What is your Louis Vuitton?

When it comes to luxury, I am the last to rave about it. I fairly know about luxury brands and goods but to get them for myself is like me breaking a concrete barrier between me and my purse. I am not boasting; my salary allows me much luxury, but there’s always this thought that poisons(really?) me to thinking that so much more important/worthy stuffs can be acquired with that amount $$$$$. The angel and devil argument appears on my shoulders each time I had the urge to get branded goods. People say: it’s upbringing to think like that vs. peer pressure.

I have a fair share of luxury items, but having said that, the word ‘luxury’ has to be defined. In my dictionary: nothing lower than a Coach for bags (No, Guess? is not luxury), and for clothings nothing below MNG or Zara, and for shoes, nothing below Nine West. That’s my dictionary. Yours may differ. Like how I love Nescafe 3-in-1 more than some artisan brew: it’s personal.

 

Sigh, why don’t people understand that Nescafe is my choice of coffee?! I am not talking about health here, I am talking about taste and caffeine (it’s yummy!). That makes me a REAL coffee addict that drinks anything, coffee.

versus

Starbuck’s coffee is great too (albeit the stupid plastic-layered paper cup), but it can never give me the same satisfaction as a Nescafe beans (not the 3-in-1).

 

 

And then you have to define luxury vs. quality. Though many would swear that luxury goods are of highest quality, it is not always true. Well, 90% true, however there are shoes that are expensive but never has given me comfort. I had this Aldo heels but bruised my pinky toe within 10 minutes of walking. Some bags are expensive to the point of  I-could-just-put-a-deposit-for-a-house, but is flimsy and un-structured (but if flimsy bag is what you want, I have no comment then). Some luxury are pre-loved prestine condition, yet left so much to desire. My first expensive (my standard during those younger days where money comes harder), was a pink Coach faux leather tote I bought from Coach, Pavillion. Mind you the tote was discounted but I love it so much. It was classy, structured and I had it ’til today with amazing condition (albeit the fading colour). this is what I identify as Quality.

 

The instantly sold-out (worldwide!) Jimmy Choo’s featured in “My Lover from the Stars’.

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See, I can get-about-the-same luxurious pair from Zang Toi. I wore this pair for my ROM.

And then you have to define taste vs. trend. Think about my size: I am exactly 5 feet, medium built and muscular on the legs, ass. It’s genetics (and running). So if the trend gives you a Victoria Secret model sizing, you are definitely not-on-trend. It’s not your fault though. For not being able to keep up with the trends (btw, bell-bottom trousers are back!), do compensate with some amount of some taste. Taste means simplicity and fit, which not necessarily from Dior or Versace. Looking through fashion mags may exhaust your taste and blurred the line between trend vs. taste, but never, never ever listen to nasty Joan Rivers on Fashion Police. Do request feedbacks from close friends with similar salary(<–true) and similar world-view (<–super true).

Worth of an item lies on the upbringing, world-view and monetary ability of the individual. I have an uncle who always say and believe this phrase like a religion: “Good things not cheap; Cheap things not good”. Though that is 90% true, the 10% still stands and in statistics, and 10% is still a number. Do you know many items are RIP-OFFS, meaning, you over-pay for what it is actually worth/valued. See, even Kanye West agrees with me = HERE (must read).

I have not gone to the extent of Jimmy Choo’s or a Hermes Birkin that puts you at the league of our PM’s wife. Maybe one day I will or have the will to: to use my disposable income for something as luxurious like a cute Mini Cooper.

My colleague claimed: When you own a branded good, it is as such that you can never turn back. I have a Balenciaga which means I can’t hold a Coach bag anymore? What loads of cr*p. For me, there can be no end to luxury, and you will keep buying because trends (they are called ‘trends’ for a reason) does not end. Remember, there’s always someone better than you out there. And you will keep buying until…well, you have that internal empowered self-confidence to say that a LV bag or a Jimmy Choo is not your confidence-giver. You can still stand head held high with a cr*p bag. That’s is true luxury. 

The most expensive brand I’ve ever bought to this day is a double Ferragamo items. Does my Samsung Galaxy count?