No but that was how I was brought up. My parents never stopped living the Depression.

My dad would buy really nice cloths for me as a kid, BUT we went to the garment district to buy them wholesale.

After my mom died, my dad took his Gf's and me to a nice restruant. For desert I ordered a $7 Banana Foster. I never heard the end of that. I finally got him off my back about that when I told him I learned how to make it. It was educational so that made it ok.

Thanks for all the replies.
Perhaps my dad's actions weren't related to how he was brought up, maybe they were... who knows. The bread thing always stuck me as funny.

One other trait which reminded me of depression era thinking was that he's a hoarder. Like tabs, he loves the thrill of the good deal. He would buy stuff he didn't even need because of the deal, never use it, and never get rid of it, to the point where there was so much stuff, it wasn't even find-able or functional when he needed it. His entire house(s) are packed to the brim with 99 year projects.
I guess I got that gene too, and have to actively avoid auctions and such. I also throw out what many would consider to be perfectly good stuff. My pack rat sense tells me not to and I should be more frugal like the depression era thinking, but I also know where it will lead from a hoarding standpoint if left unchecked. There's a lot of guilt with that. I found a 944/951 electric window switch today while cleaning the garage. Don't need it. Too nice to throw out, but it's gotta go. Not really worth the hassle of advertising/ picturing/ selling either. Anybody want it for free:D? .. Oh yeah, that spare 951 engine block still laying around... etc... etc...

Almost forgot- I am a huge Allen Edmonds fan myself. Pictured is the sole off of a pair of Cole Haans from Jos A Banks $150-$200????. They are garbage and I used to go through cheaper shoes like this in no time. Soles are made out of some cardboard material and my shoe guy tried to resole a pair once and couldn't get the glue to stick properly to the carboard. Imagine that. Next to is is a AE sole (partially pictured), but it has more than twice the useage and has worn less. It's not really pictured, but you can see that the bottom stitching has twice as dense stitching on the soles.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1475442604.jpg

There's a reason those clothes are at the thrift store.

Cole Haan is owned by the Chinese now. Not the same construction anymore. I don't even consider them as quality shoes now. Sad.

Nike owns C&H.

The guy died? Ahh for me to make money on? So I can dress nicely for next to nothin? I give up what reason?

Perhaps not everyone wants to wear leisure suits, baby blue tuxedos, and Micheal Jackson Thriller shirts in 2016.

Without going full-tabs, I can second the love for real shoes. Have many pairs of AEs and a wolverine 1000 mile on its fourth set of soles.

My parents were middle class (both born 1948, we were a one middle-management income family) and they really pushed the "buy right, cry once" mentality. We didn't have everything, but what we had was well planned, saved for, and is still lasting forever.

I think my grandparents' experience drove this mentality. Born 1916-1020, they lived through the depression and the war.

We're spoiling our 3-yo, like all parents, but at some point I hope to instill these same values into her. ...

Nike owns C&H.

To reiterate. American shoe mfg largely ceased around the year 2000. Many of the brands went to China, India and Brazil to maintain PRICE POINT. The shoes initially made in those counties were nearly as good as the American made ones. Over time to maintain Price Point they have cut quality. So now they have become disposable and wear out quickly. It is especially noticeable with the soles of the shoes.

Good Italian shoes have become 500 up pairs of shoes, with the real deal north of 700. As a result Spain, Portugal and Romania are affordable at the 300 mark. However the quality is not as good as even 10 years ago. That is also true of clothing, the vintage cloths are of better quality and as such is a better buy. This is why those old Florsheim Imperial Long wingtips with the 5 nails and V cleats are in demand on a world wide basis.

There are three type of shoes construction.

1. Goodyear Welting..where the sole is stitched around the outside of the shoe to the upper. These shoe can be resoled multiple times as long as the uppers and insole remain in good condition. Allen Edmonds, Alden and many of the more expensive shoes use this method.

2. Blake stitching where the sole is stitched to the inside of the upper. These too can be resoled but needs special equipment to do. Many of the better brands like Ferragamo, Polo Italian have a lessor line of Blake stitched shoes.

3. Glue where the sole is glued to the upper...when they wear out throw them away.

Try Brioni suits (a friend found 2 6K each suits that fit him for $60), Zegna Sport coats, slacks, shirts, sweater, ties and shoes, Zanella Italian wool slacks etc.

Maybe you should visit Neiman Marcus to see how a well dressed man dresses, and then wouldn't act the fool. . BTW Trump wears custom Brioni suits at 17K each.

Brioni suit from 1978 is not what Trump is wearing. Triple pleats in chocolate brown?

Grey and a Navy wt chalk line pinstripe 3 button. Classic tailoring. You still are playing the fool. They are some nice things to be had for next to nothing.

Chalk stripes are very outdated.
3 button is also very outdated.
I would not wear that stuff in public.
You get what you pay for.

Shameful admission -

I'm 5'8" and have a three button suit. With pleats and cuffs.

Heading off to the bonfire now...

talk about a fashion whore..If you wouldn't wear those suit you would be a fool.

There are cloths that are timeless, fashion comes in goes out and come back in.

Do you wear bell bottoms and suede jackets with fringe on casual Friday?

People that can drop 6K for a suit usually don't deep six them because of one more button or less. Usually a suit of that caliber is Classically tailored to withstand the vargries of this weeks fashion.

The exception for myself is that you could not get me to own or wear double breasted even if it were the raging fashion of the week.

Further guys who buy Brioni suits have the money to do so, they are usually older, are highly paid professionals or business men who would by nature be dressed more conservatively, wearing more classic styles for their business applications. .

Tabs, I would like to see a photo of you all glammed out in your best duds. Put your money where your mouth is.

Tabs
Nike sold Cole Haan in 2012 to a private equity group. It is Chinese money running it now.
Cole Haan quality was actually ok under Nike.