Coming from an American who lives in a culture where the goal is to get cheap clothes that are cute (which is a matter of pride), I don't understand the hate on "cheap clothes" in Chinese novels. Personally, I don't look at peoples clothes and think ,"oh that's cheap" unless its falling apart or old looking. Could someone explain the idea behind this and the disdain towards it. When they are calling clothes "cheap" in the novels, what do they mean?Does it mean bad taste, cost, old, etc?
It's not hate per se, but bad writing. Normal ppl aint like that. They have to write villains, and what's the best way to write a villain? Depict them as arrogant assholes, being high and mighty for the sake of being hated by the reader. Maybe read other better novel instead?
Dunno. But I've heard from family that my extended family in Mexico, along with the youth over there, are always trying to get brand name stuff, even if something cheaper is cuter or more durable, it's gotta be the branded kind. Why? To compete with the other youth doing the same thing. I don't understand it at all. Sounds like a waste of money to me. Maybe because of culture differences. Or maybe this second hand info is inaccurate, who knows. But my best guess is "competition" The characters get compared to each other about how expensive clothing they can afford.
there are ppl, not just in that place, but the whole world, that thinks that because of a brand, it makes it better. and is not related to purchasing power.
Not a long time ago people were paid to be a human billboard and it was a shitty job, nowadays people pays a lot to be a human billboard and are excessively proud of it (and clothes with a bigger sign/logo usually cost more)... Guess clothes brands must be really happy about have such success with their "branding" project. And if you talk about CN stories, everything is about pride/face, they seems to be obessed about it, even the smallest thing or something the character isn't at all responsible for could be a source of pride (and ironically they can be incredibly shameless about it), so of course clothing descriptions will be affected by pride...
It's has to do with the hypocritical nature of the Chinese, calls themselves communist but is more capitalist than actual capitalists atleast in novels.
I don't know about other cultures, but I know that in China brand name are in high demand since they use it to show off their wealth. They are highly competitive and wealth and education are common things they consider. Its almost gotten to the point where if you don't use brand name goods, you are a nobody. also the more expensive the brand, the better
Have you ever been to a Chinese shop? The kind that says every item is 2$? That's a different level of cheap. In China they have a LOT of counterfeits coz everyone wants brands even if the brand is something mundane as addidas. They're weird like that, nobody here would show off their addidas sneakers, it's not a fancy or expensive brand, it's good quality but not a show of status. However the Chinese will buy it proudly even if it says abbidas. The goal for most people is to buy cheap but good quality clothes, however when you get a job you gotta look presentable for most of them so that's where showing off begins, or when you're going out partying, that hoodie look you had going in high school isn't gonna score you any girls now.
Using these novels as an example for the culture is pretty bad. First of all, they exaggerate to some extent. Second most of these CN novels star upper class stereotypical ladies that dont have anything else to do with their time. (Also the villain are pretty much one dimensional, cliche, and shallow characters) While the notion and importance of buying branded goods a real thing. And the chinese have taken it to a somewhat extremely toxic. I wouldnt be too concerned regarding this cultural differences you're seeing. The level the novels take it to are pretty extreme. I'm not saying it doesnt happen, but thats reserved for the shallow, well-off folk. Im sure if you find an extremely shallow and cliche American novel about heiresses of major companies. You'll find scenes where they fight about brands and how expensive thier boyfriends car is and pick on the 'poor' characters.
Simple. Its to show off their superiority and idiocy to others who they think are inferior to them or something idiotic like that. Basically 10 year old children or illiterate adults who got power or money and well nearly everyone other than the mc and his harem in cn novels are illiterate but have power to destroy the heaven and earth
Status symbol mostly, the distain/hatred for cheap clothing is overplayed in novels but does have a thread of truth. It’s more like more expensive clothing = better service. it’s not just China though? America is like that too, just depends on where you live. New York and LA come to mind super quick when you talk about people who love wearing designer brands.
Not only in China. Here in some places in the Netherlands and France do you get bullied if you don't wear clothes that are branded or in trend too. My high school didn't have this problem though, although I got the money I rather spend it on other stuff than branded clothes. 50 euros for a t-shirt of bad quality that has Adidas printed on it, no thanks. I feel like I'm a walking advertisement.
In where I live nobody talks like that, you know, bad-mouthing people for their appearance/outfit but it is indeed noticeable when your clothing is old, washed out, and or dirty, while other people who care more about their appearance would avoid wearing such clothing, at least in public, and people would notice and praise you, tbh looking good doesn't have to be expensive, I wear $12 shoes that looks gewd af though it might only last a couple of months if used regularly Though then again it really depends on your environment and community, people that care about brand usually flock with other people that care about brand and they are usually a middle class or rich and could afford it while other people just wear whatever they think comfortable.
It's also part of the competition in the workplace which bled over to social life. I'll give you an example: There is a contract up for tender and 2 companies are bidding for it. The representative of one comes in with T-shirt, jeans and flip flops and drives a UTE while the other comes in with suit, tie, suitcase, well groomed hair in a Mercedes. By your first impression, which one is the more reliable one? I'd say the well groomed one considering that he actually took the effort to put his best foot forward. The other guy gives the impression he just doesn't care. Though if you were counterculture, you would say the badly dressed one but in real life, more often than not, the one that doesn't care often really doesn't care. Of course there is also TPO- Time, Place, Occasion. A suit in a basketball court doesn't quite work and T-shirt and shorts in an interview is often a big no-no but usually the person who has put effort into his grooming tends to be better received than a guy who has not bathed for a week. lol.
Hmm, for me, expensive wearable is more toward full kevlar pant and vest/wearable with protective capability . If the wearable didn't have at very least slash resistant, its "cheap" wearable regardless of price. Maybe inferior is the best word for that. In novel, pretty much bad writing and cheap lazy way to build antagonist "evilness". Then again, in chinese novel, it is kinda hard to say who is evil anyway, the protag or the one that he kill /destroy for plot advance.
When they say cheap it mean looks cheap. Something like a simple jeans or t-shirts. Good to know someone still have a modest value these days.
Name brand goods= social capital. If other people have it, you have to have it or be excluded/demoted the social hierarchy. Having money= having status. But when I did travel abroad as an American, I noticed the thickness of clothes people wore. In Vietnam particularly, most people had very THIN clothing as opposed to what was normal in the US.
This is exactly what I'm thinking of. And sadly, these people are the main targets for those big brands. They compete for exclusives and limited edition things. Pointless, and wastes money. Unfortunately, some people livelihood depends on the "faces" they show to the public.