YouLookFab Forum » Topic: The History of the Cheap Dress

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: The History of the Cheap Dress https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:33:02 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Mo on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361602 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:56:36 +0000 Mo 361602@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This just makes me ponder how much of our lives are based around consuming, just for the sake of consumption. We get mired in it without even realizing. I don't know what the answers are but I do like to be made to stop and think about it. As for the quality over quantity issue, I have come to the realization that, for me, it's much like my diet. I eat the good stuff 80% of the time and allow myself junky treats or wine or whatever about 20% of the time. I'd say my clothing purchases are falling in line with a similar ratio of (hopefully) quality, made to last items, with a few cheaper, 'let's just try out this trend', maybe it will only last a season, items. Alecia on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361598 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:33:03 +0000 Alecia 361598@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I read this yesterday and have been mulling it over since then. Maya brings up so many good points. It seems to me everything in our lives has sped up and with that so too have the life of a trend. The vast access to cheap labor encourages that. Or maybe it started that. Chicken or the egg... I think Maya's right that style has become more democratic - at least in the western world. I'm guessing the people who make our clothes and so many of our other goods still don't have access to what they make. The dichotomy Maya described is probably still with us. We just don't really see it. I too would be interested to see what the author thinks the answers are. Repurposing old clothes is probably one of them. Here's a link to a company based near me that does this: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bowsandarrowsvintage?section_id=6165198" rel="nofollow">http://www.etsy.com/shop/bowsa.....id=6165198</a> I love the idea, but don't think I'm hip enough to pull any of that stuff off. This, however, screams Maya to me: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/58690419/miss-chief-of-california-handmade-romper" rel="nofollow">http://www.etsy.com/listing/58.....ade-romper</a> Maya on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361596 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:07:55 +0000 Maya 361596@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I know a lot of YLFers (and others) mourn the days of quality over quantity, but I wonder how many people would actually be happy if they got what they wished for. Personally the idea of dropping $600 on a dress is sickening to me. I wouldn't be able to do it no matter what the alleged benefits are. The cost to wear ratio would probably never add up. Bodies, lifestyles, and preferences change. Women also have a much more diverse set of roles in the modern world than they did 50 or 100 years ago. Having 9 dresses just wouldn't cut it. I agree that there are disadvantages to the current method of using cheap labor and creating disposable garbage, but I hardly think that the examples given provide insight into what to do. I don't want to go back to Victorian times when factory workers in grimy clothes that were strictly functional were juxtaposed with intellectual elites in fine suits and silk dresses. Style has become much more democratic since then and I for one am grateful for that. These days the amount of money you spend compared to the quality and labor standards used is a pretty tenuous relationship anyway. I would guess that the vast majority of designer clothes are made in China, and some of them are appallingly poorly made. While everything she says is true, I don't really know what her solution would be. I guess I will have to read the book to find out. wilson on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361547 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 05:28:14 +0000 wilson 361547@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The author's book that is mentioned is one that I would be really interested in reading when it comes out. celia on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361511 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 03:01:44 +0000 celia 361511@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting. Like Mo I was wondering about the 9 outfits. It seems so little compared to the many outfits we wear today.But I guess that with decrescing quality clothes tend to last less . san on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361501 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 02:21:58 +0000 san 361501@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks Patty. I enjoyed this article and will check out Etsey. Mo on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361451 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:31:42 +0000 Mo 361451@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I found the part about the average woman owning just 9 outfits many years back, in contrast to the average of 60 clothing items now bought each year, especially hit home to me. anne on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361446 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:24:06 +0000 anne 361446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It was. Thanks Patty Patty on "The History of the Cheap Dress" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-history-of-the-cheap-dress#post-361408 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 21:06:29 +0000 Patty 361408@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ An interesting read! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/storque/read/the-history-of-a-cheap-dress-12751/" rel="nofollow">http://www.etsy.com/storque/re.....ess-12751/</a>