Mr. Twistie and I do enjoy daydreaming. Just yesterday we were on the road on a mission that isn’t particularly important to explain and he asked me a question: if we suddenly had stupid amounts of money so that we would never have to worry about bills again… what is the first thing I would get for me?
We always assume that the absolute first thing we would do after paying off all our debts is get everyone we love paid off, too. No more mortgages, no more car or student loans, no more overdue medical bills, stuff like that. But this time he asked what I would do first for me once all that is taken care of and we still have more money that we can possibly spend in several lifetimes.
I even surprised myself with my answer: I said I would find and hire a fantastic cobbler to make me a real wardrobe of great shoes.
I’m sure Mr. Twistie thought I was going to say I wanted one of every Le Creuset pot and pan ever made… and I assured him that was on my castle in the air list. Just I want some really fabulous shoes that correctly fit my wide, high-arched, buniony little paws and my extremely… unique personal style first. And I want them without having to engage in fifteen rounds of mail order and returns.
All my life, footwear has been a much bigger battle than it ought. Now, with fewer and fewer retailers carrying even a single, ugly pair of wide width shoes in the store, it’s become absolute torture. At this point, a cobbler is pretty much the only way out I see and I want one. So there!
How about you? If you suddenly lucked into Trumpesque wads of cash and have taken care of all the necessities (paying off debts, taking care of medical issues, setting up a college fund for the kids, etc.), what would be the first just for fun thing you do for yourself?
Oh, Mr. Twistie’s answer? Head straight for Saville Row and have a Beatles suit custom made for him.
All I can say to that is yeah, yeah, yeah!
Oh my gosh, I would totally get a cobbler too. I have big feet (size 12) and it is so hard to find cute shoes that don’t look like boats or feel like thorns! I have a shoe fetish, since
I was younger my mother told me “If it fits, buy it” and that mantra has unfortunately stuck with me…Now I am a shoe shopaholic!!! So cobbler would definitely be first on my list!!!
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Comment by LiteralGemini — October 16, 2011 @ 1:10 pm
HMMMM- Excellent question. I would probably plan an all in trip for my 4 best girlfriends and spouses/partners (and the kids) and my husband and I to someplace AWESOME for at least a month. By all in, I mean covering their salaries, transportation, lodging, food, drink- care for the kiddos, shopping for and during- everything. To give my girlfriends, our kids and spouses a break would warm my heart. We all do so much for our communities, families and friends, sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves.
Comment by Kimks — October 16, 2011 @ 2:29 pm
I read an article in the NY Times years ago about a shop in Paris that makes custom-fitted bras. I’ve been dreaming of them ever since. That would be my first stop, for sure.
Comment by Jezebella — October 16, 2011 @ 2:39 pm
Build/by my husband the studio of his dreams – then it’d all be about my lipo, baby.
And shoes.
Comment by Whitney — October 16, 2011 @ 2:49 pm
Shoes are my dream, too. At a size 10 AAA with wicked high arches, nothing ever fits. And my wish list isn’t even that eccentric. How about a pair of flat, tall brown leather boots (and tall enough that they actually reach the knees of my 36″ inseam legs – not mid calf the way almost all regular “tall” boots do)? Is that so much to ask? And I don’t even need a cobbler – I’d settle for a group of little shoe elves that shod me while I sleep.
Comment by Katie, Interrobangs Anonymous — October 16, 2011 @ 4:21 pm
In the World Where I Have an Entourage, a cobbler for my square feet (size 7s, extra wide) is basically first on the list. That cobbler will make be strappy shoes. Those shoes will look like the shoes that Olivia Newton-John wore in the dance-off in the movie Grease.
Also, my house will have a lobster bisque faucet. I don’t think that’s possible. BUT IT WILL.
Comment by SoRefined — October 16, 2011 @ 4:31 pm
I’d fly my mom, my sister and myself to Paris for two weeks, filled solely with spa treatments, museum visits, shopping, and incredible meals. We’re all so busy and have so much on our plates, so the first order of business would be to get us the hell out of Dodge and escape for some pure self-indulgence.
After that, then yes, shoes and bags. And twice-weekly massages. And twice-weekly housecalls from a hairstylist to give me perfect blowouts!
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — October 16, 2011 @ 6:17 pm
oooo….house in Paris…tout suite!
Oh, and maybe a tailor in London on call. :)
Comment by jason — October 16, 2011 @ 8:38 pm
I would go to Britex in San Francisco and buy a ton of beautiful fabric. Then I’d find a really excellent custom seamstress and have her make me a new wardrobe, because while I love designing, patternmaking, and sewing, I don’t really enjoy sewing the kind of clothes I like to wear. So I’ll pay someone else to make modern clothes, and I’ll make the costumes.
Comment by Margo A — October 16, 2011 @ 9:57 pm
Luxury cruise, while I plan out what else to spend it on. :) Eventually, some custom tailored clothing, bunches of stitching stuff, a few firearms, and then the big plans like turning a large fortune into a small one via running a business or donating large chunks to charities, etc. Of course, the top of any list like that is hiring a lawyer and an accountant…and then a personal chef. I love food, I’m just not as fond of cooking as I thought I would be.
Comment by Allura — October 16, 2011 @ 10:17 pm
I would go on a MONSTER worldwide trip to meet and give presents to all my online buds! And probably buy some shoes while I’m on the way, especially since some of those friends are in Italy.
Comment by ZaftigWendy — October 16, 2011 @ 11:40 pm
I have to say I’m loving these castles in the air. And it’s kind of nice to find I’m not the only one looking into custom footwear!
But with the installation of her lobster bisque faucet, I do believe SoRefined immediately wins teh intarwebz! Also? The party is soooo at her house!
Comment by Twistie — October 17, 2011 @ 12:30 am
Twistie, given the interest level, maybe it’s time for a post on bespoke shoemakers. Who knows, maybe they’re not as expensive as we all think; or if they are, it still might be worth it in terms of cost per wear for classic styles made well enough to last for years.
Comment by Margo A — October 17, 2011 @ 10:39 am
If money were truly no object, I’d design a vegetarian restaurant and I’d hire a chef and the place would be so great and the food would be so good that EVERYONE would want to eat there, even if they weren’t a vegetarian. And I’d eat there everyday myself, for free.
Comment by Leigh — October 17, 2011 @ 12:17 pm
Get my arms “fixed”. I have disproportionately large arms, they cause me a lot of fitting issues. I dont want thin arms just ones that fit my size 22/24 body!
A seamstress on call to make me anything and everything I want. This includes bras to fit my wide set size 40 DDD/F boobs. I think since this is a dream list she will also be a cobbler who can make me fabulous heels that are comfy and knee high leather boots to fit my 23″ calves.
A trip to India with my best friend
An island vacation with my boyfriend
A safari with my mom
Id also buy a either a historic home and renovate it or have one built to look old (toss between a Victorian with tower or 2 and a plantation house with large/deep porches…). It would have a giant soaking tub I can actually fit/lay down in, a huge vanity for me to do my hair and make up and a GIANT closet to hold all my clothes with shelves for my shoes and hooks for my bags.
Comment by Jeni — October 17, 2011 @ 2:31 pm
A trip to Australia and Hawaii to learn how to surf.
Comment by Sarah G. — October 17, 2011 @ 9:55 pm
My own library, completely filled with my choice of books. Not just some room in a house, but a full city-sized library with lamps, comfy chairs & cozy couches. I would of course need some fab shoes & bags to carry there. I just bought my dream truck so after that I’d take care of my Mom & Dad Who in all honesty would be happy just to get access to said library) & my husband’s Mom & Dad. I would also spend an ungodly amount to further women’s literacy & supply books for areas that need them. I would also put my hairstylist on personal retainer & buy out Chanel’s entire stock of Vamp lipstick…
Comment by Leah — October 18, 2011 @ 1:33 am
Such good answers!
I would travel anywhere I wanted, and only stop when I’m tired of waiting in line passport control lines. And I would have a bigger kitchen, with room for all the cooking / baking gizmos I want. It would be nice to have room to really cook!
Comment by barbara — October 18, 2011 @ 4:45 pm
Travel. Plane tickets, accommodation, all that stuff. Travel is something I would love to do so much more of.
Or if it had to be buying a tangible thing… more tattoos.
Comment by Kath — October 21, 2011 @ 8:14 am