"The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet. This was the Captain Samuel Vimes "Boots" theory of socioeconomic unfairness."
Rather a brilliant observation by Terry Pratchett.
Was thinking of this Terry Pratchett bit a little while back as my washing machine had broken down, I went to the laundrette and there were some regular customers in there who knew the woman running the place. It costs £4 for a wash and about another £2 to dry the clothes there, if you've got kids and had to go say twice a week (and that's super conservative) then that's equivalent to buying a new washing machine each year whereas a new washing machine will last 10 years.
Though I suspect in lots of cases it is living situations and not having access to one/not being able to install one rather than affordability.
I guess these days we've generally (save for housing/accommodation costs) got it so good compared to previous generations in so far as most things like that are
relatively cheap including shoes, work boots etc.. A soldier who wants some better boots need only spend £150 or £200 yet earns tens of thousands of pounds per year, ditto to a construction worker.
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In terms of proper leather shoes, these have been recommended on here before:
Loake classic English shoemakers since 1880. Popular men's shoes include Brogues, Oxfords, Loafers, Trainers, Boat Shoes and Boots for sale online.
www.loake.com
I think they're kinda at the low-end/entry-level of "good" leather shoes. There are various other Northampton shoe manufacturers that (AFAIK) make better and more expensive shoes and boots too.
There was also some hipster guy someone linked to on here once who seems to customise (not sure he actually manufactures or just kinda part assembles) shoes for people, forgotten the website though, maybe someone else can link to it?
