From a year or so, you all must have noticed that everyone is so attracted to designer wear and big-name outlets. All the time when people talk about clothes, home accessories, shoes etc. you hear names like “HSY”, “Nickie Nina” “Maria B” “Gucci” “Chinyere” “Exist” “Ammar Belal” “Gul Ahmed” “Omer sayeed” “QYT” “Nomi Ansari” … blah blah.
As soon as the sale season starts people just go crazyyy shopping and going to each and every outlet to buy things. People talk so much artificial and material stuff where affording or not affording is a separate issue but they will not compromise on anything non-designer.
Also, these designers and these sales on all these outlets are in fact another way of looting people because in these sales lots of junk stock is taken out to get fresh stock.Just yesterday i visited Bareeze/Chinyere, cut piece shirts that once used to be some Rs.500 -800 were now not even of any extraordinary quality but the range was Rs. 1000- 5000. I mean just visit any store of Bareeze or ECS or CrossRoads these days, aunties and girls are clustered around like bees on a bee hive.
Dont you all feel that this trend, if you start noticing, is prevailing at a large extent? At least in Pakistan, it is catching like fire.I know some of you may not agree with this, but for weddings its okay that you spend so much because it is your big day but for normal days just to be part of the so called “socialites” or “elites” it has become a neccessity that you do not wear anything that does not belong to a big brand name.
People think if its on "sale" then its a deal and they buy more than they expected to in the first place. Its an enticing way to get customers to buy overpriced items at a so called "discount" which isn't even a discount because the reduced price is either still a bit pricey or the price clothing SHOULD almost actually be. Those who go for only brand names in my opinion are not smart. The reason being, if you buy nice clothes made well, no one can tell if its brand name or not. I bought this shalwar kameez from a no name brand in a small shop in America,where I live, and I got many compliments. It was well made and pretty but at a reasonable price too..One auntie even asked my Mom which store in Pakistan she bought it from. When we told her it was from here she didn't believe us and ended up getting the phone number of that store from my Mom. See, here when one girl finds something great she tells her friends so they can get it too. In Pakistan its like pulling teeth. My Mom was at a wedding and told a girl she looked pretty and her outfit was gorgeous. She then asked her where she got it from. The girl replied by saying "it was custom made from some designer". She then rudely walked away before my Mom had a chance to ask from which "designer" it was from. Why do people keep good things a secret?? I share everything with my friends and cousins..like "I just got this dress from xyz shop and it was on sale. There were many more left. You should really check it out since you need a dress for that party" Also, at parties here people compliment each other all the time. And when someone tells you you look nice you thank them and tell them the same. In Paksiatn when I was there the girls never complimented each other and when I told a girl she looked nice she had this hauty attitude and fake smiled and nodded and walked away. That was ten years ago, last time I was in PK. Is it still like that?? I know this is a bit off topic but I just had to say it without opening a whole new thread.
Also, at parties here people compliment each other all the time. And when someone tells you you look nice you thank them and tell them the same. In Paksiatn when I was there the girls never complimented each other and when I told a girl she looked nice she had this hauty attitude and fake smiled and nodded and walked away. That was ten years ago, last time I was in PK. Is it still like that?? I know this is a bit off topic but I just had to say it without opening a whole new thread.
I wouldnt agree with this part much. Here girls praise each other all the time specially on their attire. Some times you tend to feel whether it is buttering or actual praise. At least i compliment every other nice thing that some one is wearing. As for hiding information, it is also part of this new race of being the most exclusively dressed and yes it persists here.
I don’t think its strictly a Pakistani thing–some girls are just like that. they never want to tell where they got something from b/c theyr’e afraid someone else will look as nice as them, and their overinflated egos just cannot allow that.. I mean even if u just look at here, some girls said that their freinds wont tell them where htey got teir outfits or (even more so)a lot of girls complain about how someone is being a copycat and buying their outfits from the same plce they do so they dont tell them where they bought it or tell the wrong place…which i think is still mean.. I don’t see what the big deal is. Personally if someone compliments something I have, i say thank you and move on..if they ask me, i tell them exactly where and when i got it, i might not give the price (unless it was super cheap :D).
And, again, not just a Pakistan thing, but some girls are just super-Bs that dont know hwo to take a compliment.
i don't think it's the copycat issue! The issue is when...
i've had time when i've told my friends where i got the stuff i wear and they ended up getting it. It later turned out the they got it and didn't wear it infront of me, and then when they got caught red handed they said, " this old thing, i've had it for a long time" "oh u have it too! i didn't know" well i got it before u!
thats what pisses me off! but at the end of the day life goes on.
now i just buy stuff on sale at the end of the season and save it for next year! and i still tell them where i got it!
I am not a tad bit fond of this designer-wear-trend so to speak. It appears to be just another way of blending in with the crowd and is a total rip off when it comes to these 'sales', you indeed end up spending more than needed to. Having another friend picking out what I bought is too cute and makes me happy.
Personally, I am seeing a lot of the same thing here in the US. If I have something nice and you like it, I'll tell you where I got it. My friends ask me all the time about perfume and clothes (love both) and I never hesitate. My best friend sometimes even gets the same ones as I and it doesnt bother me. Why? Whats the big deal? If you need something and I can help, lets do it. The girl who is doing my bridal has gotten at least 3 brand new orders because of me.
However, a few weeks ago I emailed my sister's friend about the makeup artist she used on her wedding. My sister warned this would happen but I had to see it for myself. I mailed her and told her I loved her look and was wondering where she got her makeup done from.................no answer. Not even a lie. I was SOOOO annoyed because I hook people up all the time. Seriously, if you're this close-mouthed about a makeup artist...I have no use for you.
Regardless, I was able to find a damn good one on my own.
Getting back to the topic at hand.........Ive seen the brand name bug bite people in Chicago a lot these days. Everywhere you go, people are dying to have something NO ONE else does. Like a rat race. Here is something funny though. Late last year, HSY, Nikkie and Nayna, etc had an event here in Chicago. They were here personally taking orders and doing on the spot consultations. I went, as I was really curious about them. When I got there, I didnt feel like talking to a single one of them. They were so stuck up and stuffy, I looked around a bit and then left. Sorry, you wont get your ego stroked by me. This is where you take some really good pictures and have your own designer copy them for you! :) :) :)
Getting back to the topic at hand.........Ive seen the brand name bug bite people in Chicago a lot these days. Everywhere you go, people are dying to have something NO ONE else does. Like a rat race. Here is something funny though. Late last year, HSY, Nikkie and Nayna, etc had an event here in Chicago. They were here personally taking orders and doing on the spot consultations. I went, as I was really curious about them. When I got there, I didnt feel like talking to a single one of them.** They were so stuck up and stuffy, I looked around a bit and then left. **Sorry, you wont get your ego stroked by me. This is where you take some really good pictures and have your own designer copy them for you! :) :) :)
i wouldnt want my dress made by some one who isnt even ready to take my complete views on it, and even if they take they dont seem to accept their mistakes later and sometimes charge you for something you didnt want. Although, their dresses are nice but likewise many non-designer wear places have awesome stuff too. Its just the views that irritate me .. that if you dont have a big tag name attached to your clothes and accessories, it sure lies in the crap category!
I personally havent noticed this trend in any of my family or friends, either in the US or Pakistan. We are a middle class family where no one would dream of spending on designer wear when they could have used the same amount for something else. At times when i can afford it, i think it is wasteful and would rather spend on a car payment or something else more important.
Also, at parties here people compliment each other all the time. And when someone tells you you look nice you thank them and tell them the same. In Paksiatn when I was there the girls never complimented each other and when I told a girl she looked nice she had this hauty attitude and fake smiled and nodded and walked away. That was ten years ago, last time I was in PK. Is it still like that?? I know this is a bit off topic but I just had to say it without opening a whole new thread.
OMG! soo true!!! When I went to Pak, i noticed that too..and whenver you compliment someone, they are not used to saying "thankyou" over there.
I just find that a bit rude, but I guess these are the cultural differences that we need to take into acocunt. So I wouldn't take it personally or nething.
