Fashionista Follows the Signs

You all know I believe in the significance of signs and I try to recognize, pay attention and interpret the really important ones. Fitting then, that the most recent one came in the form of one of my Dior bags. I kid you not.

At dinner Saturday night with the 'rents and Daryl—Dana's older bro and my lifelong best straight-guy friend—somehow a conversation about investments devolved into my form of securities—wardrobe investment pieces.

Investment Piece Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
A luxury good, item of clothing or accessory that merits its high cost by standing the test of time.

Examples given: Classic Manolo Blahnik slingbacks, sophisticated pair of designer jeans, Chanel handbag, Cartier watch, diamond stud earrings.

Context:
"Jesus, this Vuitton bag is $1,200, but it is a classic investment piece. ..."

You get the drift, ladies. Men, well, they don't get it, so if hubby, father or lover insists on knowing the price, slash it by 50 percent. (They always buy the 'sale excuse,' no matter the season.)

Daryl—many of my less sartorially inclined friends, in fact—sees my fashion obsession as trivial perhaps, so I schooled him at dinner.

"Okay, so tell me what the value of that handbag is," he says, pointing at the Dior bag hanging on my chair.

Ooh, I chose the right bag that night.

"Actually," I say, feeling the endorphins rising up, "this particular bag is very significant."

"Tell me," he scoffs.

"About six years ago, mom got me this bag as a gift for getting my first literary agent. And six years later I still use it and it obviously has sentimental value."

So there. My mom obviously gets the theory, and dad, thanks to 35+ years of being with mom, has learned through osmosis.

"Okay, I can get that. So it has major sentimental value."

"Of course, most of my clothing does. In fact, I wore this exact shirt to the engagement party we had for Dana! That was what, about six years ago too. And this heart pendant? Also wore to the engagement party."

Now he really got it, so we got back to talking about other stuff. The bag in question is a pretty rare sight on other people, as it is from many seasons ago and was not a part of a classic Dior collection, rather a seasonal one. Therefore, not too many girls are sporting this exact bag nowadays. Even less in Miami.

Saturday night, Orlene and me at the Gansevoort South Beach:



Dawn and me, six years ago at the Hudson hotel NYC:



So last night Hemley and I took in The Wrestler, which I had been dying to see. Who doesn't love a good comeback? And especially a Mickey Rourke one; he's a fixture on the Miami scene.

The movie did not disappoint. His performance, and especially the history behind the uphill battle to get backing for a Mickey-Rourke-fronted vehicle, was both inspirational and fable-ish. (Fantastic director with a passion project and a steadfast belief that a "washed-up" star was the actor made for this film.)

As we exited the movie, I stopped in my tracks and began hitting Hems on the arm.

"Oh. My. God!"

"What?"

"See that girl with that red, yellow and green strapped bag? Oh my God!! I wore that bag last night. This is such a big sign."

"You wore that bag last night? I don't remember that?"

We had a late, debaucherous night with the crew at the NWS Friends after party.

"Damn, you were that wasted?"

"Oy, Chihuauha!"

"What's the sign?"

I told him the agenting story, the convo with Daryl the night before and as a gay, he got it without me having to explain the investment-piece/significance of fashion.

"So what's the meaning?"

"The meaning, is: It's time for my comeback, bitches."

On the way home we passed this Chinese restaurant Kim's.

"So is that place decent or is it cat food?"

"Oh, nay nay Heeba. Stay away."

I dropped him off and he called me shortly thereafter.

"Talk about signs, Heeba! I got in the elevator with a food delivery person and he handed me a menu. Guess what it's for? Kim's!!"

"Oy vey. So what does that mean?"

"I don't know, I'll work on this one. You've got yours covered."

Yes, I do.