Save or Splurge
Save or Splurge, you may have seen this title used in a fashion magazine at some point, for newcomers the premise is there are 2 outfits. They are essentially the same to look at but with very different price points, it might be jeans and a blazer that look very similar, Plus shoes and a bag one of which will be a “dupe” which in plain English are very good imitations, minus the branding.
In a paper format you could be forgiven for not being able to tell the difference, but you would be able to tell in real life, wouldn’t you? There are a slew of video versions of save or splurge online, the 2 opposing outfits are modelled by two people, I would like to tell you they are modelled by twins as that would thicken the plot, but sadly not. Members of the public are then invited to guess which one of the outfits is the more expensive, to give context there is usually a gulf between the 2 prices, with one usually costing under £200 and the other being worth thousands. I sit and watch with my popcorn while people expertly feel the fabric, take a step back and absorb the details, often attempting to find fault with the outfit they deem to be “save” (aka the cheapest)
The reason this pantomime is so interesting is that so often they get it wrong, but why? Surely the difference is obvious? The expensive fabrics feel nicer to the touch? Wrong. Often its knitwear that fools them, even acrylics can have a plush handle, plus just because an item is more expensive this doesn’t guarantee you are getting luxury or even natural fibres. Many high-end brands still use polyester and other man made fabrics in their collections, this can be because the garment requires structure, but it is sometimes just to keep the costs down and while it may be of a higher quality, its still polyester, so if sustainability is something that’s important to you, always check the care label.
If touching the fabric isn’t enough, what are the tell-tales signs that a garment is not great quality? Remember this is regardless of the price. Stitching is a big giveaway, wonky seams, puckering, snags, fraying and poor structure, the attention to detail will be lacking too, it will be unlined and the hardware, zips, buttons etc won’t be carefully attached, so what should we come to expect from a more expensive piece? I believe a higher content of natural fabrics is the bare minimum, from a design perspective reinforced seams, duplicate stitching, binding, lining, custom buttons and hardware, premium yarn and a discreet finish, meaning no hanging threads.
The moral of save or splurge is that spending a lot doesn’t automatically give you expensive looking outfits, get fussy, expect more, no matter what your budget.
