Defining Luxury

I’m starting to pull together Christmas gifts for the girls (I know, it’s early…more on this later), and I bought this really pretty book by Cynthia Rowley on Amazon only to have this book on the historical and current state of the luxury market come up in my recommendations. After scanning the reviews, it ended up in my cart too. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I buy, where it’s made, the impact on the environment, not to mention my motivation for purchasing certain things, pondering need vs. want, etc… So it seems like a relevant and timely read.

Conspicuous consumption is so rampant in Dallas -- we live in the land of the status handbag, and as much as it pains me to admit this, it’s easy for me to fall into feeling like I need something because everyone else has it. Raising two girls here makes it even more pressing that I squelch that desire. More important though, is the need to arm them with the knowledge required to make conscientious decisions as consumers. I wouldn’t necessarily forbid them to purchase something solely based on status, but I definitely want them to understand the facts behind what they’re buying and to become fully aware of the motivations driving their purchases. I can’t wait to read the book…