Trends are Expensive.

I'm pretty sure it was Christmas circa 1998 that I asked for Jack Purcell's (the white ones with the extra thick soles...you know the ones), London Undergrounds (the black ones with the white stitching), Doc Martens and the black platform Steve Madden's. That's $250.00 in SHOES for a 7th grader. (Were we in 7th grade in 1998? Again, no good at math.)

You know why I asked for all of those shoes? Because all the other girls either had them or were asking for them. God knows I probably also asked for tweezers for my already too thin and mishapen eyebrows and razors for my legs that I was convinced needed shaving (I was hairless THEN..late bloomer over here). Did anyone else have moms who didn't want you shaving until you were in high school?

Moving on.

My precious mama bought me those damn shoes and to this day I feel bad for guilting her into it. My mom sacrificed everything to make sure she had kids who had it all. (God bless ya.) I've never met two harder working parents who provided for their kids rather than splurge on themselves. What a pain in the ass we were.

You know what the last year of trends has done for us? We all live in a god damned prison cell with our black and white curtains, rugs, towels, pillows, etc. It's really getting out of hand here, folks. Although I have to say, I really love my black and white blanket from Ikea. It was $25.00. I am ALMOST certain I paid for it on a credit card. At this point I've probably spent $70.00 on that blanket.

Trends are expensive. What's in is constantly changing. Tile countertop to granite countertop to chopping block countertop to cement countertop (which, by the way, if you changed from granite, good job - hear that shit is radioactive). JK, but seriously. From LEI's to Hudson's to Gap jeans to Sevens to J Brand. From the iPhone six months ago to whatever hell the new iPhone is (and the new charger because the old ones isn't adaptable). It's crazy. And we all, okay, not all, but a lot of us play into it. The bigger TV, the larger cable package, blah blah blah. I could go on...and I will, because I've had wine.

Even if we can pay for these things, why are we? Isn't our money better spent elsewhere? Three things I would splurge on other than new fancy stuffs: healthy food, traveling and saving.

If you weren't buying a new black and white rug (the $300.00 one from Ikea...yeah, I've been drooling over it for a year), what would you spend your money on?

This year, because my two absolute favorite pairs of jeans (and the only jeans I own) have holes IN THE CROTCH, (No, I don't know how they got there...I don't ride bikes or do anything weird in my jeans, folks. I've had plenty of inquiries about this.) I asked for a new pair of J Brands for Christmas. My favorite pair of J Brands are $187.00. THAT IS ONE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT. Yes, I just yelled at you. And me. SO, my mama being the smart lady she is took me down to TJ Maxx for two pairs of jeans for $17.00. Mama didn't want me walkin' round like a hussy in jeans without a crotch, 'pparently.) Thanks, Mom - always lookin' out.

One day whenI can AFFORD those lovely jeans, I'll indulge, but until then...I'll be the non trendy Maxxinista. (Yeah, I just went there.)

That's all I got.

Happy Thanksgiving, ya turkeys.

Take some tupperware with you tomorrow. Don't let that stuffin' go to waste.