Expensive Taste

Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel are just some examples of luxury brands commonly purchased by women every single day. These brands cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. They are commonly found in upscale shopping malls, such as The Galleria in Houston and in Fifth Avenue shops in New York City, New York. The question that all of us men have is, "why are women spending so much money on these designer goods?"

According to Yajin Wang and Vladas Griskeviciu, women are using designer goods in order to show other women that their significant other is devoted to them. Contrary to popular belief, women are not purchasing expensive designer brands to attract men, but instead to deter women. This tactic is supposed to keep other women from approaching a man that is already taken. However, women are not the only gender that is spending large amounts of money on designer goods. Men are also purchasing luxury goods, instead, to become more attractive in finding a mate. Studies show that women are more attracted to men who flaunt their designer goods.The article focuses on studies that show how luxury goods are used mainly in relationships; whether it is to keep other women from “poaching” a man that is taken or for a man to feel like he has become more sexually appealing to a woman. As one can see, men and women purchase designer goods for different reasons, but with similar ideas in mind.

I do not believe that women should use luxury brands to keep other women away from their significant other. I feel that women buy designer goods to show it off to other women, because they want to feel a sense of status and superiority. In my opinion, women buy luxury brands to intimidate other women and to feel better about themselves. In addition, women like the product they are buying and know that other women will be the ones looking at their new handbag because most men will not notice these things. However, I do agree with Wang and Griskeviciu that men purchase luxury cars, watches and luxury products in order to become more attractive to a women. Women always look at men to represent power and have a status symbol. From what I have experienced from seeing friends and family, girls were more attracted to my friends when they had fancy and expensive items.

Conspicuous Consumption, Relationships, and Rivals: Women’s Luxury Products as Signals to Other Women

Yajin Wang and Vladas Griskevicius

Journal of Consumer Research ,  p. 000

Published by: The University of Chicago Press

Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/673256