I like Real Simple. I'm a big fan. Love their ideas about double duty household items and their tips for how to get things clean and organized. I'm just not so sure how simple Real Simple is anymore.
I was browsing through the April issue when I came upon a special feature in their style section about colorful handbags, subheaded: "12 vivid purses to light up your life." I scanned the pictures first. Colorful indeed -- there were purses in every color of the rainbow, and one in hot pink to boot. They came in all shapes and sizes, in designs fit for formal and informal occasions.
There was one on the last page of the spread that I really liked -- a cute little green one that would match the color of my Beetle -- until I took a peek at the price. It was a Marina Rinaldi and came in at a cool $620.00. Okay, so it's "beautifully crafted of ostrich-embossed leather" and made by a designer whose name sounds Italian (translation: expensive). I should have known.
And while the kelly green shoulder bag was the most expensive on its page, it was not the most expensive in the four-page spread. No, that distinction belonged to a bright turquoise blue Miu Miu (not to be confused with the oversized colorful house dresses of a similar name), made of "luxurious Italian leather." Sure, the blurb acknowledged that it was a "splurge," but I can't say I understand just what makes this bag "supremely special," besides the fact that it costs more than most major kitchen appliances.
As I kept looking, I discovered that $50.00 would land me a "seriously spacious" patent-leather carry-all in lipstick red (the cheapest on their list), and after that I could get a matching Banana Republic clutch in shiny red patent-leather big enough to hold my keys and driver's license for just under $100.00. Another real bargain! (Not!)
The average price of a purse in these four Real Simple pages? $375.50! Even without the unreasonable Miu Miu and the cheapest purse skewing the figures, the average remains above the $300.00 mark. Could the editors be suggesting that the simple life includes a $300.00+ purse?
So when I spend $19.00 on a designer (or no brand) handbag on the discount racks at TJ Maxx, am I committing a venial sin against rampant consumerism? Or am I just keeping it simple, for real?
3 comments:
glad to have your blog entries back...a nice break for me from the rigors of motherhood. I like the way real simple looks, but the more i read it, the more i realized that they are trying to get you to simplify your life by buying more stuff. that just does not compute in my book either! I covet things enough without having a magazine tell me what I need! bj
DEAR Valerie! I wrote 2 comments on this blatant consumerism and how our daughter followed the thriftyness we tried to "pound" in our children"s heads.Instead of a pricey bag - look what you will be living in pretty soon.Hugs and more congratulations to you both, Love , A very proud MOM.
I have noticed that same phenomenon in "O" magazine as well. It frustrates me more from that magazine, especially knowing her audience. Many of the viewers cannot afford $600 purses, which tend to be toward the "lower" end price of many products. What gets me is that MOST magazines have such ridiculously priced products...
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