Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

What Labels Would You Wear, and What Labels Would You Never Wear?

 

A reader comment begged the question: What labels would you wear, and what labels would you never wear?


121 comments:

  1. A few exceptions to my no-label rule:

    Joules (there is a small label on their Bretons, and they have a very small embroidered rabbit on their things-- at least on women's things they do?

    L.L. Bean: I like their sweater fleece so the small Katahdin logo is ok, although it would be even better without a label.

    Lands' End: I recently bought a snap pullover fleece that is similar to those I bought back in the 1990s. It does have a Lands End label on it but the label is plain navy and white and the garment itself is for casual wear.)

    For the most part I'm not into labels because why should I pay to advertise? Also because sometimes it is easier to dress something up without a label (I think the label makes a piece look more casual-- sometimes ok, sometimes not.)

    -EM

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    1. I was recently shopping on Joules US site and noticed one of their sweatshirts had 3 identical logo patches (front chest, arm, back center) plus rabbit embroidery at the hem. Hopefully they realized being able to identify your brand from all angles isn't exactly appealing to their target customer, as this item was on clearance!

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    2. Many years ago we wore the alligator shirt. I’d still wear it today for old times sake.

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  2. One should never be a billboard for the clothes they are wearing, unless you are paid to show one. The quality of the manufacturer should be the only label.

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    1. I completely agree. The only exception in my closet is my Helly Hansen rain suit that has an HH on the arm. If by chance I find clothing that I really like and it has a label, it must be removable or I won't purchase it.

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    2. I remember the first time I noticed labels. I was a teenager and in a department store in Atlanta when I saw t-shirts with a big Coca Cola logo on them. Seriously, I thought they would pay ME to wear the shirts and advertise Coke. When I found out they wanted me to pay THEM to advertise their product, I was appalled. That just seemed backwards to me. Boy, was I an innocent!

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  3. If something has a label or logo, I wear it, but i don’t go out of my way to shop for labels or logos. Almost everything i use for hiking and other outdoors pursuits has a logo or brand name on it. All things equal, i avoid the Izod reptile and Polo horse, but i have one golf shirt with a whale (Vineyard Vines), a few with fishing flies (an Orvis idiosyncrasy), and several with golf course or country club logos.

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  4. Abercrombie & Filth I would never wear.

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    1. I have a hacking jacket from the original Abercrombie and Fitch and two shotguns. Thank goodness there are no visible A&F marks on the jacket. Every time I pull the shotguns out and someone asks they maker (or notices), I have to explain that the current store had nothing but a purchased name in common with the original business. It is tiring.

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  5. When I was growing up, my hometown had a store where we could get factory seconds and damaged goods very cheaply. On the one hand, that meant the impecunious schoolboys in our backwater town ran around in Lacoste shirts that had no noticeable flaws. On the other hand, there was some really weird merchandise with logos mis-applied in the most awful places. I'm telling you this to explain why I would not be seen dead or alive in one of those idiotic The North Face garments with the logo on the shoulder blade.

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    1. The logo is on the shoulder blade because The North Face was a company for climbers originally. In photos of climbers on rock walls, the label would show.

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    2. I love my black North Face Thermoball with black logos. Great for every day wear in Colorado.

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  6. Nothing with a huge name or logo visible on the outside of the garment. That stopped after concert t-shirts in high school and retail supermarket employee logo patches on the chest for a few yeas thereafter. The only notable exceptions in my wardrobe are red W's and the occasional small badger on a few pieces of UW-Madison gear worn for skiing, working in the yard, and/or walks around the neighborhood on chilly days. Oh, and a necktie with small University of Wisconsin alumni crests all over it, which are not readily apparent unless one stands with five or six feet. Filthy, dirty social signaling and all that.

    Best Regards,

    Heinz-Ulrich

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  7. I try to avoid readily visible labels and logos but have only one hard-and-fast rule: No logo wear from organizations to which I have never belonged, and no logo-wear from educational institutions I didn't attend. I did get my cat a beach towel that matches my college scarf; I spread it over the couch to keep her hair off the furniture, and I think of her as an honorary alumna.

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  8. I do have a weakness for Titleist golf caps and Lacoste crocodile polo shirts. other than that, I try to avoid labels & logos as much as possible. Especially the XL polo ponies.

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  9. No visible designer labels on my clothes. I do have my own initials embroidered on some of my tops. The only visible logos I've got are on handbags. I own a couple of Chanel bags (which I bought second hand from a vendor in Japan). I use the bags frequently and find they look nice with both casual and dress clothes.

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  10. All good comments above. I have never ever liked Polo Ralph Lauren, even in its heyday when it was considered okay by some to adorn themselves with the polo pony. It always seemed to me that it was trying way too hard to belong. The giant logo is the worst. I used to think Lacoste was passable, and had a couple of polos back in the 80s, but it's also gone the way of 'fashion' and I give it no attention whatsover. The best polo shirt I probably ever wore was a no-logo on the front J. Crew polo in cotton piqué knit navy, with a very discreet wee white anchor tucked away under the collar in the back, worn in my 20s and 30s.

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  11. I eschew prominently labeled clothing barring some other aesthetic that appeals in some way.

    What has stuck in my craw as of late is Barbour's habit of stitching prominent contrasting fabric labels to the edges of chest pockets. It has cost them sales from me; especially on some of the otherwise gorgeous exploded tartan OCBDs they've done.

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    1. Carefully apply some seam-ripper action? Or sharp sewing scissors? I did to cut off a tag protruding from a seam where it couldn't be ignored (as the manufacturer clearly intended).

      The seam still had a couple of tag threads protruding, but a minute or two's work with the Swiss Army Classic's scissors snipped them off.

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    2. I agree with Anonymous. I have had good luck using a seam ripper on a number of items. Also, it seems that many casual men's t-shirts have a pocket. Why? It make me think of decades ago when so many fellows smoked, they would stick their package of cigarettes in their chest pocket. In addition to successfully removing logos, I have have, with patience and care, used the seam rippper to remove the chest pocket from t-shirts. It is important to do this when they are new before they have ever been worn or washed. Once ths pocket is removed, wash the shirt. Nine times out of ten you can't tell that there was ever a pocket on the shirt.

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    3. I've done that with the odd western-styled pocket on otherwise contemporary shirts, but aside from the loss of the pocket (I have used them now and then for the quick biz card tuck), it's the principle of it. Why do such a thing on a shirt so explicitly styled for a visual appeal, and not see how it's ruined by this? This is not Bonobos, but Barbour. One would think they had more sense.

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  12. Anything over 1" square is usually the rule in our house!

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  13. I have a few that were close to inescapable like the Bean logo on a down jacket, logos on various gimme caps and golf items, Patagonia on stand up shorts, Champion on sweats, Barbour on a Beaufort, and stripes on Adidas. I have two polos from O'Connell's that have the lighthouse logo because I was too impatient to wait on plain ones in those colors. I love their plain polos. Logos are just a fact of life unless you use a lot of time and care to find logo free alternatives that meet your standards.

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  14. Does anyone else remember the cartoon in The New Yorker depicting a well dressed gentleman telling the salesperson in some elegant store that if his parents had wanted him to have YSL embroidered on his clothing they would have named him Yves Saint Laurent?

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    1. No, I don't remember it but will Google it and hang it on my refrigerator

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    2. Charlie Davidson framed a copy and hung it in one of the changing rooms at The Andover Shop.

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    3. Let us know where you find it. Thanks.

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  15. I prefer to wear my labels on the inside of the garment. If there is something I like with a label on the outside I usually unpick it and take it off.

    Can't really do much about embroidery but I don't mind clothing with subtle, self-coloured embroiderd logos. I'd never buy anything with a logo bigger or more prominent than a Lacoste croc. That's the absolute limit.

    I really hate the spellout branding where the brand name is plastered across the chest or down the whole sleeve. It makes people look like a walking advertising hoarding, or like they are trying way too hard to let people know they are wearing Gucci or Hilfiger.

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    1. The resurrection of Hilfiger as a popular brand continues to baffle me. I was in middle/high school when it was popular the first time and it was just as obnoxious then as it is now.

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    2. Hilfiger was very popular in the mid-90s here in the UK and 90s fashions have been going through a bit of a renaissance, hence the renewed interest. Kids will always drag out the old stuff as if they're the first to ever wear it.

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  16. I wear Lands End because of the lack of logos; I wear my alma mater's logos; the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor; and my own personal initials...

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  17. No logos on any of my clothing. No exceptions.

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  18. There was a New Yorker cartoon in the 1970s where a customer in a clothing store says to the salesman "If my mother wanted me to wear shirts that said YSL on them she would have named me Yves Saint Laurent". I always liked that.

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    1. Another New Yorker cartoon, back in the day, showed a couple driving on a highway and approaching a sign that reads, “Entering Connecticut Dress Nice.”

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  19. No logos. Barbour has them on their coats but you can’t tell. That’s it.

    Maybe If they paid me to advertise for them.

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  20. No logos here either. Now wait. I did wear dungarees with Levi’s or Wrangler tags. And aren’t some items designed with features that essentially function as logos? One can see this in a J Press pocket flap, the distinctive cut of a Barrie Ltd loafer, Clark’s chukkas, a Barbour or a Filson jacket. There are other examples. Thank you.

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    1. We detect a bit of a whiff of reverse snobbism about. Who after all, but the cognoscenti, might notice and identify “a J Press pocket flap, the distinctive cut of a Barrie Ltd loafer?” Pulllease.

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    2. that is the point

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    3. I'm all for reverse snobbery. The people who see my tattered Barbour and think "that poor so-and-so he needs a new jacket" aren't the folks I need in my life.

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    4. Anonymous at 5:17 - I learned a new word from you - thank you. And Anonymous at 11:24, I love that last line. You're right - you don't need those people in you life.

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  21. Here's the New Yorker cartoon with the comment:

    "If my mother and father had wanted to see Yves Saint Laurent's initials on my possessions, one supposes the would have named me Yves Saint Laurent":

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e0/e2/2f/e0e22fd4d4fa517ad9e1fd9b72e96c60.jpg

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    1. Thank you Old School. Apparently my memory from decades ago is imperfect.

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    2. My memory is, likewise, imperfect.

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    3. My memory was even more imperfect than yours, I assure you. Glad I was able to find the cartoon and please you.

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  22. And...on the subject of designer handbags, absolutely NO Louis Vuitton, which I have always found ugly anyway (that poop-coloured stiff canvas with the LV logo always screamed 'nouveau riche' or 'm'as-tu-vu' (showoff) to me. I have had designer bags in the past, my favourite being Bottega Veneta, precisely because it had no logo, although their iconic 'pelle intrecciata' bags are recognisable; however the brand has since regrettably succumbed to the fickleness of fashion. And no Dolce Gabbana or Versace anything ever ever! Too loud and déclassé!

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  23. 3 more cartoons: https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=CC23932

    https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoonview.asp?catref=jmi0051

    https://lowres.cartooncollections.com/designer_clothing-designer_labels-fashion_designers-upper_classes-upper_classes-fashion-CC44539_low.jpg

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  24. Only on Hermes scarves and they have to be the real deal not fakes...distinguishing fakes from real ones is an obscure science about which much has been written. And, oh, I know people who proudly display the Cruising Club of America logo on ties and cuff links because membership is open to only truly accomplished blue water sailors.

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  25. My old Gant stuff has been retired to house chores such as cleaning and gardening. The Cordings patches on jeans and the self-coloured "JC Cording & Co" embroidery on polo shirts remain suitably discreet.

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  26. I love reading comments on this site, because for once I am part of a group of people who I agree with. No logos, if possible, though with sporting jackets that can be difficult. My mother recently gave me a Patagonia jacket for hiking, and that has a little logo. My husband wears his old Belstaff jacket, and that has a little logo on the sleeve, though same color as the jacket so not too noticeable. I don't like "fashion" either. If it's trendy, or refers to itself as designer, chances are it's not in my closet. I think trying to keep up with trends and fashion would be exhausting (plus go against my ingrained thrifty personality.)

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  27. I don't purchase items that have prominent logos or branding, if I can avoid it. But, as has previously been pointed out, somethings are classic in a manner that makes their provenance clear to those who know. That's unavoidable.

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  28. An inside label is perfectly fine. And under no circumstance would I ever buy nike. Thank you for all you do for us!

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  29. OMG - yes, yes, a thousand times yes! To all of the above!

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  30. When I hear the word designer attached to an article of clothing, it falls into the same category as "chef-crafted food." Every piece of clothing on earth is designed by someone. I refuse to pay more for a "designer" lable when the same item would be perfectly fine without. There is one exception. I do like the the small polo pony because of my love for and longtime involvement with horses. Besides, my father played polo. But the giant polo pony is an abomination. Every time I see Tom Watson in a golf tournament, I want to unfriend him, and would if I were on Facebook, which I don't see happening in this incarnation.

    MGC

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  31. Yes -- small labeled Patagonia apparel, Gucci loafers, Brooks polo, Lacoste

    No!!! --- Burberry, Barbour, LV, big pony Ralph Lauren, Vineyard Vines, anything Supreme, etc.

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    1. HA, you'll pry my nova check from my cold dead hands........

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  32. Normally, I'm against wearing anything with a logo, but I make an exception for LaCoste polo shirts, in spite of the crocodile.

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  33. I'll wear fleece (Patagonia) and polo shirts (BB, Pringle, RL, Lacoste) with reasonable logos. However, that has become more difficult in recent years as the logos grow and the stitching is done in high contrast stitching. No logos on OCBD (Sorry, RL), sweaters, socks, ties, shoes, caps, wallets, bags, etc... Labels are okay on wellies, but mostly because the best ones are tastefully labeled.

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  34. Always liked this cartoon:
    https://condenaststore.com/featured/brooks-brothers-arthur-t-stargis-here-james-stevenson.html?product=art-print

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  35. In the early Nineties I had a dear friend who was a very talented graphic designer, who created some well-known logos as well as other designs. She kindly created for me several very cool, discretely sized original designs, and sewed them onto my clothing. Rear trouser pocket had Pants, socks had an eye-catching Socks tab, awesome calligraphy Hat, and my favorite was of course Shirt, on the polo's placket. Good times, I looked fabulously well turned out, and I could always keep a straight face when anyone would notice and comment, that they were there to keep my wardrobe organized for getting dressed in the morning.

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  36. For the most part, I would feel just as silly carefully avoiding labels as I would searching out labels to display. Labels seem irrelevant to me, either way. I don't expect anyone to notice what brand I'm wearing or not wearing, so I don't see that it matters.

    However, I don't like letters used as decoration on my clothing or bags. T-shirts with clever sayings, large initials of the brand, my own monogram, or anything else. So I pretty much avoid that sort of thing.

    The enormous labels of Tommy Hilfiger thoroughly crack me up and I always want to wear them ironically, but I'm not cool enough to pull it off.

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  37. the only label I have really liked is the Arnold Palmer umbrella logo that he started wearing in the early 60's
    I have always wanted one but every time I get close to pulling the trigger I don't the shirt looked perfect on him, for me I would just be a poseur.

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  38. When you wear an article of clothing with a noticeable logo, you are providing free advertising for the manufacturer. Why do that? So you can broadcast to the world that you spent $X (which you may or may not be able to afford) to purchase the item and that you are concerned about conforming with what you think is "in" or is something that people with whom you identify or want to identify are wearing? That says a lot more about you than about the garment, and what it says isn't flattering.

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  39. Even though I commented that I never wear labels anymore - what about having your prep school or college on a baseball hat or sweatshirt?

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    1. Dunno about others, but I have lots of things that have the name of my prep school on them - hats, polo shirts, a sweater. My school tie doesn't have a logo, but I have a couple of them as well.

      As far as the corporate logo matter goes, I don't pay much attention. Back in the early 60s I wore the alligator polos, switched to the RL polos when the alligator basically disappeared, and then to the BB polo. It was never for the logos, though, but for the quality. I'm glad I still have a lot of that stuff, because RL and BB are basically made offshore, their quality has slipped badly, and I prefer to buy USA.

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  40. @JohnHansen, my response to your devil's advocate question is that one typically has an affinity to one's prep school or college -- particularly if one earned one's way through it through hard work academically and financially, and so the two are not the same.

    While we're on the subject of devil's advocate, how about logos on one's cars? How many of the logo averse on this thread remove their BMW shield or Audi rings after driving it off the dealer's lot?

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    1. Good point. It seems that the outrage over labels and logos “providing free advertising for the manufacturer” is a bit selective.

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    2. In my estimation the reaction usually falls far short of actual outrage. Many labels on things I have are not very intrusive. Consider the little badge on my old Mini or the Bean Boots label on the heels of my Bean Boots. Sometimes some product gets a little too free and easy with their logo. If, for example, I wore PRL (I don't. It's just an example.), a polo pony on my shirt, another polo pony on my hat, a third polo pony on my sweater, and some form of PRL tag on the back of my khakis would be a little obnoxious. Dressed similarly from the late 1970s version of Brooks Brothers there would be no logos showing. Brooks was a fairly extreme example. If your suit coat fell open, there was no label on the inside pocket. The only label was very small and at the inside back of the neck. The discussion of advertising your school is an interesting one. Would you feel that same affinity and advertise it if you had worked just as hard but it was a public school? And then there is the very long list of items with features so distinctive that they shout to the cognoscenti just what they are (Press flap pockets, Gucci bits and stripes, Alden for Brooks distinctive heel treatment on their tassels and lack of stitching at the top of the front, the cut of Sebagos versus Sperrys, the number of placket buttons on Mercer versus Gitman, etc.). We all take them largely for granted, but there was a time and place in many lives when these things were de facto advertising. Many of us wear golf caps, often advertising the same brand as our sticks. I recently noticed that my Titleist cap, which is white with red lettering, has an official counterpart that is dark blue and has the word Titleist stitched on in more subtle colors but, most notably, much smaller lettering. Someone is paying attention to our sentiments!

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  41. As a rule, I avoid designer labels, but in terms of clothing with graphics, we wear our graphics-heavy sailing-team jackets, hats and t-shirts to regattas. Is that different than wearing designer labels? Probably. But what if I wear my club hat to the supermarket? Does the kind of reverse snobbery widely espoused here about labels apply? Does my hat say "sailing snob" to the world if I wear it outside of the context of a regatta? Not sure, maybe. What do readers think about wearing an "XYC Junior Sailing" hat to the supermarket?

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    1. Up there with my "Marshall & Sterling Equisport" ball cap in white on blue. If you have to ask . . . ;-)

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  42. It appears that a bit of cultural history may be in order for Muffy's devoted readers. The concept of brand or label was non-existent in 1860. The ruling classes (today known as Brahmins in Boston and all those who claim to have a descendant deporting from the Mayflower) could not procure a label if they wanted to because all they possessed was made for them. I believe the term is Bespoke in the UK. It was not until America's bourgeoisie and wannabe-bourgeoisie entered the scene in the last decades of Victoria's life that (1) products became mass-produced and (2) more importantly, one's ownership of certain products was considered a badge of social and financial accomplishment. My great-grandfather joined other merchants of this era by sending out trade cards at Christmas to all his customers (up and coming Irish foreman, small shop owners, lawyers and similar middle-class folks) who would then proudly display the card on their mantles over the holidays to that guests and relatives would learn that the customers had the taste and, more to the point, the money to purchase my great-grandfather's furniture. So it went and by the roaring twenties, everything to be consumed had a brand that differentiated it from goods of the same type but of lesser or greater quality. The motorcar companies of this era were among the most obvious practitioners of brand sales where a newly minted member of the upper-middle class could outshine those he left behind (in the middle class) by purchasing a Buick instead of a Ford. Lest the obvious be unstated, this social milestone was fed and then overfed by a new industry-advertising agencies. To this day it is the daily function of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world to create copy that makes people want to purchase a product because they believe by doing so they will attain a higher place in our highly regimented class structure in America. If you doubt me, read "Class" by Paul Fussell. Although written with a large tongue in cheek, every word, every observation is about the way people wish to appear or wish to think how they appear. So, dear Muffy minions, you are just another generation trapped into the same branding for status parade. Why else would any of you purchase a Mercedes when you could buy a Buick for half as much (and don't tell me it is because the MB lasts longer; 89% of MBs purchased or leased are sold or turned in within four years. No, you spent your children's inheritance on the MB because you get a real thrill driving up the driveway to your gold club, or parking in a school parking lot on Parents' Back to School Night next to the poor schlubb driving a Chevy. You want to be perceived as achieved, well-off and smart, so much so that you have the ability to squander month on status symbols. What a long strange trip we've been on this last 150 years.

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    1. Not to put too fine a point on it! PA

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    2. That was certainly well said.
      And, true.

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    3. Correct me if I'm mistaken but I believe it was King Louis XIV's court which originated the idea of luxury branding to European Aristocrats.

      Edward Bernays popularized branding to the mainstream on behalf diamond mining companies and big tobacco.

      Within the Eastern Establishment, it seems branding was done by word of mouth aside from the early road shows of J. Press.

      These days, the branding game is pushed by social media influencers and blogs, some more reputable than others.

      For the more discerning audience, it seems they buy or avoiding buying based on an items popularity within a certain demographic. This is an unpopular opinion but my guess is that Canada Goose parka sales volume would nose dive if a certain group started to buy it an identify with it. I read somewhere that luxury car brands try to avoid marketing to specific groups based on this idea. As the saying now goes, "go woke, go broke".

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    4. Add "The Status Seekers" by Vince Packard to the reading list.

      I love my Buick.

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    5. I'm guessing the Royal Warrant holders would say they originated luxury brand affinity.

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    6. The concept of brand or label predates Victoria’s reign. Before the last decades of Victoria’s life one brand, a Connecticut product, was well fixed in the public mind. It was the first of any particular item to be purchased by over 1,000,000 consumers. Thank you, alas, Samuel Colt.

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    7. Interesting discussion. You know, I had a MB until recently -- bought it seven years ago because it was so much more comfortable than my Smart car (short wheel base was doing a number on my back...). In any case, a deer lost its mind in December, and jumped out in front of my Benz, effectively ending what should have been a 15 year ownership relationship. *sigh* They do last longer than most North American vehicles,btw, unless the wildlife decides the brand is somehow repugnant... On another note, have to say I laughed when I read the woke comment, above; the reality is that marketing is a driving force of Western economies. Like it, or not.

      Your intrepid reader from north of the 49th,

      Banacek

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    8. On the subject of Royal Warrant holders, it seems to me that when one makes a significant change, especially one rife with wokeness, it is newsworthy. Gentle Readers, Kent has discontinued badger shaving brushes and now offers synthetics in their place. They still come emblazoned with the Kent label, but I suppose you could sand it off if you were fearful of the logo police going into your bath.

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    9. "Beware of imitations and patent infringements."

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    10. BRAVO!! I love - or should I say 'loved' my Buick. I just sold it 2 hours ago as I now live on a tropical island and no longer need a car.

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    11. @AnonymousMarch 6, 2021 at 11:21 PM, sounds like a good reason to sell! I bought my Buick almost nine years ago. I was about to buy a Subaru and I asked the salesman what he drove and he said a Buick. I said I needed time to think, test drove my Buick sedan, bought it new (I never lease) and have been happy with it since then. Buick no longer makes sedans.

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    12. Just my two cents: Katharine Hepburn drove Ford LTD's and then Ford Crown Vics. She just didn't care what she looked like driving up her driveway. I loved her for that.

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  43. I try not to buy clothing with logos. When that fails I try to remove them. When that fails I live with it.

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  44. I will sometimes black out an embroidered logo with a magic marker; sometimes this takes a few applications as the dye is absorbed into the fiber. This doesn’t render a logo totally invisible, but it tends to mute them, which is sometimes sufficient for raincoats and such.

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    1. Really, it bothers you that much? Do you think someone will think less of you because of the logo?

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  45. Truly cher Cirquitor, “what a long strange trip” it’s been. Especially when you factor the brand of
    Augustus Stanley Owsley III into the journey. Perhaps you were along for that part of the ride.

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    1. Dear Anon March 6 6:54 AM, first let me say that I was until now unaware that such a time as 6:54 AM existed, but let that bide. Truth be told, my college roommate from New Haven was the Dead's long-time physician. He related on many occasions Bear's delivery of microdot and other goodies to the crew and band members. On a personal note, I was indeed along for that part of the strange trip. My most memorable station on that long train was Halloween, 1973 when about 1,000 of us dressed in costumes varying from Jesus on the Cross to Elvis processed up to Kingman's home at about 10 pm and presented our President with a very large pumpkin painted in dayglow. A vast majority of the throng had dropped earlier in the day including yours truly. A memorable time, especially as none of us were then considering our true identities as white supremacists, sexists, heteronormative elitists. As my 50th reunion approaches, I find myself guilt-stricken to have engaged in such frivolity when so many people of color, gender binary, impoverished and enslaved people were struggling around the world. Now that we know that Elihu Yale traded in slaves in the early 1700's, none of us are attending the reunion until the Yale Corporation relents and changes the name of the institution to Nelson Mandela University or some similar appellation. Which I suppose is a long way of saying that even Yale is no longer a brand or logo. It is disgraced, like all other 18th, 19th and 20th century institutions created by white males to perpetuate white male hegemony and brutal oppression.

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    2. Dang - Well said. Cirquitor - please start your own blog.

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  46. Won’t wear billboards from anything which can be purchased at discount stores or merchandise markets with the biggest of these being Polo, North Face and Hilfiger. Keep it understated my friends...

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  47. It's more about what I would never wear - this list will also include jewelry, handbags, accessories: Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace, Juicy Couture, Chanel....I'll come back if I can think of anything else.

    What I will wear: RL button down ladies and polo - I live on a beach so the polo shirts are a must - BUT ONLY SMALL LOGO, Old Navy shirts, beach dresses, shorts, Talbots, SOME Lilly - I'm very picky about Lilly nowadays as it's really no longer classic. It's very hit or miss, although the Lilly accessories are still somewhat classic. Actually, that's about it.

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    1. O'Connell's polos are superb and are offered without logos. They offer them for women as well. They also offer women's shirts, including OCBDs. I know these things because I like to get stuff for my wife and daughter.

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    2. Thank you, Tim!

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    3. Aninymous March 6 at 11:24 PM, you are most welcome. Weather for polos is on the way!

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  48. I said I'd be back if I thought of anything else: When I lived on the Mainland the only bag I carried was Dooney/Bourke. I kept one but here at the beach I have one Lilly (classic with tortoise shell handle. I have diamond stud earrings for every day -small, and pearl studs for dress-up, a small diamond drop necklace and pearls.

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  49. Oh my, this has been an absolute hoot! Such brilliant feedback! I prefer tailored items constructed of natural fibers. I often stand out because I now live in Lululemon Land where everyone dons yoga gear whether they should or not. Positively none of that for me, please. Same with Louis Vuttion and all of those shoddy imitators - "poop colored" as Ole Brumm so sagely put it! I appreciate the classic looks offered by Talbot's, Lands End Pima polos, RL OCBDs. The small, original RL pony is ok, but I shudder at that monstrous pony emblem. My Donney and Bourke navy leather bag is a workhorse and I love the duck emblem because I love ducks.

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    1. I miss the old Dooney & Bourke bags, as well as Ghurka!!!

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    2. So do I! I truly miss leather handbags that are lined in leather! Ah, the good old days.

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  50. To add to the brands that I am fairly loyal to, in terms of footwear I also wear Belgian shoes, particularly because my feet tend to hurt in heels (even all my Ferragamo Vara pumps hurt my feet so I have given them all away!), so apart from my trainers (I gave up wearing deck shoes or bluchers in my 20s, after uni), they have become my go-to shoes. Sensible and comfortable Birkenstock sandals or Spanish Menorcan sandals are worn during the height of summer (that's the Boho in me)!

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  51. What I will "advertise" for, US Navy,U of Virginia,foul weather gear and
    Mount Gay rum (red caps). Small crocodiles and polo players on quality
    polo shirts and zip neck pullover are fine and I will not apologize for my Rolex and BMW. As Rick Nelson said (sang) "you can't please everyone,so you've got to please yourself."

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  52. I really like your comment, Seadog, and would repeat it verbatim from beginning to end with four personal substitutions -- my university, Heineken, small whales, and Jeep.

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  53. Golden Fleece, small ponys, my school and college block letter. And the Greg Norman shark for golf.

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  54. I dislike foil stamped or obvious logos on wallets and other leather goods. A few years ago I came across Chester Mox. Beautiful, well made, customizable or bespoke. Made in the USA of top-grade materials. And, to top it off, everything is made to order and they offer the option to omit their logo from any piece.

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  55. It took my mother 30 minutes to remove the pony from a polo cotton oxford shirt for my father. She liked the quality but believed logos were tacky.

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  56. Not a fan of logos on anything. And have a list of companies I won't buy from period, not only because of their obnoxious names on their products, but also because of their crappy labor practices--Ralph Lauren, Nike are at the top of that list. I've even been known to carefully remove any stickers applied to my vehicles from car dealerships, I still need to do that to my current car. I'm not a free billboard.

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