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YouLookFab Forum » Topic: * https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:33:03 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php RandomThoughts (Andrea) on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361095 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 01:04:20 +0000 RandomThoughts (Andrea) 361095@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven't read all the replies yet so please forgive me if I'm just repeating someone else, etc... Is it _easier_ to look stylish and put together if you have money than if you don't? I say ABSOLUTELY! As QM said, all other things being equal if I have money to spend I can much more easily find and purchase the items I want in my size. It requires much more effort (and yes it is effort whether you love it or not) to look great and buy well fitting, quality, killer pieces on a budget. You can also tailor things much more readily when you have more disposable income. I feel that "effort" is the time and brain power you put into looking good regardless of how you feel about it or how much cash you spend. I love to cook. Does that mean that the fab Thanksgiving day meal I put together was easy or less work? No! It just means it was a labor of love. There are those who love thrifting and bargain hunting. It still takes effort. For those who do not love it, it is a major chore and one they will probably not excel in. Should people put effort in to their appearance based on factors beyond their own desire? No, I do not believe so but let me qualify this. "Desire" will cover not only my own concern with my appearance but also my concern with the message I send. While I might not personally care how I look maybe I DO care about showing my feelings for a given setting or occasion. That's still a desire. If I acknowledge that how I dress will send other people messages especially in professional or special occasion settings and decide that I don't care, well, that's my choice too. I'm willing to be judged negatively. If you choose not to "dress" for, say, the law office that's fine and dandy. Be prepared for possible fall out, probably dictated largely by social norms. Scarlet on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361063 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 23:12:01 +0000 Scarlet 361063@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a really good thread. To address your original point, I don't know this kind of community first hand, but I strongly suspect that the issue is a large dose of reverse-snobbery with a small dose of financial practicality. (Reminds me of academic science...) It is much easier to look good with money for two reasons that I can think of. A big part of what makes clothing look good, regardless of trends, is drape and cut. This is something money can buy, and it much more challenging to find on the cheap. You can skirt the issue by choosing certain styles where construction is less important. Two is, money saves time. Don't wait for a sale, don't shop around, don't haunt second hand stores, just buy what you need and be done. Also the sales people are much more patient and helpful in higher-end stores, like someone mentioned above. Having said that, of course plenty of wealthy people have no style, buy the wrong size, wrong things for their body etc. If you never dress up for an occasion...this one has me stumped. It is something that I learned growing up that dressing up for some things in life is important to show respect. I wonder how many communities there are where this concept is completely dead. Freckles on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361026 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:50:32 +0000 Freckles 361026@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ On a relative basis I do believe it is easier to dress well with money than without. A more expensive item tends to keep its shape rather than stretch and bag. Of course you can find inexpensive ones that do this but often you do not know until you have washed it a half dozen times. I also find that the salespeople at the higher end stores tend to take more time with you and can suggest something you may not have thought of. Of course it takes time and effort to find a store that you like and the perfect consultant but I’m sorry to say that the higher end stores tend to help you more in this way than the lower end. I also think its extremely difficult and time consuming to get it right no matter what your dress code is. If your style is different than your demographic just add more time and effort to that. I’ll use my son as an example yet again. He’s 19, just finished his second year of university and wears anything from a suit with all the trimmings to a hoodie, runners, t-shirt/polo and jeans. The relaxed look is his day to day, work has a uniform and almost all sports have a uniform. Let me tell you that is much more time consuming and difficult to pull off the relaxed look and probably more expensive to do but not on a cost per wear basis. The hoodie for example has to be a particular brand. Why this brand do you ask... It has the right weight, no fleece as he is always warm, washes like a dream, does not stretch out or shrink and lasts forever, but the brand name on it has to be very small embroidered in preferably the same colour. They have not made these in the last three or so years! It also is preferably brown with a grey liner in the hood. Navy is okay if you can’t find anything else but that is all. If it has the logo in big letters or in white forget it. The polo is more flexible. It pretty much has to be a different brand due to the right weight and that he’s a warm person, collared since it’s a polo, white with black stripes and the logo practically indiscernible. The one we got last year is white with navy stripes but the logo is more obvious and not at all acceptable. He lives with it though as it’s as close as he can get. Had to get another one the same but navy and white striped... On the other hand the t-shirts should be bamboo or cacao shells or something like that to be environmentally conscious and also as they are lightweight and not warm. If it is just a regular t then it can be red, bright green, etc. On the other hand if it is a “soccer” shirt it has so many different rules. If it’s supporting Ireland it has to be the bright green but the country and symbols small and just so. If the country is Italy it has to be white with lots of big bold graphics. Of course for another sport there are just as many particulars but different ones. The t-shirts usually cost more than the fancy dress shirt from a good store. Now I think it looked like he hadn’t made any effort when he went to a grad bbq in this relaxed get up but nothing could be more wrong. He made effort to pull off the relaxed look and the dressed to the nines suit look but the relaxed look took a lot more time and effort. When we went to a family function two years ago he wore his suit but threw his jeans, etc in the back for later on that evening. It turned out the function was way more relaxed than we thought. Did he change into his t and jeans? Nope, didn’t mind at all being the best dressed most drooled over guy there. You never know who you’re going to meet where now do you... nicoleb on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361021 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:33:22 +0000 nicoleb 361021@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's one reason i love YLF so much. It's SO nice to post my oufits here and come back and read such nice responses after a full day of being frowned at in my small town lol. catgirl on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361018 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:28:11 +0000 catgirl 361018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Haha Nicole - I was waiting for you to chime in! Yes, this was Talkeetna (and I love Talkeetna). You are so right about the reverse standard. nicoleb on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-361015 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:26:00 +0000 nicoleb 361015@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ok I didn't read everyones responses but i loved reading your post Una, having been born and raised in AK i get exactly where you're coming from. The attitude there -- even more so when you get out of Anchorage (I spent a lot of time growing up in Talkeetna as well, my dad and step mom lived there) is so reversed when it come to style it's crazy. People wearing camo gear and stained shirts make fun of you. o.O I'd like to think i'm a good example that it is possible to dress well on a small budget. I think rural Alaskans just don't hold it as a priority. And even look down upon others who do. :-/ catgirl on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360889 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:54:33 +0000 catgirl 360889@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Rae, fascinating point! It is so much fun to read what everyone here has to say! You all are the BEST at taking on a topic and bringing out the finer points... In pondering more, I think the whole "community' analysis is spot-on, as Girl, X, Mo, wilson and others have said. This is a group of people who have chosen to replace certain social conventions with other social conventions. People are valued for what they contribute or create - one woman paints gorgeous silk scarves and jewelry, another weaves beautiful rugs with clothes she thrifts and wears, then dyes and rips into rags. The most fashion-conscious, unsurprisingly, are the teens - I have driven them into Anchorage more than once after demands to go to Hot Topic, Value Village and the like. From being on YLF, I also have come to believe that style, like music or art, does have a certain innate element of native talent - not enough in itself, perhaps, but definitely a head start. There are some people here whom I would call "style naturals", who started out miles ahead of where I am now, after nearly a year. You can develop it or not, and you can learn it mechanically rather than by instinct, but either way the drive has to be there. The people in my photo have for the most part turned that talent to other more lucrative pursuits to survive, or ignore it. Money is a factor, but not the only one at play. And because they bring those skills to community events, the significance was not diminished. The cake was a work of art! But as Mary said, everyone was dressed for the context and the collective sensibility. As someone else mentioned their friend does, my friend whose son graduated leaves all her really nice clothes here at my house, to wear when she comes to town or out of state to see her family. And when they need an event-worthy dress, they just come raid my closet! rae on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360886 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:51:54 +0000 rae 360886@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ mrseccentric, good point - those who are "climbing" or who are "new money" undoubtedly feel more pressure than someone who is an established figure. A lot may even be in the person's own mind if they feel they have to keep up appearances. mrseccentric on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360878 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:36:21 +0000 mrseccentric 360878@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ hi rae! "For example, if you're a socialite or heiress with next-to unlimited funds, would you be unable to shop at Old Navy or Payless because your family or your circle would expect you to only shop at very high-end stores? " not in my experience - you get kudos for 'being frugal' and 'knowing the value of a dollar' if you throw a few of these ones in. wearing all 'cheapies' might cause some raised eyebrows, but if you're THAT rich people will be too busy fawning over you to say much, generally. sorry for the cynical answer, but that's what i've seen. if you're trying to CLIMB the social ladder, i think you'd be better off going with the crowd and wearing more $$$ clothing. steph rae on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360866 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:26:48 +0000 rae 360866@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love reading all these replies! Another thought just occurred to me: when you are person who HAS a lot of money, are your options truly widened that much? Or are there going to be social factors that restrict you to the *other* side of the price range? For example, if you're a socialite or heiress with next-to unlimited funds, would you be unable to shop at Old Navy or Payless because your family or your circle would expect you to only shop at very high-end stores? mrseccentric on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360865 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:26:45 +0000 mrseccentric 360865@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ definitely more $$$ makes it easier to dress stylishly. you can afford retail, tailoring is an affordable option - when you have a LOT of money, personal shoppers, stylists, custom made clothing, and assistants come into play. it's possible to have other people buy your entire wardrobe and present you with a binder documenting complete outfits (down to hair, makeup and undergarments) for every possible occasion. these professionals will also update your closet every season, shop for spur of the moment getaway trips, and so on. does this mean that person has true 'individual style'? i don't know, but i'd be inclined to say no. and i've seen people oozing style who are dead broke. some people have educated themselves about style and aesthetics, and there are a few folks who just 'have the knack' from basically birth! so style does not equal money in my experience, but money makes style easier. and there's the question of 'who decides what's stylish?' there are people that i think look just terrible (it's awful of me, but it happens), but they and their peers think they are the bee's knees. as so many in this thread have pointed out, it's the 'group thing'. i do think that dressing for an event makes it more special, and most people & groups i've been around think the same thing. this does seem to be less the case in very rural communities, though. very interesting thread!!! steph MsMary on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360851 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:15:28 +0000 MsMary 360851@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Such an interesting topic! As for your questions: Is it easier to look good with money? I am firmly on Team MPJ: Of course it is! No question it's easier to look good if you have a wider range of options, and also if you can more easily absorb wardrobe mistakes. Should people make the effort for any reason other than their own desire? Team Maya: One should at least make the effort to find out what is appropriate and respectful for a given situation and be REASONABLY appropriate and respectful. (And that is entirely context-driven. If I were invited to Una's friend's graduation party, it would be appropriate and respectful to dress casually rather than in an LBD, pearls, and heels.) Does it take an equal amount of effort to put together a sloppy outfit as a nice one? I don't think so. I spend a TON of time putting together my outfits and I think they are nicer than if I just picked up a pair of dirty jeans and a sweatshirt off the closet floor. And if you never dress up for anything, is the significance of the event diminished? I'm not 100% sure I agree with this as stated. But I might agree with the opposite statement: "Dressing up for an event tends to enhance its significance." And as for the group in the photo, I'm not sure I agree that they don't care about their appearance or their clothes. Cobalt skinnies are definitely a statement! I'd say this group is saying "We are rugged individualists and we don't buy in to popular fashion, so we like to wear our colorful gear at all times." Which is not at all the same thing as "We don't care how we look." Lisa on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360842 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:07:52 +0000 Lisa 360842@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a very interesting and thought provoking topic. I think knowledge is what let's a person dress "well" and "put together." Too often I've seen women dressed in very expensive clothing and not look "good" to my eye. For example, last time I was in a Gucci store, there was a women in head to toe Gucci clothing with labels. Logo baseball cap, logo shoes, logo bag, logo on the t-shirt, it was logo overload. Perhaps her outfit cost far more than mine, but the logo's everywhere was too much for my taste. As far as time goes, I think it takes a lot of time to look good, regardless of how you are shopping. You can spend just as much time and effort hunting down the proper item in a thrift store as you can in the mall. More selection doesn't always mean you will find an item you like, and fits, and is flattering, etc. I know I've come home plenty of times empty handed from both malls and Goodwill stores. anne on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360826 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:41:59 +0000 anne 360826@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Very interesting thread. I didn't really find the photo as "bad" as I expected from the text. I know plenty of people who dress like that, including "professionals". And it seemed a very casual (and a bit dusty) affair. I second most of what has been said above on the lines of money not guaranteeing style - but it does made it easier to achieve. And if you are on a subsitence income, I think it would be very hard indeed. To extend QM's point - what if that $100 had to cover your clothes for the entire year? Mamapicklejuice on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question/page/2#post-360818 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:30:10 +0000 Mamapicklejuice 360818@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think somewhere along the line, the question, "is it easier to look good with money" was twisted into "does money = style" - which is far from the original question. As far as thrifting, not everybody thrifts because they can't afford retail price. Many do it to find unique pieces that express their style, some don't feel like retail is worth the price, etc. It does take time, though...but I think that's part of the thrill of the hunt. However, if you compare someone with money (who shops conventionally at retail stores or online - not thrift shops) vs someone who has a tight(er) budget, I don't see how you can argue it's easier to have style with less money. With money you can order 10 pairs of shoes in 2 sizes each all at once. You can have that nude pair you've coveted by the next day. If you are working with a small budget could take you ages to order, try and exchange your way to your dream pair. You may have to leave your favorite dress on the hanger because the tailoring fees are just cost prohibitive (I know I've seen that scenario more than once on YLF). That doesn't mean you don't have style...it just means that you need the stars to align a bit more to find that wardrobe item in your price range with hopefully not too many alteration fees attached to it. I don't think money=style, which wasn't the original question anyway, but I do think that money greases the wheels and makes things easier. Patty on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360807 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:15:15 +0000 Patty 360807@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It's a great topic Una. I just want to chime in and add about dressing and how--whether with or without money--you have to want to, know how to ( where to shop, how to dress) and have like minded supporters ( or have thick skin at either end of the dress scale) to be successful. The path of least resistance is so much easier--you're soo right about the effort part but I know it comes easier to some people, I'll go back and read the rest of the thread now........... catgirl on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360699 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:59:18 +0000 catgirl 360699@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Such an interesting bunch of responses! Thank you all for indulging me - I will have to reread everything in the morning. Angie, of course you may chime in at your leisure! Would love to hear your input, although I am anticipating what you might say to see if I am right about what you think. wilson on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360646 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 05:21:37 +0000 wilson 360646@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don't think the significance of an event is diminished AT ALL if people don't dress up for it, especially in communities that don't value dressing up. Weddings, funerals, parties to celebrate accomplishments, religious rites are all still deeply important in those communities. As a newlywed I lived in rural Montana (a lot of people bounced back and forth between that particular area and Alaska) and the locals put their money and effort into dressing up their trucks more than their bodies. It was what was valued and respected in the area, much more so than clothing. Weddings were still planned with joy and much anticipation and were important community events even though most guests showed up in carharts and bluejeans. It was so much more important to make an appearance at a funeral than it was to dress up for it, such as a nurse ducking out of work in her scrubs to attend. Girl X on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360638 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 05:00:26 +0000 Girl X 360638@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Money doesn’t equal style, not even close, but it’s absolutely easier to achieve the look you want with an increase in available funds. Your options broaden significantly with every decimal point shift in your budget – no question. Also, more money often means more time and more energy available to direct toward your style. Of course all of that is dependent on what you’re trying to achieve with your look. If you equate spending time and money on your appearance with being shallow, then you may indeed go out of your way to differentiate yourself from that association, wearing clothing that shouts ‘I’m not shallow.’ It isn’t ‘stylish’, at least not to my eye, but it’s still a style, and it still requires a few moments of thought. There are also elements of community and belonging at play. If dressing up is going to be frowned upon, people aren’t going to do it; to the community, dressing up doesn’t look good – it’s unattractive. Take Una’s experience for example, the guests look at each other, and are pleased with what they see. The women surely get appearance based compliments from their friends and admirers; what they wear/how they look is pleasing to the community. A search here on YLF will pull up a number of posts from women travelling to new locales, wondering what the dress code is – because we know that what we consider stylish might not cut it in a different area. As to the question ‘if you never dress up for anything, is the significance of the event diminished?’ Again, this depends on the community. Some people mark special occasions with clothing: dressing up means that something eventful is happening. But other people use different markers. My family likes to dress up, but food is a much more important marker for us – if something special is happening, the food is going to reflect it. I have friends who use big gatherings as the marker, and some who use travel. Diana on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360599 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:20:32 +0000 Diana 360599@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have not read all the replies on this thread yet, but here is my 2 cents. I think it's definitely easier to look decent with little effort if you have money, basically because you can essentially "buy the mannequin". (I actually know people, men mostly, who do this - they'll go to a store like BR or J Crew and basically ask to buy the outfits that the mannequins in the window are wearing). This basically ensures you look current and stylish, if not particularly imaginative, but does require that you have the money to drop on a bunch of new full-price outfits every season. Or, to give another example, if you have money you could go to a high-end place like Saks where they have personal shoppers, etc, who can make your style decisions for you. Also, you have the freedom to throw away/not wear things you buy and don't like if you don't have to worry about cost. It is of course possible to put together very stylish outfits entirely at Goodwill, for example, but you have to put a lot more effort into it. You have to be interested in style to some extent to spend the time sorting, selecting, and trying outfits. For someone who has no interest in style, whether by personal leaning or by environmental norm, it's not going to be worth it. That person will probably just look for something serviceable, comfortable, and simple and not worry about, for example, whether this pair of pants is the right length to go with this pair of shoes. celia on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360593 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:09:54 +0000 celia 360593@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Forgot to add that in your photo although people are not dressy in my opinion there was for the great part effort in dressing and expressing individuality. Maya on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360581 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:58:45 +0000 Maya 360581@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Money can buy you nicer things, but it is no guarantee that you will be more stylish. Clothes, after all, do not create style. The wearer does. Clothes are just tools. Money can buy you better tools, but ultimately it comes down to your level of skill at using the tools, and anyone can learn those skills. I suppose money also gives you the advantage of having more options. But again, I can't accept that it's a substitute for a lack of style. Is it easier? I don't think so. I see tons of rich, tacky-looking ladies all over this fair city. I saw a woman the other day carrying what looked like a nylon Sonia Rykiel bag, wearing garish colors all over her face, and festooned in huge gaudy statement jewelry. Her entire outfit probably cost somewhere in the thousands, and she looked ridiculous. I don't think everyone is obligated to love fashion and style and don't judge them if it's not their cup of tea. I do think there is a minimum level of decency though: wear clothes that fit and are appropriate for the occasion and respectful to those around you. That's not "fashion" to me, that's just common sense and courtesy. Unfortunately what is "appropriatea and respectful" seems to have changed over time, at least here in the US, so it makes things decidedly more complicated. I'm sure 90% of the American population would agree that a tshirt, shorts, and flipflops is appropriate for a barbecue. I would disagree with that unless maybe you are under 16. modgrl on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360570 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:35:58 +0000 modgrl 360570@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Aren't they a cute bunch? I feel like I've been at a few of these parties. I think gear is the appropriate attire when you are going to be outside, hiking, camping, or chilling around a bonfire in the woods. This looks like a fun party. celia on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360549 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:13:37 +0000 celia 360549@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Is it easier to shop with money?Yes,I think so. But that doesn't mean you look better or more stylish.Some sweatpants cost much more than a pair of well fitting pants.Granted that in cities there is many more places to shop but I believe that anyone can dress decently even on a small budget. My experience from places where people work the land is that they dress up for special days,because they are special days and not another day of getting dirty and working hard. And I guess I'll be a minority but don't think that pulling together stylidh outfits takes more time than wearing just things that don't go together. Even the most clueless person sometimes gets it right and sometimes people who spend some time thinking about an outfit don't get it right. rosee on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360500 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:02:29 +0000 rosee 360500@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree more with Jyoti and Rae, that style is not necessarily correlated with money. I know many stylish people with limited budgets -- but the desire to dress well -- and I know a few wealthy people who dress rather poorly, though they probably spend more on clothes. I also know wealthy people who dress impeccably. What matters more is the desire to care about one's appearance and style. I think Mo alluded to the idea that some people just don't care about style or are purposely anti-fashion. Money won't fix that, but it needs to be respected as much as the stylish ones need to for their efforts. Caring about your appearance is not necessarily shallow or vain. It can actually be vain to deliberately NOT care about your appearance (in a backhanded way). Granted, having money does help more than it detracts. In northern Canada, many people tend to be more casual than they do in larger urban centres in the south. The exception is when you have large migrant populations in the north, like you have in Dawson City, Yukon, working there for the summer season. When I was there, the girls in DC were very stylish, both the locals and the "transients" (with the southern girls influencing the Yukoners considerably). Styles were more casual and bohemian, but still well put together. I actually got a kick out of thrifting up there, b/c stuff came from all over the country into those shops. Other questions you asked: "Should people make the effort for any reason other than their own desire?" Chouette22 kind of addressed this in her thread: <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/philosophizing-on-a-sunday-or-people-watching" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....e-watching</a> " Does it take an equal amount of effort to put together a sloppy outfit as a nice one?" It usually takes more effort to look good but necessarily much more so. Some people spend a lot of effort trying to put a look together but still don't look that good. The effort is usually in the planning beforehand and the shopping of good pieces. "And if you never dress up for anything, is the significance of the event diminished?" IMO, yes! There are definitely dress down events that are special, but putting in some effort shows respect for your hosts and other guests. Looking the same casual all the time does not distinguish the one event from any other including brushing your teeth (if one does that). I used to be very punk casual at one time, and I realized that it was showing disrespect to the others I was dealing with, even though I intended no disrespect. As a comparison, what food is served at the event? Is the food different or special in any way? Why was there special food in the first place? If the event warrants special or different food, maybe it also needs different attire. Angie on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360487 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:41:33 +0000 Angie 360487@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Can I revisit this thought provoking thread later? I'm relaxing in a beautiful hotel room overlooking the ocean Steph on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360474 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:24:06 +0000 Steph 360474@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm pretty much in agreement with QM on everything. I also think that one place where money can really help is when it comes to fit and quality. If you have a lot of money to spend, it is far easier to find pieces that are made well. Well-made clothing tends to fit and drape better. My boyfriend's sisters have this problem a good deal. They are typical mall shoppers--they aren't the types to spend time thrifting or really seeking out bargains. They have fantastic figures, but because they don't have a ton of money, they tend to buy clothing that just looks cheaply made. If they had more money, they would probably buy very similar items at higher price points, and their entire look would be more polished. That's not to say that everything inexpensive is poorly made, or that everything expensive is well-made, but there is a correlation. AG, your experience in Alaska reminds me of a friend from the Pacific Northwest. She worked at the same east coast law firm I did, made a lot of money, and bought expensive clothing. When she would go back for Christmas or other vacations, should would leave all of her nicer clothing--including her premium denim--at home. She told me that if she wore a pair of CoH jeans in her hometown, people would look at her like she had grown a second head. She never took heels along either--just old jeans and duck shoes! rae on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360460 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:08:01 +0000 rae 360460@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Jyoti, you articulated that so much better than I did! That is exactly what I was getting at... What advantage does a larger budget afford, anyway? You can buy more things, higher-priced things, or more higher-priced things. You can't pay to make everything magically fit and flatter you. Yes, you can also hire a stylist to do some trekking for you, and you can pay a tailor to alter things, but I still see that as transferred effort as opposed to eliminated effort. ETA: I definitely have known wealthy people who have zero interest in clothes as well. So the fun factor is definitely relevant! Jjsloane on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360458 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:04:35 +0000 Jjsloane 360458@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Fashion isn't everyone's thing, and I get that. I try not to judge and also hope I'm not judged. I enjoy buying clothes for myself and my family. I get snarky comments from my daycare that my kids are dressed in expensive clothing and never wear the same thing twice (not true). I love to bargain shop and I enjoy having clothing options for all of us. I don't think $ buys taste or style (look at Paris Hilton or any of the Housewives and that will show), but it can buy a stylist of course. If you have style already it is definitely easier to dress well if $ is no object, but I think you can be more creative when you are restricted a little bit. Jyoti on "*" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/money-effort-and-fashion-a-philosophical-question#post-360422 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:07:15 +0000 Jyoti 360422@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don't think so at all. I think its easier to look good when you actually have a sense of style, no matter what your budget is (with exceptions, but these are not the norm). In my short time working in retail, I have learned that most people do not, in my opinion, have a good sense of style or taste or know what looks good or appropriate on them. But in a sense, I agree with Queen Mum too! I just think that has the pre-requisite of having style in the first place! I think most people can pick out OK pieces, but what I think truly shows someone's got style is knowing how to make that piece work in a outfit on them. I actually think there are very few pieces that a person with style can't make work! So basically I think that if you have money, sure, its theoretically easier to find stuff to buy, or to buy an entire outfit off a mannequin, but to really dress well, one needs that sense of style rather than money. One thing though, is I think to build up that sense of style, you do need to try a lot of different things. And that does require money over the long run, even if you don't spend too much at one time.