Beef with the Industry

I have been riding bikes for many years now. I started with a beginner bike and worked my way up through bikes and now have a quality bikes for multiple disciplines. I also bought cycling clothes early on. It was mostly cheaper kits.(I tend to head straight for the closeout racks) I have decided that it is time to upgrade my clothing.

This may be more of a question/rant then a worthy post but are quality cycling clothes really worth the money?

I was reading through this months issue of Bicycle Magazine. They did a 4-5 page gallery of the new kit lineups from many different companies. There was maybe one kit that squeaked under the $300 mark. Am I alone in thinking that's a ridiculous amount of money for shorts and a jersey? Are people really spending that much regularly for cycling clothes?

I am always hunting for a deal. I also buy a lot of leftover stock from my LBS. My most expensive bibs were $70 and I cringed buying those. Maybe I just need to ride once in a top quality kit. I guess its just easier for me to see the value of a good bike and components. The same thinking roles over to clothing as well but I'm not there yet! For now I will probably replace my lower end bibs with the new equivalent.

I want some feedback from you, what are a few brands that you feel are worth their price tags? I hope to hear back from you!