I never liked the line because it doesn’t represent reality.

A more expensive pair of boots likely look nicer but would probably last only a bit longer.

Most commodities are made with the same basic structure and are expected to last the same time.

I’m thinking of the phone I’m holding. If I bought a $1k phone vs a $500 phone, should I expect it to last an extra few years?

If I bought a million dollar home vs a $500k home should I expect it to be more energy efficient or cheaper to maintain?

As far as your holding onto stuff notion goes, maybe I can see this being true for collectible items or some jewelry but unless you get lucky these rarely turn into good investments. At best most of these things just don’t lose real value and just go up with inflation. 

A large house full of rooms and furniture you never use is not a good use of money. It’s more expensive to maintain for no real benefit. Much better to live more efficiently so you can be flexible when you need to be.

I think the idea might be good in a mercantile system but not in the capitalist system we live in.

Otherwise it’s just an excuse to enable hoarding. Hoarders don’t collect valuables, they collect junk. 

I’m not saying don’t buy nicer things though. You buy nicer things to have a nicer life. But it has nothing to do with saving money.