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Saturday, June 27, 2009

details

I've been trying to come up with something to put here. Something that doesn't have to do with work. (Oh, and speaking of work...I now have business cards. Real, official ones that my manager ordered for me. Like with the company logo and MY NAME on them! I've never had business cards with my name on them! I look so important now!)

The other day a girl at work (Despite the use of the word "work" this is not a work story. It just happened to take place there. Sorry to all of you who had to go get your reading glasses to even be able to tell that these were actual words and not a faint green line in the middle of a sentence. I just wanted to make sure it was said and since it wasn't an integral part of the story I thought I should change the font to teeninecy. Is teeninecy a word? And if so how is it spelled exactly?) asked me if I was wearing lavender eyeliner. It was a shade of purple so I said yes. She said she liked it. A couple of days later she asked another girl if she was wearing "Shell eyeshadow by Loreal"? The girl answered, "no, it's Pale Moon by Estee Lauder." Now there are two things I find funny about this. First of all I had no idea what the actual shade of my eyeliner was called nor did I know who made it. (Purple Amethyst by Almay...yeah...I looked at it later.) Second, both of these girls could call out shades of eyeshadow and the companies who made them without missing a beat. Wow.

This past week a friend was in the market for a new car. She mentioned that she was looking at Jeep Wranglers. I had to look it up online to be sure what a Jeep Wrangler looked like. I had driven my dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee so I knew what it looked like, but I really don't know that much about cars. If I've owned it I can pick it out, but other than that I'm lost.

I don't recognize many major brands. I try on shoes based on how they look and buy them based on how comfortable they are. It doesn't make a difference to me if they happen to have a fancy name stamped on the inside. I figure most places I go people aren't going to see the name of the maker of my shoes unless I take them off. I never take my shoes off unless I'm at home where my family could care less who makes my shoes. I'm the same way with purses. Does it have what I am looking for? If so I buy it. If not I don't. Period. Later when I discover that I bought some fancy brand I'm surprised. I had no idea.

Are we seeing a pattern here? For someone who usually pays close attention to life I find it interesting that I am fairly clueless about those types of things. I am usually a details type person, but for some reason those details just don't compute.

13 comments:

I can't find my blog said...

There's so much I could say here about our culture....but I'll narrow it to just this= You seem to notice the relational, emotional, beautiful things in life which is good. Those girls, (and many in our society,) notice only the 'status' things. Name brands, etc., which isn't so great. I think you've got it nailed!

Classy Fab Sarah said...

We are complete opposites! I remember brands and labels and all of that without even trying. I also remember all types of cars - makes and models and all that. I have NO idea why I remember that kind of stuff, especially since I'm not exactly going to be buying any of it soon...

Marcia said...

I'm so glad you are not a brand-name snob! You are a people-watcher, which is much more interesting. And some "kids" are really too concerned about unimportant stuff.

Andrea said...

I like this.

We are a consumer-driven culture. When are we going to realize that too much is more than enough? I like having a few nice/name brand items......because they mean more. When you have 10 Coach purses-how can you appreciate ALL of them?

Jason, as himself said...

I also remember name brands and labels, but because it is important to me. It just happens.

Now if you ask me to remember the name of someone I just barely met, I probably wouldn't be able to tell you.

Which is more important?

Tamara said...

I am just like this! I can never remember what color lipstick I wear, so I always have to take the empty tube to the store with me!

And all Hondas/Toyotas/minivans etc. look pretty much the same to me.

My purses and shoes just need to fit my needs (comfort, color, style, heel, pockets, straps, etc.).

But I do have certain hair products that I love...a girl's gotta have standards! :)

~m said...

I'm with you!

If the shoe fits, wear it, especially if it is cheap AND comfortable and leaves money left over to buy ice cream.

Joe @ IrrationalDad said...

I can't remember ANYTHING (hence the reason for my blog). Brand names and shades are only important to the people that think they're important. I'm with you, I don't buy stuff because it's cool or "in". I buy stuff because it's comfortable, or because I think it looks good/flattering on me.

Domestic Goddess said...

I'm mostly clueless. Except when I find good stuff at second hand stores for next to nothing and it is in very good shape (or still has tags). Then I'm excited.

But makeup? None. I think I know the shampoo I use. That's it.

Sra said...

Ha, that reminds me of a story of mine when Ian and I were renting a car in Portland last weekend. The agent told us we could have a Kia Spectra or a Dodge something or other. I looked at Ian and was like, "Do you know anything about those cars?" since I can't tell cars of the same variety (compact, SUV, etc.) apart. He said, "I drive a Kia Spectra."

"Oh, well I've driven one of those before, I'll take that one!"

The only reason I can pick his car out of a lot is because it's electric blue. But put another electric blue car nearby and I get confused.

Anonymous said...

I have some friends in track at school, and I think it is so funny to watch them freak out about their new Nike Airs or whatever they're called. And then I have some friends who just drool over Coach and Juicy purses. I guess the thing I find crazy about this is that some of those purses are just ugly, with brand name stamped in size 72 font on the front. :)

jk said...

I realize you are not into brands, that is too cool... I have ben recently sucked into the vortex by owning a Harvey bag... It is a purse made entirely out of seatbelts, and I receive compliments constantly... I hope you can join me by picking one up... it may help you remember your mascara, too.. I use Bad Gal Lash by Benefit :)

Anonymous said...

Hm. I'm curious to know how old the girls who knew the brands were.

I fall in the middle. I can tell you that I'm wearing Clinique "All Heart" lipstick only because someone asked what color and I looked and it got stuck in my head...and that Steve Madden made my shoes, but only because I love most of his design work. I like the pink shade of my lipstick and the design/comfort of my shoes. Otherwise? My pants are from Target I think and I don't even know if my tshirt has a lable. It's all cozy.