Hey guys! Welcome back to my site. Today’s topic is sort of random but it is something that I have been fighting with internally for a long time. To some, this may sound like a “first-world” problem, but it is something anyone can learn from. What I am referring to is the desire for the excess of luxury goods. I am not talking about why you should not buy them but I am trying to get you to question why you want them.
I have always longed to grab different Louis Vuitton pieces, Gucci, Hermes, Rolex, all of that. Thankfully, I have been lucky enough to get my hands on a few pieces that people would consider luxurious. Firstly, after owning a few luxury goods, I realized that as soon as I bought them, they lost their flame. They became just an addition to the things that took up space in my room. Another thing is that when I went on the road, especially public transit locations, I tended to feel like I would have to keep a look over my shoulder because many people around me would stare at me because I would blatantly stand out by what I was wearing (even though I ACTIVELY try to be as subtle as possible). It is easy to have nice quality things when you are surrounded by others who have the same, but when you are the only one, it can be pretty dangerous – there are crazy people out there.
But before I go on a tangent, back to the main point: why do you desire luxury items? For me, it is because of the quality of the fabrics (silk over polyester, wool over nylon). Others tend to attach luxury items to status and wealth, which is why luxury brands can mark up the price of their clothing and accessories even if their quality is on the same level as H&M or Zara. Being a Marketing student, I have learned that the marketing teams at designer brands don’t have to do much advertising because they know people will die for their clothing simply because it will make them feel superior standing next to someone who couldn’t afford what they had. Now think about that…you are spending thousands of dollars to buy a shirt that has the same fabrics as a shirt at the fraction of the price just because you know people will think you have money. How sad is that? When you are young, I get it. You want to be flashy and show off to your peers. But when I see 40 year-olds doing that, it is a shame.
I am not on a “boycott designer goods” tirade. I am actually trying to encourage you to buy proper, great quality pieces but think about what it does for your life. Don’t buy a sweater that costs a thousand dollars just because it has “Dolce and Gabbana” plastered on it. Buy a sweater because of the fabrics it has and how long it will last you. Here’s a short story on something I experienced a few days ago in Holt Renfrew. I went in the Dolce section to see if they had any nice clothing that I could potentially purchase, but oh was I in shock. I looked at one sweater that looked really nice but I recently have been checking the fabrics of clothes before I even check the price tag. I KID YOU NOT, this sweater was nearly $1,100 and it was made of POLYESTER. I was in shock. How could a person by a sweater for a thousand dollars that is made the same way a shirt across the street at H&M is made and sold for $20? It is preposterous! This is a prime example of how a company is selling you its name, not its product.
Many people are so focused on how society sees them that they lose their common sense. They are living for the viewership of others rather than themselves, and it sucks. I see people walking around with designer clothing from head to toe and they just look like they are hoping you recognize the brands. What I have learned though from talking to different kinds of people and being invited into different circles, the more money you have, the fewer people can tell. The poorer you are, the showier your clothes are. Look at Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. Those guys are just a couple of the wealthiest men in our generation. They wear simple t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, and slacks. But they could buy the entirety of the clothing in your favorite designer store a hundred times. These people value their money and they wouldn’t dare spend their money on things that are trivial and do nothing special – like excessive luxury items. Which are you? The showy one or the one who has what he wants and doesn’t need the whole world to acknowledge his/her wealth?
I’ll say one last thing and you guys can think about this topic and message me your thoughts. On a blizzard night a few days ago, myself and a close friend of mine were stuck on the highway. Both of us were casually talking about cars we like when this person said to me “no matter how exotic your car is, you’ll still be stuck in traffic like everyone else”.
Think about that.
Until next time,
Live Long and Prosperous.
J.M.
P.S. Happy Holidays 🙂
Wealthy Fools 