Out of Sight Out of Want

Nowadays I seldom go to Orchard Road unless for an occasional lunch appointment. Last week I made a trip to Kinokuniya at Nee Ann City to buy some children books. Around late afternoon I went to the basement to have some snacks. I found a seat next to a table of well groomed ladies. From their conversation I could deduce they were Indonesian tourists. As their chat became more animated with laughter and hand gestures I began to notice their flashy fingers studded with coloured stones and diamonds.

After a while a group of Japanese tai tai came and plonked themselves and their shopping bags on the table to my right. They were very tastefully dressed. One younger lady was wearing a smart casual black dress which matched so well with her pastel purple clutch bag decked with soft silk roses. I had an interesting time scrutinising these two group of people. Whilst the ladies on my left were colourful and flashy the ladies on my right were tasteful and more pleasing to my eyes. Needless to say I think I look like a poor local cousin stuck in the middle, with my mid calf cargo pants and navy blue stripped T-Shirt which I bought at Premark London for 4 pounds (and which I always think is quite chic).

Instinctively afterwards I started to enter some shops although I meant to head home originally. So I dropped in at Espirit, Zara etc but was thankful that nothing of interest caught my eyes because the pricing wasn't to my liking. Just as I passed Warehouse there was this lovely purple blouse that charmed me (lingering effect of the purple clutch bag)and I dragged myself in to check the price; $149, and dragged myself out again. Even when I worked at my former job, I had never spent more than a $100 bucks on a blouse. "What audacity to spend $149 on a blouse when my current earned income is a tiny fraction of those grandeur days". So you see, whilst you are working you better spend and purchase whatever fancies you because once you retire you will find it difficult to "waste" money. Without the monthly cash inflow of your last drawn salary, you will be on austerity drive forever. You will only be looking at your income statement irrespective of how healthy your balance sheet may be.

Last week CNA also had a live morning show where businesses were invited to showcase their products. There was this business that sells couture jewelery. The camera man did a great job zooming in on an exquisitely beautiful piece of necklace made of a combination of pearls, crystals and diamonds. The designer said it was to give you a feeling that the pearls are floating. The host of the show was enthralled with a pair of dangling saphire ear rings and gave a little squeal when told the price was $60,000. The promoter then remarked that $60k is a very reasonable price to look good.

So I had a week experiencing some "wanting" seduced by the fashion and jewelery industry. For quite some time I have not felt any need to go shopping. In the school environment where I work I just need to look neat walking admist PE teachers wearing shorts and collar T-shirts and lady teachers wearing light and comfortable blouses (whilst trying to keep cool in the non air-cond classrooms and raising their voices on top of the childrens' chatter). Now I also begin to comprehend why people spend thousands on a bag, a piece of clothing or jewelery. They need to blend in with the circle and environment they move in. For me it is better out of sight to be out of want, and to avoid conflict with my internalised austerity drive.