Money Doesn't Grow On - Waiiit.

Montenegro happens to be a strange country in the terms of merchandise. On one hand, you have the cheap designer knock-off versions that line the streets and beaches, and on the other you have expensive actual designer fare imported from Italy, France, Britain, and other countries. You can often find the same thing, or similar, from 310 euros to 30, depending on where you look and how you look for it. So.. why pay so much for something so interchangeable?

For starters, fashion is huge almost anywhere in the world, especially in Europe. In this area, people are usually model skinny, so they have to keep up the rest of the model image by dressing and acting like models. After all, the more you're exposed to such a factor, the more you will start picking up from it. Soon it'll invade your thoughts and drive you to such madness about it that it's all you have on your mind and start living the lifestyle that is being pushed towards you.

The material world opened more of it's cruel petals to me earlier today, when I went shopping with a recent friend of mine my age from Britain. (Why yes, I did adopt her accent for the occasion!) With only so much allotted money and such high prices, we were wary where to drop our hard earned money and break down and buy things. Versace and Dolce tempted us, but we kept straight faces until it happened.

In seconds, my 50 euros were gone. Hello new shiny satin and silk dress with a white background, black flowers and trim and yellow decoration that fit like a charm, wore like a breeze, and was worth every penny of the hundred or so dollars it cost. Now, people stopped and agreed that wow, that dress was gorgeous, especially on me, and it made me feel like a million dollars, until I got the spending money critique from mother dearest (ouch). This would all be fine if it weren't for one thing.

Wait... dress? I wear dresses? Since when??? I confused myself with my new pick much more than the rest of my shorts, pants, capris wardrobe. It was almost an alien choice, like the eager look of the saleswoman and my friend's urges weren't the only thing telling my mind to say those fateful words and take the dress home. Oh no, I watched it in slow motion in my mind, handing the bills over and receiving a neat little card and bag and walking out the door feeling a changed woman. Strangely enough, I felt no regret or remorse, and accepted the criticism, slipping the dress on and exclaiming that I might as well wear it if it cost so much, after all it is summer and you wear such dresses during summer, right?

And now, as I pat down the outer layer and fix my wedges to get ready to go out with my friend again. Ah, seaside snack bars and such await us to pretty ourselves up, put on some feel good clothes, and step out into the swarm of other people enjoying themselves when you can. You only live once, and one splurge item won't break the bank. As I have no better choice, I will stay the careful consumer I am, and carefully tread on the path of indulgence. Sounds good, now about those sunglasses by the beach...