Clever ways to bring home the Birkin

Some think that Mormonism is archaic brainwashing trying to corral everybody in Zionistic hopes to keep people from the evils of the world.

But never fear, I have heard a lot of dissent and I am still Mormon, and some may be surprised to know some of my best fellow Mormon friends happen to be Iranian, from divorced families, and even pro-choice.

Gasp, yes, we are Christian, and yes, it is someone named Jesus Christ whom we follow, and He taught us how to love everyone (That's what I try to remember when I'm in Utah and the hypocritical Mormons there frown at my frappuccino).

Bottom line: Any true Christian loves those who live "alternative" lifestyles, be they agnostics or Jews or sinners.
Novel concept, I know.


Before we all get defensive about whether or not Joseph Smith would approve a Diet Coke or baked goods addiction over alcoholism, let's talk about coveting...

Coveting handbags...

or, as a popular fictional novel has recently been titled, bringing home the Birkin
(and no, I'm not trying to stir up a feminist discussion).


Case 1: The quintessential NYC couple exists at our LDS (Mormon) singles' ward here in Manhattan. They are both immaculately polished, well put together, wearing lots of black or dark colors (and it's summer) as they punch away on their Blackberries in Sunday School.

But most noticeably, she has a different designer bag every Sunday.



Case 2: After Sacrament Meeting last week, my friend Tara and I saw a 20-something young woman with exotic looks coupled with a tall, delicately toned waifish body (which as we all know, equals model).

She was probably 5'11" in heels and for all we knew, jetting off to Ibiza for a photo shoot.

(on a side note, the most cheesy-confident guy was trying to pick her up, and she was only half-amused. It was right out of a bar scene in a movie, granted it was in the most holy of innocent places as the lobby of church. Hilarious.)

But her Hermes.... the Birkin......



My friend Tara and I like to ogle at these people, for their beauty and impeccable presentation is of museum quality.

So to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, every week we can be overheard hissing to each other something along the lines of "How can she have Marc Jacobs this week and YSL last?"


Then, as if it's some celestial epiphany, our heads turn to each other and smile knowingly, nodding to each other,

"Borrowed."

What? From who?

No, your heiress friend is not employing her sharing skill set we all learned in preschool.

Just as Ms. Carrie Bradshaw tells Louise to 'grab her rental,' THIS IS HOW.



So, now the new question is not "Where did you buy" but rather "Where did you borrow?"

Because if you weren't given the bag by Gabbana himself, chances are nowadays it's the latter.