How Important are Lables to You?

 

It seem like brands and labels are becoming even more important to us.  You’re more likely to hope and wish for the Ralph Lauren boots rather than the ones that look pretty much identical and cost half the price.  Branding is something that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I don’t understand why you would want to carry around a handbag that has MK on it or little crossed LV’s on it.

When I was thinking about what to say in this article I thought about how branding starts.  The thing is we all think it starts when we reach middle school.  When I was in middle school, If you were not wearing Hollister or Abercrombie and Fitch you were not fashionable.  But the thing is branding does start there.

Branding starts when you are too young to care about what you are wearing.  Think about the Disney movie Frozen.  Whether you walk into a toy store or a grocery store there is frozen cereal, fruit snacks, and many other items.  The reason companies do this is children are likely to see Elsa on the package and ask their parents to buy it.  

That brings up the question: Is branding bad? It seems harmless to let your child pick up the Frozen gummies rather than the Welch’s ones.  Personally, I do see branding as a bad thing.  The reason being is bags that have the designer’s logo on them, I don’t think the people are buying them because they like the bag.  I think they are buying them because of the name and for what the other people are thinking about them holding the bag.

The thing is buying labels is not important, not saying you should buy fake designer purses.  But paying a $50 purse at TJ Maxx from an unknown designer is no different that spending hundreds on a bag made by a famous designer.  

For example, I am completely in love with the cedar wallet from Kate Spade which costs $178.  Yes, my brothers said they same thing you’re thinking “Cara you don’t even have $178 to put into a wallet” but still the wallet I have that has the same concept is just not the same.  The reason is marketing.  When you spend the extra money on things it gives you a little more confidence.  

The reason this happens I would love to know.  I don’t spend a lot of money on my clothing at all, but still I love my Vans more than I like my sneakers I got from American Eagle for more than half the price.  They are made the same, but I’ve worn my vans hundreds of times, but my American Eagle sneakers not more than twice.