The Real Value of Clothes

Great clothes do have real value.  Most of us have to budget, and making value-driven purchases, in the most basic sense, is important to building a quality wardrobe.  But there’s a less tangible sense of value as well – you ought to genuinely enjoy what you’ve bought.

To be blunt about it, numbers are only significant in relation to what you get for them, no matter how high or low they are, and what you get might not be immediately tangible or countable.  Whether it’s price, number of stitches, or thread-count, these things are more indicators than dictators, and most can be attained with a little creativity.  Many of us, my graduate-student self included, just flat out don’t have the cash to furnish ourselves with Savile Row suits and bespoke hooves.  Don’t think for a moment that I’m ignoring that.  With a little budgeting, effort, and intelligence you can end up with really valuable stuff on whatever budget you’ve got available.

One option would be to reduce value to cost-per-wear, but I don’t really like choosing my shoes each morning based on which pair still has the highest marginal-wear-cost.  The fact that I just said “marginal-wear-cost” should be the first clue that this might not be the best solution.

For me, value comes from a pretty simple set of criteria: use and enjoyment.  A good purchase has to be something I’ll use, something that won’t deteriorate too quickly, and preferably something just that little bit special and different from my other choices.  Either because it’s handmade, extra-durable, comes from such-and-such a mill that’s been making it for so many hundreds of years, the devil is in the details.  Obviously these sorts of things can get pricy, but by saving, prioritizing, and making good use of outlets like eBay, thrift stores, sales, etc., you can often get the technical value you’re looking for.

Then there’s that sneaky fun part.  It’s easy to get caught up in the nerdy stuff, but if you don’t just plain old enjoy your clothes and getting dressed in them, you’re missing out.

The gents who have been in the business for awhile are all saying the same thing – customers have more specific product knowledge now than ever.  With the dozens upon dozens of blogs, explosion of online retail, and other such nonsense out there, it’s not too hard for someone who’s motivated to know a lot of minutiae about a prospective purchase before they ever see the thing in person.  But that’s what’s missing – a close connection with the objects themselves on an emotional level.

When talking about “craftsmanship” and “artisan goods,” part of what makes these things so appealing is the romance.  If you look at a pair of hand-sewn shoes and all you see is a precise number of welt-stitches, the leather’s dye lot, and the number of positive responses your new cop will get you on the forums, you’re missing their most essential feature – they’re beautiful shoes made with love and care.  You put them on, you look down, and you can’t help but smile.

I certainly support aspiration, and Oscar Wilde said that “those who live within their means lack creativity,” but I try not to buy anything so expensive that worry about wearing it.  Your new exciting coat shouldn’t sit unloved on a hanger for fear of it looking like (God forbid) it’s actually been worn.  That defeats the very purpose of having great clothes.

Take the guys at The Armoury as a perfect example.  They’re peddling some of the best clothing in the world, and from the evidence they throw online it looks like they do it passionately.  Mark, Alan, and Ethan all seem to spend a lot more time wearing their Carminas out and about than staring at them on a shelf.  They don’t worship their clothes, but live in them and are a little bit happier for it – that’s real value.

Thank you to The Armoury for the images.