The presence of many nice-enough choices without any meaningful way to distinguish among them is a fundamental dysphoria of modern consumerism. Anybody can track in intimate detail how the wealthy and stylish spend their money via social media, and just when you’ve learned exactly what you can’t have, the internet swoops in to offer a look-for-less... See more

Previously, I've explored how spending money on something does not necessarily translate to clout. The tote bag is perhaps the perfect vehicle for that. A niche tote is an extremely potent and powerful signal of cultural currency which, in most cases, costs little or nothing. A Dior book tote says nothing about your level of access to elite spaces.... See more