November 1, 2008

The best vs the rest

Once you get used to the best, it's very hard to go back to the rest. I've learned this the practical way. As a student, I experienced the 'rest' firsthand. And after marriage now I get to experience the best. (Actually that started sometime after I started working having graduated from school, but this claim makes it sound even better, what say?) Before my family starts wondering if they haven't succeeded in offering me the 'best' in every way back when I was home in India, let me put those thoughts to rest. I am exclusively talking about the time that I have lived away from home.

These thoughts all occured to me when I was sitting at the coin laundry mindlessly watching my clothes toss and turn in the tumble dryer. As the clothes merrily danced into dryness, I caught sight of a white sock, now sooo pearly white that it was virtually unrecognisable from it's earlier self that can only be described as blackened at best. The difference was unbelievable. Who thought a machine could wash every garment soo well? I then realized that more than the machine itself, it was the detergent that made the difference. The clothes never felt this clean when we were previously using even the powder Ariel. But enter the liquid Ariel I am never going back to any other detergent. Makes me think back to the days at grad school when we used to buy something, the brand name which I can't remember because it wasn't economical to buy 'Tide', the best-selling counterpart out there for 3 people with laundry weekly.

The laundry is just an example and a very feeble one at that, on the topic that I am harping on. Here in Paris, alongwith my brand-conscious husband, I have had the fortune of experiencing really what the brands are about. We shop at Sephora, a very popular perfumerie that stocks the most famous brands in the world. I've found my scent there - Pure Poison by Dior. Once you use something like that, it's impossible to relapse to the happy days of Bath and Body Works sprays (though I love their bath products still). And then when we bought the perfume there, we were given samplers. This is what kills you. They give you free samples of some of the great stuff that they stock. For me, it was a J'adore (by Dior) bodywash and body lotion. I was sold. After using that, who could go back to buying Nivea or Faa? Not me. Yesterday I bought the full-size version. As for my husband, he is a walking n talking 'Jean-Paul Gaultier' brand ambassador (except he doesn't get paid for his conquests). He not only takes his personal care products seriously, religiously refilling every time he is out, he has sold no less than 10 people on the same products, some as unlikely to pick it up as my brother (Now my bro is soo sold on it, that he has located Sephora near his home in California for refills). If JPG agents are looking for representatives, please contact me for the details of my husband :D. That's what I am talking about. There's certainly more than just the names to the brands, if not in something less important as accessories, but in something as important as personal care. Having used Dior makeup also, I find it hard to use much else. What's the end to the story? Empty pockets, in a manner of speaking. Is it worth it? Maybe... after all, life is about living.

10 comments:

Saumya said...

Hi J,

I understand what you are talking abt, the parallel that i drew to my life was that when we initially came to the US we would shop for shoes at places like payless and now its progressed to perhaps aldo..(its a branded shoestore...dont know if u've heard of it)..anyhoo or shop at walmart for stuff like pj's, but now its VS all the way..but sometimes all this feels extremely materialistic, if u know what i mean?..does dior or whatever truly give u happiness?...or the other case if u scrimp and save that money, does a full pocket truly give u happiness?..:)..and sometimes i feel that the answer is YES..because once u have seen the power of how money works..u never want to be scrimping again..and i think thats a sad state of affairs..:)..

Jaya said...

Saumya -> Well, you may be right on some level. But I have a question - what's the power of unused money? And yes, Dior gives me that total womanly feel and that boosts my general confidence in turn and that's sorta worth it. And it's soo great when everyone compliments you on the scent. Mmmmm.. Well, I do agree that extravaganza isn't the way to go. You don't want to be left scrimping. But a perfume that lasts a year for 80€ (when used occasionally) is an indulgence that's totally worth it. And then there's the good old adage... buy a pair of Nikes and forget buying shoes for a long long time. I used to be about the quantity... I m slowly starting to appreciate quality over it. It's taking some training from the husband, but it's surely happening!

Anonymous said...

"After all life is about living" - Well said.

Jaya said...

Thanks Anon. Keep visiting!

Vidhya said...

I am proud of shravan for having brought this change in ur life..It does feel good to own these expensive things..Like my Chanel Allure ..Felt a lill guilty for spending $95 in my student days but I still have it :) and boy do I feel good when I wear it..
Btw the soap's name was Purex..

Jaya said...

Vidu -> Thanks for bringing the name Purex back to mind... It was that unmemorable. And yes I was there when you picked up Allure :D

Anonymous said...

nice post. better than usual, because of your candidness. but no, you dont need to feel more womanly because of some product. i feel most womanly when i'm prancing about with not a stitch of clothing on myself, and with no embellishments. it's not about the products. it's about you.
that said, enjoy the dior!

Jaya said...

Anon -> Thanks... I guess the "womanly" thing varies from woman to woman... While for you, its your own skin, some others might be happier with great lingerie, for others still its a scent, a shampoo or just about anything. And yes, the Dior certainly helps when accompanied by other compliments with respect to it :)

Shiva kumar Shankar said...

I swear by Davidoff :D. there is something quite classy and mild yet very woodsy about it, that I cant think of anything else. The after shave balm and shower gel, makes the matters even better :D. I like Calvin Klein's Obsession too!

My wife is completely sold on Youth Dew by Estee Lauder

Jaya said...

Shiva -> Everyone has different tastes as is obvious from the vocal proclamations of all the "commentors". But the common skein is that they are branded. So there is something more to it than the name... :)

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