TRENDS: Damn that Nicole Richie

Okay, sure my shopping habit can be perceived as frivolous, wasteful, materialistic, blah, blah, blah, and yes, I probably could have saved the downpayment for five houses (right now I'm close to nailing down one) with the cash I've plopped down for handbags. But, look everyone has their vice. I'll drop $1,600 for a hobo in a minute but sweat bullets about spending $1.50 more than usual for a box of cereal. I'm a handbag whore. "It" bag, vintage satchel or obscure designer sack, I love them all. There's something about the marriage of fashion and function. But I digress. Part of the joy of splurging on a coveted item is knowing that you won't run into every Amy, Tasha and Tina on the street carrying it. That is until the tabloid explosion happened. After tracking down the Fendi Spy bag I had been sweating for nearly a year (I guess my obsession clouded my discernment for trendy "It"-dom), I was beyond dismayed to see my latest acquisition on Nicole Richie's arm in a paparazzi photo. Several days later I saw a pic of a preggers Gwen Stefani rocking it. Publicists at high-end fashion houses gift celebs with designer goods in the hopes of generating sales from midwestern women who want to look like Lindsay Lohan. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before US Weekly starts calling it Hollywood's latest must-have (ew) and I'll be screwed. Maybe I can get my money back by selling it on ebay.

-Muse