Merry Christmas 2008

This is to wish everyone a blessed Merry Christmas today! What can be more exciting about Christmas besides the parties, the end of the year feeling but the anticipation of opening gifts?!! And today I've got a story to tell where one silly lady returns a beautiful Christmas gift to the giver.

I had early gifts, which has been posted here. But recently I have acquired yet another gift, a class of its own and a label that I haven't heard of in my entire life of 1-year-short-of-quarter-of-a-century-old.




What was so intriguing about the gift is that, how come a humble necklace with red resin pieces strung together silk strings which looked like a nothing more than a RM50 gift can be so expensive after being tagged as a MARNI?!! And how could a fashionista and branded lady like me didn't know MARNI?!!!

A quick google on MARNI shed a light into what was called an Italian fashion label founded by Consuelo Castigloni in 1994, who has always been the label's designer. Marni has recently risen to prominence as women have turned away from overtly sexy clothing to designs emphasizing color, print, and shape. The label carries clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. It's designs are quirky, bold and I'll say it's truly style.



How can something looked so simple and harmless command such a hefty and deadly price tag? Although I don't really know the exact price of this particular necklace, a quick google leads me to websites selling MARNI accessories at heart-attack prices. A MARNI's necklace can cost between USD200 - USD1000. And it's not even gold nor diamond-studded (read my lips)! For that price, I would have gone for Tiffany & Co anytime. At least people will know that it's a USD200 Tiffany & Co necklace and not some RM50 necklace that I can get cheaper at Petaling Street. I would have guessed that this piece is no less than a few hundred bucks.

So what was even more interesting is that after I have found out about it, I decided to do the wise thing - return the gift to the giver (not the boutique to exchange another one, mind you) because it's just not right to receive such an expensive gift from someone whom you just knew! It's not that I can accept it if I know him for months, it's just that girls always put a price tag to gifts and for me, I find it difficult accepting expensive gifts (it's fine if I don't know the price. lol....) when I don't really know the person well enough and also the fact that he's not even my boyfriend. The gift is now on the way in a Post Laju bag.

Just to add in some jealousy - He told me that in the first place, he wanted to buy me a T&Co. bracelet to replace my cheapskate bracelet (shown below) which I got it for RM10 at Bonita! Then he couldn't get a parking and thus he went to Marni instead. A part of me was thrilled to be spoilt in this way but the practical side of me brought me back to reality.

Look cheap meh?

Gift: RM700++
Stupidity: Just cost me RM700++ and RM50 postage
Dignity & Integrity: Priceless

And just before I sign off, let me leave you with a tune from a famous Christmas Carol (which a good friend sent to me in sms) in the good spirits of Christmas.

You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better keep cash,
I'm telling you why,
Recession is coming to town...

It's hitting you once,
It's hitting you twice,
It doesn't care if you been careful and wise,
Recession is coming to town...

It's worthless if you got shares,
It's worthless if you got bonds,
It's safe when you got cash in hand,
So keep cash for goodness sake
Hey... (repeat one more time!)


Merry Christmas and have a good weekend! I am only going back to work on Tuesday!

Shopping on MARNI : Click here.