[johnloeber]

But these people can't really afford these clothes.

Note that buying $2500 clothes does not necessarily mean that one has $2500 in the bank: they can be bought using credit or as part of a set of large expenditures thanks to a paycheck. The system of credit in the US does allow people to live above their means -- for a while.

In communities where status symbols like this are really important, people often put themselves in significant financial jeopardy to buy such items, even when they cannot really afford them.