Last time you were called out for owning some cheap-ass item

[95438756]

This could be a pair of socks, clothes shoes earphones.
Were you embarrassed or you didn't care?

[Del.Monte]

Wrangler jeans - we (the lads) thought we were cool in them back in the 1970s but apparently it was Levis - the girls knew though!

[490808]

I buy loads of stuff in Charity shops and tell everyone about it, so don't really care.

Really pleased with my new second hand laptop bought on ebay so no not having the latest iPhone doesn't embarrass me.

Quite the opposite I get slightly embarrassed for people that do have all the latest brand name expensive gear because it's probably all they do have in their lives.

[CelticRambler]

Not exactly called out for owning something, more for being thought of in the family as a cheap-skint because I don't throw money around on pointless and/or overpriced stuff or "experiences". Not sure when the last time was, but I know the next time will be in two months when I'm expected to go quarters on a party for my parents, the costs of which will be decided by my spendthrift siblings based on what looks good rather than what's good value for money. Expensive meal in an expensive restaurant in an expensive hotel in an expensive continental country at an expensive time of year ...

I'll try and recoup some of the cost by giving the siblings their (homemade, no-cost) Christmas gifts then instead of posting them a fortnight later!

[Cyclepath]

A colleague spotted the fact I was wearing an F&F label shirt from Tesco. They tried to make something of it but failed to 'read the room' full of engineers who all agreed that the shirt was suitably stylish and fulfilled all shirt related requirements

[Kaiser]

A colleague spotted the fact I was wearing an F&F label shirt from Tesco. They tried to make something of it but failed to 'read the room' full of engineers who all agreed that the shirt was suitably stylish and fulfilled all shirt related requirements

Stuff like that would never bother me as it's work, not a fashion parade - at least not for those of us who may have been lugging PCs and servers about the place LONG before the days of "manual handling" guff, or having to crawl under a desk to patch it back into the switch etc.

These days I spend most of my time on calls and replying to emails and escalations but even then I don't care. Work clothes should be functional and cost-effective. If you want to get all dressed up, save it for the weekend/date night

[Hairy-Joe]

For clothes, cheap and cheerful does me for work. I tend to be going in and out of labs when at work so the required PPE determines what I wear at work. I wear jeans and a shirt. My logic is that there's no point in wearing something expensive if in the unlikely event of a chemical spill, the clothes will be dumped. As a result of being in labs, I won't wear slacks. I consider ties a health and safety risk. I wear lab coat and Safety shoes and they are NOT fashionable.

Then again, I'm not interested in labels or "keeping up with the Jones". I have learned to buy once and buy right and cheap items generally don't last.

[CelticRambler]

Ditto. I keep all my oldest, ropiest trousers and t-shirts (and underwear ) for work, and hide the whole lot under a good-quality smart utilitarian top (of which I start the week/day with three spares to hand). It occurred to me a little while ago, between contracts, that those same four tops were a really good buy - they've served me well for 25 years and if you don't look too hard, they're almost as fresh-looking today as they were when they came out of their delivery packaging, despite having been assaulted by just about every bodily secretion imaginable.

[490808]

Something I forgot to mention when I said I buy a load of stuff in Charity shops.

No point buying second hand stuff that was cheap crap when it was first sold in Penny's.

I tend to buy stuff with a good brand name so while I pay cheap-ass prices I often wear designer name clothes.

[Breezin]

I was chatting with a group of friends when one recoiled in horror when he spotted that my deck shoes were Lidl, and not shockingly priced Dubarry.

I was unapologetic, as they fulfilled all deck shoe-related requirements.

[Knucklehead6]

A colleague once slagged me off for buying a 2nd hand mondeo. 3 weeks later while both of us on a trip to cork his paddy spec 2nd hand BMW died. I was behind him cruising along at 120 kph when a big feck off cloud of smoke came out his exhaust, followed by power loss and his hazards coming on as he headed for the hard shoulder. Cost him something like 5k to get sorted. He’s had three cars since. Mine is still going strong and is fully paid for

[95438756]

paddy spec 2nd hand BMW died

I see. that's why you see electric beamers on the road now.

[SmartinMartin]

Called out. Cheap-ass.

People should be "called out" for horrific Americanisms.

[95438756]

Called out. Cheap-ass.

People should be "called out" for horrific Americanisms.

I hereby make a most earnest solemn apology in my best American tradition sir.