1. I was recently asked to recommend some easy to wear-and-pair, nude espadrilles for summer. Light colored espadrilles are my favorite footwear in the summer – they seriously go with everything! Here are my favorites in a variety of price points.
From left to right: TOMS $69 // Kate Spade $268 // Jimmy Choo $575
My Jimmy Choo espadrilles from last year are still one of my favorite paris and they look pretty good for being tromped around for another season already. I’ve also tried on the TOMS version above in person and they are really comfortable and the price is great!
2. I found this Vanity Fair article, around literary criticism of Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, to be a very interesting read. I will admit that I fall into the camp of those who just didn’t really enjoy The Goldfinch, but mine has less to do with its level of literary achievement and more with the fact that for some reason, I was under the impression that it had a sci-fi angle! I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop (ghosts from the past? Time travel?) after the museum scene and nothing ever happened. Theo’s story never really grabbed me but by the time I realized it, I was already ~80% through so dutifully finished.
Some of the article was surprising to me (am I the only one who still likes Gone With The Wind)? Would love to hear your thoughts.
3. I’ve been slapped on the wrist multiple times for accidentally calling any closet/accessory purchase an “investment”. Rightly so! However, this article via the FT about “investment” designer fashion purchases might beg to differ…although I suspect they aren’t talking about my Chanel clutch that was widely produced and has sadly seen several a spilled cocktail on it. I do think well maintained Hermes bags (in certain styles) keep their value remarkably well. What do you all think?
4. I have to confess, for the past few weeks I haven’t been reading any new books – instead I’ve been re-reading the entire Song of Ice and Fire series front beginning to (so-far) end. It’s been so, so good! There were so many details I didn’t catch the first time around…and so many more that I am understanding more, now that I know the whole story. I am obviously biased, but I think that George R.R. Martin is a genius who has written what will be a classic. If you haven’t read this series…try it now! And if you have already…it’s time to do a re-read (and it’s a great way to whittle away the time between HBO seasons).
Enjoy your weekend!
18 Comments
Sonya
June 20, 2014 at 10:03 amThe Jimmys are gorgeous. Look comfortable too.
Katherine
June 21, 2014 at 12:30 pmThey are!
C.Michol
June 20, 2014 at 10:07 amKatherine, I love your blog, but I gotta tell you, yeah, Gone with the Wind is considered to be an embarrassing book. Scarlett is a great heroine, but the book has deeply problematic racial politics and it’s willfully ignorant of American history. So.
D.
June 20, 2014 at 12:19 pmYou’re right, but to be fair, the book is very much a product of its time and one can enjoy it for what it is (a period piece) without condoning its problems. If it comes to it, many beloved books are problematic. E. Nesbit’s books are filled with anti-Semitism, Louisa May Alcott has several references to the “dirtiness” of immigrants, you’d be hard-put to find a book WITHOUT troublingly sexist attitudes before a certain, not too distant point in time…
C.Michol
June 20, 2014 at 2:27 pmI don’t mean to be flip, but E. Nesbit’s books have fallen out of favor as well.
Generally speaking, major flaws like racism, sexism, and anti-semitism (Dickens’ books are thick with that as well) can be overcome if the plots aren’t drippy and the characters are fully human. Gone With the Wind is generally thought to be a failure because it has some major flaws that really date it AND it has some other big problems in terms of the way it’s written.
Katherine
June 21, 2014 at 12:30 pmThanks both of you for the very interesting discussion. I am just a casual reader and I don’t realize sometimes the history and the errors in what I am reading. For Gone With The Wind…I can’t help it, I think I am a teenage girl, but the points she makes about race and the war in general I’ve always tried to “blank out” when reading because yes, they are simply wrong and offensive. Thanks both for some great points and feedback.
diane
June 20, 2014 at 3:00 pmRe: Investment Designer Goods
When I was a young bride, in 1975, my husband began buying me pieces of LV, including a bit of luggage. Not many people recognized it back then. It was what I call “bullet proof” because it held up so well. I carried it for a number of years, until I abandoned logos and stuck it all in the guest room closet where it sat for 20 years. Then, one day as I was decluttering, I decided it had to go and I wanted to get rid of it in a single lot. I looked up two LV dealers on ebay and emailed them. One responded and wanted it. It was in good but not mint condition. She offered me more than we had paid for it when it was purchased. So, although it was not bought as an investment, it turned out to be profitable. However, the ROI was lower than the profits of an investment in a good stock would have been over that period of time. But still, I did get enjoyment out of it for a number of years in addition to the money I was paid at the end.
Katherine
June 21, 2014 at 12:27 pmThat’s a very sweet story, especially since your husband bought it for you 🙂 You got a great return considering it was luggage which definitely gets beat up a lot. Did you keep any big trunks for yourself even for decor?
little luxury list
June 20, 2014 at 7:31 pmGeorge R. R. Martin really is a genius. I remember looking through the lists of families in each book and marveling that someone could create such intricate households (besides everything else in the imaginary world!)
Toms actually is a really great, affordable option for espadrilles and very comfortable!
I would say that calling a purse an investment is an apt term if the item earns you a positive yield and as you said maintains its value. Chanel and Hermes bags for the most part can in fact be sold for the price paid or for a greater amount so why not call it an investment right? It’s also another reason I’d be willing to spend the money on either of these brands!
xoxo,
little luxury list formerly Chic ‘n Cheap Living
Katherine
June 21, 2014 at 12:26 pmYou changed your URL! I love the new name 🙂 Those households he’s created are amazing – he must have huge boards on his wall with them all mapped out!
Shahrul
June 21, 2014 at 1:13 amTalking about investment pieces, important also to note is where to sell. You know in Southeast Asia the prices here are much higher for Chanel and Hermes pieces and the stocks are limited. Supposed you’ve heard of the book ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ well the ‘community’ is burgeoning in this area.
I once sold via a reseller, a black B35 in GHW that I have used for many years in 2012 for approx USD13,000 (got it at FSH store for less than 10k!) Not only did my Birkin look very ordinary, the color is easy to get and the bag is used (the margin is the smallest if the leather is Togo and the exotics make the most profit) But I still made profit anyway so I was shocked yes. My observation: people here are so conscious with how they appear socially yet are not so knowledgeable on luxury shopping in general. (if they really google up on internet, they would’ve known where to get all these stuff directly but no they didn’t)
Their loss my gain ;P
Katherine
June 21, 2014 at 12:25 pmWow that’s a great return you got on that bag! The demand there is amazing.
Carolyn
June 21, 2014 at 8:50 amI need to get those toms!
Carolyn | BLOG
Glenda
June 21, 2014 at 3:26 pmCannot believe that Tom’s is my favorite of the three–usually my eye prefers whatever’s most expensive in the room…ha!
My brother is executor of my will, and I have left him explicit instructions that he should not overlook my Hermes scarves as part of my assets–bought most in the 1980’s and I’ve seen them on ebay in pristine condition for well over what I paid, sometimes twice that. He just chuckles, and then says, but with conviction, “Of course!”
At the same time as several of my friends, I read “Gone With the Wind” in junior high and then saw the movie, and I remember thoroughly enjoying both. At the same time, in 19th & 20th century American Lit class that year–yes, we had that in junior high–among many other things we read “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, one of the autobiographies of Frederick Douglass, and “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. Our teacher knew that nearly everyone in the class, both boys and girls, had read “Gone With the Wind”, so she had us discuss that in class, too. It was a great year of literature-study, and I’m glad I read it all.
Although I rarely re-read books–my list of books I want to read it sooo long and I can’t wait to get to the next one on the list!–I do see movies again every once in a while, and “Gone With the Wind” is one I enjoy seeing again every now and then.
bisbee
June 23, 2014 at 6:03 amThose shoes look cute, but they are way too high for me! I thought I could handle the Toms – tried them on and they were a no-go!
As far as books – thank you for that article. I haven’t read The Goldfinch…something held me back. I’m not inclined to read it after that article. Another book I tried to read and abandoned is Gone Girl. I know SO many people who loved it…read all of the great reviews…I hated it. I didn’t like any of the characters and instead of forcing myself to continue, I abandoned it. Maybe I’ll try again someday…but I doubt it!
Ava Lon
June 26, 2014 at 10:12 amDear Katherine,
I am a bit late to comment on this but I felt it important to come to your defense against those wrist-slappers re: “calling a closet/accessory purchase an investment” as I am sure many others have already in those posts.
Financially speaking, an “investment” is technically an asset that is bought and held with the hope that it will yield a profitable return on investment (ROI). People with the financial ability will sometimes purchase something they don’t necessarily need but want, for example, real estate and re-sell that property in the hopes that it bring a healthy profit.
Sartorially speaking, an ” fashion investment” is more oft than not some item that is purchased, used and the wearer feels that there is a “return-per-wear” in terms of ROI. Again, the item is one wants but does not need from a clearance rack Target brand blazer or a Chanel bag — could one live without a classic Chanel flap bag and have a full and wonderful life? Absolutely, but the feeling one gets from wearing his/her Chanel bag each time s/he wears it makes it worth the financial investment put into obtaining that bag. Especially if they somehow managed to get that bag on sale or via some discount.
Is there buyers remorse? On both financial and sartorial investments there are always feelings of regret at times or even all the time when an item costs an exorbitant amount, but hopefully in the end, people are happy with what they’ve got or as it’s often said, “it’s not having what you want but wanting what you’ve got.” Or… go get your crafting supplies and make it in paper here
http://lesailes.hermes.com/us/en/diy_jige?&xtor=EPR-2200&IdTis=XTC-DECX-D3HQ9D-DD-APSLX-HFI
lol
At the end of the day, “fashion investments” are just that — they are “investments” in which the ROI is manifested via “return-per-wear” like your beloved CL black pumps which you’ve worn through various climates and rainstorms, etc. both casually and professionally, and the icing on the cake for you is that they are actually comfortable! 😀 But a “fashion investment” could also be that Banana Republic blouse you got on sale for $14.99 and turned out to be one of your workhorse pieces in your wardrobe making it a “great investment” or the $0.99 nail polish you got on sale at the local drugstore on a whim which ended up being your favorite color for months – yet another great “investment” item.
How’s that for a wrist-slap back? 😉
Ava
Blondie, Esq.
July 1, 2014 at 10:41 pmOh my gosh I missed your interview with George R.R. Martin!! Love it. I’ve been thinking about re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire series but now it’s official! I couldn’t get enough the first time and flew through them, and rereading sounds like the perfect summer project. I really hope we see the next book sooner than late…I can’t wait to see what happens! Oh, and I still love Gone with the Wind and have since childhood (same with the movie). 🙂
Katherine
July 2, 2014 at 8:15 pmThanks Blondie! 🙂 So glad you are enjoying the books.