Keeping up with the Jones'

Have you seen the new INStyle magazine? Beautiful Sandra Bullock is on the cover...while a lot of BULL$#!? lies within. How is this magazine in the regular grocery stores for regular women like me to buy when the pages are saturated with things we cannot afford? Even in the "Deals and Steals" section, they show a pair of shoes for $169 and a clutch evening bag for $168. Get real, people! Even if I had somewhere to bring a teeny tiny metallic purse (try fitting diapers and a sippy cup in there) my husband would kill me if I bought one. I love the style ideas, but who can actually afford this stuff, especially in this economy?

In our neighborhood, the idea of luxury you cannot really afford is encouraged. People are in serious up-to-the-eyeballs debt. I know folks making minimum payments and paying just finance charges so they can have a certain lifestyle, but more poignantly, the LOOK of a certain lifestyle. Pride be damned, I would much rather spend our hand-to-mouth earnings on just that: what goes in our mouth.

The last time we went our for dinner, I had buyer's remorse. It was Valentine's day and I had serious expectations about how wonderful the night would be. We went through the hassle of getting a sitter, getting the kids all ready and doing the ten million things needed to set them up while we are away (how easy it must be for Brad and Angelina to just leave their staff with the kids). I wore an old dress that I had never worn. I borrowed accessories from a friend and was totally pleased with my cheap-chic look. We went to a place which was nice, but there were no prices on the menu. I guess it goes back to the old saying: if you have to ask the price, you probably cannot afford it. Well, after some pretty good food that came in very small portions, our bill came out to $300. ??????!!!!!

So what IS the lifestyle I want here. I love shopping, I love eating out, and I love feeling like I am splurging on myself every now and then. But...I would rather have spaghetti at home in my Target-bought sweatpants that go into debt. The leather Gucci bags and trips to fancy restaurants will have to belong to the stars in InStyle and the other people in my neighborhood.