As per usual, last weekend I went on one of my semi-famous shopping trips. I had one goal in mind when I went shopping this time: sweaters. I had woken up earlier this week with a terrible realization that yes,it is still January and January means that snow can still be expected. And with winter weather still hanging about, I had the chance to catch up on some of those winter looks I missed out on in December.

After my shopping trip I had procured a couple of articles of clothing. Four simple sweaters to be exact. I didn't notice until I had the sweaters strewn upon my bed that I had mistakenly bought two sweaters in a very similar shade of purple. I'd purchased one from work and the other I had purchased at Express Men. Both are sweaters that fall just to my waist, both fit snug, and both would look absolutely wonderful with a white collared polo underneath it.

On the outside the sweaters seemed to be the same. The one I had bought from work is a bit baggier in the arms whereas the Express Men sweater fits perfectly. Despite this, the sweater I'd purchased at work at a price of $18.99 was nearly a copy of the Express Men sweater I paid $60 for and the only things that differ are the collar and the designer label inside of the sweater.

The designer labels both name the size (I purchased a small from work and an extra small from Express Men) and the company of which I purchased the sweaters from in the first place. Sure the Express Men sweater feels a bit comfier to the touch, but the other sweater didn't break the bank and seemed to go with more.

As it turns out the only thing that really differed between the sweaters, that is the only thing that really separates high end stores from the more wallet friendly stores is the concept of brands. The Express sweaters themselves are worth a pretty penny but the ultimate cost of the shirt comes down to the little label most people snip off of their clothes to avoid skin irritation. The labels on the back of our clothes that spell out the size and cotton blend also spell out how much you're going to be paying for the item you "desperately" need.

It's true that when you are wearing Versace or Prada there's just something about the knowledge you're wearing such a famous brand that makes you strut your stuff just a bit more than what most would call a generic brand. In fact Prada, with its hundred upon hundred dollar shoes, bags, tops, and bottoms, is only the fourth top billion dollar luxury brand on the planet.

As reported in CBS news "When it comes to "trend-of-the-moment" items you'll only wear one season, there is NO point is spending hundreds of dollars. For instance, cargo pants are always popular for summer. Intermix stores have some great ones for $255, but you can save money on less expensive cargo pants from TJ Maxx for only $55. The styles are similar, but the savings are huge," And it's not just the clothes that are affected by the big names out there makeup, prescriptions drugs and generics, foods.

"There are specific items you can buy at the drugstore that are just as good as prestige brands at the department store. Items such as Maybelline the Colossal Volume Express Mascara work just as well as a high-end one. With higher-end brands, you pay for the name. Makeup artists consistently call out Maybelline as their favorite mascara" CBS writes.

After realizing that the two sweaters, both very similar in style, were separated mostly by nothing more than a name it opened my eyes a bit. I still and always will love saying that I own Calvin Klein shoes or Versace dress shirts mainly just to say I own something that once cost hundreds. But next time I go shopping I'll be more prepared and I'll shop the clearance section of Express.