I bought this.
Otherwise known as this,
"Hmm," you might well say. "Hmm, LPC, is this, um, OK? Is this, um, actually a High WASP approved bag?" Or, were you truly concerned, "LPC, what on earth were you thinking!"
I know, I know. I called my sister. The one in Berkeley who has her Ph.D. in Social Work and Public Policy. She was very honest. She told me that Louis Vuitton is NOT currently a High WASP approved brand. She let me down easy. She said, "On the other hand, they USED to be...."
Here's what I told her. I told her I know. I told her I know that LV deserted their carriage trade roots when they started stamping that dang logo all over the dang place. I told her I know I have been a Very Bad High WASP. But I pled my case.
First, the logo is stamped, not printed, so it's hard to see. Second, the bag LOOKS to be classic black. When you are inside. Third, it's a tote for goodness's sake, a close cousin to the archetypal
L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. Fourth, I needed an impeccable bag for job interviews and this one is terribly well-designed, plenty of space, easy to locate inner pocket. But even I knew that these were feeble, feeble excuses indeed. The real truth is more insidious.
I wanted it. The color is "Amarante." This is the
Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Brentwood in Amarante . Oooh. Sounds like the title of some nobility or other. It's a dark, eggplantish, maroonish, SPARKLY, patent leather. With luggage leather belted straps. And it makes it clear that once upon a time, when Tiffany bowls were monogrammed, and tweed jackets donned and doffed, and polo trophies won, my family had money. I'm hardly living in poverty, but no one would accuse me of, in that High WASP euphemism, "having money." At least not an overwhelming amount. But I live in Silicon Valley. As do the founders of Apple, Oracle, Google, Yahoo, Hewlett Packard, Intel....everyone has money. I wanted to purchase myself a subtle enough but not too subtle symptom of privilege. An aramante stripe, if you will, for a gray fish amid tropical brilliance. There.
I apologize. I'm sharing here as penance. I will carry it for a long time. The cost per carry will approach zero, as they say in Calculus BC. I pat it. I will be a better person in my next incarnation. For now, I will just be good to other people's children who cry in supermarkets. And I will donate money to the people canvassing outside those supermarkets. I promise. Get me quick.
Notice how I am not posting the price? Even in this day of no privacy, I just can't bring myself to type those numbers. But ooh it's pretty.Labels: high WASP, Interesting Brands