Chasing Trends vs. Chasing Quality

[35mm]

Below is quote from Jake Spade's website. I thought it was a good example of "quality/authenticity-as-trend".

I'm a bit ambivalent about their notion of "...style because the designs have a reason for being."

Certainly in a historical sense Levi's were once workwear, military chinos were once just that, etc. It seems to me though that a return to the design principles that these garments embodied (call it utilitarism) is really no more than yet another example of an appropriation of a cultural and historically context, which is a trend we see everywhere. Jack Spade et al, are not in the military, Marlon Brando never mined gold, and I can’t even afford Oxxford suits.

I think what makes this notion of authenticity problematic for me is that the garments in question, or those who wore them, were never self-aware of their authenticity. They possessed a sort of innocence. And perhaps this innocence is at the heart of the quest for authenticity, quality, etc. It’s interesting, because in a certain sense, this all smacks of Modernism in art (not to be overly broad). At any rate, the idea of getting at essences. Why is this important, esp. for clothes? I dunno? I suppose people are always in search for stability, meaning, truth, etc. Why not with clothes?

At any rate, below is the quote. I hope the above waxing made sense enough.

"There are certain products that men everywhere turn to for reliability and inherent style. Military issue chino pants, Timex watches, Lacoste shirts, Levi's, oxford cloth shirts—all represent the proverbial "real McCoy." Most were originally created to serve a purpose—Chinos for the military, Levis for the workman, Lacoste shirts for the sportsman. Mass marketers have taken the concept of these items and produced lesser products for the sake of fashion. Remember when the only great chino pant you could buy was made of heavy canvas and sold exclusively in Army/Navy stores? Unfortunately, few of these originals still exist.

We've always appreciated companies like J. Press, Brooks Brothers, Levi's, Barbour and even Oxxford Clothing for being great companies that make useful items for men. The products these companies manufacture have style because the designs have a reason for being. With these products as inspiration, we created JACK SPADE. We want to return to this approach, once again offering men items that represent both honest, thoughtful design and practical purpose."

[Ahlvahroe]

im bumping this, cause i just got some margiela t-shirts to sort of test the waters. i had heard mostly positive things so i thought why not. i received them the other day and i just was not that im pressed with the more expensive of the 2 shirts. i had never paid over 100 for a t shirt before and i did with this one and it just did not do it for me, i am gonna keep it cause im diggin the design, but i was expecting a softer thicker cotton, and it just wasnt up to my standards. im not gonna lie i was gonna try this trend and didnt feel the price point was worth the quality.

[superhero]

I think that any t-shirt over $100 is hard to justify.

I've seen a $300 hugo boss tee shirt before.. it's damn nice material no doubt... but the next best quality tee shirt i've seen was $80.... now is the difference really $240?

[BeauIXI]

It's funny though, how if something is made to last, you'll be more inclined to keep it for longer, instead of jumping around from trend to trend..

You might say trendiness and quality are often mutually exclusive.

Denim trends, say, having many many different pairs of jeans and looks, you know, that are all cheaper, as to fit in with trends, as opposed too having the same pair for an entire lifetime. It's kind of odd, isn't it? I mean, it's less a trendy fashion thing, and more a lifestyle thing..

This is a really old thread.

[constant struggle]

this thread is a great read...

today before i went out into the snow i slipped on a pair of old jeans to put under my snowpants, they weren't THAT Cheap either (low 100s), and they were just totally not doing it for me, you could feel how shitty the denim was compared to my apc jeans that i virutally paid the same price for, they also looked really worn out, and if i had worn them hundreds of times like i have my apc jeans i am sure by now they would have holes in them all over.....

prior to ever reading superfuture i didnt know the existance/importance of quality in my garments...

I may be paying slightly more now for my clothes, but i feel its really worth it...

i do think though there is a point where you can no longer justify the price per quality...

esp the $100 t shirt area... i'd rather have 10 $10 t shirts, cause im sure it will last longer....... i feel items more like jackets, footwear, jeans, suits, button down shirts are more the items i dont want ALOT of, but i want high quality out of them.

simple things that i am going to have alot of such as tee shirts, socks, boxers, i dont want quality of out them, its not worth it because i need alot of these....

but the pieces you use often i feel should be of high quality so you can continue to wear them often without worrying about them falling apart...

[magus1234]

If it feels slightly durrable then Im set. I only care about looks. I don't roll around fighting people in my clothes, so I can make anything last.

[BeauIXI]

If you spend $365.00 on jeans you wear for two years, that's a $0.50 a day. If you spend $200.00 on R&Rs you wear for six months, that's $1.08 per day.. That's how I think of it.

[superhero]

Beau, thats how I think of it too.

I've skimped on things and wore it like for a very short time coz i ended up not liking it which ended up cositng me like $10 a wear!

However when I buoght something of great quality that I really liked

1) It lasts longer and I can get more wear out of it

2) I appreciate it more and makes me want to wear it more!

3) I didn't keep looking for a superior "upgrade" for that particular piece.

[chingon]

as an anecdote about quality.

I ride my bike in my levi's STF, they are worn hard but all seams are intact and the crotch (amazingly) is stil in great condition. about 3 months of hard wear

I never ride my bike in my LVC's. About 3 mos of average wear, which is pretty much just walking. I have had to spend so much time repairing them, the crotch, the back pocket, etc.

Granted they are different wieght denims, and the LVC's denim look 100x nicer, but I reall question my motive of buying based on quality after owning these jeans.

just a thought.

[e0d9n0b5]

this thread is a great read...

today before i went out into the snow i slipped on a pair of old jeans to put under my snowpants, they weren't THAT Cheap either (low 100s), and they were just totally not doing it for me, you could feel how shitty the denim was compared to my apc jeans that i virutally paid the same price for, they also looked really worn out, and if i had worn them hundreds of times like i have my apc jeans i am sure by now they would have holes in them all over.....

prior to ever reading superfuture i didnt know the existance/importance of quality in my garments...

I may be paying slightly more now for my clothes, but i feel its really worth it...

i do think though there is a point where you can no longer justify the price per quality...

esp the $100 t shirt area... i'd rather have 10 $10 t shirts, cause im sure it will last longer....... i feel items more like jackets, footwear, jeans, suits, button down shirts are more the items i dont want ALOT of, but i want high quality out of them.

simple things that i am going to have alot of such as tee shirts, socks, boxers, i dont want quality of out them, its not worth it because i need alot of these....

but the pieces you use often i feel should be of high quality so you can continue to wear them often without worrying about them falling apart...

I disagree on this, nice socks and underwear are great.

[superhero]

but they only have a limited life regardless of how good it is!

[5-4=Unity]

For me there's a balance to be had. I don't have an unlimited amount of cash to blow on clothing, so their has to be some notion of durability and lasting qualities in the pieces I buy. At the same time if I dressed without even the vaguest hint of trendy things I'd feel rather drab and think my style would be fairly one-dimensional.