On Status Symbols

Sherry at Save Spend Splurge had an interesting post recently about status symbols, and it took me on a weird tangent, thinking about luxury brand things I used to lust after, but no longer do so. Being a woman who loves lists, I decided to put one together. By the time I was done, my list had moved off on another tangent, but we’ll talk about that when we get there, ‘kay?

Oh, and one other thing: my intent in making this list isn’t to suggest that liking these things is passee. Just because I’m not interested in them anymore doesn’t make them any less of a status symbol, or mean that the people who still like them are wrong to do so. It’s just a reflection of my changing desires/needs/tastes, and I think it’s useful to take stock of that from time to time; doing so reminds me of one of my favourite sayings (actually a U2 lyric) when it comes to material possessions … what you don’t have, you don’t need it now.

Cartier Ballon Bleu Watch

At one point, this was going to be my “present to self” for making partner at my old firm. We all know what happened; I quit and went in-house instead. Have never regretted my decision, and have also come to realize that expensive watches are not really worth it to me. I own and love a few Skagen watches, and I do occasionally wear them, but not enough to justify spending $8,000 for a version with a fancier label attached.

Cartier Love Bracelet

After my husband bought me the Cartier Trinity ring to commemorate a special moment in our lives, I told him that the next big milestone would have to be marked with the Love bracelet. That was 6 or 7 years ago. At some point, I simply stopped thinking about it. With my 40th birthday just around the corner, this would have been the time to revisit this discussion but in all truth, we are probably going to just splurge on our planned trip to Japan and maybe buy ourselves some extra trip souvenirs rather than do any big birthday presents (we’re both turning 40 in the same year).

As a side note, the Trinity ring is still one of my favourite pieces of jewelry. I wear it daily, sometimes even in place of my engagement and wedding rings.

Designer Bags

This is almost unfathomable, because I was a devoted “bag lady” for years and years. I still have all my old designer bags; I’m afraid to part with them (what if I end up regretting it later?), but I rarely use them. Just between you and me, there are times when my daily work commute bag is a fabric tote from Fossil that I thrifted for $5. Old me would have been mortified. For some reason, bags just don’t make my heart pitter-patter like they used. I can appreciate a beautiful design, but I don’t feel that old desire to own the thing.

Valentino Rock Studs

I hunted these shoes for years at the thrift stores, with no luck. Now … meh. I wear the same 3-5 pairs of shoes all the time; most of them are black or some other neutral, and most of them have low heels or are flats. I am much more likely to get excited over a comfortable ankle boot (with sensible heel!) than a fancy pair of pumps. And that goes for Louboutins too.

Hermes Belt

Before the Gucci double-G belt that has taken over certain realms of social media, there was the Hermes H-belt. I think Extra Petite used to have one, back in the day. It looked very chic, and I wanted one badly — probably because I desperately wanted the feeling of being perfectly polished and put together. Never did get one, and my style has evolved in a direction where “polished” means something different than it used to. Also, because of recent health issues, I rarely wear belts (or jeans) anymore.

But thinking of the status symbols that I used to covet, and now don’t, also got me to consider the reverse: things I’ve come to value more now than before. To wit:

Designer Clothing

I used to be of the view that accessories – shoes and bags, primarily – were the real “investment” categories when it comes to clothing. They tend to last longer and be less vulnerable to trends. Clothes, meanwhile, tend to show wear more easily, and are more likely to fall prey to poor maintenance (ahem, inadvertent dryer damage). While I still believe that good quality shoes (and bags, to some extent) are important, I’ve also come to appreciate the value of (some) designer clothes. It’s not even so much about quality, really, as it is about style and vision. There are certain designers who truly capture my own aesthetic aspirations – Dries Van Noten, Marni, Sarah Pacini, Rick Owens, Hayden Ackerman, Issey Miyake, etc. – which transforms their clothes (in my eyes) into wearable art. If money were no object, I would probably collect their clothing in the same way that I collect other art pieces. As it is, I have occasionally splurged a little more than I’d usually spend to pick up a piece or two when a (relative) bargain has come my way.

MaxMara Camel Coat

Ever since I bought my first one, years ago, on a deep discount sale, I have been a convert. I am fanatical about MaxMara coats in the way that some people are about Burberry trenches; they are the best, and will immediately elevate your outfit, no matter how mundane it is. I am dreading the thought of eventually (soon, gah!) having to replace my coat, because I am not sure I will ever find a similar bargain again. The prospect of spending $1,000 or more on one piece of clothing is daunting, but I know from experience that the cost is worth it in the long run.

Smartphone

This might seem like an odd choice, but hear me out. I was a late adopter of smartphones; I got my first one in 2013, and only because my then-employer gave it to me. Before that, I didn’t understand what the fuss was about; I used to make fun of people who posted on mobile apps like Instagram. Oh, the irony. Anyway, even after getting my first phone, for a long time I didn’t really care about having the newest, shiniest version. As long as I could access my apps and take my blog photos on it, it was good enough. Well, that’s all changed now. I have been coveting the iPhone 8 for a while (never mind the X) for the superior camera alone. I can’t quite bring myself to upgrade on my own dime but, boy, do I dream about it!

Your turn: what are some status symbols you used to covet? Or that you’ve only recently started to covet? Or what about ones you’ve never coveted at all? For me, cars are definitely in that last category – if it’s compact, has 4 wheels and moves, I’m happy.