I've always thought "acquired tastes" just applied to food, alcohol and cigars, but having "acquired" (read: stolen from myself) clothing & accessories from our different brands over the past 4 years, I have a new appreciation for a variety of things: styles, colors, materials, fits, and more. One taste that I certainly had not acquired a decade ago was an affinity for Alligator. 

My initial impression of alligator was that it was expensive and gaudy; it was something really rich people bought to show off how rich they are. This is not to say that's not true, but with all the faux alligator and faux crocodile on the market (including from brands that do real alligator and crocodile), just seeing the signature scales alone is not enough to determine if the person wearing or carrying it is real or faux.

I had also assumed alligator was so expensive because it was rare & exotic (do you have any idea how hard it is to find a cobalt blue alligator?!) And that is true. But about 4 years ago, I bought a Mulholland Brothers Alligator Breast Pocket Wallet because I deserved it (for what, I don't remember). I have used the wallet every day since, and it has spent as much or more time in my back pocket as in my breast pocket. Yet four years later, there are no signs that the wallet is anywhere close to done. Sure, the color has developed a patina (as all skins do), and the internal slots are looser than they were the day the wallet was new. But there has never been a loose stitch, and more importantly, the skin looks and feels like it may outlast me (and I've got a lot of life ahead of me, knock on wood).

I have always rationalized my clothing & accessory budget on the premise that I am "investing" in nice things that will far outlast a cheaper alternative. It is the reason we carry the brands we do. But considering most leather wallets might last a year or two, I'm confident mine has another 4 in it, if not more. And if it does last that long, it will have actually saved me money. Taste acquired.