How much would you pay to dress in style? Apparently many of us would pay a lot just to look good. An article in The New York Times asked:

How about $480, for plain khakis from Michael Bastian? Or $495 for light cotton twill pants from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen of The Row? Or $595 if they are by Giorgio Armani? Or $780 for ones with elasticized cuffs from Bottega Veneta? Or is $350, as Thom Browne charges for chinos, the right price?

Similarly, The Wall Street Journal reported (in 2010) that a pair of True Religions Super T jeans, identifiable by their oversized white stitching, cost around $50 a pair to make, were sold wholesale at $152, and retailed for $335. One brand consulting expert noted, "The cost of creating those things has nothing to do with the price. It is all about who else is wearing them, who designed them and who is selling them."

Christian author Steve Taylor concludes:

[At this point] designer labels easily become contemporary idols, if by idol we mean something that encourages extravagant devotion. The prestige given to certain brands is out of all proportion to their usefulness and actual material value …. Very often the reason people opt for designer labels is to communicate a message of privilege to other people; "Look at me. Not only do I have taste but I have a lot of money to spend on clothes."