My step-grandma has made over $100k/year for 15 years (and now makes significantly more than that). She generally shops at Fred Meyers (similar to Target), Nordstrom Rack, sometimes pokes around in thrifstores, and every now and then will buy full price from Nordstrom. Every now and then means maybe two times in her life.

Didn't Juicy Couture teach us that price does not make a brand?

I judge the person who shops at Wal Mart more than the person who spends $26K on a handbag.

People admit to shopping at Walmart?

If I was ever lucky enough to win the lottery I'd still buy shit at Old Navy and Target. Unless you have a job where you're actually penalized for buying your "party dresses" and dress shoes from JC Penney (fuck that....if I can squeeze my ass into something and it flatters me, who is someone to judge me for what it costs?)

There's only so much money that clothes, make-up, cars, toilets (don't SOME people actually have 14 karat toilets, just because they CAN?) can be worth, unless those consumer items and their "perks" include magical powers or some shit.

How many nothing-special/plain HIDEOUS clothes cost thousands of dollars per piece? 1,000 dollars for a shirt? What's it spun from, gold?

Well, you don't stay rich by spending it on $26k handbags all the time!

@petuniacat: Exactly. Sweatpants are sweatpants, especially if the designers feel the need to brand their customer's asses with a "Juicy."

i will honestly say that the only items I'm willing to splurge on are shoes, purses, and coats.

@Archetype: If a person can afford to shop elsewhere than Wal-Mart, than of course they should. But I will not judge those that have to shop there.

I shop at all those stores, including thrift! And you should see the luxury cars lined up outside TJMaxx on any given day. We make well over $200,000 a year, and I never step foot in Nordstrom. Mall shopping makes me nuts. And I'm a cheapskate.

And movies!

@SharonTaint: And movies!

@MissSmithDrankyourVodka: I have serious issues with that company. I understand that some people "must" shop there, it's just ironic because it's people from the same socio-economic class the company exploits.

In the past 12 years I have never spent more than 15 dollars on a pair of jeans thanks to the Gap outlet. And if I made a million dollars I'd still brave the crowds there. I love me some defective jeans (you know, since the big booty short girl jeans are usually the "rejects").

If I had the money, I'd spend on an investment bag. I would still only buy what I loved, and I'd probably spend on good facials/skincare instead of over-priced clothing.

Didn't Old Navy and Nordstrom's merge?

Just because you make more than $150,000 a year doesn't mean you can afford to shop at Saks. My husband and I may make a lot, but we have a mortgage and school loans. Somehow having a house is more important than having designer bags & shoes!

I taught my millionaire ex-boyfriend the wonders of bargain shopping. When he asked me where I got my shoes from and I told him Payless, he just about fell out. Even more, when I told him my jeans were from Ross and I got my capelet in the $5 box at Urban, he was an instant convert. Yeah, he wouldn't blink an eye at dropping $500 on shoes I really loved and def was a quality snob, but he also learned the thrill of the hunt at places like Lohmans. Ah...education.

@gerbilsinlove: I have serious love for TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and especially for thriftstores. I found a beautiful short, black Diane von Furstenberg dress for $6.99 at a thriftstore on Tuesday. That's also where I scored one of my favorite Shelli Segal Laundry dresses - brand new for less than $10!

@EncephelanetRepairHelperGuy: Are you joking?

I heart Target, the Rack and vintage shit. I fucking LOVELOVELOVE the Mexican fleamarket. And shopping online, like when I get pretty little BCBG dresses on overstock.com for, like, $35. Just because you're rocking the six-digit income does NOT mean you're a douche with your cash, yo.

Now, if you want to switch the topic to money spent on delicious adult beverages, well...

That's another story.

@Archetype: I know; it sucks.

@kataroo_kangaroo: That's adorable! Good job!

@petuniacat: Yesssssssssssss. That's what I'm talking about, yo! YES!

@byrondog: My husband and I may make a lot, but we have a mortgage and school loans. Somehow having a house is more important than having designer bags & shoes!"

Exactly.

Priorities...(not that a really good quality pair of shoes that you love is so bad, once in a while)

Well knock me over with a feather. Women aren't all vapid materialistic label whores! And some women actually *gasp* know how to manage their money.

I would like to know how they define "household" in this equation, though. Because depending on where you live, who you live with and how much student loan debt you have, a "household income over $100,000" a year may not go as far as it might seem. Not that it's not a lot of money - in fact, it's far more than what I'm making :-( right now - but $100k in NYC ain't the same as $100k in Davenport, Iowa. Even some folks with incomes over $100k aren't gonna have the disposable cash to shop at Bergdorf, Neiman, et al.

@petuniacat: Salvation Army's rock. I love how they divvy up the goods among ALL their stores, not just by location they originated from. I find awesome stuff discarded by some OC mom right in my own little neighborhood.

We had a case study in a class I took a while back about how the upper-upper class was flocking to Costco for the bargains. A lot of people in my class seemed surprised, but I couldn't see why. For a lot of things there is no reason to pay extra. If you're going to put a flat-panel TV in your office, what does it matter where it came from? I can see how clothes might be a little different, but as Marie123 said, "sweatpants are sweatpants."

@undomesticgoddess: exactly. i long for my hypothetical future days here i can afford a pedi and a brow wax on a regular basis.

aah student life...

@AmazonRedheadedUberVixen: but $100k in NYC ain't the same as $100k in Davenport, Iowa. Even some folks with incomes over $100k aren't gonna have the disposable cash to shop at Bergdorf, Neiman, et al."

I hear that.

I envy having that much disposable income (that's where part of the fantasy of Gossip Girl and SATC comes from, isn't it? That and the ridiculous paradisaical real estate), but I STILL wouldn't feel any draw towards designer duds. Maybe bye a pair of shoes or boots from Nine West once in a while even if it wasn't on sale.

Ladies, what about eBay? I can't be the only eBay nerd here.

@skinnybonejones: One of my favorite suits is a BCBG Max Azria that I got at the outlet near where I work. I think I got the skirt & jacket for a total of $85; it would have been over $300 full price.

@kataroo_kangaroo: The hunt is sooooo much fun! I love going home and calculating how much I saved. For example, I didn't wear tights under my skirt & knee high boots today because I thought it was going to be relatively warm. It turned out to be freezing ass cold. I went to JC Penney's and picked up three pairs of tights (I needed new tights anyway - was waiting for them to go on sale) with cute patterns on clearance (were $10/each, got them for $2.99 each) and a robe for my aunt (was $60, got it for $17) for a grand total of $26 -- $64 off the original prices. Woo hoo!

@marie123: buy.

And yes, @hotdogz: I think that's a one "extravagance" I sigh with longing for--easy consistent, grooming. Nothing over the top, but having someone wax my stuff for me instead of risking an ungodly injury (I'm averagely adept...but I'd never try to wax down there by myself).

@skinnybonejones: I seriously felt orgasmic when I got home with my $6.99 dvf. Pretty much better than sex. Yesssssssss!!!!!!!!! is right.

Why would anyone shop at Saks? The sales clerks think that it is their job to sneer at the customers, and the occasionally beautiful thing is surrounded by hideously leopard-printed gargoylish junk.

Those people who buy hideous expensive things just want to communicate that they have more money than taste -- and Saks is the perfect store for such shoppers. The snotty sales clerks just feed these sad ladies' status anxieties.

Apparently Target has discovered that fun and design are more important to more women than telegraphing your insecurities. My hat is off to them.

@petuniacat: The managers at TJMaxx know me by name. Sigh. I have a part-time gig as a home stager/redesigner with a friend (we started our business before the downward trend in home buying) and practically lived in that store and Marshalls.

I wish we had one of these Nordstrom Rack stores y'all speak of. That could open up a whole new venue for me!

@Archetype: Depends what you're looking for. It sucks not finding your size/color for an item (like a dress), finding comparable prices for new dresses in stores, and waiting for bargains only to have them yanked away from you (or else forgetting them by accident)

wow. this news has really shook me up. When i shop, there may be a rich lady next to me at Target bargain hunting? what do these "rich ladies" look like?

@Archetype: I'm preparing to place stamps on postcards

@petuniacat: Yep, my household income is over $100,000/year and I will only shop at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, sometimes Target, and thrift stores! Plus, I always hit the clearance racks first. I rarely step foot in a mall. My handbag is a real Coach... obviously not top of the line, but an all leather bag w/o the crazy logo BS, definitely authentic, and secondhand from someone I know. Yeah, I'm cheap. However, I still won't go into a Wal-Mart.

@Scoregasm: Except I knew quite a few upper class families in HS that would go to Costco, splurge on huge ginormous five-family sized amounts of food, and then throw half of it away a week or two later "because it had spoilt."
I never felt bad eating dinner at their house and helping myself with leftovers for home. :D

@gerbilsinlove: I did time in Connecticut for law school, land of no Nordies Racks. It was quite difficult; I made pilgrimages to the Rack in Seattle and Portland when home on holidays.

Marshall's is good, too - especially for home furnishings. I honestly don't know why anyone would buy sheets or towels at Macy's or Linens n Things when you can find the exact same ones there (or on overstock.com) for half as much just down the street.

Target is the shit. But Wal-Mart is beneath everyone.

@Sheer Debauchery: We are shopping twins! Only you make more than me (I'm on a very generous law school loan forgiveness program - I make below a certain amount, and they pay back 100% of my loans - works for me!) I also have a real Coach, all leather, no logos except what's on the fabric lining. I received it as a gift (from the outlet mall) but you know, it has lasted better than any bag I've ever had, so I think it was worth it.

@petuniacat: Not a gift from the outlet mall, but rather, a friend bought it for me from the outlet mall. Have no idea why anyone would buy Coach full price.

I do okay but wouldn't call myself "rich." My two favorite stores? Barneys and Target!

@marie123: I have to second your thoughts. 100k in NYC = still shopping at Filene's basement for designer jeans,DSW for shoes, TJMaxx for handbags and Marshall's for towels and other housewares.

Also, I saw David Duchovny and Tea (sp?) Leoni shopping at Express on 51st and Madison. Apparently even the millionaires have to make their money stretch in NYC.

100k is nothing for a household income if you live in Los Angeles.

@petuniacat: I bought a pair of jeans at urban the other day that were on sale for $10, marked down from $80. when i went to checkout, i was just being chatty with the sales guy and mentioned the button was missing, but for $10 i could sew one on. Homes said "there's a button missing?" and rang those pants up for FOUR DOLLARS. I was stoked. Then I went to another store and found my dream dress on the clearance rack for another FOUR DOLLARS. and THEN i went to guess and found the cutest pair of yellow jeans (originally $90) for SIX DOLLARS. All in all I saved like $200+. The shopping gods were looking out for me. i think it's because i went to anti-gym earlier that day and they felt sorry for me.

@STICKSnSCONES: I just bought a super cute pair of Missoni flats at DSW (love that store). They're proving to be a bitch to break in but they are faaaaaabulous.

@Archetype: I know the feeling. I see rainbows and butterflies when I find cute shoes (that I can actually afford). So cool!