The $40 socks
A few years ago, I was in Olympia to visit a friend. I had to um, go to the bathroom, so I pulled off of I-5 and the first place I found was the Olympia co-op. I did my business, and feeling guilty about how I had punished their bowl, I decided to buy something.
What I found was a really nice pair of organic socks. They were $6 ish.
They were the freaking best socks I have ever bought. Those socks are the first ones I grab from the drawer, and are always in the wash since I wear them so often. They are a few years old now, and look and feel brand new. I’ve always been on the lookout for more since then.
On Saturday, Jack and I were shopping at a fancy grocery store, and I found the exact same socks in their health and beauty section. It was sock destiny. It was meant to be. It was sockendipity.
Thinking nothing of it, I threw a three pack of long ones, and a three pack of short ones in my basket, and went on my merry way.
You can imagine how tightly my butthole clenched when they all rang up at $40.
For six pairs of socks.
I also puked in my mouth just a little bit.
But you know what…I didn’t tell the cashier to take them off my tab. I didn’t protest the price. I put them in my cloth bag, and went home. I also texted a friend about it, and let’s just say she was a bit surprised at my expensive sock purchase.
Why oh why would someone pay $40 for socks? SOCKS????
Well, because they are worth it. I could easily go to Target and get a 10 pack of socks for about $9. And those damn things will last less than one year and then be in the garbage. My super socks on the other hand, last forever. By the time I had used up about $40 worth of Target socks, my fancy pants socks will be middle-aged, and will still be keeping my feet nice and toasty.
The pricey socks are made with organic cotton (pesticides applied to cotton crops are one of the biggest polluters in the US), and made in the USA. They may not be cheap, but their value will pay for itself in the end. At face value, spending $40 on socks is idiotic, but my new socks are keeping tons of socks out of the landfills, supporting a US company, and preventing additional applications of chemicals from affecting of our waterways.
I later found them on Azure Standard for about $7 cheaper, but hey, in seven years when these ones have wore out, I know where to get replacements!
Anatomy of a non-staged photo: cords everywhere, too much stuff on my sweet garage sale TV stand that later turned out to be worth $1k, and a broken 43 year old mini blind. |
Good coffee beans.
My splurge is getting my hair colored (3x a year) and cut by a gal that is AMAZING. My hair is super thick and the gray is stubborn (no gorgeous Heloise hair for me) so no matter what brand of color I use I am not happy with the outcome.
I am *ahem* not skinny and that is a work in progress. But a good haircut and color is an instant pick me up.
We all have our splurges and your socks sound like a good choice. Are they really made from pastured butterflies? Cool they are made in the USA, by the way.
Sadly, just boring old cotton!
That is a screaming deal. I hoard, covet, steal, and ask Santa for Smart Wool socks at $20 a pair sometimes on sale for $16 PER PAIR at REI. Santa came through with one pair. My first pair came to me accidentally from a good friend who left hers at my house after a visit. I still haven’t returned them and she still loves me. That’s a good friend.
Well heck, the new ones are $6ish each also ok a little closer to $7ish a pair…you had no qualms buying one pair at that amount… and if you break it down by per wear cost, you can get it down to dang near nothing
Love the three pairs of wool socks I inherited from my mom that are going strong after a decade. The three lands end pairs I got for Christmas however all have a hole in at least one sock. Guess I’ll be finding some new wool ones
Weirdly enough, wool socks. Warm and toasty feet are are worth the splurge.