It's said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Then there's the knock offs.
As I peruse through Philip Lim's Spring 2013 Ready to Wear collection, I noticed this cool and hip look that is gender neutral like a bisexual at a mixer. It taps into my hip hop R&B style sensibility. It also provides a nice way to transition from my goth fall 2012 look to my spring it's black and white Michael Jackson look that I've committed to (granted, I will mix it up with Arab chic...see next post for context).
But Philip Lim's "I Heart Nueva York" tee also made me think of two things. Should I buy it at his store and spend the $200 or should I just wait for the Urban Outfitters $20 version? Or should I wait a couple of more months for the $5 Chinatown version?
It's a common question many consumers encounter every day. It's also something that transcends fashion. Is the Kleenex tissue that much better than the CVS brand box of tissues? Can your guests even tell the difference especially once you put a decorative box on top of the box of Kleenex? Aren't you better off just buying the cheaper CVS brand and calling it a day?
This every day conundrum also finds its way to fashion. My philosophy has always been to buy what I love and pay extra for quality. Truth be told, this applies more to food, hotels, spa services and alcohol than it does for buying basic clothing items like underwear, socks, t-shirts etc. But when it comes to real fashion, I will definitely spend the extra based on design. A bomber Balenciaga jacket that's one sized too big but has these cool rounded sleeves is totally worth it. The Burberry Prorsum trench coat with gold buttons and classic plaid lining..it's a lifetime investment that I will pass on to my extended family. And all of my Alexander McQueen clothes designed when he was alive are considered to be collector's items especially after the Met exhibit. But on the flip side I've never believed in the $500 denim jeans craze. And t-shirts shouldn't cost me hundreds of dollars when I can buy soft pima cotton tees at Zara for $20. Unfortunately that's the category where this Philip Lim tee belongs. Even though I think that his recent look is cooler than an icee pop in a winter snowstorm, it is just a t-shirt with snazzy words on it at the end of the day. It's not something I see myself wearing in perpetuity. Plus the holes in the shirt can be achieved at home with a hole punch.
So what's it worth to you to get his look? Because for me, it's worth $20.
YES: You can hate on me if you're Philip Lim and you see me on the street with a H&M knock off
NO: You don't have to buy the knock off if you're a Hilton sister and you get this kind of Shiite for free
MAYBE: All of fashion is irrelevant and taken to seriously, but I'm not a philosopher, I'm just an average consumer
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