Perceptions on Pricing - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Perceptions on Pricing

RoseandJoan

Veteran

YLF is truly a wonderful place where Target Shoppers rub shoulders with Designer Diva's and each persons style can be appreciated for its merit BUT I would really like to know how each of you view value for money when clothes shopping.

I wold love for each of you to consider the following items and post what you think is inexpensive, reasonable and expensive for each of the items. Shop Your Closeters, I would love to know if your perception has changed over the course of the challenge.

Here goes;

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
Item 3 - a silk day dress.
Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.

I will post my answers below.

As always thank for your time.

General

25 replies

Latest reply was from RoseandJoan

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I have a limited budget but I don't believe my budget has altered my perception on pricing;

Item 1 - £40 or less would be inexpensive, £40 - £75 would be reasonable and over £75 would be expensive.

Item 2 - £50 or less would be inexpensive, £50 - £100 would be reasonable and over £100 would be expensive.

Item 3 - Under £60 would be inexpensive, £60 - £80 would be reasonable and over £80 would be expensive.

Item 3 - Under £100 would be inexpensive, £100-£175 would be reasonable and over £175 would be expensive.

These prices bare no relation to my £30 per month budget. I try to shop sales and outlets to get items from the reasonably priced bracket within my allowance. I can't wait for my monthly budget to rise allowing me to shop full price without hesitation.

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

Great exercise! I shop from Target to Neiman Marcus, so here goes:

Item 1 (white button down)
Inexpensive = $20
Reasonable = $60
Expensive = 100+

Item 2 (dark denim straight leg jeans)
I = $40
R = $100
E = $150+

Item 3 (dress)
I = $60
R = $100
E = $200+

Item 4 (coat)
I = $100
R = $200
E = $300

These are all investment pieces in my world, and although I don't need them to last 100 years, I don't want them to last just one season. I have items I purchased inexpensively even just this spring that are already worn out.

Lisa

Veteran

Interesting.

Item 1 - a natural fiber white button down

Inexpensive < $15
Reasonable < $50
Expensive > $80

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans

Inexpensive < $35
Reasonable < $90
Expensive > $150

Item 3 - a silk day dress

Inexpensive < $60
Reasonable < $100
Expensive > $200

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat

Inexpensive < $60
Reasonable < $120
Expensive > $250

Dashrashi

Veteran

White button-down:
Inexpensive: $25
Reasonable: $60
Expensive: $80+

Dark denim straight-leg jeans:
Inexpensive: $40
Reasonable: $65
Expensive: $130

Silk day dress:
Inexpensive: $60
Reasonable: $100
Expensive: $180

Wool knee-length coat:
Inexpensive: $130
Reasonable: $210
Expensive: $300

The numbers are all really similar so far--I wonder if that's because fabrics are specified? (i.e., not just a day dress, but a silk day dress)

Scarlet

Veteran

I want to play too, although I would think this depends a little bit on where you live. Here goes:

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
< €30 inexpensive
€30-€50 reasonable
>€50 expensive

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
< €50 inexpensive
€50 - €90 reasonable
>€90 expensive

Item 3 - a silk day dress.
< €60 inexpensive
€60 - €90 reasonable
>€90 expensive

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.
< €120 inexpensive
€120 - €200 reasonable
> €200 expensive

ETA: I do not mean that expensive is too much to pay, but just how I would perceive the price. If something is expensive I would expect more from it in terms of quality and how long it would last.

Queen Mum

Veteran

I haven't looked at anyone else's responses yet.. here are mine. Obviously in american dollars..
terms as I'm using them...
inexpensive- this is what I would pay if I'm not sure about the quality or longevity
reasonable- I don't mind paying this for a quality piece that I know I'll get wear out of
expensive- I really have to think long and hard about paying this much

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
$0-$20/ $40-50/ $70+

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
$0-30/ $50-100/ $120+

Item 3 - a silk day dress.
$0-30/ $40-70/ $80+
(this one was hard because I'm having a hard time mixing silk and "day" I know that I need to be willing to pay for silk, but my definition of day dress is something I wear to the grocery store and wear to cook dinner in)

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.
$0-50/ $75-150/ $200+
(again, take into consideration the fact that I wear a coat 6 times a year)

now I'm off to compare my responses with everyone else.

shana

Veteran

Julie, is sounds like you are doing a marketing study! I'm very much a bargain hunter so my numbers might be skewed. Regardless of my budget, I don't like paying full price. Ever. My goal is to find expensive pieces at reasonable prices.

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
Inexpensive: <$25
Reasonable: <$50
Expensive: >$100

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
Inexpensive: <$30
Reasonable: <$75
Expensive: >$100

Item 3 - a silk day dress.
Inexpensive: <$50
Reasonable: <$125
Expensive: >$200

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.
Inexpensive: <$100
Reasonable: <$200
Expensive: >$300

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I know Shana, I should be handing out complimentary pens for the inconvenience. I did study marketing and find these details fascinating!

Dashrashi, you are right I'm being very specific about the items to try and rule out any other variables which could effect your decision. For example if I had said a day dress this could run the gamut from a cotton tank style dress to a sheath.

Kim, I very much like how you rationalise your spending, it's a good strategy.

CarlyQuinn

wow! i feel really cheap. or poor. or something. i tend to shop clearance sales, so combined with working part time for $8 an hour and trying to pay bills and provide for 4 kids, my perceptions are probably quite different from everybody else's.
white button down: I=less than $10 R= $15ish E=$25 +
Jeans: I=less than $15 R=$20ish (I'll pay that if I really like them and don't want to wait for clearance or a sale) E= $30+ The most I ever paid for a pair of pants was $40...
Dress...silk? hahahaha...yeah right. couldn't afford it. especially not for a day dress.
Wool coat: I=$25 or less R=$40-$50ish E=$50+

shana

Veteran

Actually, I should edit that to say that my goal is to find expensive pieces for inexpensive prices. Sometimes I'm forced to pay reasonable prices. And once in a blue moon, I will pay the expensive price but that is very, very rare!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I guess I'm a real bargain hound, too. I can say what I found reasonable enough to actually spend myself recently on these items.
$29 for the white button down (Victoria's Secret)
$159 for dark denim (True Religion on eBay) but that was birthday money that was gifted
estimate $60 for a silk dress but I don't own one for comparison
$59 for herringbone tweed coat (Guess found at Ross)

Looks like I can't bring myself to spend over $100! Interesting to find in comparison to other's ideas of value/pricing.

Auburn

Veteran

Ok, I might be an outlier here, but I'm also at a stage of life where I have a well-paying job and no major expenses (e.g., kids, mortgage, etc). As another commenter noted, expensive doesn't necessarily mean cost prohibitive, but something I'd think about before purchasing in a way I wouldn't do with the inexpensive and reasonable categories...

Item 1 (white button down)
Inexpensive = under $40
Reasonable = $40-80
Expensive = $100+

Item 2 (dark denim straight leg jeans)
I = $25-50
R = $100-200
E = $250+

Item 3 (silk work dress--interesting to me that you put "silk" in the title, because I have a wear a lot of these and know that, for my closet and utilization, is worth the expenditure)
I = $60
R = $100-250
E = $300+

Item 4 (wool coat)
I = $100
R = $200-450
E = $600+

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Sometimes budget does dictate how you look at price but I honestly believe budget is one of may factors when determining what you consider to be expensive. For example people thrift who could afford designer. Also if my budget was larger I would have no hesitation in considering items which I consider expensive a) if I loved them and b) if it filled a genuine need.

Marigold

That's really interesting to hear others perceptions of expensive/inexpensive.Here is my breakdown:

"a natural fiber white button down"
Inexpensive $15
Reasonable $30
Expensive $40 +

"dark denim straight leg jeans"
Inexpensive $20
Reasonable $45
Expensive $75+

"a silk day dress"
Inexpensive $40
Reasonable $80
Expensive $100+

"a wool knee length coat"
Inexpensive $50
Reasonable $100
Expensive $200

The meaning of Inexpensive is 'a great deal, should get it'... However, I don't see myself getting a silk dress, or a wool coat, or even a button down, no matter how great of a deal I might find - because simply I don't need them at this point of my life (SAHM). Another thing is a good pair of jeans, as for me it would be an investment piece, a good brand jeans that fit well and will last long, I see myself spending the Reasonible amount or even close to Expensive.

Debbie

Veteran

My preceptions on this have changed over the last few years. I would have never spent as much on my on clothes ans I did my kids. Crazy I know.

Item 1
Inexpensive Under $50
Reasonable Under $80
Expensive 100+

Item 2
Inexpensive Under $60
Reasonable Under 120
Expensive Over +$160

Item 3
Inexpensive Under $100
Reasonable Under $200
Expensive +$300

Item 4 This is not something I wear very often where I live
Inexpensive Under $150
Reasonable Under $250
Expensive +400

Auburn

Veteran

RoseandJoan--very good point about budget being but one of many factors influencing spending perceptions and patterns.
I will say that, several years ago when I was working in DC, I would likely have had a very different set of numbers in response to this thread. Then I moved to SF and started working for a big law firm where the women dressed to the nines! I started shopping with a co-worker who didn't bat an eye at spending $500+ on a pair of shoes. I nearly died! But, over time, I likewise found my willingness to spend what I previously would have deemed a ridiculous amount on certain items to be increasing. That whole "this seems reasonably priced" barometer just shifted upward. And my salary was only a small part of it. Much bigger factors seemed to be my geography, my shopping destinations and what those around me were wearing and spending.
Actually, I credit YLF with bring some of my spending patterns back down to earth a bit as I've seen the great values and high quality items that can be found at stores like BR, Gap, AT Loft, etc. I'm now striving for a more measured and sustainable mix of high and low. Key word: striving.

Jonesy

Veteran

I haven't read the other replies, so here is my two cents:

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down:
IN = under $50
R = $75ish
EX = over $100

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans:
IN = under $60
R = $80ish
EX = over $80ish

Item 3 - a silk day dress:
IN = under $100
R = $100-$150
EX = $200 and up range

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat:
IN = under $200
R = $350
EX = over $350

I see pretty clearly that I refuse to spend money on jeans!

Beth

Veteran

Hmmmm....

White button down:
IN: $30 or less R: $30-70 EX: $70 and up

Dark denim jeans:
IN: $60 or less R: $60-120 EX: $140 and up

Silk day dress:
IN: $70 or less R: $80-130 EX: $140 and up

Wool knee-length coat:
IN: $130 or less R: $140-250 EX: $300 and up

Kate

Veteran

Without looking at what others posted:

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down. inexpensive: $30 or less, reasonable: $50, expensive: $70+
Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans. inexpensive: $25 or less, reasonable: $40, expensive: $60+
Item 3 - a silk day dress. inexpensive: $30 or less, reasonable: $60, expensive: $90+
Item 4 - a wool knee length coat. inexpensive: $60 or less, reasonable: $80-120, expensive: $150+

agrace

Love this question! I am a cheap, cheap person so that will temper my answers. Plus, I have very good luck in finding things at ridiculous prices.

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
Item 3 - a silk day dress.
Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.
Inexpensive: Less than $20
Realistic: $45
Expensive: $60 and up

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.
Inexpensive: Less than $20
Realistic: $40
Expensive: $60 and up

Item 3 - a silk day dress.
Inexpensive: Less than $40
Realistic: $60
Expensive: $60 and up

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.
Inexpensive: $50 and less
Realistic: $100
Expensive: $125 and up

catgirl

Veteran

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down.

Inexpensive: $5 - $25
Reasonable:$25 - $50 (what I just paid, in fact!)
Expensive: $50+

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans.

Inexpensive: $5 - $30
Reasonable: $30 - $60
Expensive: $60+

Item 3 - a silk day dress.

Inexpensive: $5 - $30
Reasonable: $30 - $100
Expensive: $100+

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat.

Inexpensive: up to $40
Reasonable: $40 - $100
Expensive: $100+

With some caveats:

- My inexpensives are because I thrift and shop consignment.
- My reasonables are what I think is normal and try to aim for in general
- My expensives do not mean "too expensive" or "out of reach" - so, I would still pay for expensive denim if I needed it.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Are you walking on your marketing cloud, Julie!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, interesting reading everyone's replies. . I'm probably on the cheap end myself, although I do allow myself the occasional up-market choice, especially when it's something that should last for a long time, or happens to have a particularly wonderful fit.

Item 1 - a natural fibre white button down:
IN = < $10
R = $15-30
EX = >$50

Item 2 - dark denim straight leg jeans:
IN = < $30
R = $40-50
EX = > $60

Item 3 - a silk day dress:
IN = < $40
R = $50-60
EX = > $80

Item 4 - a wool knee length coat:
IN = < $60
R = $80-100
EX = > $150

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Btw, my price perceptions are just like Julie's. (x2 for US$)

I will absolutely pay an expensive price for something that I think is worth it. But have no time for knitwear that pills so won't pay for that.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Well Angie, fancy that!

It really does show how perception of cost and budget really do not correlate (Before you ask, I did not plot the grid to check). I do love how expensive purchases tend to equal more thought with all of the YLFers. I wonder if we have less expensive orphans?

Strangely enough all of the silk items in my wardrobe *cough 3* are day time pieces, two of which cost £10.00 on supersale.