It has become clear that over the last couple of years, clothing prices have unfortunately risen. Stores that once funded enjoyment and pleasure are now seen as a torture to many, including myself, with the hopes of purchasing clothing at an affordable rate. Shopping at certain stores has become an integral part of our lives, yet inflated prices are causing us to spend more than we are used to.
Instances where people feel obligated to purchase new pieces of clothing, such as the changes in seasons, trends or going back to school, it feels like we are only capable of buying a limited amount of clothing before we go over our budget. Recently, stores like Macy’s have raised their prices. According to CNBC news, “Macy’s faces a ‘price ceiling’ for commodity items such as a basic T-shirt or a pair of denim jeans.”
While other high-brand stores have also pushed their prices up according to Forbes, “the price increase of luxury accessories was off the charts, rising from $456 to $633, according to data compiled by Dataweave.”
Many of these stores have undergone economic pressures as a result of the pandemic, causing them to raise prices in an attempt to increase their revenue. However, living in a time of social media influencers leads many of us to succumb to purchasing products that we may not necessarily need. Media influencers have helped promote products that are “must-haves,” and the price of these items often intentionally left out of these promotional videos, after which the expensive prices then surprise those who decide to purchase this product. I even catch myself wondering if I should buy certain pieces just so I can “fit” into a certain style, or even a certain group of people who indulge in similar clothing pieces. We as a society spend far too much time giving in to the idea of these purchases when realistically, the item being bought is only to be used a couple of times, not making it worth the price.
In recent times, many of us have started to pay more attention to the brand that an item is being produced from, no longer considering the comfort level of the clothing or even the look of the item. Brand labels also influence us to purchase unnecessary items, yet we continue buying into this false ideal of wearing certain brands that will make us seem “cooler.”
As time continues on, it is only made more clear to us that the pieces of clothing we buy are not going to stay the same price as they once did. Living in this society inevitably leads people to focus on the cost of materialistic items rather than the pieces that give off actual importance in one’s life. People are more prone to divert their spendings on expensive pieces and ultimately forget about the stores that will truly give them convenience at a much cheaper price. People will not continue to purchase these overpriced items and will spend time finding other stores that are much cheaper for them and much more affordable. Stores who continue raising their prices will slowly over time lose their sense of support from others and will realize how crucial it was to continue their sales and prices.
