Wealthy Dataloungers: Tell us what brands, makers, sources, materials, are high quality.

Now we know why OP is broke.

From my perspective, you can't go wrong with many high-end Italian manufactured items. From clothes to bedding to cars to even umbrellas .

You know the top Italian clothing designers. For bedding, there's Frette, Sferra and Pratesi.

Pasotti umbrellas are amazing and something you can hand down to the next generation (if it doesn't get stolen). These are some of the women's umbrellas - they are just gorgeous.

Flatware doesn't really matter anymore if it isn't silver. Silver plate is not worth it and is not in demand. You'll be fine with any flatware design you personally like - it's all stainless steel.

I repeat - do not buy silver plate. IF you buy a silver set, I would buy vintage because that shit is expensive. Typically a single spoon or piece of cutlery is $100-$120 a piece. You could probably get a great deal on a used silver set if you're willing to spend 4 figures on it.

HOLLAND PARK! HOLLAND PARK!

my father always told me; son, always buy your cock rings from Cartier

I approve of this thread.

One simply knows these things from one’s upbringing .One doesn’t have to ASK.

OP = Mr. Pitts

It's a Snickers bar!!!

Just pick it up with your hands!!!!!!

Why don’t you call your Family Office? I’m sure they have people to look into such things.

Well I’m poor and embarrassed to admit I had to look up the word ‘flatware’. But at least I’m young and beautiful.

You can always acquire flatware, R9.

flatASSware

[quote]OP = Mr. Pitts

That's *Pitt*, R7. There is no "s" at the end.

I'm partial to the blue and white earthenware plates (1824) and tea service (1872) made by Henshall, Williamson & co., or if you prefer to stay American-made, you can go with Chelsea Ceramic Co (set from 1891). I'm not sure how high end you are willing to go, but these can be purchased from the Met, I assume they have their price like everyone else

R7 reminds me: Forget about materials, so help me if I see you cut up your food and then put down the knife to put the fork in your other hand to eat it, you peasant.

There was a fellow at the club who was asking about THINGS. I haven’t seen him around, come to think of it.

If you have to ask, you can't afford them.

"We need a list of all things prestige to know what’s what"

So you can pretend to be rich on the internet?

Good luck to you with your bizarre quest.

In the meantime, Datalounge hardly seems the place to get what you think you need.

Why not check out auction or sales sites like 1st Dibs? And instead of looking "what's best" like Melania Trump and the Donald, why not check these places for things that actually appeal to you?

Hell, just do an internet search and look at the images.

When someone says they only have the best or something along those lines, I immediately think this person is boasting and a liar.

And probably has no personal taste at all.

I prefer Georg Jensen and Puiforcat to Tiffany. You may prefer Christofle Paris to Tiffany.

Remember, it's all about personal taste, or the personal taste of the ancestor who dumped their crap on you after they died.

here you are OP! A Creamer. by Tiffany. it's a bit Art Nouveau for my taste, but I'm sure you'll put it to good use

The crystal chandeliers must have nothing less than Swarovski crystals. Ordinary hand cut crystals will not do. You may custom order these on Schonbek pieces, since 1870.

I was going to mention Georg Jensen (it's spelled without the "E" on "Georg").

There's also Christofle and Reed & Barton.

Here's a Christofle set:

Here is a Pasotti umbrella. They may have been doing it since 1954 but they seem to be lowering or Americanizing their standards. Others included a fake diamond-encrusted skull and a golf ball. Ugh. The ladies' umbrellas were garish.

Flatware brands I'd prefer to Tiffany's are: Puiforcat, Odiot, Ricci, Jensen or Christofle. Service for 12 from those houses would be in the 5 figures. Since I'm not fabulously wealthy like the rest of DLers, I make due with dinner size place settings from Wallace Sterling that I LOVE. If you buy sterling you can have it prefessionally polished to look new. Be certain the perople doing it leave some patina to bring out the pattern and do not dip it in silver cleaner!!

Great thread. Already learning a lot.

R22 here .... If you buy VINTAGE sterling..... and people... oh dear

Stop being so materialistic, OP. Only heartbreak lies ahead for you.

The best way to spend your money is on your health: physical and mental. I spend a relatively large amount of money on food and health insurance. (Yes, I do enjoy some junk food, sometimes.) I don't have the nicest car or the nicest apartment, but I do feel like I have something that money can't buy: my sanity and good physical health.

Flatware: I bought some Oneida "cube" stainless flatware on eBay. The "cube" mark is something Oneida used in the past. Supposedly, during the cube era, Oneida produced better-quality flatware. I'm happy with what I have.

This is what you're concerned about at the end of 2020?

[quote]Pasotti umbrellas are amazing and something you can hand down to the next generation (if it doesn't get stolen).

I need to be rich! When purchasing an umbrella, my main goal is to make sure I can pass it down to the next generation.

The best quality crystal is Baccarat or St Louis from France. Pre 1980's Waterford was well made and Stuart crystal of England was arguably even better. Those two companies became part of the buyout craze in the 80's and moved their production to other countries for cheap labor and a decline in quality, Moser in the Czech Republic has excellent quality, if a bit heavy on the "mittel Europa" design. Yeoward, the latest nouveau riche must have, is made in a variety of countries and factories reproducing found patterns from the 19th century and their own designs. It's more of a marketing co. like Mikasa and Faberge.

Sean Connery’s James Bond preferred British clothes, accessories and cars. Always classic and correct.

Suits - Anthony Sinclair, Savile Row Shirts - Mr. Fish, Savile Row Shoes - John Lobb Briefcases and Umbrellas - Swaine Adeney Brigg Hats- Locke & Co. Hatters Watch - Rolex Submariner 6538 Lighter and Cufflinks - Dunhill Sunglasses - Wayfarer Golfwear - Slazenger Fragrance - Floris No. 89 Eau de Toilette Cigarettes - Morland of Grosvenor Street Automobile - Aston Martin DB-5

Not sure that didn’t format properly. I’ll try again...

Suits - Anthony Sinclair, Savile Row Shirts - Mr. Fish, Savile Row Shoes - John Lobb Briefcases and Umbrellas - Swaine Adeney Brigg Hats- Locke & Co. Hatters Watch - Rolex Submariner 6538 Lighter and Cufflinks - Dunhill Sunglasses - Wayfarer Golfwear - Slazenger Fragrance - Floris No. 89 Eau de Toilette Cigarettes - Morland of Grosvenor Street Automobile - Aston Martin DB-5

I give up.

OP, now just look what you've done! You've gone and summoned up all of Datalounge's retail ice queens!

Maybe if you hang garlic over this thread, they'll go away....

What about brands of steel toilets, mobility scooters, and stick rags?

Since 1954 you say, r21?

Pfft

Fancy Feast, dahling!

Retail Ice Queens FTW, although I think he looked in the mirror and said Kir Royale three times at midnight to summon them. It worked for me!

Find out the best brands and then save a fortune by buying them on Ebay. Vintage things are arguably better made than new ones. You can pick up sterling flatware and quality sheets easily. Alternatively, go to estate sales in high end areas.

Any collector of fine goods would appreciate Victorian era Bohemian Czech mantel lusters with fancy cut long prisms, OP. They are among the most beautiful objects one can own. You used to see them on either side of an opulent mantel giving a warm sparkle to the room.

I have this set, bought for $40 at an estate sale. I haunt extra fine estate sales looking for objects of art. Crystal, paintings, unusual objects, mostly European prior to WWII.

No self respecting connoisseur of fine things should be without 22K gold accented midcentury barware.

I’d cut your throat for those, r40.

Volkl skis (no need to spend more), Amouage colognes (Creed is overpriced), Knize of Vienna clothes or Italian traditional tailors (for example Battistoni in Rome, Campagna in Milan), BMW cars, Swiss universities (bang for your buck), Tuscan wineries, Berbère or Kabyle majordomos, French-sized SILVER PLATE industrial restaurant cutlery, vintage dinnerware in a few styles.

The wealthiest of fancy people I know wear nothing but wool, OP. No cashmere or weird shit from Peru - just wool all the time. It keeps ugly, shiny-faced people employed.

Walk into a room filled with rich fancy people and it’s methadone clinic - people scratching themselves against every surface - in a decidedly classy manner.

R44, not all wool is scratchy. There is such a thing as summer wool and gabardine.

You used to be able to pick up a full set of sterling silverware for hundreds at auction. Try to get the pre-early 1970s - that's when they lowered the silver content required for sterling.

I only by Hermies.

Some info to help you develop discerning taste, OP.

Its very difficult to find vintage sterling silver flatware at a good price because the metal is worth too much and everyone knows it. The only place would be a amateur auction, garage sale, unprofessional estate sale, etc.

Don't forget ver-sayce

Funny to see my Mom’s Christofle Malmaison flatware in this thread. Been dining with them for thirty years, sometimes with food on plastic plates. Nobody cares or offers any compliments.

iitala, Villeroy & Boch, Spiegelau, Le Creuset, Tefal, Duolit, Miele, Moulinex should cover the basics.

Just check out the brands on the Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Selfridges and Harrods websites, OP.

Loro Piana, N. Peal, Franck Namani, Brunello Cuccinelli for cashmere.

D. Porthault for bedding and table linen.

Brioni for suits.

[quote]If you buy sterling you can have it prefessionally polished to look new.

If you don't already have silver, why buy it? If you're genuinely interested, you can collect it, but not the awful Wallace 'Grand Baroque's and that Macy's stuff, collect one pattern or silversmith or a group of patterns from one period: fiddle-and-thread, King's, Queen's, Hester Bateman, Georg Jensen, Aesthetic Movement patterns, as staid or strange as you like. Buy it at auction and don't buy it if it has the monograms of a previous owner rubbed off. And for ducks sake don't buy any that has been professionally polished; it looks like overly bright stainless and ruins the silver. Polish it at home, not in a workshop with buffing wheels and polishing grits.

[quote]The crystal chandeliers must have nothing less than Swarovski crystals. Ordinary hand cut crystals will not do. You may custom order these on Schonbek pieces, since 1870.

Only ig you're the Empress Sissi. Otherwise Swarovski is tacky as fuck, and Schonbeck is an American firm that produces some tatty wares. They can do decent custom work, but there are better specialists for that, usually to reproduce a chandelier to install in the room next door, or when one was removed from its original location and a faithful replacement is needed. Chandeliers are like silver: you either have them or you collect them. New chandeliers? For new people and new opera houses maybe.

Baccarat chandeliers instead of Swarovski. They have them in the Plaza Hotel.

Royal Doulton with Hand-Painted Periwinkles.

Whatever you choose - and I believe this - buy cheap, pay twice.

Use Google, go to smaller shops owned by actual people who work there (if you can still find any) and ask for their guidance. I have confidence in Consumer Reports. You don't have to buy what the wealthy buy but you should buy the best you can afford - better odds it will last.

And FWIW, my plumber told me not to waste money on expensive dishwashers. They're built now to last three to five years. (Which is pretty shitty for the environment.) But get an EnergyStar appliance whenever you can. My HE washer did drop my water bill.

Tiffany makes two sets of flatware I have always guiltily coveted, as they are American focused: the Audobon set, and the Ametican Gatden set. They will, however, have to wait for another incarnation or a winning Euro Lottery ticket.

Interesting that someone wrote Dunhill sunglasses above. I bought two pairs of them for my husband just because I liked the classic style; one at a collector's fair in Florence; the other on Ebay, both around €30. He's worn them for years and they look pristine still. My personal choice for sunglasses is vintage Cartier, which I bought on Ebay When I bought them, 10-15 years ago, the frames were about $200. Now they are up to $1800, not less than $600, depending on style.

Be very careful about eating off antique ceramics and vintage pottery. They were made to different standards and as glazes wear off can leach lead and other materials

And do not even think about putting vintage glassware and crockery in the microwave - it will explode.

My local Dollar Tree has packs of plastic utensils that are painted silver. For less than $10, you can have silver flatware! Even trays as well!

I don’t have much to add but will say that no one makes umbrellas as well as the Japanese.

Re flatware. About 25 years ago, we bought “Grand Hotel” from Crate and Barrel. Nothing extravagant, but it was nice/decent quality. Lost a few forks and spoons and ordered a few replacements from Crate and Barrel website. They were noticeably flimsier.

Then just recently I saw a few pieces in a thrift shop jumble bin (ten pieces for $3) and when I got them home, they were noticeably better quality than even my original set.

Bummer to have such inconsistent quality.

R57: Tiffany Audubon especially carries a high premium, but it:s easily and often found at auction in sets and assembled sets of various sorts. The early pieces have some minor design details to distinguish them, as well as the markings that change over time (also the hollow-handled knives are 20thC and later.)

This large group sold 3 years ago for $8500 about the same as it would bring today and a $3300 premium above melt value at currently high metal prices. Better and more interesting pieces (including specialty forms like nut picks, strawberry and pastry forks, etc.) Look at past auction prices online; they vary quite a lot but you can get an idea of what a good price is for a few odd pieces, a small set, or a huge canteen.

We prefer Reed and Barton over Jensen and Christofle, ourselves...

Personally, I would disagree with R31. Sure it's good quality stuff, but it's so typically landed gentry British boring, conservative style. It's a look - but it looks so dated and pretentious.

Even Italian wear that is conservative has more style and flair than traditional British makers.

I'm not sure why OP has asked this question, but I want to make a few points. If you have an eye for beauty and a taste for comfort, buying high quality items can give you a lot of pleasure throughout your life. But they cost money, which may mean you have sacrificed other things or experiences to own them. It comes down to cost per use or cost per wearing. If you're going to keep and use something for 10 years, even an initial high price is justified. High quality linens, cookware (if you're a cook), quality tools if you are a DIY type, a garment like a leather jacket in a classic style come to mind. If on the other hand, it is something that you have few opportunities to use, eg, Tiffany nut picks or strawberry forks, or something that requires expensive ongoing maintenance...poor investment.

I'm not sure if all of these brands are available in the US, assuming you're even posting from there. But in Europe MIELE would be one of the best brands for dishwashers, dryers and washing machines. Their stuff easily lasts 20 years, some even more than that. If you're looking to buy a standard vacuum SEBO and VORWERK would be your best bets, even though VORWERK's quality has gone somewhat downhill during the last 10 years. If you're looking for a vacuum robot then ELECTROLUX or KÄRCHER (vintage models from 15 - 20 years) would still be a sensible choice, even though replacement parts would be hard to come by. A very good brand for airwashers/humidifiers would be VENTA. A lifetime of 20 years+ is still very likely. When it comes to fully automatic coffee makers my choice would be an older SAECO (from 15 - 20 years ago). They're somewhat ugly (mostly cheap plastic), weren't and still aren't the most expensive machines available, but I still see a lot of them in the homes of wealthy people. People who had them replaced with newer shiny models full of chrome from DE'LONGHI, JURA, e.t.c. often regret their choice. If your looking to buy a new bed (boxpring + mattress) ViSPRING or HÄSTENS should be your preferable choice, even though there are a few other high-quality manufacturers. For clothes and other textile products HERMÈS and MISSONI used to offer and might still do high-quality products. I have towels and T-shirts from them at home, which are over 30 years old, even though they get used a lot.

you're not your R68

[bold]Cue sneering unsigned post by YourMillennialFriend in 3, 2, 1 . . .[/bold]

Which is the most upscale brand of adult diapers?

I work in the watch world (vintage, although I do work with new watches as well). Happy to answer any questions about brands, valuations, and investment possibilities.

OP, you can get some great things at the better auction houses - and you can learn a lot about high end brands too. I've purchased some wonderful things from Christies.

Candles: Cire Trudon. They are the best. They make the candles for Farnasetti. The boutiques also have a lot of wonderful antique pieces. I picked up a beautiful Christofle candleabra there last year.

Flatware. You can get good, everyday, quality sets at Williams Sonoma.

Luggage. Vintage Tumi. They no longer make it in the USA. It's still good quality but not as good as it used to be. Their customer service is still excellent, however. The former founder now has started ROAM luggage, which I hear is good. By comparison, AWAY bags are total crap.

Eyewear. Luxottica controls most of the market - all brands are good quality. SAMA is also very good.

Casual wear: Vince and Theory.

Shoes: all of the usual Italian brands - my Tod's shoes are more than 10 years old and look new - and John Lobb (custom made to your feet).

Sex toys: The Pleasure Chest.

R74 - most of those are middle-market brands, not necessarily high-end or 'luxury' (God I'm starting to hate that word).

I just spooned some Cheez Whiz into my Campbell’s tomato soup, so I’m probably not the person to ask, OP.

Regarding the Brioni suits, didn't Trump kill the market for those?

R30 Bespoke Savile Row suits currently price at £4,000 or more depending on fabric and maker; John Lobb shoes made to order price in the £4,500 range depending on design and materials. The magnificent Aston Martin DB5 routinely sells at £750,000 or more well restored. So this 'James Bond' look is not for middle class strivers.

R73 I would be interested in your take on market strength for vintage Patek Philippe, I have several 1950s examples. Seems to me that the wristwatch industry is dying, mobiles in every pocket would seem to obviate any future for mechanical timepieces in coming years.

R73 here. You might indeed think the watch world would be withering away but it's not. In fact, auction prices have been rising. A prestigious watch is the only piece of fancy jewelry most men will wear, and so it serves as much as a signal of class as much as a time piece. Your Pateks have certainly gained great deal of value but Pateks from the 1950s, unless they have interesting complications, such as a sonnerie, or were part of a limited series, aren't among most watch collectors' favorites. Still, they're valuable as long as you keep them in good shape and never redo the dial. Patek is the brand with the best appreciation. I have friends who bought ones for $10K that are now worth more than $100K.

Rolexes, too, can be extraordinary investment vehicles, but there are so many well-done fake ones around that only an expert can tell you if your watch is real. People get suckered with fake Daytonas etc constantly -- even auction houses have fallen for fakes.

Cartier doesn't tend to appreciate as much, although again, if it was a limited run, they can do very well. Likewise with JLC, IWC, etc.

Langes are much sought after as well, but given their more recent entry into the high-end market, and their expensive price, their long term value may not be as great.

Thank you R73 for the favour of a detailed response. I inherited one chronograph and a few tank style Pateks, I wear just one of these regularly.

When I read that the Apple Watch has soared to be the world's #1 seller, and Rolex sales had concurrently plummeted globally, I felt that surely this was he death knell for fine mechanical timepieces -- less, as you've mentioned, the top range 'statement' pieces.

You mean it serves as a signal of wealth, R79. You can't buy class (for yourself, maybe for your grandkids or something).

And I think those watches are for tacky dopes with too much money. Don't actual old money people wear Timex watches on ribbon bands etc?

James Purdey and Sons for $90,000 hunting rifles.

$800 blankets from Ralph Lauren

Asprey - jewellery

If you have to ask, you won't be able to afford them.

Do you really want to be the sort of homosexual who recognizes various makes of flatware and judges others on their choices OP?

The mid-20th century notion of handcrafted luxury brands known to only a select affluent clientele died along with the advent of the internet.

The mid to late 20th century notion of Bob Dylan not being a rabid plagiarist also died along with the advent of the internet.

R73, what watch might you suggest as the best long term investment? Say someone wanted to spend $5-10K and didn’t want to risk the value going down. Is that enough to get in the game?

Also, I like the styling of many of the Ralph Lauren watches, particularly the Sporting and Automotive models. If I were to buy one used, should it generally hold its value? It seems there are a lot of used RL watches coming from Japanese dealers.

My grandmother had Tiffany sterling in the Audubon pattern. She must have had enough pieces for 30 full place settings. They were kept in two chests and the pieces were heavy. When our grandparents died, my female cousins were left the sterling flatware and tableware to divide among themselves. The male grandchildren were left our grandfather's military paraphernalia, including his medals. I would rather have had the Tiffany flatware.

R73 here again. No, R87, a Ralph Lauren watch will not hold any value. They're well designed but they use cheap Asian movements and are not meant to be passed down from generation to generation -- they might not last a dozen years. If you're thinking about an investment vehicle in the $5K - $10K range, I'd consult with a watch expert and buy a vintage Patek, Rolex, Vacheron, or Audemars from a reputable dealer (or on eBay, as there really are some values to be had there if you know what you're doing -- I bought a Glashutte Original PanoReserve from a guy in Georgia who I talked to on the phone and whom I are to trust; the watch was probably worth $8K at the time, I got it for $5K).

What you don't want to do is buy a new watch from a dealer, whereby your watch loses about 30% of its value immediately and will take years to get it back.

Thanks for the tips, R73.

Regarding Ralph Lauren watches, I think you are correct that they will never be in the preferred category like Patel, Rolex, etc. Btw, a quick check of the internet indicates that RL’s movements are not Japanese. They are sourced from Richemont brands such as Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC and Cartier.

OP, the price doesn't determine if it is high quality. A lot of newly rich people think if they spend X amount on something it means it is a quality product.

I have a lot of money but I don't buy any of the stuff listed. I do spend a lot on coats and jackets I guess, and shoes, but nothing super high end.

I don't see the point in acquiring things like silverware and china. If they're new, they're not well made, and if they're old, who wants them?

Our house is loaded down with antiques from four generations. I've spent my adult life trying to give the shit away.

Does the fork fit in your mouth? Is it clean? Then it is acceptable.

A suit or pair of shoes is a slightly different story, as they should fit well and provide value but buying a watch is the most pointless and vulgar thing I can think of. What time is it? Let me check my phone. It's Whogivesafuck O'Clock.

Jesus Christ.

There are some of us that are not married to our phones R93.

R93 types poor.

R93, some children want to feather their nests and hopefully attract nuts who share their brand of acquisitiveness.

Stop being a cunt. Throw some shit away. Socially distant MWUAH!

Buy what you like - most of our parents’ stuff can’t be given away today so don’t expect for your stuff to appreciate in value. In terms of decorative stuff, ebay is an excellent beginning- search save the item you are interested in, say Hummel figurines. You will sooner or later get an excellent deal.

Is this one of those threads where DLers are hoping that with the purchase of specific items, people will assume they grew up in townhouse in Back Bay rather than a row house in Backer's Bay?

Yes, wasn't the deal that gays couldn't get status by conventional means, and so had to demonstrate their superiority through displays of taste and cultivation. Now you can get married and have more civil rights generally, so there isn't as much need for the Thurston Howell cosplay.

R75, you asked for High Quality - not expensive. There is a difference. There are many brands that are expensive that make garbage. The face that you don't know this shows why you are one of the Poors who is just dying to be rich, but would look - at best - nouveau riche - even if you ever did come into wealth.

R53 you are quite ignorant on the history of Schonbek. Yes, they do now also produce retail pieces that are widely available, but the company is far from "tatty" or "tacky as fuck" or whatever dismissive term you used.

1870 Adolph Schonbek began his crystal chandelier business, A. Schonbek & CO. He left his family glassworks in Bohemia at the age of 24 to pursue his own path.

1890 - 1900 Schonbek was awarded its iconic crest by Franz Joseph I of the Habsburgh Court. Around this time, Schonbek delivers a 27-foot-tall, 600 candle crystal chandelier to the Nizam of Hyderabad in India, solidifying its reputation as the premier international manufacturer of custom-made crystal chandeliers.

1932 Arnold Schonbek took over the family business from his father, Arthur, at the budding age of 17.

1947 Arnold Schonbek relocated to Montreal, Canada and began his family’s company from scratch

1971 Arnold Schonbek patented his revolutionary “bow-tie connector” for crystal trim in the U.S. and Canada, further positioning the business as a leader in ingenuity.

1972 - 1973 A second Schonbek factory was opened in Plattsburgh, NY

1989 Schonbek Worldwide Lighting was developed into an international brand. By this time, all business and manufacturing operations had been moved to the U.S. Since then, all Schonbek luminaires are designed and handmade in the U.S. at its state-of-the-art facility.

2007 Schonbek became a member of the Swarovski Group

R93 do you still have "old stuff" to give away? I LOVE old, well-made stuff. I would be happy to take things off your hands if these tragic old items are still weighing you down. I hate buying new crappy quality furnishings and household items.

Attention all, you can never have enough hats, gloves, or shoes ...

R103 needs gloves to hide his womanly hands.

The best isn't good enough for me!

Crane cotton stationery.

Grey Goose vodka.

LaMer skin cream.

Krug champagne

I prefer Petrossian Beluga.

Cane’s

I have a relative who is incredibly cheap. Sometimes you can find nicer cosmetics brands at discount stores but she doesn't buy Oribe or other things like that. Instead it is: -Alaffia hair care -Monat shampoo

She is a senior tech exec who makes at least $120000. Most of the things in her house are off-brand things from Burlington Coat Factory(!) when she could afford nicer towels, shampoo, etc. I've literally only seen these weird brands at the clearance rack of Home Goods and other places.

I had to beg her to outfit her guest bathroom with decent towels, shampoo, etc., not just old rags and samples. Even her decor is just lame wall art and off-kilter vases from these places.

The best part of this thread is the posts that don’t answer the question. 😂😂😂

I didn’t invite you r108, I sent for you.

R110: Different people like different things. Sometimes it's not about being cheap but simply not caring.

Some people are concerned with their outward appearance and give a lot of attention to clothes and grooming but don't care a bit about their homes; others can't fucking be bothered with personal appearance or appliance brands or fashionable furniture, but they assemble important art collections.

There's no definitive and universal list of these things. You can compile a list of luxury brands or expensive brands or brands of longstanding that are well regarded for quality, but ultimately these things "fit" and look like they belong and complement the person or home when they represent a personal style in which look and feel at ease.

If someone has the most expensive brand of umbrella and fountain pen and car and clothes and shoes and wallpaper and door hardware and designer pet and everything else the same, this brand, that brand, and this famous maker, they are trying too hard and it only looks like the Real Housewives folly of showing off what they don't have.

Brand names aren't always the best markers of anything.

To R110 -

So she has to spend more money on things just to satisfy YOU...???

R113, you’re still looking from the outside where there’s a bunch of protestant work ethic arguments that go nowhere.

Flip it over and look at this stuff that lasts. You’re just as likely to hoard your expensive errors. The expensive flatware can be used and enjoyed. The Gucci Thinkpad portfolio is just stupidity from 25 years ago (fuck!)we keep because it was transgressive for accounting majors.

A "senior tech exec" making 110K? Sad. You must live a pretty modest life R110. Also your relative is likely building an investment portfolio to be comfortable til she dies. That's better than your coveted "fancy" shampoos, which you seem to fetishize.

A coworker was telling me about Jo Malone cologne, and that they will work with you to design custom fragrances. We have a JM boutique in my city, so I might splurge and get a custom fragrance done.

I second the Crane stationery. Writing notes is becoming a lost art, so to do so on a fine piece of stationery makes it even more special.

Jo Malone colognes are overpriced and have low longevity. However, they do have nice smelling compositions, but the ingredients are nothing special. Irish dupe company Jenny Glow dupes many Joe Malone fragrances very successfully for about 10-15 bucks a bottle.

[quote] Which is the most upscale brand of adult diapers?

Bespoke.

Do you want to buy my family silver, OP? I have a Sterling tea set made in Rhode Island in the 1700’s. You can say it’s from your ancestors. I’m sick of polishing this shit.

Hermes flatware and dishes -

[quote] She is a senior tech exec who makes at least $120000. Most of the things in her house are off-brand things from Burlington Coat Factory(!) when she could afford nicer towels, shampoo, etc.... I had to beg her to outfit her guest bathroom with decent towels, shampoo, etc., not just old rags and samples.

This is a crucial point in time for her. She can either live below her means and get ahead. Or she can do what most seem to do: immediately "upgrade" everything and end up with the same amount of savings you had before.

I like Staleks brand (made in Ukraine) for manicure / pedicure stuff. Specifically, the cuticle nippers / cutters. I've tried Tweezerman, Revlon, store brands. Staleks is the best, really nice quality. You can buy the cutters with longer edges (longer cuts, less ragged edges).

Not expensive! I got mine on eBay from a seller in Ukraine.

In her 2008 book "Where to Buy the Best of Everything", the late Suzy Gershman praises Nymphenburg porcelain, saying it is one of the most elegant, intricate and expensive lines in the world. The production process involves aging the porcelain mixture for up to 2 years and firing it at temperatures as high as 2500 degrees.

I buy my thimbles from a small silversmith in the remote Iya Valley of Shikoku, a small Okinawan island in Japan. He goes by the name Hirshmaki Tukakisoro, he takes 12 weeks to craft a single thimble with microscopic engravings of Japanese folklore.

Grey Poupon is my splurge.

Generic

I have some nymphenburg baskets, bowls and platters. I use to haul it out for Easter but now I don't entertain. I'm too lazy to sell stuff and I have no one to give it to either. There are very few young "queers" into any of the finer old things in life. They want new & "design".

I’m just imagining the dueling darning needle challenge R125 must face every time they lose a fucking thimble.

R97, Hummel figurines,! I have about five from a sister-in-law, hate them, and am always tempted to just chuck'em. What do they enhance? Do you also have a carved cuckoo clock?

I collect Lladro.

True, R128. I read about an antiques dealer (maybe it was a link on a DL thread) who tried to sell old fashioned, ornate furniture and couldn't make a go of it. He had to switch to modern stuff to stay in business.

Herend is one of the finest makers of porcelain knickknacks, gewgaws, and tchotckes.

California Closets.💯

For the Crane Stationery fans...

I had to check that it was still in business (yes, sort of, probably, maybe); it's been a downward spiral of news for some years. Crane was always a don't-have-to-think-about-it standard for the U.S., but it probably suffered, in addition to other forces, from competition in the form of stationers in London and Italy and elsewhere that have more variety and better quality and prestige. No one is more than a few seconds away from a list of Rome's best stationer's or the Top 10 Most Luxurious Stationers in the World which makes the ability to buy Crane's at a Macy's seem more than a little downscale. It's okay for a box of plain note cards, but beyond that it's just okay in quality but without any distinction; a standard in the way that if you want a hard-wearing dog toy there's no reason to look beyond the Kong brand.

That’s sad. Crane is such an American oldie.

Mason Pearson brushes.

Baccarat crystal is by far the best. I have my mom's original set from 1981 or so. I've broken 2-3 glasses and found some on Ebay to replace them for $50-60 a stem. New, I think Massena sells for $350.

My sister got the sterling. Francis I by Reed & Barton. Ridiculously expensive now. I got the silverplate Oneida (Clairhill). I don't mind it, it's acquired a nice satin patina and the tines of the fork are just starting to wear off. It looks lovingly used.

I could never bring myself to buy an expensive watch. It just seemed like a waste. I got my dad's Rolex a few years ago that had quit working. I took it to a jeweler who said $1,000+ to fix. I think it got water in it from a bad seal and he just threw it in his safe deposit box and it killed the inner workings. Luckily I have a fairly nice fake I bought on Canal Street years ago. Still works and keeps time if I remember to wear it to keep it running.

I'm a big believer in older furniture. Mostly empire stuff. It was super cheap a few years ago. Seems to have rebounded a bit. I can't stand the chalk paint bullshit. I've seen more nice pieces ruined by someone who visited the pastel section at Sherwin Williams.

I drive a 1987 Volvo station wagon and wear sweaters full of cat hair....

A friend was house sitting the city home of a baron whose family goes back to the Neanderthals. Yes, the family portraits all over the walls (on wood for the Elizabethians; fucking gigantic for the show-off Stuarts) were of museum quality, but we went through all the cupboards, and everything else was naff, right down to the cheap plonk. So fuck labels OP, buy what you like. In any case, real class means having everything handed down so you don't have to buy anything, so you're already scum. Trying to fake it like some Manilla queen with airs is pointless. Be a hippy.

Hate chalk paint makeovers.

For starter, you MUST have the Diner's Club Carte Blanche card. Otherwise, you can't sit with us.

Diner's Club an Carte Blanche were separate cards, dahling.

Emphasis on the WERE dear R143

For buying anything electronic or mechanical, unless you are going for top end luxury, the best thing is to look at online sites for consumer reviews or professional evaluations.

Choosing things where personal taste is the determining factor, eg, clothes, interior design, furniture..that's harder. You might as well just please yourself.

Bose radios.

Eyeglass lenses:

* Shaw. Hands-down, the best lenses money can buy today. The HARD part is finding an optometrist who works with them, because Shaw is REALLY picky about whom they'll work with... and they require that the optometrist personally order the lenses, not a mere optician, because they demand additional measurements that aren't part of a normal prescription (specifically, stereo fusion ability... they go out of their way to identify patients with latent phorias so they can correct them).

Failing that, Zeiss Individual is the Porsche of lenses... unquestionably good, but with a huge price premium (approx. twice the cost of Shaw, but no better).

If you have astigmatism, freeform atoric lenses are TOTALLY worth the cost. If your eyes differ by more than 0.5 diopter, you'll REALLY notice a HUGE difference with Shaw.

Note: Zeiss makes a whole range of lenses, ranging from 'good' to 'best'. "Individual" is Zeiss' best.

Shaw doesn't bother with anything less than 'best'... Shaw offers different types of lenses (single-viston, FT28 bifocals, various progressive styles), but they're ALL freeform atoric & best of breed.

Other good premium lenses are Hoya iQ (iD is also very good, but not best of breed) and Shamir Autograph 3.

Two big things that distinguish the above lenses from others are stringent QA and additional base curves. The FDA allows lenses to deviate from their nominal values by 0.25 diopters or more. Shaw, Zeiss, Hoya, & Shamir's best lenses are guaranteed to be +/- 0.05 diopters. There are hundreds of lens labs in the US... and exactly one or two are good enough and certified to make the lenses listed above.

Smythson of Bond Street stationery

D. Porthault bedding

Laptops: Thinkpad. There is no equal.

The highest-end non-retail enterprise laptops from HP & Dell are good, but Thinkpad is still a step up.

Touch the keyboard on a real Thinkpad. You can FEEL the difference. They're literally the only laptops left with keyboards that aren't junk. Oh, they suck compared to Thinkpad keyboards from 20 years ago, but everyone ELSE's keyboards suck even more.

OP, for this thread I am wealthy. I shit money for breakfast.

Cloisonné is the best luxury because:

1. The first time I heard the word, I thought it was a French cigarette and said I didn’t care for “them”

2. It’s such a beautiful looking word that puts me in mind of a lady’s hat or a church bell for some reason

3. It’s beautiful artwork by people with far more skill than I’ll ever possess

I think that if I were to purchase sterling flatware today, I would buy antique French. It is mostly 95% silver as opposed to the standard 92.5%.

My favorite manufacturer in this category is Odiot.

The patterns are perfectly regal.

R147, what about high index lenses?

I think if you went to Tiffany and asked for "flatware," the salesbottoms would all have heart attacks.

[quote] I think that if I were to purchase sterling flatware today, I would buy antique French. It is mostly 95% silver as opposed to the standard 92.5%.

Honey, what [italic]possible[/italic] difference could that make to you or to your guests? Unless you dine with trained metallurgists....

Resale value r154

What about Crizal lenses or superfocus?

For your “good” car, a Rolls Ghost or Dawn; for everyday things, a Mercedes highly equipped E class or S class will do. Then just maintain them and keep them forever, if you like.

Cocobolo wood furniture. Preferably vintage pieces.

Nothing says class like some PooPouri in the bathroom to disguise your stinky shits. If I walk in your bathroom and see some matches, I will walk right out in disgust.

Ain't nothin' classier than Gucci flatware, gurlfren.

r152, I'd avoid high-index if at all possible. They're the whole reason people SEE any benefit from "blue blocking" tints. High-index lenses cause chromatic aberration (blue light is offset from red), so slashing away blue makes things look sharper (you could technically block yellow light for the same focusing benefit, but the color distortion would be intolerable. In contrast, blocking blue kind of emulates sunset or fire light). With CR-39 or Trivex, blue-blocking is of no visible benefit.

If you MUST get high index, prefer 1.71 over 1.67 and 1.74. 1.71 has abbe=36; 1.67 and 1.74 are only 32. There's a REASON why 1.71 costs more than 1.74!

If you have prism, avoiding high index is even more important. Prism shifts chromatic aberration that would normally be near the periphery towards the center, making it more visible.

With high-index lenses, antireflective coating is MANDATORY.

If you get AR, go for oleophobic. Non-oleophobic (merely "hydrophobic") wears off in a year or two. Non-oleophobic/hydrophobic gets dirty & etched away by fingerprint oil too easily.

Secret: oleophobic & hydrophobic coatings are actually the same chemicals... oleophobic is thicker & more robust/durable.

I have two sets of Henckles flatware and I love them.

R137 I got a Mason Pearson brush for Christmas and actually ended up returning it. It just skimmed the surface of my luxuriant locks, barely grabbing the hairs. Simply not worth almost $200. My seven dollar drugstore brush does a better job.

How do you know all this stuff r161?

r154, this thread is about quality of craftsmanship and materials.

In the world of entertaining, sitting down to a table set with Odiot, Tetard, or dozens of other French manufacturers does not need the skills of trained metallurgists.

r164, a multi-month Covid-boredom-inspired quest for new glasses that were as perfect as possible.

Another tip: avoid edge-polishing. It makes the lenses look nicer by making the edge transparent & pretty, but also refracts light from the side into your field of vision. For example, if you walk under spotlights, you'll see distracting rainbow-like starbursts in your peripheral vision from light that enters through the edge & bends into your view. Buffed edges are optically superior.

Round lenses are the most optically-efficient shape. I'm fond of 'browline' frames with round(-ish) lenses... you get the optical benefit of round lenses, but the added visual frame bulk at the top avoids the whole "Ghandi" look. As a practical matter, with lenses that deviate from round shapes, everything beyond the round subset is optically useless & distorted anyway.

Another tip: if you're in your 40s or 50s & can see acceptably without glasses, but need glasses to read (at least, without eyestrain), consider a pair of anti-fatigue lenses whose bottom has a +0.5 or +0.75 add... but add +0.25, +0.375/0.40, or +0.50 to your whole prescription when you order them. You'll end up with a pair that leaves you mildly nearsighted (but you won't really notice indoors, because things out to 10-12 feet will still be in focus), gives a nice +0.25 to 0.50 boost for computer use, and ends up with +0.75 to 1.00 at the very bottom. By limiting the top to bottom power progression to 0.50-0.75, you'll avoid most of the distortion progressive lenses normally add. By choosing a "hard short corridor" ("anti-fatigue") design that packs all the distortion into the lower portion, you keep the UPPER portion distortion-free.

Obviously, this strategy won't work if you're 60+ and NEED help with intermediate distances, too... but if you're willing to juggle 2 pairs of glasses, anti-fatigue ("baby progressive") lenses with short, low-set corridors & hard/rapid transition that's 0.5 to 0.75 are a decent step up from single-vision reading glasses. Get one pair optimized for "general life" (top is plano to +0.5 vs regular distance prescription) with boost at the very bottom so you can read your phone & labels. Then, get a second pair whose top is +0.75 to +1.25 (and whose +0.50 bottom is effectively +1.25 to 1.75). It'll let you comfortably use a computer, read books without eyestrain, and still look up & watch TV ~6 to 8 feet away if you keep the room brightly-lit (bright light constricts pupils, effectively giving you a few more feet of clarity).

The linked frames obviously aren't high-quality, but nicely illustrate the frame shape I'm talking about. Shape & size-wise, those frames are almost perfect.

My buttplugs are crafted of the finest Nero Portoro marble.

I love you r166. You’re so knowledgeable. It’s sexy.

Brooklinen for bedding.

[italic] "There's A Sucker Born Every Minute "

Well over here in the UK I tend to buy things from Royal Warrant Holders. That's to say, those companies that personally supply products to HM The Queen, Prince Philip or The Prince of Wales.

You can find companies supplying the most basic of products like Schweppes lemonade and Cadbury's chocolate, right the way through to Cartier and Garrard's jewelers.

Not ever product is expensive, like Gordon's gin. I find it a good rule of thumb when I'm looking for high end products.

Williams Sonoma dish / household towels.

I'll judge all of you, high and low, rich and poor, by your art. That is the indicator of taste and discernment irrespective of upbringing, education, or social pedigree.

You are smarter the the rest, R173.

[quote] I'll judge all of you, high and low, rich and poor, by your art. That is the indicator of taste and discernment irrespective of upbringing, education, or social pedigree.

I'm not rich, but I have two oil paintings on the walls of my small apartment. One painted by my mom and one painted by my friend's dad (prof'l artist). Both seascapes. I love both paintings. However, I do have a bachelor's degree in art, so that helped me a lot.

I loathe OP and his ilk.

The world is full of art. A lot of it bad, but plenty that's good, great even. Find it on eBay, at regional auction houses, estate sales, flea markets, wherever. If you have limited means, forget buying signed pieces because if at auction their worth will be known precisely and concomitant attention drawn from all corners of the globe (we're little pigs all feeding from the same trough: the Internet). A lot of good art is unsigned, and may therefore pass unnoticed. Art may be unsigned (or unattributed, or misattributed) for lots of reasons: it was a study, a sketch, or is unfinished, or the signature or monogram has been obscured by damage or discolored varnish, etc. Many pieces were made for the Church or for some civic purpose where the creator's mark was not desired or considered appropriate. An artist who has made his living creating works in oil would often have MANY paintings underway in his studio -- by necessity. Paint films take a long time to dry before they are ready to receive the next layer. When these artists die their paintings in varying states eventually come to market -- unsigned because they were unfinished. And even the best artists made a stinker now and then, or did something experimental, and would rather not sign a particular work (conversely an otherwise bad artist will occasionally hit a home-run and make something wonderful). So there are lots of reasons a good work may be unsigned or go unrecognized.

[quote] The wealthiest of fancy people I know wear nothing but wool, OP. No cashmere or weird shit from Peru - just wool all the time.

Pfft. How common.

Ask the Big O

R9 Nothing to be embarrassed about. Most people really don't give a shit about this stuff anymore.

This stuff had some consumer cache from the 1950's-1970s when it was seen as a woman's job to properly entertain guests. Wedding registries were packed with expensive items for entertaining. Today, nobody cares. And even rich people don't care. They go to a store that fits their type of budget (or lack therof) and pick out whatever they think looks cool or fits their style. Or they just shop on the internet.

I was hoping we had posters so obscenely wealthy they didn’t know what a “brand” is and they had to ask Blooktz the helper person for an example and he replied, “France. France is a good brand, Punch.”

My vagina-scented candles will make quite a sensation in any hpmosexual home!

R173 is it worse to have theatre/movie posters and personal photographs (say, of friends & family) in frames up on the walls, or nothing but lint and a dusty mirror?

R184, I'm the one with the oil paintings (by mom and friend's dad). I see nothing wrong with movie posters and personal photos. In fact, call it cheesy, but I see nothing wrong with a poster of an old master painting. Do what makes you happy.

I second Baccarat crystal. Real crystal sparkles and has light to it that glass doesn’t. Fine crystal even more so. Crystal figurines aren’t just tchotchkes when you see them in the right light. Truly beautiful.

Alessi is my go to brand for high quality modern Italian made products. They are all about the design, not the label. They use different designers who are famous in their own right instead of a formulaic in-house design team. I buy some of their stuff just to look at it. Beautiful, modern minimalist design.

Where can I buy good bed linen?

r186, it is because of the 33% lead Oxide.

Waterford, Baccarat, St Louis and Atlantis are still 33%.

R188 - depends on how much you want to spend. LIke I mentioned in R3, Sferra is more affordable, but Frette and Pratesi are very good.

Payard chocolates.

Le Creuset. Obviously.

R190. Thank you. I'm checking Sferra out right now.

Just keep in mind, names mean nothing if the thread count is low.

Don't rely on thread count to determine quality.

Fascinating and needed r195.

R195 is why I can't quit DL.

Viking range.

Are Dyson products worth the price?

R199, no! I have had 4 Dyson vacuums and they all suck.

I bought another vacuum cleaner for $100 that had great reviews from pet owners, because my last Dyson wasn’t cutting it anymore. I was surprised how much dog hair and dust came out of my area rugs. Dyson vacuums are overpriced crap sold to you by a guy with a posh British accent, nothing more.

Can any of the fashion knowledgeable DLers tell me what brands of jeans are the best? I bought a pair of Levis a few weeks ago and they feel like thin plastic with a denim pattern.

r30 I love niche fragrance and had never even heard of Slazenger. Looked it up. Whatever it once was, it's now a discount mass market brand (the kind you'd find an a drugstore for $20 or less)

I never buy candy like kisses or peanut butter cups. I serve my guests fine chocolates such as Russel Stover or Ferrero Roche. It’s worth the high cost, in my opinion, even though I’m wealthy enough to buy them regularly anyway.

R202, you poor fucker! Russel Stover is inedible!

R200, I'm in the market for a vacum too, small hand held one. which brand did you buy?

Zuber wallpaper.

I only buy vintage silver. The new stuff is not the same quality.

I've got money, but literally the best plates I've had are Corelle Frost White dishes. They're light and they don't break. I had a thing where I kept breaking things.

LG Signature appliances. I switched out all of my previous ones for them after I bought one of their vacuums, which is great. Dyson vacuums I've had kept breaking: parts fall off, etc.

Yes, I do my own vacuuming sometimes.

[quote] I switched out all of my previous ones

Sorry, I wasn't clear: the previous ones were a Sub-Zero fridge, Wolf range and oven, Bosch dishwasher, MIele washer and dryer previously.

Liberty tabletop is the only made in USA flatware company, nice patterns and frequent sales. Corelle and HB Coors are dishware made in America. HB Coors is high but super durable.

Lanvin ultraslede thongs

I don’t bother counting threads. You just feel the material. Satin or flannel are far more luxurious as bed sheets than high count cotton.

r201, what you want are Japanese raw selvedge denim made on the island of Madarashima, the company is Yokorushimikakarusoto, expect to pau 1200 usd for a pair of jeans, but they will last a lifetime.

Audi A8 for transportation. Expensive, but subtle

Mariage Frères, kusmi and Le Parti du Thé for tea.

Good taste is easy to recognize.

For my tools ...I have one set that were all made with U.S. Steel....all made in the 20th century...no cheap shit. Those tools are practically indestructible...those were the days when Craftsman actually stood for something......they just don't make'em like that anymore.

Apple, not Android.

Mercedes, not BMW.

Toyota, NEVER Hyundai or Kia.

Montblanc, not Cross or Parker.

Bose, not Sony.

Tumi, not TravelPro.

Creed, not Axe.

Aveda, not Head & Shoulders.

HBO & Hulu, not Netflix.

Tiffany, not Jared.

United, not Southwest.

LAX, not Ontario or Burbank.

Nikon, not Canon.

Belvedere, not Absolut.

[quote] Creed, not Axe.

You think?

By that logic Saks not Walmart

Once upon a time there was a beautiful high class princess.

She was driving in her carriage through Darkest Flyoverstan when she noticed an overweight older gentleman in a caftan. His skin glowed like a nuclear reactor.

She called to her driver to stop the car and had her Personal Assistant and Head Courtier summon the becaftaned gent

"You!," she demanded imperiously. "Do you have any large tattoos about your collarbone?"

"No, your highness. I do not," the man said, grabbing his caftan and curtsying, as he had been brought up by his grandmother to always be polite to his betters, royalty in particular.

"Do you place 'Live Laugh Love' signs in your house or broken appliances on your lawn?"

"No your highness."

"Quick," she said slyly. "Name a brand of bed linens!"

The man thought about the many, many, many threads he'd read on Datalounge about things that were High Class.

"Pratesi!" he gasped, as he was more certain of the correct pronunciation of "Pratesi" than he was of "Frette."

"Very good," the princess said.

Then she turned and addressed her EA.

"This man is clearly meant to be upper class. He was probably kidnapped by low class peasants at birth and raised in a split level house with deep pile carpet from Sears. We must bring him back to the palace with us and restore him to his rightful place. He can assist the Royal Hairdressing Staff and ensure that all of our hairstyles remain Upper Class."

"As you wish, your highness," the EA signed.

"THANK YOU JESUS!!!" the becaftaned gentleman shouted, before catching himself and saying a polite "Thank you. your highness. You beauty s only surpassed by your generosity."

"Much better," he noted. "Don' fret, dearest, it will take several months to shake the bad breeding out of you."

^^The PA sighed

I just want to thank R166 for the info about glasses lenses.

A crappy website with some arcane info about luxury brands. At least I own a Loro Piana cashmere scarf!

Flatware brands are "common?"

You bougie bitch trash. Nobody cares about the brand of flatware you use. Even millionaires and billionaires don't notice the brand of their knives and spoons.

r225, I beg to diffur... it's a doggy dog world out there, some of us like our creature comforts.

Really? Flatware, like the condition of one’s hands, is instantly noticed.

I agree with r237 but you just know all of these pretentious queens will be setting their expensive flatware upon paper napkins.

r219 Bose is not real high end audio, they are 4 dollar speakers in a box with a Chinese bluetooth board. You don't have to go Krell or Mark Levison but if I see Bose in your home, or those awful headphones, I know you listen to shit music and know nothing about audio.

Furniture. No West Elm. Knoll if you are a minamalist. If you like wood go Stickley, George Nakashima. Cassina still makes awesome furniture. 1980's postmodern furniture - Ettore Sotsass, any of the Memphis group, that is fun AND designed well will always be sophisticated.

If you are wealthy, go Brazilian - Sergio Rodriguez, Niemeyer, Lafer, Arnoult, so much more. Faye Toogood is already dated, people wasted 10k on plastic furniture, go vintage, go timeless no matter what style you like.

If furniture is being hyped anywhere on Instagram by influencers of any kind, avoid like the plague. Not all Ikea is garbage. Each decade they produce a few important designs. But avoid 95 percent of Ikea. If you insist on minimalism, you need a few very important pieces. If you are a maximalist, you need to know how to arrange stuff so it doesn't look like a thrift store threw up all over your home.

These are the only two things are know about, and know I am right. I import/export furniture for a living. I know high end audio.

.....

R230 Still shits on a $90 toilet like everyone else. Snobby old prick.

And Sottsass' name has TWO T's in it.

r230 I'm 48. I grew up near Scranton PA. I'm not snobby. I own 3 Sottsasssppi lamps. One was shipped from Italy. I am poor. Bruno Rey chairs. Vico Magistretti lamp. Early Knoll tulip, AND a 1926 Bruno Matthson chaise and daybed. I am also sure I spelled his name wrong.

AND....this is absolutely fucking insane, but I just badly installed an 89 dollar toilet from Home Depot. You know exactly how much the cheapest fucking Glacier Bay toilet is. Jungian Hive Mind shit kinda terrifies me. I haven't caulked the fucking thing down yet. I was going to do the Phillipe Starcke toilet, but like I said I'm poor you snobby young prick.

Jesus H....it's just info for the OP. I thought it was interesting because many of the brands named are truly esoteric.

R230 (snobby young prick)

r233 My point was you don't have to be rich to own nice stuff. In particular, I have found that true in home furnishings and home audio. I have a friend who isn't wealthy that restores vintage cars, same deal.

Sometimes I want something truly frivolous, two I can think of is a toilet, and a really nice Perigot Rossignol garbage can. I have people around me to remind me how stupid it would be to spend 500 bucks on a garbage can.

The whole brand thing is gross, Looye Viton, Gucci Gucci Prada. Basic bitches wear that shit so I don't even bother.

I don't like this thread anymore.

It's lacking in brands & products.

You have all disappointed me greatly.

Dear Lord in Heaven!

[quote]I beg to diffur... it's a doggy dog world out there, some of us like our creature comforts.

The saying is "dog eat dog world" honey, not "doggy dog world". And it's spelled DIFFER.

I just bought lace curtains woven in Scotland ... no more BedBath&Beyond, I simply went with Beyond.

Are you Lace Curtain Irish, r238?

R235 is not a wealthy DataLounger, rather he aspires to emulate “new wealth” 🙄.

I drive a Bentley sedan and a Lamborghini Countach. One for comfort and one for speed.

I've never gone wrong with Kirkland

Anything bespoke is what they order/buy and keep for life

[quote] I've never gone wrong with Kirkland

I have. Kirkland goat cheese.

we're wealthy because we don't piss away our money on this overpriced status shit

Buying stuff made for babies is a good thing if you have sensitive skin, etc. E.g., sunscreen for the face.

I accidentally bought a Mason Pearson brush decades ago. I was too young and lacked the social courage to express my horror at the price the clerk quoted to me (which I had not looked at before bringing it to the checkout counter), so I handed over my credit card. Now, I’m at least 40 years past the shock, the thing is still in perfect condition, and I can never know if I’d have bought more than $100 worth of cheap brushes, one after another, in that time but I remember buying that one!

I like Denman hair brushes. Very good quality. Made in the UK, more in the $20 range.

You rally have to think about cost per use, and balance that against the pleasure you feel when you use a certain item. If you can buy items that satisfy both conditions, that is the best, eg, buying expensive sheets or towels that feel and look great and will last for years. Some things only satisfy one of those requirements; but that isn't necessarily a dealbreaker, eg an expensive piece of clothing that you don't get to wear too often, but you love how it makes you feel, or on the other hand, an expensive appliance that you know will last.

.,.,

Grey Poupon!

I just started with Boll and Branch linens, and they are TOTALLY worth it.

If you like Doc Martens but have sworn off them because the quality is horrid now, I recently discovered that the company had moved manufacturing abroad (hence the drop in quality) but the factory they used to be made in still makes boots, under the brand name Solovair, which are good quality.

AVOID FANCY ASS BRAND NAMES. UR PAYIN FOR ADVERTISING AND ALL THAT BULLSHIT TO MAKE IT A BIG SELLER.

It’s a joke on DL, but the truth is, if you buy LeCreuset, you buy for life.

For your LIFE!

Fwiw I have a few Le Creuset pieces and recently picked up a President's Choice enameled cast iron roasting pan. It is quite literally no different in any way to the Le Creuset roasting pan. Even the handles are exactly the same. It was 40 Canadian dollars.

Are All-Clad pots and pans worth the price?

R257 Yes, absolutely. I have several stainless steel dutch oven pots saucepans from All-Clad and they’ve held up beautifully and make cooking a breeze. Heat distribution is nice and even and they’re insulated so well, food stays hot for quite a long time. For your reference, I make a lot of soups and stews and braises.

One tip: collect those Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupons and buy All Clad with them. During the holidays, BBB often has a special on All Clad and will throw in a saucepan or roasting pan for free.

I'm surprised the BB&B coupons don't exclude All Clad products. I worked for department store which occasionally offered coupons; they always excluded certain premium brands. If the store honored the coupon on those products, it could lose its agency to sell that line.

Hey posters, do you have a view on class struggle on a bright day?

Delusions of grandeur

I'm Oprah Winfrey, and I've never heard of Versace dinnerware.