I know you like your watches, and along those lines believe it or not....because I did always ask girls that question about what they looked at in men.... a surprising number said fingernails. So if you're gonna sport those high dollar watches Surf... get them fingernails perfect. Chicks are weird. Friggin fingernails. Whatever. Maybe its me.
My "look" hasn't changed much since high school in the Midwest in the early 90s. Today, I am wearing a red buffalo check overshirt with a fleece lining from L.L. Bean, solid blue Polo RL under shirt, Levi's, Nike Air Max shoes, Polo RL boxers and socks and Casio G-Shock. I could have worn the exact same outfit when I was 16. I don't see Polo RL as being a "status" brand for at least the last two decades. It's heyday as a "status" brand was probably around 1984 or 1985 when it was the uber yuppie brand. Today, it is very affordable; you can buy under shirts for $20-$25 and button ups for maybe $60 on sale at Macy's. I should know this. Polo has been my go-to brand for a long time. A large percentage of my casual wardrobe is Polo RL. Virtually all of my under shirts, boxers and socks are Polo. The quality and consistency versus price is excellent. In addition, many Polo items come without the horse insignia. I tend to favor button ups without the horse to avoid overkill. There have been a few changes in wardrobe over the years. I was told by a girl a few years ago that my "look" was weak. The wardrobe then moved for a while towards an urbane trendy look with weird shiny fabrics and expensive designer jeans. Also, I got into washable silk/Hawaiian shirts a few years ago. That collection is now pretty strong. If there is anywhere I go nuts, it is with the shoes: Frye shoes and boots, J&M, Nike AirMax. Also, obscure outdoors brands like Filson tend to be a weak spot. The thing about guys styling is that you don't have to spend much per year if you keep to the same "look" (and don't live in South Beach). I would guess that I spend $3k this year on clothes. That figures not having a job that requires formal wear. $3k/year is not much for a pretty strong wardrobe. The guess is that I will probably be wearing the same stuff 15 years from now with a few tweaks. Why not spend a few bucks and take pride in your appearance while making a statement (even it is understated)?
(Being a 250k 240GL owner before being a Suby owner, I'm way sympathetic...!) As an economist, I "total" the car -- assume it's un-useable without the repair. What would my next purchase be? If a similar Suby needed a new engine ($1500 Japanese Domestic Market; installed) and a full set of rotors, pads, calipers ($250 eBay; $200 installed) -- I could hear many snidely saying 'The carrrrr's not worrrrth ittttt.' Yeah? Well tell me, *where* could I find a symmetric-all-wheel-drive mobile *with* brand spanking new brakes *and* a low-mileage engine, for $2000? AND I know the owner. (Eh, "me.") Go back to your basic MBA-ness: when the NPV of $0 ownership and $biggish repairs exceeds the $Highish purchase price + vastly(??)-reduced $repair, then it's time to go. One of the great things about owning a car for a long period of time is, you know these things go in cycles -- and if your car has just gotten through a heavy cycle of maintenance, you know it'll be trouble-free for some extended period of time into the future. (Your own XC??) When you start planning out long trips by pricing out rentals, then you know the time for a purchase has hove into view.....
Real life, to me, is just like in movies...the noble hero dresses and looks and behaves like a normal person; They are not consumed by all that silly superficial nonsense. Their character and purpose...just naturally radiates out like a positive, soft, calm aura. The more expensive or fancy someone dresses, the more I generally think lowly of them...like they have some kind of insecurity issues -- and are of low morale and character, I must admit though, after all this pro-frugal and living simple talk,...I sound like a Hypocrite -- because if I had the money...I would buy a $500,000 Patek Philippe Minute Repeater watch, Patek Philippe Complication Repeater Calendar 5213G http://www.ebay.com/itm/292107334578
Except that poor neighbourhoods are much less safe than areas where you will find a couple of 100k+ cars at every intersection. Lots of thieves I suspect tend to go where there is less strict policing - through a smaller police or private security presence for instance - and to areas they wouldn't be noticed too easily. i'd rather drive a Bentley in Monaco where I see cops accosting people who look only slightly out of place to ask what they are up to than a Smart in Gangland USA - those are extreme examples, but the picture is similar if more moderate all over the world afaik.
that is the way to enjoy female gold diggers or near gold diggers (90% of females or whatever number you chose) or the police in the US looking to seize your cash in civil forfeiture.
get yourself a fake replica of the watch for a few hundred dollars or less. women can't tell the difference and after awhile you will convince yourself that the watch is the real thing. additionally, rich women make fake copies of their jewelry. they wear the fake jewelry when going out and keep the real jewelry in a safe place.