Sweet Bird of Youth

The other day Pseu was pondering the Hermes pitch to 'yoof', and there were several comments around how much 'young people' (that would be younger than oneself) spend on clothing/accessories, etc.

I had only a brief window between subsisting on student earnings (I finished my undergrad degree in the middle of a recession and worked many part-time jobs before getting a decent one) and getting my first mortgage and then having Kid 1, so perhaps there was a year in which I could spend money on clothes. Even then, I wasn't extravagant, although I did have a pair of black leather pants made for me ...

So I was slightly taken aback the other day when I went shopping in Auckland for a couple of hours with my much younger cousin. Although Auckland is the back of beyond, there are some excellent NZ designers (Karen Walker, for example), and G took me to some lovely boutiques. I bought a t-shirt and a scarf. She spent five times what I did on two tops for work. They were very pretty blouses, but I was amazed at the casual way she spent a not inconsiderable amount of money.

And then I thought about it. She has no mortgage, no kids, a decent job - why not? Why not wear lovely clothes when you're young and pretty?