What Matters Most When Buying Clothes: Quality or Price?

The Well-Rounded Gent: Jorge Garcia's Coat

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What matters most to you when buying stylish clothing in your size?

High quality at an affordable price in the sizes we need. In a perfect world, that’s what we’d want in all the clothing we buy, right? In the years since Chubstr began, the quality vs price debate has been an ongoing conversation. Some of you want higher quality products at a higher price point, and some of you want discount basics at a price everyone can afford.

Today, we’re taking a quick look at the pros and cons of both sides, then turning it over to you, our community, to get your thoughts. Get in on the conversation by adding a comment below, or hit us up on your favorite social network.

What Matters Most to You: Price or Quality?

The Argument for Quality

Many of you reach out to us looking for higher end, higher quality clothing in extended sizes at a more expensive price point. You’re willing to pay the price for a specific style, and for something that lasts. A few of the arguments we hear for paying more:

  • It costs more to make clothing that lasts. Larger companies selling clothes at discount prices aren’t offering products that you can expect to be able to wear for years to come. Investing in your clothing helps ensure you’ll have pieces you can wear longer term.
  •  Smaller companies focusing on extended size clothing don’t have the sheer sales numbers that huge companies out there do, so they can’t get the deals on materials, and they don’t have the brand recognition, so they have to work harder to get in front of potential customers and sell their stuff, and that costs money. We want to support up and coming businesses when we can.
  • There is definitely an audience out there willing to spend more money on higher end, higher quality clothing, and they should be catered to.
  • Quality clothing might cost more, but it lasts longer, so you’re buying less in the long run.
  • Some clothing is made to last a lifetime, or to be passed down generations. That kind of stuff rightfully costs money.
  • Smaller brands that are making big men’s clothing are doing this specifically with big bodies in mind as opposed to upsizing something from a fit model of a mainstream size.  Making good clothes can be expensive, especially when you’re just starting out, but there SHOULD be brands focused on solving specific problems or filling specific niches, like stylish plus size men’s clothing.

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The Argument for Affordability

We get a lot of reader feedback about the price of products available in extended sizes. Some of our most vocal community members want stylish clothing at affordable or discount prices – something that can be hard to find when you’re looking for clothes in the sizes we need. Here are a few of the things we’ve heard:

  • It’s hard to justify paying $65 for a shirt, or $300 for selvedge jeans, when you have so many other things to pay for.
  • There needs to be a low-cost entry level to fashion, for people who are just starting to find their style.
  • Some people just don’t have extra money to spend on clothes. Shouldn’t they have options too?
  • People wearing mainstream sizes can find clothes that don’t cost a lot. Shouldn’t that be the status quo at any size?
  • Large companies that are making clothes in mainstream sizes should be making extended sizes if they aren’t already, and a size 46 should be the same price as a size 28.
  • Most people simply don’t want to spend a ton of money for style, and they shouldn’t have to. Fast fashion should be available in all sizes.

Now it’s your turn – Tell us what you think! Does quality or price matter more to you when buying clothes in your size? Why? Tell us in the comments below, or on your favorite social network – @chubstr!

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