Little (and Big) Luxuries

I have a thing for luxury lately. I've been getting my fill of YouTube videos by luxury item aficionados (Pretty Shiny Sparkly is a favorite of mine) during our Christmas break. A vast majority of the things discussed in each video are things I cannot afford now (and probably won't be able to in the future), but oh, man, there is something so bizarrely interesting in peeking into the lives of women who can drop some serious dough on bags, make-up and other lovely things.

I would have thought watching and reading about all the swag some of these ladies get would send me into a serious spin of jealousy, and maybe it would have not so long ago, but instead I just find it interesting and kind of fun. I mean, the blogger/vlogger I mentioned above is a doctor. She, I assume, works hard for the money she has to spend on these luxury items. I can't begrudge someone their hard-earned cash and how they choose to spend it. And, honestly, even if she was just a wealthy housewife, there's really no sense in feeling upset that she has what I don't. No, instead I just sit back and think, "Wow! That's so cool!" And sometimes I even feel a bit inspired. No, I can't afford a Louis Vuitton purse (and nor do I particularly want one - I'm not sure I fully get the allure of Louis Vuitton; I would much prefer a Fendi, Chanel, or Burberry bag, but that's me), but I can afford (with a little mindfulness toward saving) a Kate Spade, Coach, or even a bag from our local designer at Rough and Tumble (next bag on my list of wants).

I enjoy the concept of luxury though, even if some specific items are out of my reach at the moment. After all, luxury is defined as, "the state of great comfort and extravagant living." Sure, the word "extravagant" implies a certain expense, but it's also all relative to one's life. What's extravagant for me may not be so for someone else. And great comfort, well now, that can be free, even if it is a rare or hard-won thing, like a warm and quiet bath or a day lounging in bed without disturbance (these are clearly mom luxuries). 

I can't afford to drop hundreds (or thousands) of dollars at a time, but I can do little things for myself, save my money for a few of my own kind of "luxury" items, and I can take care of what I have and make mindful purchases of things that I find aesthetically pleasing and are reminiscent of their more expensive counterparts. And, of course, I can take those baths when the opportunity arises.