Brands! Brands! Brands!

Our sister site, metrostyle.com also has a blog where we talk about fashion trends and give our customers an idea of who we are. A post on the metrostyle blog sparked my idea for this entry: Labels. I agree with the author of that post; everything has a label and it's the way we classify our lives - brands define us; and I'm not just talking about the figurative labels, it's everything. What makes us buy brand name toilet paper versus store brand, or Hood milk over any other brand - It's the perceived quality.

This past weekend, I went to the outlet mall and found myself spending over $100 on base layers for winter sports, because they have me convinced that their special "moisture wicking" technology will keep me warm while I'm on the mountain. All my gear is brand name because I don't want to be seen as "not cool" or not "part of the crowd". But are you less cool if your sunglasses don't have a Gucci label on them? What does it say about you when you're walking down the street with a Louis Vuitton bag - other people will probably have already made judgments about you that you didn't even know.

I'm a homeowner and it's true when people say your perspectives change when you buy a home, I find myself wanting to look more in the home goods section rather than the clothing section. Then I see my friends and coworkers with those luxury brand handbags and shoes and I say "I want that!" But how can I justify spending $1,000+ on a handbag, when that money can go towards my mortgage? But how do you keep up? When does it end?!

Regardless of our brand hoarding, we should all be glad that there are brands like Chadwicks and metrostyle out there - We've got the classics and the hot fashion trends at great prices and "Real Steals", and we offer real quality, not just that "perceived" stuff you pay extra for. And that is how we can keep those other girls guessing, where did she get that coat/sweater/bag/shoes?