Fixies aren't really popular beyond the hipster demographic; while there are a lot of bikes that cost >$500 dollars, they're generally bought by serious bikers for whom the value proposition is more than worth it.
> iPhone
The only thing exorbitant to me about the iPhone is the data plan, because of how often I'm in the range of WiFi. I'd argue having a personal GPS, email client, information lookup, etc. etc. is more than worth the monthly fee -- I've been lost in the country enough times.
> RayBans
Sunglasses, unfortunately, are in a stranglehold market. You either spend $20 and get colored glass or spend $200 and get an actual product (at a ridiculous markup.)
(That being said, I've had my same pair of RayBans for 8 years. They hold up well.
I'm kind of in a lucky demographic when it comes to sunglasses. I live in the midwest, drive a beat-up old truck, grew up in the countryside, watch NASCAR and baseball, and fish as a hobby. This affords me the luxury of being able to get away with wearing $20 sunglasses I bought at WalMart without anyone thinking twice about it. It just fits in with the rest of my exterior-facing personality. This is good, because with my relaxation hobbies, I tend to lose or break my cheap sunglasses a few times per year in situations where even Ray Bans would be lost or broken. With $20 shades, I don't need to worry.
We all choose what demographic we're going to fit in with, and with that comes tradeoffs. I have many expensive computers and the latest smartphone. This forces me to be frugal with the cost of my vehicle and the price tag on my jeans, allowing me to be "that redneck who turns into a nerd during the week" as well as "that nerd who turns into a redneck on the weekends".
I think more than the frugal generation, we're the generation who feels free to choose who we want to be and balance the tradeoffs we have to make. No longer does end goal have to be a house in the suburbs, two kids, and this year's nicest sedan, nor are our cliques set in stone. I can be both a nerd and a redneck, I can listen to both techno and country, and that's not weird. I don't have to own the nicest of everything in order to be a part of society.
Sunglasses, unfortunately, are in a stranglehold market. You either spend $20 and get colored glass or spend $200 and get an actual product
I've found pretty much the opposite.
I've owned 3-4 pairs of expensive sunglasses in my life, and all but one of them was crap. I'm convinced that the price differential is for nothing but a designer name.
My favorite sunglasses ever I paid $25 for at Rite-Aid, and I liked it so much I bought another pair to keep in the car. They're polarized, the optics seem good, they're solid and durable, comfortable, and don't make me look like a madman. What else do I need?
Speaking as a bit of a layman on the subject, but I know Oakleys are rated for some level of impact resistance (I think they're polycarbonate lenses like in prescription glasses vs. regular "shattering" plastic that may be found in cheaper sunglasses). It might be important to you if you're the active type.
Well, that rack at Rite-Aid is full of glasses that claim to have UVA and UVB protection. Is the concern that these claims are false? Or that the degree of protection is insufficient?
This sort of extreme economic consolidation hiding behind an apparently wide range of retailers and/or brands is very common. You could make the same observation, say, of laptops (Foxconn), consumer goods (Proctor & Gamble), or ag products (Monsanto, ConAgra).
Fixies aren't really popular beyond the hipster demographic; while there are a lot of bikes that cost >$500 dollars, they're generally bought by serious bikers for whom the value proposition is more than worth it.
> iPhone
The only thing exorbitant to me about the iPhone is the data plan, because of how often I'm in the range of WiFi. I'd argue having a personal GPS, email client, information lookup, etc. etc. is more than worth the monthly fee -- I've been lost in the country enough times.
> RayBans
Sunglasses, unfortunately, are in a stranglehold market. You either spend $20 and get colored glass or spend $200 and get an actual product (at a ridiculous markup.)
(That being said, I've had my same pair of RayBans for 8 years. They hold up well.