I agree that Patagonia clothing is first rate, but you do pay the price. As Eastbaybob wrote, sign up for their mailing list as a few times a year they have pretty killer sales (50% off) on some things. Also, if you are anywhere near one of their outlet stores you can find good deals, too. For technical gear I think their prices are similar to other high-end manufacturers like Marmot. For casual clothing I think they are way overpriced. Their shelled Synchilla jacket (bunting), for example, is easily twice the price of nearly identical-quality jackets from LL Bean.
Years ago I managed an outdoor store and we sold tons of Patagonia. I was able to order stuff with a "pro deal" discount from Patagonia for something like 15% BELOW wholesale. Needless to say I got a lot of stuff. I still own and use some of the pieces (a lot of Capilene long undies), even though they are pushing 20 years old now.
Many independent outdoor stores will have Patagonia pieces on sale at the end of the seasons, and you can usually find pretty good deals. Patagonia clothing has at least a 50% markup, so they have a lot of wiggle room in the prices.