5 Ordinary Items With Shockingly High Price Tags
Written by
Cynthia Measom
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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Most everyday items don’t get much thought because they’re cheap and easy to replace. A pencil, a roll of toilet paper, or a pair of socks usually costs a few dollars at most.
However, many of these items have a luxury counterpart, which can cause the price to jump into the hundreds or even thousands for reasons that have nothing to do with basic function.
Pencil
- Price: $900
When most people think of pencils, sturdy wooden No. 2 versions with a rubber eraser likely come to mind, typically priced under $0.25 each. But pencils can be much fancier — and prices astronomically higher.
The Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil Project: Stellar is one of 1,000 German-built, limited-edition masterpieces. The fluted B-lead pencil features a matte platinum extender, gold-toned details and a built-in sharpener housed in the cap. It’s topped with a blue sodalite stone meant to mimic the way Earth — aka the blue planet — looks from space.
Toilet Paper
- Price: $63 for three rolls
Most people want toilet paper for utility — not presentation. Hanebisho Imperial Household Luxury Toilet Paper offers both. The two-ply paper made from 100% natural pulp is wrapped in handmade washi paper with a butterfly pattern, making it more like a decorative gift than a throwaway item. It’s the toilet paper of choice for the royal subjects of Japan’s Imperial Household, so it’s no wonder each roll costs $21.
Soap
- Price: $125
Most facial soaps focus on basic cleansing, but this one is meant to be part of a treatment regimen rather than a wash-and-go product. It’s part of Clé de Peau Beauté’s Synactif line, which is marketed as a top-tier anti-aging skin care collection. Its dense foaming formula and premium fragrance blend go well beyond what a standard bar of soap offers.
Shoelaces
- Price: $320
A couple of bucks buys a pair of shoelaces, so when the price tag for a pair reaches hundreds of dollars, it’s shocking. Instead of a basic accessory, Golden Goose treats its Italian-made Skins Stripe Crystal & Faux Pearl Charm Shoelaces as a styling piece, complete with crystal and faux-pearl details.
Socks
- Price: $2,550
A six-pack of basic crew socks can be had for under $10. However, these silk socks, priced in the thousands, are meant to be the star of an outfit, not hidden away under jeans or trousers. The cost comes from the recycled silk, crystal detailing, and the fact that Miu Miu designed them as a fashion accessory.
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