Define luxury.

Thank you to my momma and big sis for a Chanel scarf and Gucci watch respectively. Both of those items were re-gifts.

Although I grew up in the poorest part of Louisville, we had a Harper’s Bazaar subscription…bizarre…Publisher’s Clearing House chance of millions perhaps? Needless to say, I knew the value of the items, and I’ve kept both pieces for decades.

I felt loved that my family thought enough of me to give me gifts that could have easily been re-sold…especially during Reaganomics when money was TIGHT. And I’ve since made luxury purchases of my own…some great, some just o.k.

I’m thankful for learning this lesson: Luxury is less about the price of the items, but how those items or experiences make you feel. How do YOU feel after you invest in something, rather tangible or intangible?

I recall purchasing an “interim” Dior bag. “Interim” because I could not afford what I really wanted at the time, so I was settling for something close. Sitting in a cab headed even further uptown from the upper east side location, I asked the driver to please turn around. I returned the bag less than a half hour after purchasing it.

Regret is the least luxurious feeling in the world…or so I’ve heard.

If it lifts your spirit, what better luxury can you have than that? – Ian Schrager