 18 percent of purchases. [..] That now tops all clothing and footwear expenditures.

I have a completely blunt theory on that. People learn that pictures of them smiling in their bathing suit in the Maldives or with that exotic plate of food attract more 'likes' than the pictures of them with that new handbag or handmade watch in their office. So they spend more time eating and traveling and posting pictures, instead of buying that bag. It's what sells. It is no surprise to me that """experiences""" sell likes better than things on Facebook.

If that was true, what determines what people spend money on depends what the dominant social network/ source of news is. Past: magazines at checkout lines: expensive bags and clothing. Now: Facebook: travels and food. Future: who knows what will be the dominant one. But here are my guesses. Pinterest: Hobby Lobby. TMZ: back to expensive clothing. /r/fi: mutual funds. Slashdot: Thinkpads. Hacker News: Tesla cars and Juicero machines. (Let's be honest here, I want a Tesla car and a Juicero machine, so if you have a job that allows me to afford those, feel free to connect, ty).

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#55

Post by eesmith »

dandare wrote: post #8

European here: when visiting my company HQ I was surprised how casual Americans dress for work. I am not saying devs should wear suit and tie, nothing like that, but even my bosses boss* was wearing what looked like a rumpled sweater with worn out jeans. And I don't mean like fashion statement rumpled and worn out, more like the "great depression" crumpled and worn out. Jules and Vincent in their new t-shirts would f…

Not quite 20 years ago I did my first consulting work in Europe. I was concerned as I did not have business clothes. I had only worked for and consulted for companies in the western part of the US. I knew that European dress standards were higher than the US, and even that East Coast standards were higher. When I visited my sister's then-Big-Five company she had me change my socks as I apparently wasn't dressed up enough.

So I went out and bought some new clothes. Not business shirt/jacket/slacks/etc. but still a button down shirt instead of T-shirt or polo shirt.

Now, this was Sweden, which I visited for a couple of years for this consulting project. Towards the end of the years, I talked to one of my co-workers about me having to buy new clothes. He was quizzical. "But in Sweden we dress down compared to other countries."

My reply - "Exactly. And I had to dress a step higher than I usually do."

As you can tell, I'm not an East Coast person. I visited NYC once in fall, and was surprised that I was the only one wearing a white T-shirt. The same sister commented that it was after Labor Day, and in that part of the country they don't really wear white once summer ends.

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#56

Post by icantdrive55 »

sjg007 wrote: post #41
johnpowell wrote: post #7

Maybe I just live in a weird place. But I see a lot less branding when I walk around town compared to 20 years ago. My sister has 17 year old twin girls and they pretty much refuse to wear anything that makes them a "walking billboard". I live close to the university of Oregon and when I was in high school it was all Nike clothes all over campus. Now I still see some but not nearly as much. It is like "Likes" instead…

I bet they wear Lulu lemon.. that’s the trend now.

Looking sexy, being comfortable is the trend. "It's not like a mini skirt, it's workout clothing!"

I sometimes think we overlook we are just mammals who like/need to "peacock"? After all you are just showing off good genes, or what society, at this point moment in time, considers good genes? Strike "genes". It's just breeding. It's nothing to do with good healthy genes.

In all honesty, those pants look comfortable. I would literally be arrested for something if I started wearing them.

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#57

Post by jon-wood »

jimmies wrote: post #54

>Apparel is being displaced by travel, eating out and activities—what’s routinely lumped together as “experiences”—which have grown to 18 percent of purchases. [..] That now tops all clothing and footwear expenditures. I have a completely blunt theory on that. People learn that pictures of them smiling in their bathing suit in the Maldives or with that exotic plate of food attract more 'likes' than the pictures of th…

I think you've got cause and effect the wrong way round. People who enjoy hobbies are going to be drawn to Pintrest, people into finance read /r/fi, and people who are into tech read Hacker News.

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#58

Post by bballer »

With the exception of shoes and jackets I buy all my clothes at Goodwill. It's awesome! Every couple of months I spend around $20 dollars and I always have nice new tee shirts, button ups, pants etc. You wont believe how many nice clothes people simply give away.

Plus it makes me feel great knowing I'm contributing to reuse and giving money to a company that helps employee less fortunate people.

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#59

Post by jimmies »

jon-wood wrote: post #57
jimmies wrote: post #54

>Apparel is being displaced by travel, eating out and activities—what’s routinely lumped together as “experiences”—which have grown to 18 percent of purchases. [..] That now tops all clothing and footwear expenditures. I have a completely blunt theory on that. People learn that pictures of them smiling in their bathing suit in the Maldives or with that exotic plate of food attract more 'likes' than the pictures of th…

I think you've got cause and effect the wrong way round. People who enjoy hobbies are going to be drawn to Pintrest, people into finance read /r/fi, and people who are into tech read Hacker News.

It was a lame and absurd joke,... but what I meant is that the dominant one that people without any particular interest flock in. Now, it's Facebook. In the past, it was the taboo magazines in Walmart checkout lines and at gas stations, so that's why it used to be clothing. If Facebook didn't make it, I think we wouldn't have seen the shift mentioned.

The average person thinks what's popular is what makes them likable, not that he/she has found a more meaningful life in travels and """experiences""". Btw, I'm from Vietnam, the news there is changing rapidly but still have an emphasis on celebrities, so I notice that Viet immigrants in the US care about how you look & dress more than American people. Every comment on how I dress was from my Viet friends and our girls wear a lot of LV bags :)

Re: Americans are spending less on clothing

#60

Post by danmaz74 »

MandieD wrote: post #35
megaman22 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's all in what you buy, though. I have clothes from Walmart I've been wearing daily for nearly a decade - they're Carhart and Dickies jeans and sweatshirts however. That's better runs than I've gotten out of higher-end pants that cost 5x more. But I'll admit, I've no idea how women's clothing compares; men's clothing is blessedly simple and robust and fashions change at glacial paces.

Women's clothing is generally terrible - fragile, thin fabrics that snag way too easily and pill up after a few machine washings. Oh, and random shiny things and frills sewn on. On top of that, we get to pay extra for the privilege. I want simple, unornamented women's size and proportioned tops and trousers made out of the fabrics men's clothes are.

My impression, as a husband and father who admittedly doesn't shop very often, was that lots of women's clothes on sale - obviously not high-end ones - are all the things you said, but relatively inexpensive and supposed to not be used a lot of time, with the idea that you buy many and change them often.
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