MaryK: I don't care if people think I'm cool or not, and I don't care to be a walking advertisement for the brands I buy, so whenever possible I prefer to either leave the tag off (if attachable) or remove the tag (if attached).
I try not to judge people who wear the logos, so don't get me wrong. I
just personally don't want to present myself to the world in that
fashion. I prefer a more understated look.
Maybe it's my way of counteracting the people I know who care about social status and impressing others. I think some of it is cultural, too. When we lived in Central America, virtually all the women I knew dressed very nicely (nothing wrong with that, mind you) but also made it a point to ask me and others how much we paid for things. At the time, my DH was fresh out of college and we were starting our family. We were saving as much $ as possible, so I wore clothing my mother lovingly made for me. I looked as good as they did, so no problem there, but I got tired of people asking me how much I paid for things. It really wasn't any of their business.
It's the same in the country my DH is from (also Central America), so this is why I think it's cultural. Seems like all the women compete with each other. It's all about social status (not what you know, but who you know) and giving the appearance that you have more $ than you actually do.
I buy what I like, and I'm certainly not a minimalist when it comes to my possessions. However, I went through some really hard times financially after my divorce in the early '80s, and know what it's like to scrimp, save, and do without. My ex abandoned me and our infant DD, and cleared out my bank account. For this reason, I'm probably more grounded, if that makes sense. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and my parents were hard-working people who went through the Great Depression and taught me a thing or two about living within one's means and not showing off.
No hard feelings towards anyone who disagrees with me. This is how I feel based on my life experiences. If I'm a reverse snob because of it, then so be it.