Blog Entry - BrandHabit

Iniam Oakland, CA

You know what I have a thing for?

Yes, it is true I have a thing for tall, lanky Italian men but that’s not what I’m going to gush about at the moment.

There is another man I want to gush about: James Perse.

I’m not sure if he’s tall or lanky or if he has any Italian blood in him, but everything I don’t know about him doesn’t stop me from loving him and every item of clothing he produces which is dubbed on his website as “low maintenance high fashion.” It’s breezy.

Which is exactly the feeling I got from Iniam, an airy and spacious boutique on the cusp of Berkeley and Oakland. The boutique’s interior was clean and simple allowing the important stuff to stick out. From the table of shoes from designers like Chie Mihara to the racks of Theory against the perimeter of the boutique I was lead to a corner with a rack of James Perse basics. Unfortunately they were out of the extra long short sleeve crew necks but the sales associate ,who understood my anguish over not finding the wardrobe staple I desired, assured me James Perse was always replenished and to check back soon. She also encouraged me to try on an adorable little (and I mean little) hot pink belted Theory strapless mini-dress I admired on a hanger. I laughed and said no, patting myself for resisting the urge to buy something I would never wear unless I had a tall lanky Italian man to whisk me away to Isola d’Ebla.

Among other items of desire I found a pair of robin’s egg blue Philp Lim 3.1 wide leg pants which would compliment any sort of James Perse basic, like the button down linen short sleeved shirt I eyed for a long time and deemed unnecessary for my wardrobe at the moment.

The only thing I could do at that point was to throw myself onto one of the two couches in the center of the boutique and languish over my lack of funds for everything in the store. Eventually I would probably be escorted out by the friendly staff onto the street as I crooned along with Amy Winehouse played softly in the store, feeling as though she was channeling her sympathy for the budget I live on.

See what sort of dramatic thoughts enter my brain when I am denied my James Perse basics and must be taunted by unnecessary desires?