Unpopular Opinion
Designer Fashion Isn’t a “Waste of Money”
If it makes you happy, it’s worth every penny
I own a pair of Chanel shoes. It’s funny; I’ve never really been a shoe person. Before December I only had two pairs of boots, one pair of work shoes and one pair of trainers.
Then I saw them. On the feet of a celebrity of course. I knew they were the shoes of my dreams, even though I’d never dreamed of shoes before.
Of course, the first thing I did was check to see if there were cheap knock-offs available. There were plenty. I suppose two-tone slingbacks are not really a revolutionary or trademarked concept.
But I couldn’t commit to clicking ‘buy’ on any of them because something in the back of my mind kept saying
“Wouldn’t it be cool to own something nice?”
Not just something that looks nice, but something that is nice — well-made with quality materials and yes, just a little bit fancy. The discreet little Chanel logo on the heel just kills me.
Reader, I bought the shoes
They were a Christmas present to myself. They cost more than a month’s rent, but less than a month’s salary. I was still saving, but I saw that used pairs on Vestaire were now going for a couple of hundred pounds over the asking price, but they were still available in store for the retail price.
Using girl maths, that means I saved £200!
Most critics are jealous
Now, I’m happy to tell you this, and my friends, but there are some people I wouldn’t tell. Not just because it’s none of their business how I spend my money, but because I know what some of them would say.
“You’re only buying them for the label”
“It’s a waste of money!”
That’s a bullshit narrative and I’m here to deconstruct it.
Firstly, I could afford the purchase. I’m decently paid and I don’t have kids, so I have a good amount of disposable income. And yes, I’m still saving each month and putting money into my pension.
If you’re buying shoes instead of paying the gas bill, the shoes are probably a waste of money. But who is really doing that?
That’s what makes me think that nine times out of ten, this concern about “wasting money” comes from a place of petty jealousy.
Because unless it’s going to cause harm to them or others, why else do you care how another adult chooses to spend their money?
Maybe you’re not jealous of the item they bought, but the fact they have enough money to “waste”.
Maybe you have the money too, but your financial mindset stops you from making extravagant purchases, even though you want to, and you envy people who don’t feel similarly constrained.
That’s fine, by the way, everyone has different priorities, and that’s fine. I’m not telling anyone how to spend their cash.
Rich people’s sofas are SO comfortable.
Secondly, you’re not just paying for the label. You’re paying for quality. And you’re paying for an experience.
This is a minor point, and I wouldn’t advise people to spend a lot of money just for better treatment by retail staff.
But holy shit, the sofa in the Chanel store was comfortable. It was like sitting on a cloud and getting a back massage all at once.
The staff couldn’t be more helpful if they tried. And when they present you with your purchase, it’s in an ornate gift box, tied with a bow and adorned with a jewel.
Then they put the box in a beautiful gift bag and tie that up with a ribbon too. I felt legitimately bad undoing all of their hard work when I got home. I haven’t thrown any of the packaging out, because it’s all too nice
And they gave me two little dust jackets, one for each shoe, to store them in.
Maybe that money could have been better spent
It would certainly have been a more virtuous decision to give that money to charity for example.
But you could say that about every non-essential item you buy, even if it’s a £1 chocolate bar you decided to treat yourself to — you could have put that pound in a Salvation Army charity tin. Wouldn’t that have been a better use of your spare change?
The thing is, everyone is going to have a different opinion on what’s a “good” use of money. That’s why you can’t make decisions based on other people’s opinions. You’d never get a consensus.
The point of life is to be happy
That’s one of the few things a lot of people agree on. No one knows why we’re here on this giant floating rock, so all we can do is make the best of it.
So, if it makes you happy, it’s not a waste of money. It was worth every penny.
The shoes, if you were curious
