Aging with Grace

It is quality rather than quantity that matters.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

The above was often quoted by my Grandmother in regard  to buying, absolutely, anything.  She believed I should buy the best that I could afford. Her reasoning was that, over time, it made more sense to have something that would last than to spend money replacing the item after a short time. 

Through the years, I have tried to implement this bit of wisdom, although not always successfully. There have been times when I succumbed to buying two dresses for the same price as the more expensive one. Of course my grandmother was right, I usually ended up not being happy with the less expensive dresses and they were donated to charity. 

After working, for many years, in luxury retail. I have found, spending more doesn’t always mean better quality. Sometimes the less expensive item might be better. I believe this is a phenomenon that has become more common over the past twenty years or so. I can’t explain it other than to say, some luxury vendors have tried to cut corners and save money resulting in a lesser quality product, while less expensive competitors have found a way to save costs and still offer a good product. You have to look carefully and know what you’re buying. I have also learned that you reach a point were you are no longer paying for quality, you are only paying for a name.  Let the buyer beware.