"The most expensive jeans will not change my life" - or would they?

[TonyPlush]

And, I think, the most important aspect is maintaining physical fitness and a healthy weight.  I have gone through stages of my life where I spent quite a bit (for me) of money on haircuts and colors, nice clothing, etc.  But I noticed that I only felt good about myself up to a point.  However, when I had been doing a good job of eating healthily, getting exercise regularly, etc., my skin looked better, my clothes fit better, and in general I felt better about myself.  Eventually, I realized that I had a much stronger impulse to go out and spend money on nice clothing when I was feeling less physically attractive.  In other words, often I was wanting to buy that clothing to mask those extra few pounds, or the fact that I felt flabby instead of toned. 

Best point. As a guy, I always shake my head at the girls who spend and spend on designer clothing, but are out of shape. Talk about treating the wrong symptom. All the designer brands in the world won't make you as attractive to men as just being in shape. And newsflash, guys are imagining you naked anyway. Spend more time in the gym and less in the mall, I guarantee you'll look and feel better.

Umm, has it occurred to you that perhaps some women want to look good for themselves, and their primary concern isn't being aesthetically pleasing to a man? 

Shake your head all you want.  Plenty of women, in shape or not, aren't going to be interested in attracting a man with this mindset anyway, to I guess it works out well.

Never said it was anyone's primary concern. But sometimes, a member of one sex wants to be attractive to the other sex. In that event, I gave a guy's perspective.

[CanuckExpat]

In terms of "work clothes" I don't think it really matters as much as people say it does.

I had recently came across these articles:
The Science Of Simplicity: Why Successful People Wear The Same Thing Every Day
Why I wear the exact same thing to work everyday (A more female specific perspective)

And I realized I had been doing this inadvertently for a little, I didn't notice, nobody else did, and neither the world nor work came to an end.

In my case, I like to keep clothes at the office to change into after biking. A little while ago I had taken some stuff home to launder and brought in other clothes. Without realizing it, my locker ended up containing only jeans and a few different types of black tshirts, so I've essentially been wearing the same thing at work for a few weeks.

It turns out everyone has more important things to do than notice what I am wearing.

[Kris]

In terms of "work clothes" I don't think it really matters as much as people say it does.

I had recently came across these articles:
The Science Of Simplicity: Why Successful People Wear The Same Thing Every Day
Why I wear the exact same thing to work everyday (A more female specific perspective)

LOL -- I literally just heard the second one being interviewed on NPR (as in, I just got out of the car 5 minutes ago and it was the last story I heard). 

[Miss Prim]

I have no sense of style at all, never did!  I don't know why I never developed the "style" gene as my mother always and still does dress very stylish and my daughter and son are very good with wearing clothing that makes them look good and stylish. 

Maybe that is why I went into laboratory work as I always wore scrubs.  I liked not having to think about what to wear and how to accessorize it and what shoes to wear, etc.  I actually buy my street clothes like I am wearing a uniform as my everyday uniform is jeans and either short sleeve tops or long sleeve tops depending on the season.   

I just don't really care about clothes at all.  I have friends who are like me and also ones who are more stylish and it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference in our friendships.  I like them for who they are, not what they wear and I am assuming they feel the same way.  People who care about what other people are wearing just don't appeal to me.

So, the most expensive pair of jeans would actually change my life, but not in a good way!  I would be out all of that money and would miss out on a trip that I could have taken instead.

                                                                                            Miss Prim

[Fodder]

I like to look nice and am generally pretty well put together - I tend to get a lot of compliments on my sense of style.  That said, I don't think you need to dress expensively - if style is important to you, you need to have items in your wardrobe that look nice and fit you well, and that mix and match well with each other so you can create lots of different outfits without getting bored (I realize this isn't a requirement for everyone, but I enjoy fashion).

For example, today I'm wearing a dress I picked up for $5 at Target a couple of years ago (grey/black with a flared silhouette), a purple cardigan I received as a gift, subtle leopard print grey tights I've had for years and dark purple heeled booties I paid $20 for and have also had for years.  I wear all of these items of clothing frequently, but in a lot of different combinations and with a lot of other items.

You can have great style without adhering to the trend of the moment, and without owning the brand of the moment. 

You also don't have to have great style to be an awesome human being.  It doesn't make you a better person or a smarter person, or a more hard-working person.  So if it doesn't matter to you, and it's not impeding your life in any way, then who cares.  Wear (clean) clothes.  Be comfortable.  Some of my friends are clotheshorses, and some are not - I hang out with them for their snarky sense of humour and general awesomeness and not because they own $250 jeans.

[lifejoy]

For this thread, I'm thinking more along the lines of how strangers treat us. I can't find it, but somewhere a study came out with the result that people are more understanding to traffic violations when people have nice cars. Anyone heard of that one, or similar?

[lifejoy]

Cognitive embodiment - what we wear changes how we feel and act: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/clothes-and-self-perception.html?_r=0

[Kris]

Cognitive embodiment - what we wear changes how we feel and act: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/science/clothes-and-self-perception.html?_r=0

Yes, this is true.  However, there is the law of diminishing returns.

Looking clean and well put-together with clothing that fits you?  You can do that without breaking the bank.

But an expensive pair of jeans that you bought for $150 from a department store will not get you five times more "respect" and life-rewards than a pair of gently-used label jeans you got from a thrift store for $25.  But I think many people get caught up in thinking that more expensive = better, without thinking about what they are paying and what it's really likely to mean in the long run.  Buying those $150 jeans won't get me five times more respect, and I'm out $125 little workers who could be making me money in a Vanguard index fund.

[crispy]

I love to look nice and get a lot of compliments about the way I dress.  I lost over 100 pounds a few years back and had to figure out what my style was because for years I tended to buy whatever would fit and didn't look TOO dumpy.  It has been fun finding my style. I now know I like a classic look with a bit of vintage flair.  I tend to wear bright, solid colors and get my flair from accessories.  I have also figured out that I don't do trendy unless it fits my regular style.   

Most of them come from the thrift shop, the consignment shop, or a discount store so I pay very little.  I am starting a new job next week so I needed to get a few more professional pieces.  Today, I bought a classic gray Calvin Klein dress, a pair of Banana Republic pants, and a LOFT jacket for less than $30 totally at a discount store and a consignment shop.  They are classic pieces that will wear well for years, and I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for them.

I look at clothes like I look at cars - they are a depreciating asset so I let someone else take the hit and then buy used.

[Valhalla]

As a cheapskate on clothes and such, I think there is a benefit to style.

People tend to take better care of themselves when they want to look better and be more stylish.  So this generally means healthier habits / eating / exercise.

Once you have a body that you're proud of, you'd want to dress in a way to show it off. 

[Retired To Win]

I love to look nice and get a lot of compliments about the way I dress.  I lost over 100 pounds a few years back and had to figure out what my style was because for years I tended to buy whatever would fit and didn't look TOO dumpy.  It has been fun finding my style. I now know I like a classic look with a bit of vintage flair.  I tend to wear bright, solid colors and get my flair from accessories.  I have also figured out that I don't do trendy unless it fits my regular style.   

Most of them come from the thrift shop, the consignment shop, or a discount store so I pay very little.  I am starting a new job next week so I needed to get a few more professional pieces.  Today, I bought a classic gray Calvin Klein dress, a pair of Banana Republic pants, and a LOFT jacket for less than $30 totally at a discount store and a consignment shop.  They are classic pieces that will wear well for years, and I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for them.

I look at clothes like I look at cars - they are a depreciating asset so I let someone else take the hit and then buy used.

Okay, Crispy's comment above is absolutely priceless.  And it is a big learning opportunity for anyone who thinks they have to pay high prices to wear designer clothing or look good.  NOBODY is going to know where you got your clothes or how much you paid for them... unless you tell them!