Expensive vs. Inexpensive: How Much Should We Spend on Clothes/Shoes?

If there is one thing that most parents and children can testify to, it is that name brand clothes and shoes are pretty pricey. We are going to go into detail about the history of these clothes, and why they are either inexpensive, or alternatively, expensive. Brands such as Vans, Nike, Converse, and plenty of others will be compared and reviewed, so we can determine the expensive versus inexpensive brands that rightfully charge or overcharge for their product.

Our first victim: Vans. Vans’ shoes have been a classic, and what seems to be, a timeless pair of shoes for years now. The brand started in 1966, and have been a hot topic since. Vans used to be set at $4.49 for Men’s styles, and $2.29 for Women’s. Now, Vans range from around $40.00-$100.00; depending on customization and style. Clothing from Vans, in many parents’ opinions, are considered expensive. Shirts from Vans can range from $20 to $30 dollars (which for a shirt, is, objectively, pretty expensive). Shorts/Pants and bottoms from VANS range from $30 to $40 dollars. Cali Marquez, senior at Cam High, justified Vans’ pricing system: “I think that vans are a reasonable price because they’re stylish, comfortable, they have multiple styles, and a huge variety of colors and designs. Also because they look good with everything.”

Next, we have Supreme. Clothing from Supreme ranges from $100 to $300 dollars. Supreme started in 1994, and has been the must-have clothing brand ever since. Supreme is very expensive; for example, if you buy a hat from Lids, it is generally going to cost you $7.00 to $9.00, but from Supreme it is $50 to $60 dollars! If you were to buy a jacket from Supreme, it would range from $10 to $280 dollars. Supreme is overall just expensive for no good reason, and I highly do not recommend buying items from there unless it is just so good you cannot resist.

Last, but not least, is Nike. Nike is easily one of the most popular athletic wear brands on the market. For shoes, their prices typically range from $50-$100+, depending on the shoe. Most agree that these are pretty reasonable prices, especially for the quality you get. This brand is popular among almost all ages: youth, all the way through adults. Cam High sophomore, Angelina Gonzalez, believes that Nike’s prices are both fair and accessible: “I think the prices are average, so not too expensive… it depends on what the design [is] and [the] material.” She stated, “The most expensive pair of Nike’s I’ve bought bought were $250 dollars, which were a white base with pink and purple accents.”