Just One of the Crowd?

That's what I'm trying to decide. Bear with me as I attempt to answer this and other pressing questions...

Last week DK and I travelled to Phoenix/Mesa/Tucson, AZ for his nephew's wedding. We had a fabulous getaway without the children (though I kept crying at the oddest moments throughout the trip) and enjoyed spending time with DK's two sisters, his brother, and their spouses.

DK's sister and husband (the couple standing on the left) live in Shanghai and when they come back to visit they always bring all kinds of goodies including purses. Coach, Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc. You know, the FAKES they can pick up in China for dirt cheap! My brother-in-law was asking me what brand of purse is my favorite. I told him that I am a Coach girl. I have loved Coach for the past 15 years and have quite the collection. Another sister-in-law asked me why. Why do I love Coach? I really didn't have an answer at the time and I cannot recall what I mumbled to her. But for some reason this question has been nagging me for the past week.

So, okay, let's delve in, shall we? I love Coach. And UGG Boots. And North Face jackets and vests. And Tiffany's. And Pandora bracelets. And Ed Hardy. And other things like MAC lipsticks, and good face and hair product but let's not get too crazy here. Is liking all of these things a bad thing?

At our town fair yesterday I was looking around and noticing what other women were wearing. The top 3 brands I spotted? Coach, UGG Boots & North Face. These brands are wicked popular where I live. Pandora bracelets are pretty huge at the moment as well but when I asked my sisters-in-law about them neither had heard of them before. Obviously they are not as popular (if at all) where they live.

But I've become sidetracked; back to why do I love Coach? I think the bottom line is I have good memories associated with the brand. The same goes for all of the other things I have listed. Either I knew someone I really liked who wore/used the brand or I saw someone attractive or popular with the brand and then investigated it further. Is this shallow? Yep. It may be. But I'm okay with that. I'm okay with shelling out the bucks for certain things that I really like.

You may think designer jeans are where to spend the money. I don't. I am just fine with my Old Navy Jeans (The Dreamer) that look very much like the $160 jeans from Nordstrom's. I won't look down on you or think you're crazy for spending that much money just like I hope you won't think less of me for spending $300 on a purse. I don't buy expensive designer sunglasses because I always lose them. But if that's your thing then I say go for it! I don't mind buying my t-shirts at Target on sale for $8 then spending the savings on a $14 MAC lipstick.

But am I one of the crowd? Am I a complete follower? No. I don't think so. I like what I like and dislike many, many other things that other people think are ah-mazing. I am totally and completely happy in my skin...along with my overly expensive body lotion!