Here's a Juicy Tid-bit for Ya!

If you were out shopping for a new, designer-yet-affordable accessory and you saw the tag line "Born in the Glamorous U.S.A.", how would you interpret that? For me, it means that the product I am holding in my hot little hands was not only conceptualized by a fellow American but more importantly, produced and assembled by my fellow Americans in our "glamorous" United States of America.



Being the frugal bargain hunter I am, I don't make purchases of "expensive" accessories like, ever. When I do, I find the need to incessantly research the best price for the object of my retail lust. My taste for accessories such as shoes, handbags, belts, and costume jewelry is a combination of current trends, classic lines, use of materials, and on a certain level, brand. I have an acute awareness that an accessory or pair of shoes can become subliminaly more attractive or less fashionable based solely upon the presence of a widely recognized label, or lack thereof.

While I pride myself on being able to make my personal fashion statement predominantly with no-name clothing, bargain basement footwear, and anonymous accessories, I can honestly admit that I would straight up throw my frugal shopping philosophy out the window faster than you can say "Jimmy Choo" for the perfectly priced pair of designer pumps. I admit it; I have no shame! Though recently, I unknowingly allowed the power of the brand to bring me to an uncomfortable place...

At first, and quite honestly up until today, I felt great about my decision to drop a few bucks on a super cute velour wristlet by Juicy Couture. After all, it was "Born in the Glamorous USA", right? WRONG-O! While out shopping this afternoon, I found myself curiously tallying just where all of these designer handbags are being fabricated. Michael Kors...China. Cole Haan...China. Guess?...China. Juicy Couture...China. Yes, CHINA! What happened to "Born in the Glamorous USA"?

It appears that since the Juicy Couture brand was acquired by Liz Claiborne Inc in 2003, the tag-line in the logo changed from "Made in the Glamorous U.S.A." to "Born in the Glamorous U.S.A." in an effort to "clarify" that it is the brand that was born in the U.S.A., not the actual product itself. Phew, I'm so thankful they made that crystal clear, but the more I think about it, I must be the only dodo bird who didn't realize the obvious message that the new tag line conveys.

Since I wasn't 100% certain that the item I'd purchased was "Made in China" (but born in the U.S.A. mind you) I had to do an obligatory tag check when we got home and there it was in baby pink text. Sonofabitch was made in China. I couldn't be more pissed. Well, that's not true. I would've been more pissed if this discussion were over a pair of shoes.

So there I sat, on my hand-me-down sectional sofa, looking at the very wristlet I was so excited about, trying to decide just what to do. Do I keep it? Do I sell it? Do I give it away? Do I throw it away? What do I dooooo? The pros and cons for each path of action are virtually equal. I tell you, if I had the option, I would pack it right up and ship it straight back to Juicy in a heartbeat. But alas, this is not an option as I am far outside of the parameters of the return policy.

Then I had to ask myself...how could I be so stupid? Am I really that impressionable as to take a logo tag-line a face value and acutally believe it? Well, the thing is, now that I know that Juicy Couture products are made in China I have been quickly scouring the internet looking for forthcoming evidence of the truth. Save but a few entries on fashion forums and Yahoo! Answers, there is no place where this information is readily available. It would seem to me that I may in fact not be the only one who misinterprets the tag-line.

Now I had to take my research in a different direction...from price comparison to origin disclosure. First stop was Juicy Couture. When going directly to the website's "about" section, there is a fancy little graphic and a two sentence description, if you can call it that, detailing what Juicy Couture is "all about". Are you ready for it? "Once upon a time in a land far, far away called Pacoima there were two nice girls who liked stuff. Juicy Couture swept the land and they lived happily ever after." What, for the love of all things pretty, does that mean?

Corny wannabe-trendy creation story aside, my research didn't get me far. I was able to quickly determine that there's not very many online retailers that disclose the country of origin of their products. This is a real problem but a topic for another day. What it really boils down to isn't just a matter of non-disclosure or the fact that an increasing number of products now bear the "made in China" tag. It is 100% about what I feel is a gross misrepresentation of the current origins of a very popular brand.

We're all living in a time of cautious spending. If your family hasn't been directly affected by the staggering economy, you personally know someone who has been. It doesn't take a genius to understand the direct correlaion between the "Made in America" label and the people it takes to make that label a reality. Many Americans, myself included, have made the conscious effort to buy American more exclusively and I think retailers can see this trend growing year-over-year.

I find it deplorable for any corporation to take advantage of hopeful Americans who are trying to do their part to stimulate a dying economy. On the technical side, Juicy Couture has done nothing wrong. Its the moral and ethical side that really pisses me off. Juicy Couture and parent company Liz Claiborn Inc are fully aware that "Born in the Glamorous U.S.A." leads the consumer to believe that this is a fancy way of saying "Made in America". You know it. I know it. THEY know it.

Well, I can't make a post without revealing to the world one of my newest pairs of shoes. Though I've owned these for a few months now, the weather in AZ has been a little too warm for boots and the outfit that goes with them. I can't wait for the chance to wear Jessica Simpson's "Camera" boots!

**NOTE: Proir to legislation brought upon Juicy Couture by Proctor & Gamble, the logo read "Love P&G" (as seen in the "made" logo). Now, the logo reads "Love G&P".