Eighty Dollars to Avoid the Green Jacket
In the midst of vacation planning, we determined we’d probably need heavier jackets for the hiking portion of our trip. Plus, every time we go hiking, it is chilly enough in the mornings that we’d definitely use something warmer – if we owned it.
I’ve been lusting over Patagonia’s down jackets for a long time – but I never could bring myself to spent the money. Until now! We determined there was an immediate need, and that we would use some of the remaining wedding cash towards the jackets. I know that isn’t traditionally what it is for, but it’s not my fault I had a small wishlist for our home!
I was kicking myself for not catching one on sale last year and I found nothing in my size (XS, but an S would work too) anywhere for less than the $200 asking price. The very next day, last season’s Patagonia Down Sweaters go on sale for 40% off! How lucky!
I stopped by the Patagonia in town, but they didn’t have my size. Online they only have a sort of ugly green color left for girls. Normally, I’m not picky about colors on my hiking clothes, and to save $80, who cares? But… For whatever reason, I cared! I paid $80 extra to get the color I wanted (brown), at full price, because this coat will be worn off the trails as well in cooler weather (meaning, probably not in L.A.). I tried on black, tan, red, and blue and was ok with all those colors. But I hated the green! I don’t know if ANY of my other gear was full price, and it feels so WRONG to pay full retail!
Honestly, I’m still not totally comfortable with paying $80 extra, and I don’t know if my frugal friends in the pf world (that’s you!) will agree it was the best choice. In fact, it’s kind of an irrational and insane choice, yet I can’t bring myself to change my mind and get green!
What do you think? Have I lost my mind, or am I just putting fashion above finance? (Or is that the same thing?)
Stacking Pennies 
I think that it makes perfect sense to spend the money getting the sweater you’ll want to wear. With getting it in brown, you’ll use it every chance you get and it will decrease your cost per use. If you’d gotten it in green, you would have only worn it when you absolutely had to because it was too cold to use anything else, and it would have been a waste. It’s like buying shoes that you don’t like to save money–do you ever end up wearing those shoes? Probably not.
Also, if you HAD added the sweater to your wedding registry (because really, isn’t the point of a registry to give suggestions of things you need so if they want to get you something they can contribute towards making your married life great?), would you have asked for the green or for the brown? I think you would have asked for the brown. So I think it is rather clever you used your wedding gift cash to get something you’ll love and use often! And that green is hideous anyway.
I know, it is such a bad shade, right?
Not that brown is super pretty – i really liked the red, but I thought I’d get more use out of brown since it is more neutral.
Glad you picked brown because that green is fugly! You don’t want to look like Shrek 🙂
That green is hideous and obnoxious! I would’ve done the same thing 🙂 It’s an investment and I always say…rather pay more for something you’ll LOVE than less for something you won’t. It’s a balance, for sure!
Thanks all, for being such good enablers! 🙂
I absolutely defend your decision. I’ve spent so much money at Lululemon lately that I have no right to say anything to anyone about spending money on workout/hiking clothes. 🙂
I’ll support your decision. The extra $80 isn’t a long-term fashion over frugality trend, right? It is money spent on an item that doesn’t need to be replaced often if ever. You’ll get more wear and enjoyment out of a color you like. 🙂
LOL! I love the green! In fact my hiking pack is that colour, and I also have a fleece jacket in that colour too.
Ha! Well, they are on sale for $120 if you like green and need a new light down jacket!
Most of my stuff is blue or pink 🙂
*enables* If you hate the colour, you will never wear it
Consider it an $80 “investment” 😛
No, you saved $120 because if you bought it in green, you would not wear the jacket and therefore would have waster $120. 🙂
We’re all enablers here! But I agree, you’ll wear the brown a lot more than that ridiculous green, so the cost per wear is going to be lower for the brown jacket.
I wonder if it’s a clever marketing technique…draw you in with the cheaper (but wild colored) jacket, then get you to pay full price for the “normal” colors!