Coming Outlet of the Closet

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"Fashion insiders are monumental liars. Not groundbreaking news I know. But one of the things they lie about most ferociously is the cost of their own clothes. The price of a trophy jacket will get slashed because it is seen as faintly embarrassing that they might have had to shell out the same amount as a civilian on it. A sample sale bargain will have its price tag halved, as proof of just how prescient and savvy a shopper they really are. But, weirdly, no one really talks about discount outlet shopping with any kind of pride. In fact no one usually mentions it at all, because it isn't very cool to say that you have been to an out-of-town discount mall, sifting through old season dregs in a bid to find something exciting to wear." [Guardian]