Real life MMD: Should I buy my sons' clothes from Burberry?

JoannaS_3 · 6 July 2011 at 9:45AM

19lottie82 wrote: »

Quite simply no. I’m not saying send him out in Supermarket own brand clothes

What's wrong with supermarket clothes? They have become just as competititve and up-to-date as most high street stores and their prices are much more tolerable!

I actually get quite a lot of my clothes in Sainsbury's and there is nothing worng with them; especially when they have 25% off!! Can you tell when I wear them they are "supermarket own brand cloths"?? No you can't and neither would the kid's school friends either!!!

Bottom line they are all made in the same sweat shops whether from Primark, Sainsbury's or Burberry so why spend the extra on Burberry?! When actually it looks cheaper than Primark anyway!!

jax1305 · 6 July 2011 at 9:48AM

How tragically sad that your sons have got to 'that age' without being made aware that there is more to life than looking cool, being 'in' with the in-crowd, having expensive clothes and generally being a sheep. Not heard of INDIVIDUALITY? Okay, they might want to look nice but if their friends worry more about what they look like than what kind of people they are then they need to get some new friends. Not saying they're not nice boys but if their focus is on being the same as everyone else and worrying if they don't fit in they're going to be missing out on a whole chunk of life - forging their own path, taking pride in being themselves, realising that 'different' is good.
If they want the expensive labels, make them work for it - that's what they'll have to do when they're older so get them used to it now. Keep buying the cheaper everyday clothes - they can still look nice! Why spend £35 on a t-shirt with a 'name' that won't last any longer than one that costs a lot less - and they'll outgrow anyway! And in 6 months time it won't be 'cool' any more, so you'll be forking out week after week - and for what?

sarah_loobylou · 6 July 2011 at 9:57AM

When I got to the age where I started to become more interested in fashion, my Mum decided to start giving me an allowance and I had to buy all of my own clothes from there on. If something cost a lot of money I had to save for it.

After a few months I started to realise the value of money and got myself a part time job waitressing so I could buy more lovely clothes!!

Everybody was happy

Pellyman · 6 July 2011 at 10:12AM

Actually you have already answered your own question - "I can't afford to keep buying them expensive clothes"

Now all you have to do is explain the true meaning of that statement to you sons. The consequences for you and them, if you don't, are far more serious than any 'sniggering' ('sticks and stones may break my bones etc.'?) they may experience. Don't feel guilty; you will be doing them a great favour by introducing them to the real world. If they complain when you explain, it merely confirms that you have already spoiled them excessively without appropriate appreciation from them and that it is time to change. You know it makes sense.

killerkaterina · 6 July 2011 at 10:22AM

Pellyman wrote: »

The consequences for you and them, if you don't, are far more serious than any 'sniggering'

I have to agree. If you buy your sons stuff you can't afford you are teaching them that they should have whatever they want regardless of whether they can pay for it. You have to be the voice of reason. It's hard to deny them, but it's better than setting them up for a life of chronic debt, potential bankruptcy or even (God forbid) criminality.

mippy · 6 July 2011 at 10:25AM

I grew up in a pretty working-class town where labels, particularly sportswear, were very popular. I'm totally familiar with the kind of peer pressure you mean - even at my uniformed school, there were certain accessories or ways of wearing uniform that were cooler than others - but at the same time, I loathed sportswear and even now am not at all keen on anything with blatant branding, so it's hard for me to remember what that kind of pressure is like. I can completely see your dilemma - unfortunately teenagers are shallow, and if your son is someone quite vulnerable to peer-pressure or not very confident in his own tastes, he probably thinks he likes/needs that stuff to be popular. It's sad but very pervasive.

Two options, really:

- you give your child a clothing allowance and everything but their basic clothing/uniform must come out of this - or if they are old enough tell them that they can get a job and earn half/all of the cost of these items. As a teenager I didn't really appreciate how much these things cost and if he is able to translate £50 into ten hours of work it will help him work out whether branded gear is really worth it to him.
- see if you can teach him something about manufacturing, particularly sweat-shop labour. Does he know that that £50 T-shirt was made by someone his age earning perhaps £5 a week? How would he feel if he had to work all week for £5? Does he understand why he thinks a logo makes something more or less desirable than something else (assuming he wants to buy these things for the name and not because it looks nice - I have a 'branded' handbag but I bought it because it's nice and very durable!). Why does he think brand X is cooler/better than brand Y - does it last longer, look better, or just have a name on the front? I don't know how interested he might be in this stuff but I have found it really eyeopening. There are a lot of documentaries and books about this stuff - BBC3 did one called 'Secrets of the Superbrands' recently which is pretty accessible to a young teenager.

robynprincess · 6 July 2011 at 10:34AM

What are you teaching them? If you have expensive clothes you will fit in?

MILLET · 6 July 2011 at 11:01AM

My daughter and her best friend laugh their socks off at the other girls in their class who all appear to be enthralled by Pauls Boutique and Jack Wills at the moment. The other girls seem to pity my girl and her bf and can be quite patronising. However when one of the girls announced how much she had paid for her designer underwear my daughter and her bf were crying with laughter. I have shown my daughter how to use Ebay and give her a set amount each month which covers everything including topping up her oyster card.
If my daughter wants anything in particular then she shops around and the fun is getting the item for the least possible.
I suggest giving your son a set amount each month show him around ebay then let him get on with it. I would also consider having a chat with some of the other mums but I have found some are the same as their children and look down their noses on anyone who isn't in designer items. Usually these are the ones who work full time and are in debt up to their eyeballs.
Should say she is only 11

squeekymoo · 6 July 2011 at 11:04AM

Take heart that children soon outgrow this stage.
My children are now older (16y) and will not wear any clothes that somebody else might be wearing. But when my son was of this age we got his clothes in sportsworld (Chavs R us as we call it) or TK Max as designer clothes were cheaper.
Now, however most of our clothes come from high street or if we have any named brands they are accidental and from boot sales or ebay.
My daughter will still buy David & Golliath T-shirts but only in the sale or on ebay
Tell your children that you can only have a certain amount or money for clothes and if they choose 1 designer sweatshirt rather that 3 or 4 un-branded that is up to them. (a word of warning - a colleague bought her son a £90 sweatshirt for is birthday and the first time he wore it he played football and got it all muddy, the second time he left in the park - so £90 for 2 wears!!) :mad:

Nick_C · 6 July 2011 at 11:07AM

Burberry closed down their factory in Wales, putting 300 British workers on the dole and moved production abroad, but their prices have remained sky high. No patriotic Brit should buy Burberry!