Musings of a Fashionista Trapped in Tech

Super Sweet Sixteen???

2006-08-08T21:25:00.000-04:00

I was channel surfing and came across a nauseating show on MTV called My Super Sweet Sixteen. Each episode profiles a spoiled rotten teenager with an over-the-top extravagant party. It seems to always include celebrity performances and a "surprise" car for the birthday boy/gal. This morning's Today Show also talked about the trends for bigger parties as parents are trying to top eachother. Apparently, "Teenzillas" have now replaced the "bridezillas".

My issue is really with the parents, I wonder if they even realize the values (or lack thereof) they are teaching their kids. Regardless of how wealthy the parents are, a $110,000 Mercedes for a 16 year old is beyond comprehension. I felt my stomach turn watching these overindulged teenagers bemoan the lack of a famous singer at the party or pouting about not finding the right dress (in paris!).

This makes me think of the other extreme. Warren Buffet, the world's second richest man, is also famous for not setting up any trustfunds for his children and grandchildren. He made it clear that he would fully fund their education, through graduate school, but once they graduate, that's it, nada, nilch, you gotta go work. He is donating all of his money to charity. There's a famous proverb in Chinese that literally translated means, wealth will not last more than 3 generations. The premise behind the statement is that with each passing generation there's less appreciation for hardwork and the value of money.

I eagerly await the follow-up show in 10 years, "Super Sweet Sixteen - Where are They Now?"

Credit Card Debt

2006-07-29T23:42:00.000-04:00

I just read on an internet forum that a die-hard Madonna fan is $20K in credit card debt from travelling around the country catching all 32 US shows. I don't pass judgement on what the debt comes from, I think we all have our weaknesses and vices (handbags being mine), but $20K in credit card debt, period, is a lot to swallow!

I wonder if years from now, he would regret that one summer of following Madonna around when he's still paying for it. For this post, forget that it's related to Madonna, credit card debt in this current economy is freaking scary! Interest rates have been rising and although I don't carry a balance on my cards, I saw that the APR is currently at 17.99% (Yikes!)

Considering that "high-yield savings accounts" such as the one's offered by Citibank, HSBC, ING, etc. are around a 5% APR, carrying cc debt at 17,20, or sometimes 30% APR is a black hole that people get sucked into and can't get out. My best wishes to this super Madonna fan, hopefully he'll be able to dig out of the CC hole sooner than later.

Madonna concert review and can you believe more gadgets?

2006-07-22T11:38:00.000-04:00

I'm experiencing Madonna concert withdrawal... Went to the show in Atlantic City last week and just had an absolute blast! She was in top-form, non-stop singing and dancing for close to 2 hours and I was loving every minute. The one thing that bugged me was the lack of enthusiasm from the Atlantic City crowd. Of course, the die-hard fans and myself included were dancing, jumping, screaming, and clapping, but a good portion of the attendees were just sitting there. Worse yet, I was the only one in my section that was screaming and jumping. Made me miss the DC crowd so much, we rocked the house at Re-Invention 2 years ago at MCI Center. Madonna, please come back to D.C! I was so jazzed about the show that I had a special swarovski crystal t-shirt made enblazoned with "Confessions Tour, Madonna" on it since I didn't like any of the shirts they were selling on FanFire. Got lots of compliments on it and several woman approached me to ask where I got my shirt. :) Hey, a fashionista has to stay in form at all times!

I loved the show so much that I seriously considered booking a last minute ticket to Miami to see if I could catch it one last time before she heads to Europe. Logistically, I just couldn't make it work between my schedule, last minute airfare prices, and most importantly, I'd need to book a hotel in Miami's peak Summer season. *sigh* I've been scanning YouTube a lot to find good video clips from the show and reminescing that way until the NBC broadcast in November or when the DVD is released. Until then, I'm jealous of the Miami concert folks who get to see her tonight. :( The good news is, other than the concert ticket, everything else was pretty much free. We got a free suite at Borgata (the room was beautiful by the way), a free dinner at Bobby Flay's Steak (yum), and the hubby won $600!

My spending is just out of control this month. What happened? Why is it that all the cool gadgets have been catching my eye left and right? With my last post I talked about my new Vaio laptop and my iPod. Now, I've broken the ban and bought a new digital camera. Yup, I was really hoping to wait until January, but I'm justifying it because I've got 2 weddings to go to this summer, a trip to Europe, and potentially Cabo. I researched CNET, Consumer Reports, PC Mag, and read reviews on PopPhoto and Amazon; finally decided on the Casio Exilim Z600. It's teeny-tiny, sleek, and I love all the best shot modes. I'm really looking forward to using it.

Then, of course, the Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale started last week. It's one of my favorite sales and I ended up buying a ton of clothes, new shoes, clothes for the hubby, and -- more gadgets. This time, it's personal care related. I've been reading a lot about the Clarisonic facial cleaning brush and have largely ignored it. That's until I found out that it was created by the inventor of Sonicare toothbrushes. Those who know me know that I am obsessed with my Sonicare. I got my first one from a friend 7 years ago and became hooked. My dental visits have been a breeze and I use it religiously twice a day. It's also amazingly durable, I've only upgraded it once (bought a newer model at Costco 2 years ago). Anyway, once I found it it was by the same inventor as Sonicare, I had to buy one. Hey, if the technology has been this good for my teeth, think about the possibilities for my face? Nordies had an Anniversary special, the brush with a free cleanser, pouch, and headband. So I got it. Used it last night and loved it, my face just felt really, really "clean" and poreless.

One more gadget to write about... My hairdryer died. It was a cheap $20 one from CVS I bought 8 years ago. I've lived through it chewing my hair and everything, now it's gone, I need a new one. So... I saw the T3 Tourmaline dryer that is supposedly good for your hair, etc. etc. It's also $200. I haven't bought it yet, but I'm sure I'll break down and get it soon. Here's the recap on gadget spend this month:

- Laptop: $1379
- iPod: $100 (only paid the upgrade from the Nano I got as a gift)
- Camera: $250
- Clarisonic: $195
- T3 Dryer: $200 (I'm counting it because I know I can't resist)
--------------
$2,074 (and that's not counting the clothes from Nordies!)

Yikes!!! I can only find comfort in knowing that I didn't go into credit card debt for any of this.

Until next time...

Gadgets Galore

2006-07-09T13:06:00.000-04:00

It was time for a little upgrading in the electronics department. My laptop at home is 3 years old and it's starting to go on the fritz. Yes, the hard drive only has 20GB of storage and my itunes alone was running around 5GB. Yikes! So I started researching, and found that the Sony VAIO FS290 with the Raspberry cover is exactly -- me!

I'm in love.. totally, completely in love with it. The screen is an xbrite high resolution widescreen display and it sure beats the crap out of my old filmsy looking screen. The key board is nice and wide, very user-friendly. Best of all, I got an amazing deal buying it online with with no tax, shipping, and even a slight discount.

I also got a new iPod. My beloved pink mini is still going on strong and I use that one on trips to the gym. I received a nano as a present, but I know I wanted to watch videos/TV shows on the go, so I exchanged it for the 30GB model. I love it, all of my accessories are still compatible (except that I bought a new leather case), and now I can see all the album covers from the songs.

I'm going to hold off on buying a new digital camera or cell phone. These gadgets are fun, but pricey...

Can't wait for the Confessions Tour!

2006-07-01T11:52:00.000-04:00

It has been so unbelievably crazy the entire month of May and June that it just hit me that this blog is in serious need of an update. I planned and hosted my company's annual event in June that fortunately was a smashing success. After all the sleepless nights and 18 hour workdays fretting over the logistics, turnout, etc. I was just so glad it's over. BTW, for those following my adventures in hiring an assistant... I found the perfect one! She's been onboard since late May and thank goodness she was there to help with the event. So why was she better than rest? She researched our company, came prepared with questions, dressed professionlly, is intelligent and articulate, and demonstrated a "can do" attitude that I really needed to see. I'm so happy with the hire and have always treated my assistants well (no devil wears prada drama here!) .

Almost immediately after the big company event, the hub and I were actually able to get away for a week on a spur-of-the-moment cruise to the bahamas that lead to a new purchase.. a diamond accented Phillip Stein Teslar watch. Mine looks slightly different than the pic, with roman numerals on the dial. Killer deal though, with tax and duty savings and my tough negiotiations, I got it for about 30% below US Retail. I know it sound hokey, but the watch as these "electromagnetic" chips in it that supposedly calms you, reduces stress, and decreases all the electro-stuff that courses through your body due to cellphones, computers, etc. Not that I really believe all this.. just love the look of the watch and it didn't hurt that Oprah and Madonna wear this!

On the subject of this post... I simply cannot wait to see Madonna in concert again this year! I'm going to the July 16th show in Atlantic City and have just heard nothing but the most fabulous reviews. A quick shout out to MadonnaTribe.com, they have the most comprehensive info on the confessions tour. I've been checking out that site to see the set list, etc. I've been a fan since 6th grade and think she is just an incomparable live performer. I even ordered the tour book and a t-shirt online which made my husband shake his head and asked if I was too old for all this. :) He's such a great guy, he teased me about all this, but he's driving me to AC and the one who made the hotel reservations. I can't wait..

How Not to Interview

2006-05-07T11:15:00.000-04:00

This is a long overdue entry! Work has been completely crazy and I haven't had any time to write. So here's a quick recap of the month:

- I'm trying to hire an assistant at work
- Helping a friend plan her wedding
- Have contractors at the house making home improvements
- Been so busy did NO shopping (yay!)

Ok, so in reference to hiring an assistant, I really think students need a class that teaches them how to interview during high school/college. Here are some interview issues I've personally seen:

- Do NOT chew gum during the interview
- DO give a firm handshake (There's nothing worse than the "dead fish" limp shake)
- Do NOT call my office from the bus stop asking for a ride (this was an interviewee from a few years ago)
- ALWAYS research the company your interviewing with. It doesn't show genuine interest if you don't even know the type of business the company is in!
- ALWAYS have a list of questions prepared, if you don't have any, then I assume you're not interested

Read a few books on how to interview and prepare yourself!

Madonna!

2006-04-10T16:08:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since my last post! Here's a quick recap of things since my last post:

- Got stuck with a $800 bill from my car dealership
- Stayed away from a Neiman Marcus double-points event
- Found out my investments are kicking butt
- Started to cook more and eat-out less

Such a story of 2 steps forward and 1 step back... So on with the subject of this post...

I just bought tickets to see Madonna on her Confessions Tour! I love Madonna and her concerts are amazing. I saw Re-Invention in 2004 and was just blown away by the dancers, the production, the theatrics of it all. Unfortunately, she's not coming to DC this summer, so I got tickets for Atlantic City. Yes, the tickets are astronomically priced ($350 + fees), and I wouldn't pay this kind of $$ under any normal circumstance, but it's Madonna!!

Cost per Wear

2006-03-30T10:49:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about Cost-Per-Wear (CPW) lately (maybe it's because of spring cleaning). For those who aren't familiar with this term, it's a method of calculating the actual cost of a fashion item. The formula is simple: Take the item's price and divide it by the number of times you wear it. All the fashion magazine's have done stories on CPW. Examples include a Hermes Birkin bag at $6000 / 365 days (assuming you use it every day the first year) = $16.43 CPW. Of course, the lower the CPW number, the better.

I started to inventory my designer bags, shoes, jewelry, watches, etc. and here's just an example of some of my CPW:
- Diamond Wedding Set: $6.58 (wearing it everyday for over 5 years)
- Limited Louis Vuitton bag: $1350.00 (used twice at special occasions)
- Watch: one at $70, another at $17.65, and one at $550
- Shoes: Beloved pair of great guccis that goes with everything $1.39, pair of Manolos that have never been worn: $565

So, I've decided that I'm going to let go of some of the high CPW pieces. I've gotten pretty low (or no) mileage on them and I'm seeing how wasteful it all is.

Have some fun with this one, calculate the CPW of some of your items. :)

Powerless against Louis Vuitton

2006-03-27T12:51:00.000-05:00

I finally decided against the Louis Vuitton perforated speedy I bought after my husband gently reminded me that I already have 3 speedys in different styles (a regular monogram 25, a cherry cerises 25, and a white multicolor 30), so do I really want another one? With so many new bags coming out this spring that I have my eye on (Chloe Edith, Dior Gaucho, Fendi B), I decided to return the speedy. As I was driving to the store, I kept saying to myself "be strong, just return, no exchanges, just return, just return..." I got there and I saw the most adorable denim mules and caved. Ugh, the good news is, I still ended up with a big credit and I'm justifying it as I can wear the shoes all spring/summer so I'll get my $$ worth. I can never walk out of that store empty handed! *hangs head in shame*

FICO Scores

2006-03-20T13:08:00.000-05:00

I ordered my free annual credit reports this weekend and they gave the option of paying $5.95 extra to obtain your credit score. I knew I was doing well, but man, was I pumped to see 747 and 753! Most of the books I've read said that over 720 and you're golden with the best interest rates, etc. What pissed me off is all the inquiries I saw on the report (not the stupid promotional ones). The mortagage company for my investment condo ordered it 4 times!! I'm sure the score would've been even higher if it weren't for them. I had read that as long as you keep mortagage inquiries to a 10 day window, they count it as one inquiry, unfortunately, mine checked it randomly in a 4 month timeframe!

Does anyone know if you can dispute inquiries?

Automatic Millionaire Plan

2006-03-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

David Bach is one of my favorite financial book authors and I read Automatic Millionaire about 2 years ago and augmented my plan to make everything more "automatic". The principles are very simple and if you can stick with the plan, you'll see your nest egg grow virtually painless! I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how some of my investments/savings have grown and hope that someone else can benefit from the plan. Here's what I do:

- 401K: I started contributing to a company 401K plan when I was 22, unfortunately, I suffered massive losses when my old company became synonomous with one of the largest corporate scandals (MCI). I currently max out the contribution, but I work for a small company that doesn't offer a match. If you can't manage maxing it out, at least contribute to the point of company match.

- Investment account: During the internet hayday, I tried the whole "I-can-be-my-own-stock-broker" plan and yeah, suffice to say I didn't do so well. A valuable lesson I learned from all that is -- let the pros handle it! Please open your account with a reputable brokerage firm (I use Smith Barney) and have a financial advisor do a investment analysis for you. I did just this, bought a few mutual funds that my advisor recommended and have not had to think about all this. Now, if you can deal with the constant highs and lows managing your own stocks, go for it, but I don't have that kind of time or stomach for it. For this account, I automatically have $150 deducted from my bank account each month. I time the auto deduction to happen right on payday, so I don't miss it!

- Roth IRA: I contribute to a Roth too since it's tax-free withdrawals after retirement. Try to start with even just $50 - $100/month.

- High-Yield Savings: I highly recommend opening a high-yield savings account, such as the one offered by HSBC bank at 4.80% APY! That's the highest I've seen, and there's no minimum and no fees! I set up an automatic transfer on the first of every month.

I did all of the above and now I've got a nice nest egg stashed away. Don't wait on this, the power of compounding astonished me and I wish I had started even sooner. I know you might think that with your bills, etc. that it is impossible to do this, but trust me you can. Bach says, "pay yourself first". Allocate whatever you can into a savings/retirement/investment account, then worry about your bills, etc. Another trap we tend to fall into (and yes, I've been a victim to this) is that with every raise, promotion, etc. We tend to end up spending a lot more. Try to at least save 50% of your increase or try living off your old salary. Next thing you know you're off to a nice, relaxing retirement. :)

Bonus Time

2006-03-11T21:13:00.000-05:00

I finally found out the amount of my annual bonus and I have to admit that I'm somewhat dissapointed. I've worked my tail off in 2005, basically doing the job of 2 people and it's much less than I expected. Let me explain.. My bonus is essentially 15% of my annual salary. 50% is dependent on company revenue/performance, and the other 50% on personal performance. Well, my company did "OK" last year, but we didn't achieve our sales target, so we only got 40% of the maximum company target. I met all of my goals and then some, so I could tell my VP was embarrassed to tell me that no one in the company got 100% of their personal target due to our company's cash flow. Basically the company average was 65% attainment of their personal target, and I got 80%. My VP told me that the CEO wanted me to know that only 3 people in the entire company got 80% and that I am regarded highly as a "star performer".

I will say that I am flattered and that I truly regard bonuses as just that -- a bonus. I don't factor it into my financial planning or budgeting, but damn it, I EARNED my personal performance amount! All those nights/weekends, travel for the company, I feel like I was jipped! Well, I am thankful that I am in a job I love (even though it's not in fashion), and a growing company that has lots of potential.

As to what to do with the money, I'm going to save it. I have one of those high yield savings account with 4.80% APY and I'm going to stash it in there. Yes, I'm going to be good and not spend it on a new bag or clothes. :)

Yay for Chloe!

2006-03-09T11:23:00.000-05:00

Just got back from Vegas, and the trip ended up stressing me out because of the multiple flight problems. In a nutshell, United cancelled our outbound flight and we ended up arriving at 9pm versus 11am on Sunday. Lost a whole day of fun, *sigh*. I caught up with my TiVO and watched the finale of Project Runway. I am thrilled that Chloe won, she totally deserved it. Throughout the season, her and Daniel V. were the standouts, but Daniel's collection was blah. Hmmm, perhaps I should look into purchasing a few pieces from her boutique Lot 8.

Ultimately, Chloe's right, fashion is a business and you have to also have pieces that people will buy. Her statement that she also designed with marketability really struck a chord with the judges. I can't wait to see what else she's going to come up with!

So back to Vegas. I'm quite proud of myself that I didn't go crazy shopping. I picked up a new Chanel wallet at Neiman's but I also had a gift card, so technically I didn't spend any of my own $$. If you ever get the chance to stay at THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, do it, the rooms were BEAUTIFUL! Very contemporary and chic with plasma TV's throughout the suite. Loved it! I'll update more on my trip later.

What would you do with $15 million?

2006-03-01T17:07:00.000-05:00

My husband and I had lunch together today and the restaurant had a few TVs with CNN on. With the story of yet another lottery winner (i think it was for $263M or something), we started talking about the 8 meatpacking plant workers that split the $300+ million powerball jackpot. After taxes, they netted $15M a person. Did you know that many lottery winners lose their fortune and file for bankruptcy within 10 years? Many can't handle the responsibility and management that goes along with that type of windfall. Imagine charities coming to you, every relative and friend that you probably don't care for will suddenly show up.

So here's the time to dream... what would you do with $15M?

Me: Invest $10M and live off the interest (if investing conservatively with a 6% return, that's roughly $600K). Buy property in places like NYC, Hawaii, and a slightly bigger home in DC, then travel the world. Ok, Ok, I might be a few designer clothes and add to my bag/shoe collection (but I promise to keep it reasonable).

Husband: Invest, travel and tell no one where we are.

(all this is of course, after making sure our loved family members are taken care of and donation to a worthwhile charity).

What would you do?

A Moment of Weakness at Louis Vuitton

2006-02-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

I was weak... I got called by my LV rep for the new perforations speedy in Fuschia, and I immediately rushed over. So much for the shopping ban... I know it looks a little strange with little holes everywhere, but it's cute in person! Maybe I'll use this bag in Vegas...

I definitely think my bag habit is getting a bit crazy. I might ebay a few just to keep my bank account healthy. The good news is, I just found out that the ebay going rate for my LV Cerise Speedy is quite good and I may consider letting that one go. It's so hard though, all of my bags are special to me and letting them go is painful. Ugh, I'll worry about this after I get back from Vegas.

Scary Shopaholics

2006-02-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching Secret Lives of Women - Shopaholics, a documentary on the We Network. I'm typically not a We watcher but the title caught my attention and it was added to my TiVo. DH and I watched it and we found it unbelieveable how badly these women sabatoge their finances. I can certainly empathize as I love nice things too, but to own 15 credit cards and having trash bags full of unworn clothes on the floor is insane!

Oprah also kicked off her "debt diet" series and this one woman had a 66 page credit report! I think the average is 3 sheets/ 6 pages so you can imagine how scary this is. This woman explained that she feels like she needs has an image to project and people see her house and car (BMW), she needs to have the clothes to match her "image". I used to fall into this trap too until I read something Suze Orman wrote that is so true -- "why do you want to impress people that you don't even know?" Not to get philosophical, but why is it that we feel that projecting the image of money/wealth is more important then actually having it? I still struggle with my expensive taste, but I'm determined to maintain debt-free and have enough to retire one day!

Vegas Baby!

2006-02-16T17:30:00.000-05:00

Yay! I just booked tickets to Vegas! I'm going with the hubby for his work and I'm planning on a few days of R&R. Just booked my spa appointment and we'll probably also try to catch a show. The problem is, how can I avoid shopping there?

For a non-gambler such as myself, the shopping, shows, and fab restaurants are the main attraction, so i might have to lift the self-imposed shopping ban (just a little) :) Good news is, I was just told that we are getting our '05 bonuses, yay! I'm planning on saving most of whatever I get (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I'm also completely pumped about having my favorite Ice Blended drink at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. There's two stores inside the Venetian and one in the Palms. I might have to buy some more of the do-it-yourself drink mix.

I'm counting down the days...

Louis Vuitton Price Increase -- Again?

2006-02-13T16:21:00.000-05:00

I just heard that Louis Vuitton is increasing their prices, yes, again. This time around, it's 5% effective 2/22. Ugh... do I keep with the shopping ban? There's nothing I really "need" right now, but the increase is making me think I should get something.

Snowed in and lemming a new bag

2006-02-12T10:45:00.000-05:00

There's about a foot of snow outside my house right now and I'm passing time by flipping through magazines. I'm loving the new Dior Gaucho bag, but I seriously question how often I'll actually get to use it. The sensible side of me says that there are much better ways to spend $1400 (or better yet, save it), but the inner fashionista is telling me how cute I'd look with it. I've been watchful of our household finances these days and was able to purchase an investment property and pay off my car loan (a year early, yay!) This of course, now leaves me cash-strapped and I'll need a good recovery through a shopping ban.

As I'm writing this, a gorgeous new Chanel bag is sitting in a box waiting for my decision on whether or not to keep it (so much for the ban!). It's that new kelly style quilted bag with a single handle across the top. I loved it after seeing Nicky Hilton carry it in a few celeb photos, and immediately ordered it. My husband saw it and thinks it's ugly and said it looks like a old-lady bag. Decisions, decisions...

I'm also catching up on my TiVo'd shows. Last week was hellish at work with me putting in 12 hours+ per day. I love all the financial shows and I'm currently watching The Wall Street Journal report with Maria Bartiromo. Her guest was Liz Perle, author of a new book titled, "Money, a Memoire". I totally agree that we women often don't take control of our own financial future, and these are professional, intelligent women! This author had her husband "take care" of all the finances and found herself in a jam when they divorced (all the assets were in his name only). Some stats I gathered from the show:

- 85% of men said they knew what they were worth. Similar number of women said they were not sure. The experts on the show said that men are competitive and view their net worth as a "scoreboard" of success. Women on the other hand, relate money to emotions and although love making money and decisions on how to spend it, lose sight of the bigger picture.
- 40% of women admit to lying to their partners about what something costs. LOL, I've definitely been in this category before. Not huge discrepencies, but say $200 for something that was really $260. My husband caught on pretty quick and I realized that it was totally unnecessary to fib about these things.

To jump start your financial future, here are my top picks on which books to read:
- The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke - Suze Orman. I learned so much from this book about credit scores and the basics of saving/investments. If I only had it when I was in college...
- Smart Women Finish Rich - David Bach. I read Smart Couples Finish Rich, but it's essentially the same message, Bach coined the term "Latte Factor", which is how all the little seemingly inconsequential spending can add up to big bucks.
- Save Karyn - Karyn Bosnak. This woman spent and spent and spent, living large in NYC and was $20,000 in credit card debt. She came up with an idea to ask people for help and through a combined effort of people sending her money and a lesson in frugality, was able to turn it around. I originally saw her story on TV 2 years ago and thought it was disgusting to ask random strangers for help paying off her gucci purses and such. But kudos to her for coming up with the clever idea and hey, she didn't force people to help.

Knowing your financial situation is a very empowering thing. I love making investment decisions and watching our money grow. I know I could do more if I really curbed the shopping, but hey, live within your means (this means not going into debt shopping!) and life's too short to give up on what makes you happy!

Getting Started

2006-02-11T23:28:00.000-05:00

I'm a newbie to the world of blogging, but it just seemed like so much fun I had to give it a try. Just to get started, I'll share some tidbits about me:

Age: Early Thirties
Marital Status: Happily Married, no kids! (seems to the ? I'm constantly asked these days)
Love: My pup, All things fashion, Addicted to luxury goods
Occupation: Senior management in the technology industry
About the blog: Don't get me wrong, I love my job and the company I work for, it's just that I never expected to be in the technology industry. My major in college and my interests just didn't quite jive with this field, but a college internship gradually evolved into this career. I'm a workaholic that puts in long hours and it affords me my lifestyle. The ironic part is I love fashion and shop designers, but I'm also incredibly conscious of my finances. It's always a balancing act when it comes to staying debt-free, investing wisely, yet splurging on a Chanel bag or a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes.

I'll post my musings on fashion, finances, work life, and my current addiction to Project Runway (go Chloe!). I hope readers will find it entertaining and informative, all at the same time :)