The Big Girl Purchase
10 years ago by
Un beau sac à main intemporel, des escarpins sublimes, un diamant…
Est-ce que ce sont les signes modesques du passage à l’âge adulte ?
J’y ai pas mal pensé ces derniers temps, surtout avec le genre de liste 30 accessoires qu’une femme devrait avoir à 30 ans qu’on voit fleurir sur Twitter et qui mettent un peu la pression. Ça m’a repris l’autre jour quand Brie a acheté son bracelet Saint Laurent (un joli bijou et un vrai achat de grande). J’ai 26 ans et je suis une adulte, c’est sûr. Mais ma garde-robe ne le reflète pas forcément toujours. Je n’ai pas de sac chic, aussi mythique qu’intemporel ( cf. le Hobo Céline bleu marine) ni de bijou un peu précieux.
Et vous, est-ce qu’il y un achat qui a vraiment marqué votre passage à l’âge adulte (non, je ne parle pas d’une maison ou d’un chien) ? Et quand est-ce qu’on le fait, cet achat de grande fille ?
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It’s funny, I was on the subway this morning literally thinking about my « grown-up bag » dilemma. I don’t have a problem investing in pretty much any key pieces of clothing, shoes or jewelry. However, for some reason I can’t bring myself to just bite the bullet and buy a designer handbag. I agree that it makes me feel a little bit like I haven’t crossed over the threshold into real adulthood.
http://www.enduringethereal.com
i don’t care about making this kind of dissociations. but i love you hobo bag! :)
http://littleaesthete.com
A short navy blue Burberry trench.
« 30 accessoires qu’une femme devrait avoir à 30 ans »….vraiment??!
Je préfère « avoir la pression » et faire une liste des « 30 expériences qu’une femme devrait vivre avant ses 30 ans ». Ok on est dans une société de consommation. Mais quand même ! La vie est bien plus intéressante quand on se détache des choses matérielles ! (surtout 30!!)
Je suis bien d’accord, nous avons toute notre vie pour acheter le sac de nos rêves ou un bijou un peu spécial !
Je serai d’ailleurs curieuse de voir s’il existe une liste qui relate les « 30 expériences à faire avant la trentaine » histoire de m’y mettre dès maintenant :)
I agree!! When you buy something that feeling of » ohhh I just got the it…. »
Last’s very short…but the experiences in life last a life time. I don’t think the
material things one owns makes you more adult or better!
Toujours pas… Mais cette année, je peux m’offrir une carte senior. Alors peut-être…
When I was younger I dreamed with this kind of things ( a nice Hermès scarf of my mother)
But now I prefer a simple and casual shopper handbag like those I sell in the shop I’m beginning to fill.
Hugs from Barcelona!
Paloma
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheSacBarcelona
Je trouve que la société nous impose trop d’images irréelles de »ce dont on doit avoir l’air »! Et il me semble contradictoire d’aimer la mode (qui en soit est une manière de s’exprimer) et de toujours vouloir se conformer à ces modèles trop parfaits. Commençons à vivre notre vie comme on l’entend !!
I’m 27, and purchased my first grown-up handbag last fall. It’s a Céline blade bag in caramel smooth leather. Sometimes I wonder if I should be using this bag as often as I do, or if I should be safeguarding it in my closet forever so it maintains condition…but then I remind myself to live for today, and this bag makes me SO. HAPPY. It has also taught me the importance of purchasing for quality not quantity, and for the life I want to live. This bag makes me stand 3 feet taller with a proud smile when I wear it. I worked hard to pay for that bag myself, and to me it represents that I am a strong woman and can support myself. Now, I don’t go out every other day buying insane products like that bag, but I am working to condense my closet to include only those special items that I’ll wear every day and feel my best in. Including the Isabel Marant Suede Dicker boots I purchased this morning…finally!
During college I studied abroad in Milan and as a goodbye gift to myself I splurged and bought a pair of Prada sunglasses before I left. They are the only real big girl purchase I’ve ever made, and sadly they were stolen (along with my entire bag) last spring. But I loved how they made me feel put together no matter what else I was wearing, and maybe some day I’ll have the chance to replace them!
When I bought my first lipstick at age 20 (I’m 26) I felt like moving in to a new phase in life, like a step in the direction of becoming a woman. Maybe it sounds a little silly but it was a big step for me…
ME TOO! A Chanel red, to be exact!
Well, I’m a in the same situation, I’m almost 26 and I don’t have any adult pieces…but we have 4 years yet to do something!!
New S/S 2014 JEANS trend on lowbudget-lowcost Fashion blog
that’s so funny, recently I was let go from my job and did some major soul searching, and what my ‘next steps’ are to become more adult like. I am 26 as well, and my clothes reflected a young hipster who thrifts, not a professional in the workforce. i developed an ‘adult list’ which include:
not thrifted clothes – preferably made in the US from boutique stores around town
nice blouses, blazer, shoes over 100$
re-piercing my ears and wearing QUALITY jewelry
a new bag that reflects professionalism
etc etc. love this post! i’ll put diamonds and pumps on the list :)
oolretaw.com/blog
I feel that way when wearing my YSL black clutch. Is a statement, and make me feel immediately grown up.
Love, Gap.
http://www.gaptoothedgirl.com
Ha. Yes! I’ve thought of this many times. I tend to have expensive taste when it comes to jeans, sunglasses, watches, coffee… most things. But I just have not bit the bullet and bought an expensive bag! The one purchase, however, that I always thought I’d buy when I got my first « real » job was Louboutin pumps. But I didn’t have to buy them, because my husband bought them for me! They were apart of his wedding present to me. I always feel adult-ish and fancy when I wear them.
My big girl purchase was when I turned 25 I bought myself classic Chanel 2.55 Jumbo black purse in Caviar leather. It felt super grown up and made me feel quiet accomplished, I did it on my own! Truth is you need to buy yourself ‘investment’ pieces to give yourself a pat on the back, because no one else will do it for you. And the ultimate luxury is not when a man buys something for you, it’s when you are the master of your destiny. Financial independence is super important in my opinion.
Yep, couldn’t agree more!
I’m 29 and my first « adult » purchase wash;t actually a purchase but a gift. My wedding/engagement ring including my first real diamond. Somehow I do start to invest in more classic and expensive pieces like the perfect black shirt and a beautiful pair of jeans. The classic handbag is on my list for my 30th birthday in two months! Exciting! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
I (also 26 by the way ;-) ) definitely have a when-I-am-rich / when-I-reeeeally-want-to-treat-myself list:
– Givenchy Pandora bag in nude washed leather
– Cartier Love Bracelet (not because of the « love »-aspect, but I just love the thought of not being able to take it off.)
– and of course diamonds… a diamond septum nose ring by Body Vision (http://bodyvision.net/collections/nose_7/)
my last big treat-yourself-buy (not nearly as big as the ones I just listed) was a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses….. http://madeausynot.blogspot.com/2013/10/love-at-first-sight-tom-ford.html
Didn’t get any of these big purchase! As i am still a student
Xx
http://www.Lauralexo.com
This post is really transgressive. Are we looking for validation by making a « grown up » purchase of an overpriced, entirely unnecessary « designer » bag? Is that supposed to be our aspiration?
It’s sad to me that this post prompts a pile-on response to spend, spend, spend.
If I had the bucks for the coveted Chanel bag, I’d sooner donate to someone or something more needy.
I prefer the message Garance frequently sends: style and beauty are attainable without having to succumb to lockstep materialism.
Agreed!
And if we’re talking 20-somethings, come’on! This is the time to experiment with style – why buy classics at this age? And why spend that kind of money on it? Honestly, I’m 28 and I feel like my style is still evolving, so why would I lock down a couple of grand on one really expensive item? I’m not ready for such commitment! And happy to not be ready for it too!
Chapeau!
When i was freshman, i bought myself very expencive wallet, i think it was my first step… you know… when your wallet costs more than all money you have in it haha
My family was always sure to get me things for my birthday that would last. My first designer bag on my 16th, a string of pearls for my 17th, a set of Tiffany’s silver on my 18th. And it kind of stuck with me, I would rather have one timeless piece of clothing/jewelry than 10 trendy pieces. It’s not about consumerism anymore but about quality, I guess that’s the « mature » thing about having these pieces: it’s not about what you have but how you shop.
I bought my first pair of pearl earrings when I was 27. I felt sooo grown up! Of course I then managed to lose one of them a couple of years later but got new ones as a gift.
An engagement ring ASAP!!
Take a look @ http://thehippiewhim.blogspot.it/
XO
S:
no no no! et non! If you buy your own food and pay your own rent and bills, that’s a big girl. The rest is fluff. There are many, many people in this world (one in six people in the world don’t have access to clean water) who don’t have enough essentials. And I don’t mean, oh, I’m going to die if I don’t have the latest Prada bag kind of essentials. Keep your wits about you! Lovely, well-made crafts are to be admired and appreciated. But they shouldn’t define whether you feel like a mature person. I adore art, but I own none. I’m pushing 60. Does that mean I’m not adult?
I would like this comment if there was a button. Thank you for reminding us. Just the right words to get me back to the ground again :)
Lovely! Thank you for this!
To be honest, I sometimes get bag-envy when I go into department stores… then I have to wake myself up and look at the bigger picture! I would love to own a fancy « grownup » bag one day, but it isn’t a top priority in my life right now.
Bravo! Complètement d’accord.
Quite a shallow post, this time. COLLECT MOMENTS, NOT THINGS.
Beige, pointed toe, leather flats. The most lady-like item I own. Haha, I love me some man repelling styles.
Je viens d’acheter mon premier « designer bag » le sac de jour de Saint Laurent. Je l’admire tout les jours tel une oeuvre d’art!
J’espère que d’ici mes 80 ans ans je pourrai constituer une belle collection. We’ll see…
I’ve been trying to be a lot more conscious of my spending and buy fewer, better items. It’s extremely hard, because it does mean saving up rather than indulging in instant gratification shopping. I would like to one day own a statement/designer purse, but at the same time, I also doubt whether they’re worth the money. It’s hard to rationalize and reconcile spending more money on a purse than I would spend to go to Europe. Think of the experience I could have instead! (And I’d be so scared to use the bag and somehow ruin it…) So, clearly, I’m a mess of conflicting feelings on the subject!!
Shani x
She Dreams in Perfect French
The biggest thing you can do to make yourself feel like an adult is to begin saving NOW for the future. Don’t waste money « keeping up with the Joneses » … putting money into your emergency fund, increasing your contribution to your 401k, and not living paycheck to paycheck are all the appropriate ways to prepare for adulthood and feel like a grown woman. I’m not saying you live this way, Alex, but don’t compare what you have or don’t have to anyone else. You have no idea what their finances really look like. Aspirational consumption is truly a waste of time.
Cheers to that! I’m 26 and trying to strike a balance between my loves – shopping, travelling, and the new one on the scene- saving!
So true…
What a great comment, as well! Garance, I think that we come here as much for the content you and your team put on the blog, as for the comments! You have so smart readers, their comments are extremely valuable to me. Thank you all!
Ce n’est pas l’argent qui compte… Il y en a marre de tous ces diktats liés à la société de consommation ! Retournons aux choses simples et aux vraies valeurs. Qui a dit qu’il faut avoir toutes ces choses sur la liste avant 30 ans ? Monde de merde…
Comme si avoir un sac Chanel ou Céline te donnait plus de pouvoir ou de maturité.
Je préfère parler d’expériences de vie, de choix, des rencontres avant 30 ans, et même après…
La meilleure chose que l’on peut acheter et qui rend plus grande et adulte est une maison, je parle d’expérience.
Amen! Je suis tout à fait d’accord avec ça, la maison, ça c’est l’achat de la maturité!
Mais bon, moi, à 30 ans, j’avais pas de mec, pas de famille à mettre dans ma maison, et surtout pas assez de sous!
Donc, je me suis acheté un beau sac, que j’espère garder toute ma vie! Du coup, je l’ai pris très classique, et noir, et surtout pas un de ces modèles de it-bags que tout le monde a, que tout le monde copie et dont tout le monde va se lasser dans 6 mois!
Mon choix, le Muse 2 d’Yves Saint Laurent (je voulais impérativement un modèle de luxe français), un très beau classique en taille medium, que j’adore et qui me fait me sentir femme quand je le porte.(ici en rouge, mais comme ça, on voit quand même à quoi il ressemble: http://www.ysl.com/us/shop-product/women/handbags-muse-two-classic-small-muse-two-in-red-textured-leather_cod45204588kr.html)
Carrément d’accord ! J’ai choisi vôtre commentaire parmi les autres pour y répondre, un peu au hasard… Je suis encore jeune, je n’ai que 22 ans mais je me rend compte qu’on nous fait croire tellement de choses !! Qu’il faut ceci ou cela pour être dans l’air du temps, qu’il faut ressembler à tel ou tel personne pour être normal… Au début ça me rendait malheureuse, maintenant un peu moins et peut-être que dans quelques années se sera plus du tout. Quand j’entends parler de « liste de choses à avoir à 30 ans » je prend peur. Je n’aurai jamais toutes les choses qu’il faut soit disant avoir, est ce que cela fait de moi une personne anormale, en dehors de la société ? Je ne pense pas. Il faut réfléchir à tout ça.
$7000 per year from 20 – 30 in a 401K, and you wouldn’t have to save another penny to have a million dollars at retirement! Which is great, because if you have children and childcare costs, schools, sports, Justice clothing for your daughter (which is so gaudy it’s cute?), you won’t be able to fund it anyways – or buy that designer bag. Either buy that designer bag before life gets complicated, or you will wait quite awhile unless you use plastic, which I don’t.
What a lovely question! Hmm… it must be the greyness and downpours of our Southern Hemisphere Autumn that’s prompted my response.
When did I grow up?
I thought I first reached adulthood when my fiancé gave me my engagement ring at 29.
Then I realised I wasn’t an adult, until I had our adored son at 30.
Next, when my husband and I bought our first home together I thought 33 was the year I became an adult.
When my son went to school, I thought all the years prior I was just playing at being an adult – because, NOW I was an adult – when – that same day, I bought my first high-end designer bag at 35.
At 43, I thought I’d had adulthood all wrong previously, and I now felt I was a bona-fide adult because I’d managed to design and oversee massive renovations on both our family home, garden, and workplace while still parenting, « wifing », working all in the one year.
Then at 44, my Dad had a sudden stroke and my Mum discovered on Mother’s Day that she had aggressive breast cancer: I sure didn’t feel adult then.
Now, at 45, I think I may be starting to grow up – because I’ve given away and sold so much of what I’d acquired and hoarded, lightening my material and emotional load by a whole lot helping me to feel so much more at peace… and I think that’s what growing up is for me… a continual process of lightening my self. So, I may never grow up completely – and I may only ever grow old – but that’s pretty amazing, too.
That was beautifully expressed. Perspective comes with maturity, and what we covet at 26 may not be what is important at 40! or ever
My first big girl purchase with a king sized bed, I think. Followed shortly after by my first car…A second-hand Audi Quattro with leather seats and sunroof, how I miss that car! I don’t think I consider any of my ‘designer items’ as a ‘big girl purchase’, haha.
xx
Brigadeiro’s Blog
Pour moi, ce sont définitivement les bijoux ! Un jonc en or, une montre, de simples perles… des cadeaux qui m’accompagneront toute ma vie !
baci,
Ali
http://www.alidifirenze.fr
My first adult purchase was a Burberry Trench. I bought it as present for myself when I got a huge promotion that meant I was becoming someone’s boss (scary, I needed to dress the part… or I least that’s what I thought. Now I’m wearing Converse to work) and I had to move to another country where it rains all the time (hence the trench was perfect).
I thought about jewellery but it wasn’t something I was going to wear that much. But I just can’t stop thinking about a Pomellato ring (and earrings) and Loewe’s Amazona bag. When it comes to big gorl purchases I’mm allabout classics.
Maybe for my next promotion? ;)
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
i never made a « big girl purchase » (turning 30 in 2 weeks) yet I feel very adult :) see where I am going with this?
Moi je viens de m’acheter le sac City de Balenciaga en noir! bref le sac à main de femme et dans une couleur dont je ne pourrais pas me lasser…
Sinon il y plusieurs année, mon premier achat de « femme » a été ma montre Chanel J12, un grand moment! et je l’adore toujours autant après plusieurs années!
I bought a painting at auction. It was thrilling. But you are too young to be worrying about such things.
It was a pair of yellow gold earrings from Lalaounis with my first salary. Good passage to adult buys.
Je trouve ça tellement triste qu’il « faille » avoir quelque chose. La maturité, je ne crois pas que ça soit posséder, mais être. Avoir envie de belles pièces pourquoi pas, évidemment, mais l’associer au fait d’être adulte??? un peu bizarre.
Le passage à l’âge adulte, je crois que c’est surtout le fait d’assumer ses choix et ses différences. et on peut donc être adulte très tôt, ou jamais… :-)
I don’t think I’ve made that purchase, although I’m 40.
I prefer jewellery to be a gift and I also don’t like to change the pieces I wear. As I have some nice jewellery I don’t think I’m gonna buy any myself.
I don’t think I’d buy a bag. So I guess my big girl purchase would be a coat. A big warm winter coat with a hood (I live in a very cold climate and it’s such a pity that there are so few nice coats with a proper (and nice) hood.)
I agree with all the comments that criticize the fact that you may « need » objects to be a real woman/ mature/ God knows what!
Being an adult is about experience, paying taxes (now that means you’re responsible!), going and growing through difficult times, dealing with unplanned issues, maybe buying a flat, learning to love yourself and those around you.
Chanel, Céline, Prada, YSL have nothing to do with that!
Here’s what I can tell from my own experience : I have been given some rare and bautiful things, I have also bought a few on my own (usually through private sales, I don’t believe in the need to spend a lot for objects) and I tend to look at them and find them standard. Not exceptional, just objects among others.
So spend your money on experiences, or donate it, that will make you feel more grown up than anything magazines or people around you say you « must » own!
Hmm. I remember talking to a realtor about buying my first apartment in Boston years ago and she was appalled that I didn’t have more in savings, compared to my earnings. I think that was in large part because I’d moved just before my 30th birthday from very casual South Carolina to the big city of Boston and was suddenly surrounded by more high-end merchandise and fashion. Gucci loafers, Prada pumps, Tiffany earrings — while I did try to find most of my designer clothes at the original Filene’s Basement (R.I.P.), the proximity of my office to Neiman Marcus and Saks was way too dangerous on payday. I do still have many of these « classic » purchases but to be honest, they’re kind of boring. I would suggest that you buy yourself something « forever » to mark milestones – a promotion, a big birthday, an achievement – and I’d suggest buying a piece of art. Very grown-up, very timeless. And its something you won’t outgrow or wear out over time.
Gucci kitten heel mules! I was so nervous my hands were shaking the saleswoman said « Do you want me to count the cash for you? » That nervous and yes I paid cash. I still have them that is 2000. Proof better to invest in quality. Buy less, buy better. Be a Big Girl. Yep.
Oui, je te comprend de vouloir faire un tel achat. J’ai 18 ans et je commence à penser justement à quel sera mon premier (et possiblement seul) grand achat. Je tiens à avoir une pièce classique, intemporelle, qui va avoir une histoire, un vécu et que je vais pouvoir léger à mes enfants. Je ne sais pas à quel âge on fait un tel achat. Lorsqu’on a économisé assez d’argent ? Alors qu’on vient de franchir une étape particulièrement importante ? Probablement un peu des deux… Je crois que l’âge importe peu en fait… :)
Inheriting your mothers diamonds and emeralds definitely gives you a feeling of passing time and the generation that is now « stepping up. » However, for purchases it was my Chanel boots ordered from my hospital bed when I was told, in error, that I had cancer. I felt I did not want to leave this world with nothing from Chanel…and I do not care for her perfume. I am a Hermes woman. Now, that all the errors have been cleared up and I am out and about with a new lease on life…..I purchased my first Balenciaga motorcycle bag in a lovely cassis color.
it’s an interesting question and i read through the comments …struggaling to relate to them. No, I don’t think there’s anything that wil make me feel like – wow, now I am an adult. Or wow – I am a big girl, I can buy this or that. If there ever will be such moment, I doubt it will be related to material stuff.
Sandra from http://www.chicplaisir.com
I’m 27 and definitely feel the « before 30 » pressure, too. This year I finally invested some money in clean energy, which made me feel super adult. As far as appearance and beauty, I’ve started wearing serious facial sunblock everyday. I’ve edited my closet down to the very basic, donating all the trendy F21/UO/etc., adding more quality fabrics and leathers. Not only is it simpler to have just two handbags that I love, I no longer scramble to transfer all my things between the trendy bags of the season. I also bit the bullet and started wearing petites. They fit so much better and look a lot less sloppy on my body, even though it’s a nightmare to find items I love in petite sizes. Don’t really have any specific brands items that I consider markers of adulthood, but I do find relying on a designer or brand a little bit too easy and sort of deceiving when it comes to finding something I really love.
Je voudrai une montre Bulgari (serpentine) mais c’est trop cher pour moi! Bisou ici Bari!
An expensive logines watch on my 30th, and cartier ring and chain …all from my love. I didn’t purchase..
My Cartier, at the end of my first year of employment… I’m so fond of it I’ve been wearing it for 25 years, and I’m totally desolated when I have to send it to maintenance….
An Yves Saint Laurent Muse bag.
My dear friend M. (much more experienced in serious purchases than me) tut-tutted all my fears and hang-ups away once we were in the Paris shop « only to look ». She somehow made me buy it and then literally had to hold me by my elbow and steer me out of the shop: I was almost spiraling into an anxiety attack.
Then she said something significant: »This is not just a purchase. It’s an ambition. »
It was.
I cherish it to this day, both the bag and the message.
I can’t agree more, it is the message not just a bag. A beautiful celebration of the achievements in life.
The Philip Lim Pashli in Jade. It took me months to decide whether to get it or not, but in the end I decided it was my gift to myself for having survived a year of being a full-time worker and mother. I love my bag, and it goes with me to work and to special occasions as well.
I feel you on this one. For me , that would be an APC wool coat I got on my honeymoon and my Ferragamo Vara pumps. I’m not into buying jewelry yet. I like heirlooms and asking my mom if I could look at her stuff instead. :) One day, perhaps! For bags, I like looking at expensive bags but so far, I can’t justify buying them when I prefer to spend it on travel.
The purchases that made me feel like an adult were, a baby crib, a plot of land, architectural house plans. I’m 40, I’ve never owned anything designer and probably never will. I dress well but I’m smart about what I buy, and most of all I don’t care what other people are going to think about me or read into my economic status by what I’m wearing. I think that’s being grown up.
What an interesting post & comments! I agree that your definition of being « grown up » really depends on your own personal perspective. I am shocked at the implication that buying overpriced designer goods is equal being an adult??? I think the focus should always be on QUALITY good – real wool, real leather, high grade diamonds & gems. It’s more about buying something that will last… something beyond a trend, season or fad. In my own case, I was lucky to inherit some Bally leather boots which are my greatest treasure & a great example of quality. My mum bought them for her 21st…she is now 65! I love wearing them & hope to pass them onto a 3rd generation one day.
I’ve always wanted to make the « adult » purchase someday but it haven’t came yet (I’m 33).
Now I realised I don’t need any of these to feel important as an adult. Yes Celine, YSL designs are lovely but I can just admire from afar and not buy them (I’m in advertising).
SO. I appreciate my purchases which are created from memories. Bought a Mango bag while in Istanbul traveling with my best friend, a Zara dress while in Barcelona with my parents.
These purchases made them unique and me happy then buying an expensive bag/dress/shoes any time and I save loads of money :)
« The Big Girl present to myself » – that’s what I was thinking of yesterday making the decision of embarking on a personal coaching process which is in financial equivalent worth the long-saught-after magnificent bag and a pair of deadly chic shoes… But Big Girls think BIG! And if the life circumstances need improvement, it’s not about a purchase, it’s about investment. So, I plugged up my courage and just made it. And the bag, the shoes, the holidays, the pictures will follow once the self-esteem and the choices in life are back again.
Consumption is a trap. An addiction. The total opposite of being a big girl
I’m 30. A medical doctor. I have omega watches, céline, ysl, plenty of diamonds. Hence, very grown up.. Or?
Reality: It’s just sparkling nothing. It’s not at all making me feel happy, content or like I have achived something.
Come, freedom, love and laughs. NO MORE STUFF!
Alex, I feel exactly the same way. I think it’s just something that will come when we will see « the one » (does that expression also works for an accessory?!) or, in my situation, when I won’t have to choose between holidays somewhere with my family/friends and this amazing Céline bag.
And maybe this is being adult, not buying something really expensive and not really useful even if it’s really really really pretty.
My big girl purchase was definitely my Mulberry purse. Really pleased and I feel a lot more grown up when I pay for things now!
I just turned 30 and am about to buy a grown up watch. It’s my present to myself. The price tag is painful but I’m looking at it as an investment and something I will have forever.
my big girl moment was when i realized i didn’t need to purchase anything to be a big girl, by the way i turn 50years old this summer, D
I’ve been thinking about this lately too. After I got married, my husband encouraged me to buy some designer pieces that will hopefully last a lifetime. But I haven’t purchased any notable jewelry or handbags. I think my next (or really first) big girl purchase should be an iconic bag…but which one?!
Puisque tout le monde donne son âge, je m’y mets aussi! J’ai 24 ans et, personnellement, le truc qui fait « mature » genre la petite fille rêvant être grande : LA bague.
Pour moi, c’est une étape, quelque chose de grande qui m’est (encore) inaccessible mais qui me fait penser à moi quand j’étais petite en regardant ma maman mettre des grosses boucles d’oreilles, ou du rouge à lèvres.
Vraiment, la fameuse bague pour moi c’est fascinant mais aussi terrifiant : c’est la cour des grandes !
L’article et les commentaires sont très amusants à lire ! Merci Alex !
I don’t need a lot of anything, but now that I’m over 40, whatever I have and get, be it clothes, food, beauty products, friends, men, sex, entertainment, whatever, needs to be the best that I can get/afford. That is what makes me feel grown up, when quality truly trumps quantity, across the board….Candace wants NO crap!
I love these things and lust after them to an extent, but I think this association between adulthood and designer goods is only applicable for the wealthier classes. For me, adulthood is more about making responsible decisions with my money, which doesn’t usually mean blowing it all on designer bags. I know one beautiful designer bag can last you a lifetime, but if you don’t have that kind of money flowing freely, the more « adult » purchase decisions usually tend towards more practical items. I think in many ways it is youthful to think of tangible objects as signs of maturity, and more mature to recognize that a confident adult woman can rock a $40 handbag pretty damn well if she sets her mind to it.
Pour moi c’était l’achat d’un sac Easy de Yves Saint Laurent… magnifique que j’ai acheté pour moi pour mon 30e anniversaire :) <3
http://www.styleinspiratrice.com
I find that a lot of people who think one needs to get _____ and ________ before 30 are people that tend to feed into the magazine editorial mode of consumption. One of the better things about getting older is having a better eye for quality and fit. You also get better at hunting for the beautiful peculiar pieces that add intrigue.