After moving from Ohio to NYC, I quickly realized my once-distinct style was just the norm here.

When I moved to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/nyc">New York City</a> after 21 years of Ohio cornfields and flannels for fashion,&nbsp; I experienced a culture shock, especially stepping into a fashion-related job and living a five-minute walk from Dimes Square (New York&rsquo;s unofficial runway). In Cleveland, I felt confident in my clothes, but in New York, what made me distinct at home made me look basic. Walking down the street at home, it's rare to see a 20-something-year-old draped in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/saint-laurent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saint Laurent</a> or <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/celine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Celine</a>. Here? They&rsquo;re wearing that on the way to the gym.&nbsp;
I have a bad habit of comparing myself to others, and I didn&rsquo;t drop this while adjusting to New York. Seeing girls my age&mdash;and even the guys I talked to&mdash;casually own multiple designer pieces, treating them like no big deal, was completely foreign to me. I remember once complimenting a guy I was talking to on his black sweatpants with studs down the seams, only for him to snappily respond, almost perplexed, &ldquo;Well, yeah, they&rsquo;re <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/maisonmargiela">Margiela</a>.&rdquo; 
Apologies. (To my defense, there are memes of characters like this on pages like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nolitadirtbag/?hl=en">@nolitadirtbag</a>.)&nbsp;
It would&rsquo;ve been easy to impulsively go and buy the first designer item I saw to feel less inferior to my peers, but I realized that if I ever bought something high fashion, it had to be because I wanted to. No impulse buys, no peer pressure to fit in, no lingering regret. It had to feel like me.
Seven months into my time in New York, I decided it was time. Turns out, the brand I&rsquo;ve always loved is both trendy and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/a-brief-history-of-the-miu-miu-girl">cool</a>: <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/miumiu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miu Miu</a>. I wanted a Miu Miu bag. Vintage felt more like my speed, so I scoured the internet&mdash;eBay, The RealReal, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/tags/vestiairecollective" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vestiaire Collective</a>, et cetera. My process was chaotic: I&rsquo;d find a bag, favorite it, immediately spiral into stress, and close the app, repeat. This went on for two weeks until, one late night on Vestiaire, I saw her. A jet-black Miu Miu handbag. With fringe. It was perfect. It was black, which is what I always go for, but the fringe made it funky in the best way possible.&nbsp;

miu miu bag first designer purchase

Once Vestiaire confirmed it was authentic and met their quality standards, I rejoiced and (im)patiently waited three weeks for it to arrive, checking the tracking number almost daily (or hourly, you get it.)
After a lifetime of admiring designer fashion from afar, owning something felt like more than just a purchase&mdash;it was a rite of passage and a way to find myself again. Especially since I write about fashion daily, there&rsquo;s something satisfying about claiming a tangible piece of that world and history for myself. I use my Miu Miu bag religiously, so I quickly came to understand how just one piece that holds so much value to you can completely elevate any outfit.&nbsp;For me, I&rsquo;ve always been a&nbsp;look-good, feel-good type of girl, and investing in my first designer piece only reinforced that. Owning something that not only complements my wardrobe but also makes me feel confident every time I wear it&mdash;it&rsquo;s a feeling better than I imagined.
As for my next designer splurge? I&rsquo;ve been eyeing some vintage suede boots from Saint Laurent and a vintage knit blouse from Celine. Check in with me in a few years... after I get the courage to splurge again.

Photography courtesy of Grace Clarke.

My First Luxury Purchase Wasn’t Just About Fashion—It Was About Finding Myself in New York

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My First Luxury Purchase Wasn’t Just About Fashion—It Was About Finding Myself in New York

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