This is some sort of sick joke, right?

[Isaac]

Originally Posted by mousepod

["Limited edition 500 serigraph. Retail value: $7500. Your price: only $4400!"]

Gag!

That's one thing I'd never buy! I prefer classic Mickey (of the 20's & 30's) to contemporary Mickey, but even if the drawings were more retro I'd still hold onto my money.

[mousepod]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Don't tell me you don't look askance at people that pay extravagant prices for what you consider lame concerts, Mousepod

I do. I laugh and laugh and laugh. On the inside. Then I share it with a friend or two who has the same point of reference and possibly taste that I have. That's not what I took umbrage at. It's the "sick joke" aspect of the OP. It's snobby.

The only reason I brought up Shag or Olszweski in this thread is to share that I think that in many cases the pot is indeed black.

When an "us vs. them" thread gets started and we're not all "us", there's a good chance that someone might take the bait. That's all.

[innerSpaceman]

What do you mean, we're not all us?


Who let the riff-raff into the room???

[€uroMeinke]

For me hearing criticisms about price and workmanship made me come to the conclusion that people didn't really understand fashion - which lead me down my particular path of responses. But I've heard similar things applied to art, so I did also take the OP to be baiting.

I think the emphasis early on on the "outrageous" price and "low" quality made this appear to be a crtique on extravagence - hence my reference to sumpuary laws and the morality and ethics of fashion. And while everyone soundly denies there being judgement in their opinions, I think the passion at which this topic is addressed betrays otherwise.

My own knee-jerk reaction is to view this as another line in the sand in the culture wars - and since I do place a high value on things like art and fashion, I also tend to take those topics more personally as it seeks to undermine my own value system.

Bu, at the end of the day I like the Bambi shirt and I don't like the grumpyass pants - regardless of price, quality, or creativity.

[Ghoulish Delight]

The "sick joke" in my title came much from the setting. I mean, these items, before one catches sight of the price tags, are indistinguishible from any of the other items around them in the store in terms of level of fashion. Steps away from the charcoal line-drawing line of character merchandise, which is a style that was just as "edgy" and "a-typical of Disney" when it debuted, selling for "reasonable" prices (i.e., under $30 for a t-shirt). The ONLY thing that distinguished these as "couture" was the price. So yeah, I did view it as a sick joke. Not as an indictment of anyone who might pay triple digits for clothing, but aimed toward Disney (or whomever dictated the pricing), 'cause to me it's lke they were saying "Let's see what these suckers will think if we jack up the prices and put them right next to items of equal or better quailty/fashion-value. I bet they'll call it 'High Fashion' and shell out!"

I have no problem with high fashion fetching exhorbitant prices, even if I dislike the taste. But I think the jokes on the consumer when high fashion is defined merely by the price, not by the content.

And yes, I cringed and scoffed when I saw the price of the Shag map. Of course in partial defense of it, they only printed 300 of them, so the ridiculous price is partially driven by scarcity. But still over the top.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by zapppop

I don't think a white tshirt with a picture iron-on or globs of gold glitter glued onto it is worth $100, nor do I see how that qualifies has 'high fashion'. I sorta get what you mean about fans that drop that kind of money on clothes reguarly but I just don't see those type of spending habits at DL (at least not for clothing). So far I haven't seen anyone wearing one of those shirts but who knows. If the clothes continue to be sold for that price & new ones are being released, then I guess there really is a market for these at the resort.

Well, currently the Bambi shirt is sold out, so I guess there is a market for it - at least the attractive ones. There are several other shirts that were not available in the store as well. Sadly, they are all of the ones I found attractive. I'm so damned main stream!

As far as quality is concerned, ther fabric is thin and made to look used. It is a VINTAGE line. That's the pint. If these shirts were made in a thick thermal fabric, it would be "in style" and probably wouldn't sell as well to the market they are going for. It's fashion - and everyone cares about it one way or another admit it or not. Why else would someone wear clothes in styles that look so awful on them? Because they want to fit in and be fashionable.

I've got a couple of things to respond to so I may be double posting. My apologies in advance.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Here's my question...had they priced these at the standard Disney t-shirt price level, would anyone look at them and think, "OMG, these are only $22? I don't believe they're not charging $100 for this!!"?

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Here's my question...had they priced these at the standard Disney t-shirt price level, would anyone look at them and think, "OMG, these are only $22? I don't believe they're not charging $100 for this!!"?

My question is - why the instense focus on the price of these shirts?

[mousepod]

Here's my question...had they priced Radko's "collectibles" at the standard ornament price level, would anyone look at them and think, "OMG, these are only $10? I don't believe they're not charging $100 for this!!"?

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Heehee! Is that your final answer to the part where I showed you also "feel the need to laugh snarkily at what others obviously enjoy"? We're all human, in the end.

I wanted to go back and address this issue specifically before I got too far off in another direction..

Whether I am dissing a young kid for wearing a band shirt of a punk rocker who died before he was born or if BTD is laughing at other people because of how they choose to appear at the gym, the same thing is happening. We're using other people's choices to help us "feel" superior and to prop up our own egos at the espense of others. Everyone does it. I do it. But, I don't like it when I resort to what I see is childish behaviour. It us really not attractive and, sadly, says more about the insecurities of the person saying it than it does to dis another person. But, I see the transparency in myself and, sometimes, in others. But, I still do it when I I need a little ego boost. Maybe one day I will be perfect.