Saturday, January 2, 2010

Pretty Woman


You know that scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts goes shopping on Rodeo Drive in her hooker outfit? She gets looks of disdain. She doesn't belong. It's pretty damn obvious. Yeah, I kind of feel like that when I go into my town. Not that I dress like a prostitute...more like a Gap ad. But, Gap, in a world that's taken straight out of Vogue magazine advertisements, is pretty close to slumville. Sometimes, I admit...when I'm walking down the streets of my village--I REALLY want a Prada bag. I actually recognize, now, the difference between Prada and Dior and Versace. It's true. I play the label game as I take my mountain walks...because believe it or not...people hike in Chanel here. HOWEVER, the other part of me swears I'll NEVER cave and give into something as silly as labels...even when I can afford it.

Here are a few things I think as I walk down the streets.

1. The dogs wear more expensive clothing than I do.
2. I'm the only one not in a fur coat and hat (even among the men)
3. I do not have a pair of Prada sunglasses
4. I now recognize all the Hermes and Burberry scarf designs for the new season
5. I don't have anything Louis Vitton
6. I don't look bored with life.
7. I weigh more than 90 pounds.
8. I have all of my original face.


The first few weeks, I went around thinking lofty thoughts of how much more grounded I was in life than the people of Crans-Montana. I'd say to myself, "You don't NEED labels to know you are of worth" and a thousand other things that could be cross-stitched on pillows around the world. Then, I calmed down a bit. I realized, that in my world, it's totally acceptable to shop at the Gap (as long as they really did close down that child sweat shop in India). It's fine. It fits my budget and no other middle class person would even bat an eye at shopping at the Gap. I had to face facts. This village is made up of old money. Very old money. For a woman to have a Prada bag that cost more than I make in a month is pretty much an equivalent of me buying a belt at the Gap. For some reason, that's helped me to stop feeling high and mighty. However, it hasn't helped the way they still look down their noses at the Old Navy coat I wear around. Boo.

4 comments:

jo said...

boo. i loved your list of things you noticed :) you go, gap girl!

Lessie said...

Jesus. I can't even shop at the Gap at this point in my life. I'd probably get run out of town :P

Unknown said...

It really is crazy. however, I've also come to the conclusion that good people are just good people....money or not. And if they have expensive things, it doesn't mean anything about who they are.

That being said...there are a lot of entitled people here who dive me batty!

Fletch said...

Don't go batty. We all come into this world naked and go out of it naked, well, maybe not naked, but the clothes we end up wearing in our coffin will decompose, unless, of course, we are cremated...uh, um, what was my point again?