Is Buying Fake Clothes and Shoes Abroad a Good Idea?

For some people one of the highlights of a holiday in a foreign country is the opportunity this presents to buy some fake clothes or shoes.

These products are openly sold on streets, in markets and in shops in many countries all over the world. When you see the incredibly low price of fake designer jeans or branded shoes you might think that it is too good a bargain to pass up. This is why many holidaymakers arrive home with their suitcases stuffed full of dodgy gear they bought abroad.

Is this a good idea? Let’s look at this point by considering the three main aspects we look at when buying new clothes; the cost, the comfort and the look.

The Cost

There is no doubt that it is the incredibly low cost of fake foreign goods which tempt so many of us to part with our cash. After all, if the fake stuff cost about the same as the real items you wouldn’t see any reason to run the risk of low quality counterfeit purchases. Of course, the real value to be found in clothes is when you can use them time and time again and they still look good. When you are paying out an unbelievably low price for something you can be sure that it isn’t going to be of the highest quality. This means that what you thought was a bargain turns out to be a waste of money when it loses it shape or colour after just a few uses and you need to buy a replacement.

The Comfort

Another important aspect of any clothing or footwear purchase is the comfort the item gives you. For example, if you choose authentic comfortable Kurt Geiger shoes then you would expect them to be extremely comfortable and great to wear. However, if you went for the cheap, fake option then you would probably find that you don’t get anywhere near the same level of comfort. The same principle applies to jeans, jackets and anything else which you plan to buy. The difference might not seem like a big deal to you at first but you are definitely not going to get the same level of long term pleasure out of uncomfortable clothes or shoes are you from genuine stuff.

The Look

The final point to consider is around the look which these cheap clothes offer you. If you only plan to wear them around the pool or on the beach then you might not worry too much but what if you are already picturing yourself going to work or to your favourite club back home with them on? For a start, a lot of people will almost certainly be able to spot right away that you are wearing a cheap fake instead of the real deal. This is before we even consider how they might look after some use or a few washes. This sort of cheap deal might seem tempting at the time but it is unlikely to give you the quality look you are after.