I had $10 worth of lottery tickets for the drawing last night. Today, I’m out $10 and dreaming of the purchases I could have made if only a few numbers had gone my way. Who hasn’t dreamed of having a closet overflowing with high-end designer clothes, brand name handbags, and shoes straight from the set of Sex and the City?  Let us live out the daydream for a few moments.  Let’s say, lucky you, you’ve won the lottery!  It’s time to go shopping!  Hmmmmmm….what should you buy?

First stop, Chanel!  Coco Chanel was born in a poorhouse in 1883.  Her mother died when she was 12.  Her father had to leave to find work to support his children, resulting in her living in an orphanage for seven years.  At the orphanage she learned the trade of seamstress.  The rest, as they say is history.  From these humble and desperate beginnings, Coco rose to build an empire that still dominates the fashion world today.  Despite her passing in 1971, Chanel’s clothing philosophy and the designs that come from this powerful fashion house remain largely unchanged.  The fabrics, the construction, and the simple elegance that Coco craved echo through time and are still relevant today.  Therefore, an absolute essential piece for your wardrobe is the Chanel suit.  Designed to maximize a woman’s power, elegance, grace, and sex appeal, the suit is also comfortable, sophisticated, and classically timeless.  In addition to being an exquisitely tailored piece, wearing Chanel honors the extraordinary woman – the only one in the haute couture field named as one of Time Magazine’s most influential people of the 20th century.  It will remind you that no matter whom you are or what your circumstances may be, you can rise above it and change the world.  Oh, while you are there, make sure to pick up a bottle of Chanel No.5 - the first fragrance to have a designer’s name attached to it.  Prior to her death, a custom made Chanel Suit was around $12,000.00.  Today, a ready to wear Chanel suit is around $5,000.00. 

Next on your list is a pair of designer shoes – specifically a pair of Jimmy Choo’s.  Like Coco, Jimmy’s early life was less than privileged.  Despite making his first shoe at the tender age of 11, he had to work in a restaurant and as a cleaner in a shoe factory (ironic!) to fund his college education.

Today, his celebrity fans include the late, fashionable Princess Diana.  At first glance, most of the Choo collection looks very basic: standard pumps, and ballet flats with a few edgier pieces thrown in.  However, closer inspection reveals his obsession with detail, luxury imported materials, and subtle nuances that make his shoes so sexy and desirable.  Jimmy Choo’s are designed to be worn season after season without going out of style, which makes them a worthy investment from $415.00 - $1,250.00.

Of course, your new designer wardrobe is nowhere near complete without a trip to Hermès for a Kelly or Birkin bag.  Being a fashion connoisseur, you naturally prefer the Birkin, but it is so much easier to get your hands on the Kelly.  The waiting list is only one year as opposed to the up to six years (if you want a particular leather or skin) for the Birkin.  It is precisely these long waiting lists that make the Kelly and Birkin so attractive.  Of all the beautiful, exotic, expensive items carried by world renowned Hermès, it is the Birkin bag that is the most sought after, the most requested, and has the longest waiting list of everything else in the store.  It is elusive – therefore everyone wants it.  Wanting it is one thing.  Purchasing it is quite another.  A basic Birkin starts in the $6,000.00 range, however it is not unheard of for a Birkin to sell for up to a million dollars (higher prices are for more exotic skins and custom requests).  A million dollar handbag.  What a dream purchase! 

Nothing goes with a handbag that cost more than your house, like an haute couture garment.  Wikipedia describes it best: “Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques.”  This means,  it’s created exclusively for you, fit exclusively for your body and hand made of the finest, riches, most luxurious materials.  It is not mass-produced in a factory. You must return to the shop several times for fitting as your outfit is created.  The term “haute couture” is often bandied about incorrectly in the fashion world.  A true couture house must meet strict criteria.  Ergo, the dress your friend hand sews for you is not couture unless she, among other things, has a workshop in Pairs that employs at least 15 people full time.  In fact, there are only 11 official fashion houses that have earned the haute couture title.  A couture gown can cost up to $100,000 and that does not include the cost of travel if you live outside Pairs.

Well, it has been a lovely daydream of iconic suits, shoes literally fit for a queen (or princess!), the worlds most sought after purse, and a gown that nobody else in the world could wear, but now it’s time to get back to reality, at least until Wednesday’s drawing. Hey, if you get lucky, can you put my name on the Birkin waiting list?