Am I the crazy one?

So today I have been digitally snooping around shopping to find some styles to copy this summer. I'm not very creative, so I usually need to shop in online stores that will put the whole outfit together for me like Ann Taylor, Nordstrom, Saks even... they're all good about giving me some semblance of style without me naturally having any.

While I was poking around the Saks website I found that they have a "most popular" section which is neat. That way I can look at things that are actually selling (so in theory they look good on real-ish people, right?) and I was dumbfounded. First of all, I was right about being able to find good styles in the most popular section, there are a few great Diane von Furstenburg dresses, some neat Burberry polos, a great Ralph Lauren dress (if it weren't white) and a really sharp looking Prada dress.

Here's where I got dumbfounded: that Prada dress in all its simplicity is selling for $625.00, and it's on a best sellers list, so apparently that's what it's going for. Now I understand the value of well made pieces in a wardrobe, especially something as versatile and classic as a LBD but seriously?! Do you even know how far I could go in a fabric store with $625 to play with? I guarantee I'd come out of there with way more than a measly LBD even if it was made out of some outlandishly luxurious and therefore expensive fabric. Don't start at me with the brand thing either- I work in the advertising industry so I know exactly what it takes to build a brand and yadda yadda yadda - I'm still not sold on why I need a Prada anything over a non branded but exactly as well made alternative.

Continue the dumbfounding with looking at the prices on all the rest of the pieces on the same best sellers list. Admittedly, I usually choose stores to snoop based on the fact that I won't be tempted to shell out the cash for the already made version, but I find it hard to believe that even if Hubby was raking in a cool million a year (which goes a long way where we live- not quite like living it up in NYC) that I would be able to justify this kind of purchase- $625 for a knit dress. Or $195 for a Burberry polo (though understandably that Burberry check on the outside might be necessary to be allowed to schmooze with the other wives in whatever posh country club we would be members of...) Nevermind the fact that in this little fantasy land these purchases would fit reasonably into our clothing budget, I still don't think I could do it. Just knowing what else I could be doing with the money would make me sick. 47 yards of Loro Piana suiting anyone?

So here's my final point and I promise I won't abuse any more parentheses. As someone who can go into a fabric shop with $100 and come out with a garment worth substantially more, aren't I lucky? All of us sewists are, because when we make clothes that have awesome couture finishes and details even on the simplest of garments and we're making things with absolutely custom fit, we are spoiling ourselves completely rotten in a way that our non-sewing sisters just can't get without some amazing sale shopping or some major cash dropping. That's good stuff in my book!