Big brands - are they worth it?

Yes, there are a few brands I warm too, but in general, how much do I desire for a need to have brands on everything, all the time? And how much do I really feel they're worth the money spent on them?

If you'd asked me as a teenager, I would have said brands are EVERYTHING. I cringe at this thought. But then again, I also need to remember I was a teenager. Back then, brands needed to be BIG. LOUD. IN YOUR FACE. If they were a person, anything more than small doses at a time, and they'd get on my last damn nerve.

Wearing a Marks and Spencer jumper, no matter how expensive or quality it was, wouldn't do justice. If I had an Armani shirt given to me back then (I never did by the way), it NEEDED to scream Armani. No subtly here. Having it sewed in as an inner label meant fuck all. Everyone needed to know what designer I was wearing. You know, as an insecure teenager who didn't have a job and wouldn't see my fellow peers after we all left high school.

Back then, (visible) designer wear meant social status. It meant fitting in. Acceptance by my peers fully topped concerns about quality. I can quite happily say I stopped subscribing to that club many, many MANY moons ago.

As an adult, I'm very comfortable in a £3 tshirt. In fact, some of my favourite items are plain black or white tshirts, which I often pick up from Primark. It doesn't have to be Primark by the way. And while 'cheap' to some people may not offer up quality, I can also argue that branded items don't always afford the same either.

I once purchased a pair of Chelsea boots by a designer which I am a fan of, and the boots crumbled to shit within weeks of wearing them. Did I wear these boots too hard? No. I barely wore them actually. But how they were manufactured was evident: there was barely much care put into them. The brand carried the price tag, but they didn't live up to it. They fell apart quickly and weren't even fit for resale. I bought a cheaper pair later on and they lasted much longer.

This example alone didn't make me stop and go "Are brands worth it?". Growing up did. Yes, there are some brands I do like, but I don't believe that their clothes are always better. Also, my attitude to cheaper or non-designer brands isn't "oh they're cheap, it doesn't matter if they break". Instead, I try to make whatever I wear last.

I'm a firm believer in the old saying: it's not what you wear, but how you wear it. I like brands - this isn't a secret - but I also like what I like. Whether this is a well-known brand, independent brand or unbranded and as plain as unseasoned chicken, if it can work with my frame, then I'm good for it.