3/24/16
Loyal readers will recall one of my best-received pieces,
6/28/15’s WSJ: THE MAGAZINE FOR PORTENTOUS POPINJAYS AND POLTROONS, in which
I, er, reviewed the spending habits of those in charge of our nation’s
money. That now seminal post came to
mind this morning as I noticed an ad on page A3 of today’s (i.e., Thursday,
3/24/16’s) Wall Street Journal for a $475 pair of “fringe sneakers” from an outfit called Tod’s. Presumably, these are for what can loosely be called males,
but it’s hard to tell and the gender of the target customer doesn’t
matter. Further, perhaps that these
monstrosities are, as Tod’s proudly proclaims, made in Italy can overcome their manifest ugliness, but I’m not
here to argue aesthetics. There is, as
we who study, apply, and teach economics profess, no accounting for taste.
My point, as always, is to encourage my readers to stop and
think for a minute. The Wall
Street Journal is read, or is pretended to be read, by those who are in
charge of our nation’s financial fortunes, people to whom other people entrust
their life savings to be managed in a prudent and circumspect manner. Thus, advertisements in the Journal are directed toward those who
are in charge of the nation’s money.
Presumably, such people are interested in such things as $475 fringed
sneakers or advertisers would not spend money making them aware of the
existence and availability of such, er, things. So people to whom you have entrusted your
money are paying $475 for footwear that is worn in casual situations and,
judging from admittedly subjective aesthetics, in the dark.
Be afraid; be very afraid.
Well, golly. There are none for dudes; the fringe sneakers are only in women's sizes. What really hurts is that clearly there is a discriminatory gap. The smallest women's size is a 6, and I wear a women's 4.5. And children's? THE FRINGE SNEAKERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. I'm heartbroken, and all the other children's shoes are...ummm...far less attractive. They are also far more expensive than my Clark's...kid's shoes for $225.
ReplyDeleteObviously "disposable income" has a far different meaning to the buyers of these shoes than it does for me.
I wonder if the Wonder Spouse will let me put my "savings" from not buying these into my yarn budget.
Kathie
None for guys? Damn; now what is Sue going to buy me for Father's Day?
DeleteI wonder whether buyers of the $475 fringe sneakers will purchase the $225 variety for their kids or whether the economic concept of an "inferior good" will kick in; after all, how can these masters of the universe let their kids be seen in such cheap footwear? This becomes a crucial issue as summer in the Hamptons bears down on these financial wunderkinds!
Bob will doubtless be delighted at all the money you have saved by not being able to find your size in the fringe sneakers from Italy; I can hear his exuberance even as I type this. Just don't let Sue know of these wondrous savings and the myriad alternatives for redeploying the fruits of such frugality.
Thanks, Kathie, for reading and commenting.