Well, well, well. Doesn't that shearling coat in the first photo look like something out of Almost Famous? Totally over the top, extremely bulky....and I love it. These new ads for Coach definitely make me take a second look at a brand I mostly associate with heinous knockoffs and a special portion of the early 2000's where I was obsessed with a flat cross body bag. I still have said tiny purse my mom gave me as a Christmas gift in high school because in retrospect it is one of my most favorite material possessions. Not because it was one of the earliest brand name goods I got, but because of the shameful lesson it holds.
See, at the time it was $199, which was just outrageous, not to mention completely unaffordable for my family. I was prepping for college and tests were expensive, and I could not contribute financially to my family in any way because I was always in school doing annoying extra credit classes and sports to look good for colleges. But somehow on Christmas day I open a Coach branded box with beautiful satin ribbon and inside was the little logo purse. I was happy, nay elated, and even a little cool in that one moment. But soon a guilty feeling eventually came over me for wishing for something so expensive, and even worse for knowing my loving and doting mom would get it for me. I feel like Coach made me a conman that year for having dollar signs for eyeballs, and the brand reminds me of how silly it can be to be completely caught up in the beautiful appeal of a designer item.
This really resonated with me--I grew up working class and was mostly self-aware enough not to wish aloud for things I knew would put a strain on us, but not always. Now that I am old enough to pay my own way I'm grateful for and take pleasure in the small luxuries I can afford to buy myself, but I also shake my head at how little I understood how hard my mother was working to support not herself alone like I do, but herself and four children. I am ashamed of times I felt "deprived" and hope I rarely let her know I felt that way. I love beautiful things but I try to keep my feet on the ground and maintain a realistic perspective about what all this stuff is really worth. Thanks for sharing this small story about yourself.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad this resonated with someone! I was typing it this morning and I realized my post about wanting that crazy shearling coat turned into a flashback story of when I felt real shame for wanting what was really out of my own means.
DeleteI totally hear you on the grateful feeling you get when you can afford your own little luxuries. Still feels a little bit naughty though, but you have to reward yourself sometimes. I love my mom so much and I think it's amazing a gift from her can have so much more meaning throughout the years.
Thanks so much for sharing YOUR story with me, Genevieve :)
Olga