Have you ever bought a really stupid pair of shoes? I have. When I was about 15 I bought a pair of red shoes with a white line running around the seam. I wore them once, saw a photo of me in them and then decided what an idiot I looked.
I have a joke that gets me a smack from my wife, classic shoes are ones that she wears more than once.
As I’ve got older I learned that there are some shoes you buy that seem to last forever. I have a pair of black brogues and a pair of brown brogues, both made of leather and costing a small fortune. The black pair I’ve had for over 10 years, I have worn them to baptisms, weddings, funerals, job interviews, dinners, dates and court appearances. The brown pair are a little younger but have a similar story to tell.
The road to hell is paved with plenty of shoes like my red pair, but as I’ve got older I’m less likely to buy into the fashions and trends, partly because I’m going to look like a dick trying to dress like a teenager when the latest trend emerges - although I don’t think anyone is ever going to look good in a pair of Crocs, whatever their age.
My advice, a lot of trends come and go in audio production, but get yourself some real classics that stand the test of time, software or hardware, it’s up to you. Otherwise you’ll be staring into your studio or your plug-in folder and asking yourself ‘why the hell did I buy all that crap?’ I know I do!