 Poster: A snowHead
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| jedster wrote: |
| japes1275 wrote: |
I looked at some North Face gear in a local department store (it used to be House of Fraser but has been taken over) and it all looked really cheap and tacky. Next door in Blacks the all North Face gear looked like the usual half decent stuff. Maybe they have a chav range and a normal range?!
I only travel on the train in my Stone Island gear so should be fine! |
They've been doing that for 30 years! It's not new.
NF puffa's were fashionable in early 90s rave culture and the brand became cult then mainstream and NF couldn't resist selling into that market. They've always continued with technical gear as well.
I had one of the fairly early Lhotse Mountain Jackets which I bought for mountaineering (perhaps the first of the really high spec goretex shell jackets, the ones with bold block colour and black patches) and it became hazardous to wear it on the streets of Manchester! |
I've still got my Black NF puffer jacket from the mid 90's and still wear it - I didn't know it was fashionable in rave culture though as that's not really my music taste. It's old enough to have been in and out of fashion a few times and you can even buy a new 'retro 1996' jacket which is almost identical but a lot more expensive than when I bought the original one. Not bad value considering it's lasted nearly 30 years and still going strong.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've always thought that the whole point of working hard was to enable one's self to afford nice things, including skiing holidays and a decent coat if so desired.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Well, if we're boasting nice things... my very understated Bogner onesie, which fell to pieces after many years of use. I absolutely loved it. Plain navy, no bling, but a non-shiny b hanging from every zip.
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@Hurtle, I think you may have posted the wrong photograph.
Rather than a Onesie (Bognor or otherwise) you have used an elderly gentleman looking worse for wear in front of some net curtains
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Expensive watches have long been targeted, haven't they? I shall never understand why anyone pays more than £30 for a watch, but if you do, I guess you really need people to see it? |
Very good point. I've never understood that either. But probably... because they're worth it! 
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@red 27, that is not an elderly gentleman.
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I've always thought that the whole point of working hard was to enable one's self to afford nice things, including skiing holidays and a decent coat if so desired
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Absolutely. But nice doesn't have to = expensive.
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That Bogner (note the spelling, @red 27) was expensive. But long-lasting and therefore good value.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| puddingdo wrote: |
| Sorry but the reverse snobbery here is astonishing. The same argument can be applied to literally anything that is expensive. You might as well also sneer at nice cars, jewellery, watches, shoes, food, wine, furniture, houses? Which is ironic for a forum promoting an expensive hobby. |
Welcome to showheads 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| That Bogner (note the spelling, @red 27) was expensive. But long-lasting and therefore good value. |
All down to each part of the zip being individually polished!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| @red 27, that is not an elderly gentleman. |
Oh ok, a "late-middle-aged" gentleman if you want to be Pedantica 
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Spyder you'll def be ok and also TNF (so last decade darling) . . . .however Arcteryx unfortunately is at danger of superseding the TNF path with several rappers / grime artists sporting the deadbird; this has been ratified by myself and I now have to 'hide' my increasing Arc jacket collection from my No2 teenage son / wannabe rapper who is in full 'roadman' mode at the moment . . . . . .this in itself is actually more frightening than getting mugged
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You know it makes sense.
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@red 27, Ouch!
@Hurtle I've only ever seen non-skiing russians wearing Bogner to visit the champagne bar in Lech (or similar). Good on you for wearing it til it died! If you find it in a sale, Bogner isn't actually an obnoxious price - full price it would have to do me about 10-12 years before I forgave it...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Around these parts, Moncler is the jacket brand of choice amongst the youth. Although these parts are also among the safest places to live in the world.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Thomasski,
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it would have to do me about 10-12 years before I forgave it...
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It did, and more. Nearer 20.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Next time I come to London no way am I wearing my best flannel shirt. Would be gutted if that got flogged.
Thanks for the heads up, I’ll wear the one with pie stains down the front.
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Simples, cover the label with a Primark one. Next story.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The North Face Nuptse is the school jacket of choice in Leicestershire, like a Chelsea tractor for the kids, over the top and unnecessary (dropped off by the parents driving Chelsea tractors, of course). I expect this is the jacket being targeted in London. My children both have them, I think they are currently running at £330 to buy new!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| puddingdo wrote: |
| Sorry but the reverse snobbery here is astonishing. The same argument can be applied to literally anything that is expensive. You might as well also sneer at nice cars, jewellery, watches, shoes, food, wine, furniture, houses? Which is ironic for a forum promoting an expensive hobby. |
BINGO..
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| pam w wrote: |
Absolutely. But nice doesn't have to = expensive. |
Pick which ever adjective you like, I think you get my point? 
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Pick which ever adjective you like, I think you get my point?
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Can't think of one adjective, really. I suppose we all like to be able to afford to buy the things which will add to our enjoyment of life in some material way (the fact that we might often be wrong about what "things" will do for us is a quite separate philosophical and psychological point!!). My point (and it is a personal point of view) is that "wanting something" just so that other people will know I've spent a lot of money on it is indicative of some warped values. I might well spend quite a lot of money on a coat which will keep me warm and dry and which I think looks nice. The colour, cut, technical qualities etc are all relevant considerations for me. Whether it costs a lot, and/or is the "right" label to incite envy in the yob on the Clapham Omnibus isn't.
I do think it's very sad indeed that having to have the "right" coat or trainers can be so important to kids that their parents will buy them when they really can't afford it. My local grand-daughters are both miserly with their pocket money - they save it up and have hundreds of pounds stashed. The 13 year old is paid to coach a couple of local kids in maths, and that money gets added to her stash. She says it's for when she goes to university.  If it's a case of choosing a perfectly adequate jacket from Decathlon or something deemed more "fashionable" the girls can pay the difference themselves. They rarely do......
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@pam w, That is your philosophy which is very admirable and I'm sure that you're very comfortable with it. As a counter point, if a comfortably off individual approaching their twilight years can't spend their money on 'nice' (keep trying, I'm sure that you'll get there) things after enduring years of the stresses required to achieve financial security for themselves and their family, what was the point? To simply pass on the accrued wealth and the complications which go with it?
Should the wealthy also shop in Decathlon? You're talking of 'warped values'.
It could be argued that you're making sweeping assumptions regarding the coat wearers financial position and judging them based on your own values.
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@pam w, @Mollerski, as I understand it, you're talking about two different things. @pam w is talking about buying a designer label largely because it is just that, and others will know it; whereas@Mollerski is talking about buying something expensive, which you probably (I'm guessing here) have good reasons to buy, other than simply because it's a famous brand, although it might in fact be a famous brand, because you can afford it and because you have worked hard to be able to afford luxury items.
For the avoidance of doubt, I had no idea my Bogner was one such luxury brand when I bought it. I had to buy new skiwear in Canada in a hurry, when my (C&A) skisuit was irreparably ripped landing on a ski edge, and it was the only one I tried which had legs and arms the correct length for me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You've misunderstood me, @Mollerski. I currently have a fitter putting in a new bathroom for me. There was nothing functionally wrong with the old one, but I'm spending £10K on a "nice" new one. I'll enjoy it - it will give me pleasure - but hardly anyone else will ever see it. I might spend a LOT of money on a coat and if the one that looks best is £100 more than the one which is ugly but equally technically competent, I'll happily spend that (I can now, though I wouldn't have been able to do that in my young days, so I get your point).
What I don't understand is why anyone would spend a lot of money just so other people would know that they'd spent a lot of money.
I feel no need either to deny myself in order to have more money to "pass on" nor to splurge just to reduce the risk of the taxman getting hold of any of it. But I am sharing quite a bit of my current "wealth" (which is below the IHT threshold of about £1m, given my circumstances) with my kids now, when they could do with it. Being able to do that gives me huge pleasure but is only possible because they know I'll buy myself an unnecessary new bathroom, or a fancy coat, if I want! I'm not denying myself.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Hurtle, You're kind of on the right track. Let's be clear, quality comes with a label. Especially in the high end sportswear sector.
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@Mollerski,
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quality comes with a label. Especially in the high end sportswear sector.
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I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure you're right. That's probably why my C&A purchase collapsed almost immediately and the Bogner survived all manner of falls and other indignities for so long. And why my Icebreaker base layers have survived literally hundreds of machine washes.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 4-01-24 11:51; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, OK, so we're sort of on the same page.
'What I don't understand is why anyone would spend a lot of money just so other people would know that they'd spent a lot of money.'
Your above comment however, is actually quite complicated. I think that you'll find that the very wealthy avoid labels. Nice teeth and facelifts are enough.  Putin has Loro Piana remove the labels from his coats I gather.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
What I don't understand is why anyone would spend a lot of money just so other people would know that they'd spent a lot of money.
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Lots (most) of people buy cars to impress someone. Apart from a few features there hasn't been much change in technology to justify spending £30-80k for a new car. Let's take Tesla, lots of people bought it just to loose £10k a year in the first 2 years of ownership.
Watches - a bit like cars but there is something magical about having a good watch with a very complex "heart", a bit like owning older porsche and both will hold value or at least won't depreciate as quickly as a new car.
So there could be a reasons for spending more than average on something, not sure it matters what the reason that person has. There is a bit of snob in most of us but we may spend money on different things. Some of them are actually of significantly better quality (my gucci sneakers lasted longer than 4 pairs of asics' and cost less so they cost less) but we were kids too and we liked impressing peers with things we got/had (xmass gifts, new game console etc).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well yes, they are not spending money just so people would know they'd spent a lot of money. Because that's really naff, isn't it? It's a truism that the conspicuous spending is more for your nouveau riche, isn't it? A theory expounded by Nancy Mitford with her "U" and "Non-U" a long time ago. Yer actual toffs don't give a flying whatsit what people think about them.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Mollerski, ...but a label doesn't necessarily come with quality. There has been a recent history of groups buying good quality brands and shifting them into the fashion sphere by devaluing the aspects that made them what they are - quality/capability. Examples would be Moncler, Hunter, Aquascutum, etc.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Hurtle, When I first started skiing. Mid eighties. I saw Bogner gear and thought it was the bees knees. Unfortunately I was in no position to afford it. By the mid early 2000's I looked again with a view to buying. Not a chance! Yes I could afford it but tey had moved in to what I call their American Baseball/College phase. Everything was plastered with gaudy colours, numbers, logos. URGHHHH. What happened to good style? I think Montclaire have taken on the mantle.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@pam w, Not really. We say we wear something because we want ourselves to feel better but the feeling comes from how people see us hence we choose different clothes for evening dinner, friends visit and grocery shopping.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| It's a truism that the conspicuous spending is more for your nouveau riche, isn't it? |
Possibly once, not so now. A £1000 designer coat is right at the top of any aspiring drug dealer's wish list. You'll see plenty of Canada Goose and Moncler labels in most socially deprived areas.
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Just because people don't understand something (the desire to buy designer gear) it doesn't mean people should sneer at it. I'm sure many don't understand why people like to spend thousands of pounds every year going somewhere, then going around in circles on a mountain like hamsters. But I suppose its easy to judge.
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@Thomasski, You've named fashion brands imv. There is some overlap obviously.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Old Man Of Lech, Bogner went after the ruble in no uncertain terms. Their latest stuff is far more subtle.
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@puddingdo, I'm 1000% with you!
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