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Two Budgets, One Look #4 – $343 vs. $1639(r/malefashionadvice)
H&M regular/straight jeans, $20
American Giant black crewneck sweatshirt, $59
Wings + Horns down vest, detachable hood, $495
Alexander Wang jersey crewneck sweatshirt, $195
Finally, let me try to pre-empt three points of confusion from the last couple threads –
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Don’t think of this as $343 or $1639 for one outfit – that’s not the right way to shop, and it’s not the right way to approach this graphic. It’s a collection of versatile pieces that you can/could/should mix and match with what you already own. They happen to look good in this particular combination, but everything in the image is versatile and it’ll look good with the other stuff in your closet too. Shopping for versatile pieces instead of distinct outfits is one of the core principles of MFA.
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Notice how nothing on the right (except the least expensive item) has a brand name. Some things cost a lot because a designer sprays their name across the front, but other things are expensive because of the design, materials, type of construction, and/or place of manufacture. Don’t reject the latter because you only have experience with the former. That said, if you’re honestly curious about what makes a pair of jeans worth $300+ to someone, definitely ask.
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“Don’t waste your money on the expensive stuff when there’s similar-looking cheap stuff,” is absolutely not the point of this. The goal is to inspire, inform, and maybe spark a discussion about values and budgets. I also do it because I enjoy the challenge and the process of hunting down and assembling everything.
And for posterity: