Is the grass always "more fashionable" on the other side?

Raisin

Sorry for the lame joke

What I mean is...do you ever feel like something is better or more fashionable because its not accessible? For example when I go to Montreal to visit the hubby's family I love to go to Rudsak to check out the fab leather purses and the jackets. And when I purchase one I usually do it there... It feels more special. But sometimes I check out Danier leather, much more accessible to me, and I end up thinking, gosh they have some nice stuff, why don't I check here more?

Or for instance I will find a nice pair of shoes at Aldo, a very mainstream Canadian shoe store. But if I find similar ones from a US website...well it somehow seems more fashionable...luxurious.....special...I don't know.

Is that just me, anyone get that way?

13 years ago

General

4 replies

Latest reply was from bj1111

Anonymous

I find that with French clothes.

13 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

It's called branding. Since most fashion magazines and blogs originate in the US, it makes sense that US brands are on our radar, and, because many of those brands are not available in our local stores, they become even more desirable because we can't readily buy them without a trip south. The same holds true, to a lesser degree, within Canada because many brands are available only in certain parts of the country because internet shopping is still in its infancy as compared to the US.

The aim of most fashion marketing is to create an aura around a brand so we will want to buy the brand first and the item second. I think sometimes that's the hardest part of shopping--to see the item for what it actually is, not what I want it to be, or what someone has told me it is.

ETA: And, as NailPolish Man, points out it's not an exclusively North American obsession. For a long time, Levi jeans sold for an insane amount of money in Eastern Europe. It was the Levi brand that was important, not the jean itself.

13 years ago

Raisin

Veteran

I get what you're saying Gaylene. I think, for me at least, it's not quite about the brand, but more like, if I find something not so readily available where I am then it will be more special...I guess because not everyone can/will have it. But you're right, branding is kind of a big marketing tactic.

13 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

i know exactly what you are saying. globalization increases access. at the same time, the specialness of the acquisition comes from the effort expended to obtain it. before a flat world, you may have had to go to france (or a big city) to experience really authentic french food...so it was special. now that there are authenticfrench restos everywhere, not so special.

so having to go to a different location to obtain your rudsak makes it seem more special. sort of like the stone money.

13 years ago

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