The price of trousers

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Andy in Sig

Vice President in Exile
I just mentioned to a friend that I might be after a pair of two of moleskin trousers for the winter. She's always giving me a hard time for getting most of my clothes from Rohan (dunno why, they look OK and last for ever) and she recommended the website of some bloke called Paul Smith of whom I had never heard.

My first reaction is that he should retitle his business "Ponces Are Us" ... more than 200 quid for a pair of pants!!!! And it's obviously a rip off because the sale prices (on which they undoubtedly still make a profit) are more like seventy odd quid. Are there actually blokes who are daft enough to pay these prices? And if so, what on earth is the justification? Genuine questions BTW.
 

Yellow Fang

Legendary Member
Location
Reading
Are they really made from moles?
 
OP
OP
Andy in Sig

Andy in Sig

Vice President in Exile
Perhaps I've been a bit imprecise: this firm doesn't do anything straightforward like a pair of moleskins (merely a kind of brushed cotton). That was the point, 200 quid for something that doesn't even look particularly hard wearing.
 
Ahh, Paul Smith, I had a couple of suits from there which were great. But this was pre-web site and I'd actually drop by the store to find clothes. It was also pre wife, kid and mortgage and so money wasn't such an issue. Also 10 years ago and so I don't know if their quality has remained the same. I will admit that while the quality was good, it wasn't that much better than elsewhere and I know I was paying a premium for the name.
 

Wigsie

Nincompoop
Location
Kent
I have this conversation will my wife on almost a monthly basis.

You do pay for better quality... Then you pay a premium on top of this for the name/fashion factor. I always buy my jeans etc in the sales as that usually reflects the correct price with the name premium removed.
 

Alan Whicker

Senior Member
I love clothes but I don't like shopping, so I tend to go for quality. I've got several PS shirts, all made in the UK, which coming from a textile-producing region is important to me. They were expensive compared to say, Marks and Spencer, but the cut and feel of them is well worth it. They're of a classic style that will last me for years, and there are no logos.

OTOH, PS were doing brogues last year for £240 - Made in India. These brogues were almost exactly the same as those still made mostly by hand in Northampton for cheaper. Smith really should have a word with his buyers.
 

e-rider

crappy member
Location
South West
I love clothes but I don't like shopping, so I tend to go for quality. I've got several PS shirts, all made in the UK, which coming from a textile-producing region is important to me. They were expensive compared to say, Marks and Spencer, but the cut and feel of them is well worth it. They're of a classic style that will last me for years, and there are no logos.

OTOH, PS were doing brogues last year for £240 - Made in India. These brogues were almost exactly the same as those still made mostly by hand in Northampton for cheaper. Smith really should have a word with his buyers.

£240 and Made in India - that is sickening really. So the person who actually made them got paid about 25p
 

PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
Clotheses are much cheapness at the moment.

I bought two pairs of Hugo Boss trousers on Saturday from the Boss shop and the original prices on them were £120 and £95 and the new prices were £75 and £55 so I took them to the till as they were very smart and worth those prices. They weren't those prices though! They charged me £50 for the first pair and £35 for the second! I was chuffed about that. Hugo Boss jeans and smart black kecks for a total LESS than the original price of the cheapest pair! Result!
 
I only wear 'proper' trousers when visiting the library. That's a turn up for the books.

My most expensive 'trousers' cost £5 from Tesco - I have about six pairs now. They are well cut - in fact slashed with a Stanley blade here and there... They match the shirts to a tee.
 

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
"I only wear 'proper' trousers when visiting the library. That's a turn up for the books."

Banned.

I once had a very embarrassing incident in a Paul smith shop - in Nottingham of course, the home of Paul smith. I enquired about scarves but they didn't have any no display so the shop girl had to in out back to get some. Ten minutes later she comes back with an arm full and spreads them out in front of me, standing there as I look though them. The cheapest scarf was about 120. Yikes. Cue a few minutes of extreme awkwardness before I finally manage to find an excuse to leave without buying anything. The chap behind the counter lets out a very sarcastic "thanks" as I leave.
 
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