This list is an extension of an earlier post, where I promised to post such a list. So, here it is, my TOTALLY WORTH IT LIST (aka a list of things I’m glad I bought before marriage and babies, when in some cases spending this much would be out of the question… or at the very least a guilt-ridden hide-the-bags fest).
Crate & Barrel Steamer Bar
KitchenAid Mixer
My Steamer Bar
Schweitzer Linens
Every last Hermes Scarf
My cropped white Hudson Jeans
My AG Jeans in “The Fringe” style
My elliptical machine
West Elm Bookshelf
Nikon Lenses
Wusthof Knives
All-Clad Stainless
Really good blowdryer
Fleur de the Rose Bulgare perfume by Creed
Burberry Poncho
An assortment of Purple Label cableknit cashmeres
Celine Black Bag
Intermix black trench coat
Anya Hindmarch Pony Bag
Takashamaya Robe
Black Catherine Malandrino dress
My really good laptop bag that doubles as a… really good bag, period.
RLX Polo sport jacket that makes me feel all mission possible
TJMaxx Special: Ralph Lauren heavy crystal plaid tumblers & barware
Look around your life. What do you STILL get a thrill from having? Orgasms, for the most part, are free, so they don’t count.
Recent purchases I can’t imagine won’t make the list years from now:
Hands down, my holy-shite this is awesome VITAMIX (love love love for velvet soup textures, phenomenal cocktails with that same texture as frozen margarita machines, and smoothies, ice cream, chopped onions!)
Diamond Earrings
The softest lambskin black bag ever
A Gorban painting
My Breville Oven (3 people have slept at my house, left, and ran out to buy one)
And a shitpile of cookbooks
Really good baking pans (Chicago Metallic)
Olio Santo (my favorite olive oil)
Silouette Machine
Much of my MJ Trimming Ribbon collection
NOT WORTH IT
Creams. Any of them. I’d like to be convinced otherwise
La Perla
Leather pants from Scoop
Burberry Coat
The Blahniks, any of them
Any knockoff ever
Wow, not a single pair of shoes, not even my favs
I think it’s surprising what we think will bring us happiness and what actually does. People say that objects don’t give us happiness that lasts, and I’d agree, for the most part. But I will say that some things, actual things, do make us smile daily, leave us feeling confident, pretty, taken care of. And if you can find those things, if they still make you feel, years later, they’re worth keeping. It’s how I feel, most, about my cookbooks and cooking equipment. They are my favorite things.
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Not necessarily before marriage, but definitely in the worth-it column & glad that I have it:
My Steinway grand
All-clad cookware (most of it bought on Ebay)
Kitchen-Aide mixer
Portable XM radio + XM in both our cars
A fine education and the committment to life-long learning
A huge collection of books and now those being amassed on Kindle
All of our pets over the years
Summer vacations in Aspen
There probably are more that belong on the list but I can’t think of them at the moment.
Addendum: The 3 sets of sterling we own + the 7 sets of china, some of it ours, some of it inherited.
Steinway grand all the way! Totally agree. Mine is a 1911 O.
Wonderful list—that Breville oven is amazing. I bought one soon after they came out. Friends said I was crazy to spend that much on a “toaster oven,” but it’s fantastic—and anything that keeps me from heating up the entire kitchen in the summer gets double points. It’s smarter than I am.
I echo some of your choices, especially All-Clad and Wusthof kitchen gems and Nikon lenses. Probably wouldn’t fare so well without my Chi blow-dryer either. Oh how I envy you and your Vitamix! The purchases I’m usually glad I made are of the vintage, one-of-a-kind variety. They are usually my most treasured objects and I’m almost always glad I didn’t pass them up. Most recently acquisition were my vintage owl salt and pepper shakers purchases for 15 bucks.
I am cringing at the grammatical errors I let slip through the cracks in my earlier comment. Eek.
Kitchen Aid professional series mixer
Marmot Down Parka
fancy after-market remote start for the car. No more getting into a bone chillingly cold car, or an oven…
Brabantia ironing board and Rowenta Iron
Jiffy Steamer, professional grade garment steamer
Thousands of dollars in surgery that gave my dog his healthy, happy, active life back.
1. The Dyson vacuum
2. Every trip I have taken/will take overseas instead of saving the money and/or buying something practical
I think that’s pretty much it. Reverse order, though — I never miss the Dyson when I’m traveling, but I often wish I was traveling while using the Dyson.
I have been pondering the Dyson for a long time, specifically the pet version. Do you mind sharing which model you have?
Me?
I’ve two – one is the red & purple one (plus gray), made to get under furniture I think, and the newer one is all purple (plus gray). There is nothing wrong with the low version; I just like to have a vacuum on each floor rather than schlep one up and down the stairs all the time. Both are AH-MAY-ZING. Seriously, tote a baggie of sand into Sears and demand to test-drive one! I’ll stop now before sound like an infomercial.
PS: We have two incredibly shedding shepherd mixes, plus a cat, and both Dysons are brilliant for fur fluffs. I’ve begun to believe you don’t need the actual Animal model unless you’re planning to vacuum the animal itself.
Thank you Sallie!
My subzero wine fridge with two fridge drawers-love, love
My wolf cooktop-lots of power
All-clad pots and pans (had mine 17 years, still gorgeous)
Louis Vuitton wallet-gift from husband, and built to last
Cookbooks, I read like regular books
Woodburning pizza oven in garden
TV in bathroom, no arguments from children about taking bath
Two kitties from animal rescue society-adore, adore, adore!!!
You had me at Woodburning. I’m adding that to my vision board.
Best thing ever-totally worth it.
Really – you are on the Vitamix bandwagon? How does an almost $500 super blender get to be so hot during a recession? I guess there are enough people with more money than brains.
My 36″ of good saltwater pearls (bought in 1994 and still worn all the time)
All Clad and Le Creuset
Henkels knives
Steinway Grand (seconded above)
Hartmann luggage
Leather chesterfield sofa (going 20+ years now)
All of my Fluevog shoes, even if I can’t wear some of them anymore
800 thread count pima cotton sheets
My 100 year old house, the money pit, because we love it
Things not worth it
Waterford crystal wine glasses – too nice to use, collecting dust
Coach handbags
New cars every 4 or 5 years
Overrated Dualit toaster
Expensive electronics – obsolete too quickly
Fancy towels
Any high-end clothing item, because nothing is classic and my size changes
B&B Italia couch
Babyliss hairdryers (one for 110, one for 220)
Ives Delorme Etoile towels especially the bath sheet, in white
Rag & Bone hooded jacket with quilted lining (I’d wear it to bed)
Panasonic Lumix digital point-and-shoot (have two including the latest model, LOVE)
My own bathroom (helps maintain marital harmony)
My (modest) collection of modern abstract paintings
Season theater tickets
Traveling in business class (better for the old bones – wouldn’t be necessary if airlines hadn’t turned coach into a torture chamber)
Traveling
Eating out
A good colorist
NOT WORTH IT
Where do I start…
At the risk of sounding very simple my must have’s are..
My kids
My husband
The dogs
Morning coffee.
A few hours to myself at night.
Sunshine.
Ditto what Amy said ^
My Bottega Venetta handbag. Never looks worn. Always perfect.
My tall black leather Merrel boots. They are fully waterproof and great in the snow, but look like nice black knee high boots.
Renova.
Elite Serum.
Any Calypso summer dress I’ve ever bought.
Any J Crew swimsuit I’ve bought.
My Sleep Number bed.
I love this list! I always thought the Elite Serum was a scam.
It is the only thing I have ever used on my eyes where I can actually see a difference. And I’ve used it all…
Worth it-
*Tods Winter Gommini loafer in patent leather hot pink. I got them on clearance at nordstrom a few yrs ago because no one is buying that
color but me. I LOVE them.
*All the art/sculpture we bought from zephyr gallery when it was in Princeton. We could never buy it now & it’s all unique & awesome
*Sirius. Can’t live without Stern. A day without Stern is a sad day indeed.
That’s really it as far as “stuff” goes.
Not worth it-
*Kitchen Aid Mixer. I bought it because it was a craze going around the message boards of thenest.com. Typo in the Lowe’s circular- $150. I ran and bought one and it’s a giant paperweight. I’ve used it twice in like 6 yrs. I HATE cooking/baking/being in the kitchen! I am so silly sometimes.
*China. It’s pretty & I HAD to have it. Hi, we hate entertaining! And the kind of friends we entertain don’t require china and neither do I! I think we’ve used it twice since 2006. Waste.
*Crate & Barrel canopy bed. STUPID! Ugh. Stupid canopy wood stakes? are always in my eye-line of the tv.
Wait until your kiddos start begging you to make things for bake sale. Honestly, I felt the way you did about baking UNTIL I learned to measure by weight, not volume. Now, you just DUMP STUFF in a bowl without leveling and dirtying several measuring cups and spoons! It’s the greatest epiphany I’ve had in years. Digital scale and any bowl in your kitchen (including that kitchen aid bowl). Love it.