Why You Should Care About Brand Names

Oftentimes when Im talking to someone about clothing, Ill casually ask what one of his or her favorite designers or brands are, to which I get a response vaguely similar to:I dont care about brands; brands are silly and useless. I just wear what I want and dont worry about designer labels! Tee hee!No.One of the most important parts of creating your own style is knowing where to get good clothing. If youre familiar with many different brands and how they fit, youll have a much easier time of finding clothes that look nice and make you look nice. By knowing what brands fit you well and generally have a style you like youll be able to more easily pick out clothes than you otherwise would be.Example: when I go out shopping, I know that most things from H&M arent the greatest quality, but I know that size medium will most likely fit me well. I also know that Im size 33 in Levis jeans and pants and that they always rip at the crotch, and I also know that all of their jackets are too short for my frame. I also know that everything from J. Lindeberg in size medium fits me perfectly and is great quality, and I know that Im size small in Gant, but size medium in Gant Rugger. I also know that the sleeves on Ben Sherman shirts are always too short for me, and I know that everything from Ed Hardy is really ugly.You see? I know the strengths and weaknesses of these brands, so I know what to gravitate towards and what to avoid. Knowing this stuff saves me a lot of time, and it makes shopping much more productive.Of course, you shouldnt be a brand snob and buy stuff only because of the brand name. Rather, you should use the brand name as a general indicator of fit, quality, and style, and then assess each piece by itself.The moral of the story: brand names are helpful.