Is This Forum on a Downward Spiral?

[PaulAnderson]

Well again, I’m sorry if you feel attacked by this thread, but it wasn’t aimed at you. I actually had more of an issue with the guy wanting two tops and was told to spend more money on one from AllSaints. That wasn’t you was it? :P

Seriously though. Apologies if I made assumptions about what you’d buy. I actually have a great deal of respect for you and your opinion on this forum. Like you said, you offer varied advice and have a great grasp of style (as well as being lucky enough to get some stunning bargains).

I don’t mean to come across so aggressively in posts, but I do like a good debate (even heated debates). I’ll be the first to apologise if I get things wrong though.

[PaulAnderson]

If I had £500 right now to spend on clothes (and it wasn't supposed to be for food or bills), I'd buy the cardigan.

Or a tweed jacket.

But not a holiday.

I agree. I'd rather spend money on something I'll get good use out of. Holidays come and go far too quickly. You end up ££££'s down and right back where you started.

[Jay]

I'm not offended honestly. And I'm confident that if anyone looked back through my posts at my recommendations they'd see that I pretty much do suggest things within the stated budget (if they posted one) wherever possible; occasionally it isn't so I try and get close. I think I suggested a £230 tweed blazer for a £200 budget which isn't way over the top (the only others I could find were Topman and I'm not a fan of their tweed range).

I think I recommended something from Debenhams in the knitwear thread (it was a little over budget, but then the budget was very tight for knitwear, so it was a hard one - I did put the correct price range into Shopstyle and hunt through, but found nothing I'd want to recommend).

[Sam]

I’m starting to find a few posts on here a bit pretentious, and I feel it is causing the forum to drift from its roots. The think I liked about FashionBeans was that it wasn’t filled with over priced designer clothing. A lot of the items feature a broad range of items from high end to TopMan, but with a real focus on realistic ways to achieve a more fashionable or stylish look.

I’ve seen a number of posts now with people asking for advice on what to buy with x amount of money, only to be told to make purchases that are clearly ridiculous for the poster.

If I want advice on what two items to buy with £100, I don’t want to be told to just buy one item, or to find more money to buy something more expensive. Honestly, how realistic is it that if somebody generally spends around £50 max on an item, that they’ll all of a sudden be willing to double that at the drop of a hat.

I think I remember this happening a couple of times. I think one of those times somebody who was putting together a new wardrobe was asking for a navy blazer for up to £30 and two bits of knitwear?
Nobody shot him down in a blaze of high brow pretension. The honest advice I think was given was to reconsider budgeting; a blazer for that price would be nigh on impossible to find, and one good bit of knitwear for a little less than the price of two poorer ones would be very versatile and free up some money for the blazer. It wasn't thrust upon the poor guy, people were honestly trying to help him send his money further.
I'm not sure I agree with the general thrust of your post - you seem to be shooting down overly idealised advice (although mixing that up with idle, honest fantasising) so can you post a link or two to an example of the sort of thing you think is out of line?

Edit: just dug up that thick knit cardigan thread you mentioned and had a read. It was unfortunate that rather that recommending products based on the stipulated price ranges we ran with Pin Money's (good) idea, but I'm sure we would have had the guy come back and said "no thanks, I really would rather get the two cheaper ones". Like I said before it's not pretension, we simply genuinely thought the money would be better spent on a single piece and suggested so to the thread starter. I don't see anybody doing anything but honestly trying to help out?

[WinterShorts]

I agree with Paul. One's clothing is really never an investment because one's clothing will never appreciate or gain value. Clothing is important to how one presents themselves and in that sense your cloths have value, but not much market value after purchase. When fashion websites, magazines, or shops talk about clothing being an "investment" it is truly rhetorical. I think people, or people who like clothing, like the idea of clothing as an investment because it makes it easier to rationalize a big purchase. However, there are two ways to not overspend on clothing. One is to buy as many items as one would like, but at a lower cost on each item and the other is to buy more expensive items, but fewer items. If one is on a budget, those choices are up to the purchaser. Obviously most try to do a bit of both, as do I. Some items seem like the quality justifies the price tag and other items seem like they are as good or better from sale rack of Topmans, but GQ magazine and to greater extent than ever, this website, and others make it seem like one should always be spending more money on every individual item. I suppose the straw man arguments made, or more simply put, advertisements, convince a large amount of readers, who then seem to internalize a value for spending more on their clothing.

I personally am a clothing socialist. I believe that all clothing should be free and paid for collectively, so anyone can express themselves artistically. Those who do not except this new equalization of fashion inequality will be sent to decades of labor, forced to sew the clothing we all wear, while wearing only stripy, over sized, prison uniforms.

[billyreedwah]

Just going to put my input in here. The thing is with looking for items within a budget on the internet is that you generally only have high street or designer stores to choose from, the shops that can afford to have an online store. Whether this is because they sell masses of lower priced items (Topman, River Island etc.) or a few expensive items (Paul Smith, Ted Baker, Armani etc.). Therefore, this generally excludes charity shops and vintage shops, where you get the bargains, with exception of the few online ones and eBay but then the price usually is usually raised due to only picking the designer stuff and having to sort and photograph the items.

My point is is that if you want, lets say, a decent navy blazer for £30 you're going to have to look EVERYWHERE; charity shops, vintage shops, eBay, vintage fairs.

Basically, you can't find everything online or brand new.

[merc05]

I agree that we should try and stick to people's budgets on here. If they can only afford to spend £50 on a particular item of clothing, we should aim to find them the best item within that budget, unless they are asking for a certain item or material that means they would need to increase their budget.

I personally have always spent a greater percentage of my monthly earnings on clothes than other people possibly do, but only on certain items that I consider a long-term investment, things like classic outerwear or footwear. I am of the opinion that it's better to spend money on possessions that you intend to retain for a considerable time than on things like alcohol, because if you spend loads on booze all you'll be left with is a hangover the next day, whereas if you save that money and buy nice clothing, you'll have those clothes for many years to come.

Anyway, I've found the members on here nothing but helpful and friendly. The main site is also fantastic, I can't think of another fashion site that I find so useful.

[rubyblue]

Even though we all have different budgets, I think all the advice given has been great. I didn't see any comment that seemed arrogant or pretentious. Nobody is saying that you can only be stylish by purchasing disigner items. We all have fairly different approaches when dressing and shopping, and it's that diversity what I find makes the forum great.

Some members have a classical taste, for example, and others are more on the experimental side. That doesn't mean we can't give advice to each other. If I could afford it (and pull it off) I'd probably wear the Jil Sander colour-block look that's in my profile picture. But by no means i would suggest it (or say he should shop in that price range) to a begginer looking for advice to update a casual, laid-back look.

I love designer pieces and runway shows, but I don't advise anybody who is here for help to buy a £2000 Balenciaga jacket. Jay said he would use the money to buy the cardigan, that's it. We should also respect those who prefer to spend a higher ammount on clothing.

[Pin Money]

Well again, I’m sorry if you feel attacked by this thread, but it wasn’t aimed at you. I actually had more of an issue with the guy wanting two tops and was told to spend more money on one from AllSaints. That wasn’t you was it? :P

Sorry to bump this train-wreck but that was me that said that, and I feel the need to validate my position.

At the end of the day, a £50 chunky knit in a decent style is going to be made of polyester or similar, meaning it looks less good and won't last. If you bought one item for £100, you could get something truly fantastic that will last year after year and be a staple piece. I am confident that anyone would be happier with the latter, hence my advice. And it is just that; advice! No-one is obliged to take it!

[Olly]

At the end of the day, a £50 chunky knit in a decent style is going to be made of polyester or similar, meaning it looks less good and won't last. If you bought one item for £100, you could get something truly fantastic that will last year after year and be a staple piece. I am confident that anyone would be happier with the latter, hence my advice. And it is just that; advice! No-one is obliged to take it!

I agree with Pin Money. You generally get what you pay for.