This was during my Search for the Holy Perfume Grail. I've given up on it, you'll be happy to know.

I found mine, and, unfortunatly, it's ungodly expensive. Mom got me a bottle one Christmas, and I ration it like crazy rather than using it and just enjoying it, because I'm not sure I can let myself refill it.

OK, I probably can, I just shouldn't.

I will spend ungodly amounts of money on things made out of leather. NSM with the shoes, but jackets, coats and skirts drive me insane with lust.

I would spend lots of money, if I had it, on a leather jacket because I've wanted one forever.

Now if someone wanted to make me over with an iPod and a Blackberry...

I'd so love an office makeover. Get me some nice, efficient storage, more bookshelves, a better desk with room for more than just the monitor and one stack of documents beside it....

I think of myself as wearing "expensive" shoes and bras, but only because I'm so hard to fit in both that I can never get bargain stuff that doesn't pinch spots that shouldn't be pinched. My mother, she of the C-cup and uniformly narrow feet, was boggled that I expect to spend around $50 on a bra and at least $75 for ordinary shoes. Of course, I was a very casual dresser even before I was self-employed, so for everything else I can go cheapish. Though I'm starting to think vague thoughts about what kind of image I want to present once I'm published, and trying to shop in that direction when I'm getting ready for writers conferences and the like. I think it's going to involve antique jewelry or imitations thereof, and lots of deep reds. And it'd look better if I lost those pesky 40 lbs.

I'm pretty sure I don't one single item of clothing (or footwear) that, all on its own, cost $100 or more.

I have a pair of boots and a pair of Merrells that were $100 each, a suit that was well over $100, and a 2 winter coats over $100. But that's it, I think.

sooper seekrit message to brenda: you know I was kidding, right? I hate not having facial expressions on here sometimes.

Huh. Cothing items which have required significant outlays, include a variety of leather jackets (some in the $500 range. I've got the same Banana Republic one that Tony Soprano wore in the early seasons), suit jackets (the really nice Italian one I had started at $600, marked to $300 for the Nordstrom's once-a-year sale, then I used $150 in gift cards to make it affordable), overcoats (my black trenchcoat was retailing at $250 or so, but I got it at the factory outlet for $125), and shoes (my Kenneth Cole dress shoes were probably $200 or so, and my current ones I got at Nordstrom Rack, half off and still about $100).

In short, I try to leverage sales, gift cards and outlet stores to invest in wardrobe cornerstones which tend to last a fairly long time. (I've had the black trenchcoat for 12 years, and it still looks great.) I work in downtown San Francisco in fancy offices, however, so I need to be fairly presentable.

There used to be one perfume that not only didn't trigger instant wheezing and blinding headache, but that I could actually wear: Bal a Versailles, by Jean Desprez. The bottle label is a tiny miniature of Marie Antoinette (the perfume was commissioned by her and for her), by, I think Fragonard (probably off on that - I suck at the French romantic painters).

Alas, it now makes my head fall off and my lungs fall out and smells like sewage on me. Damn it.

Cindy, nearly forgot, the hair - if pulled out to its non-wavy length, is at the crook of my shoulder. But David layered the living crap out of it, and it's unbelievably light and bouncy. I trust him - he knows what he's doing. He took one look and said, we can't do short around your face - you need body and movement.

I honestly nearly did blow the producer's directions on the intro, because I glanced at the cheering section and the first words to come into my head were "Oooooooh! I love JZ's colour!"

edited for typos. Lordy, I'm tired.

CBS' page for Deb's makeover.

I'm so sad I forgot to tape it!

I bought a pair of Simon Weitzman boots (black) with kitten heels for *gulp* $500. They'll last me forever though.

My fortune cookie contained no fortune. I don't know what that is supposed to mean.

Grrr. The place that we were having my mom's 60th birthday party has screwed up beyond belief. When will I learn that people are stupid and to never assume anything.

Hee, Kathy, no worries.

I have only extremes when it comes to clothing and/or shoe purchases. I'll buy things insanely cheap and on sale (and I'm really, really good at finding the bargains) or I'll spend a ton. I have $15 shoes, and $100 shoes, but I'll probably never have $40-$50 shoes.

Not as crazy as it sounds, though. For something good quality, that I adore, I'm willing to shell out the bucks. For mid-range stuff, I'm generally pretty damn sure I can find something just as good for a lot less, so I don't go there.