Ok so im trying to think if I accidently bought something which we've been trying not to. It's weird but I feel like I buy things unconciously. Like I know that we're doing this little experiment and I'm trying to be really good about it. But you can only imagine how hard it is when I have to sit here and think about whether or not I unintentionally broke any rules of the experiment. But glad to report, I haven't. I have been avoiding going to stores at all.
Last night, I went to an Indian Prayer session at a family friend's house. These things have a fairly big crowd with about 30 people there at least. We had all donned our indian Salwaar Kameez, saris and jewellery. As I was sitting there listening to Hymns, and looking at everyone's outfits, I couldn't help but think about the "Diasporic Connections: Case Studies of Asian Women in Business" article by Hardill and Raghuram. I was thinking about how Indians go crazy looking for gorgeous Indian outfits in America. There are about 10 popular Indian stores in Sacramento that we go to. It's like a competition. Whose clothes look better. I was thinking about the owners of the stores and that they all seem to be Indian women. The husbands have a partnership but it is the wives that stay at the store and literally run it. However, come to think of it, I don't think that any of these business women actually design the clothes. They all order their clothes and most of these have the traditional look. Maybe we need a store in the Sacramento area that designs indian clothes to suit the needs of the customer? I was also thinking about where they order their clothes from and the amount of profit that they make. Each outfit is around $100-$500 USD. Considering that Indian Rupees are substantially smaller in currency, they must make a lot of profit. But whenever we bargain with them to lower the prices, they always say "well I have to make some profit too."
On a random note, I was digging through my purses tonight and found an old knock off louis vuitton purse. I remember when i first bought it, not many people had a really good replica so I was proud to carry it around. Now, there are so many replicas around that the average Jane has it. That's why now that purse is an OLD knock off Louis vuitton :D There's nothing special about it anymore because consumers’ needs cause counterfeiting products to increase according to Decker in "Knockouts of Knockoffs." In my opinion, when there are too many counterfeits so that everyone has the product, the product loses it's value. It is no longer something that no one else has. It is no longer everyone's envy ;^) So here is yet another reason why im doing well with this experiment. I currently have no desire to own a product that may be easily replicated. If i pay top dollar for something, it better be one of its kind. And I think it's going to be a while before i find something one of its kind :D
im out!
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