I'm proud of my clothes shopping venue!

This article from Britain reminded me of seeing the cover of the National Enquirer when it announced, "Angela Jolie: pregnant again with twins!" Real moms know that she doesn't actually take care of all these children, her staff does that. She can still get up at 8am, take an uninterrupted shower, do a 60 minute workout with her trainer, eat a prepared breakfast, and put on her makeup without 3 children asking her, "Mommy, why are you putting goop on your face?" The only thing that Mrs. Brad Pitt does is attempt to make American mothers feel guilty for not looking as glamorous (but with no hired help).

The premise is that a aristocrat goes slumming to see what all the hubbub is about in the English equivalent of $ stores. But the message is all about class status and how one should not venture beyond one's sphere, including shopping venues. This is the exact opposite rationale in my all time favorite money books, The Millionaire Next Door. Most American millionaires drive 10 year old cars, many clip coupons, and they don't show off their money. My guess that most British bigwigs didn't actually earn their money, they inherit it and the pompous attitude comes for free.

Luckily here in America there is no social stigma from shopping at the thrift store. In fact while we were stationed in Italy the officer's wives club held a luncheon, complete with a runway modeling session showcasing all the fabulous clothes one could purchase at the on-base thrift shop they ran for charity. It was a stitch watching the Marine Brig. General's wife helping the Admiral's wife zip up the back of her dress, "Isn't this lovely, can you believe it was only $3!"

The Daily Mail on-line The daughter of Lord Wyatt and Hungarian baroness Veronica Banszky von Ambroz, she's not your average shopper.

What is a girl like me doing in a shop like this? My idea of a bargain has always been the Harvey Nichols sale, while my food has been sourced locally from Waitrose. This week, I read about a chain called Poundland...

Edmonton Green does not exactly shriek with chic. No fashionista would be caught dead in such a shopping centre. Half the shoppers look grey and sort of hopeless. The other half look like criminals.

The majority of Poundland customers are of the social class C1 and C2. Store manager Mike Fields later tells me that 'a lot of people used to look down on us, but things are changing. We have seen an increasing number of middle-class shoppers. They can't afford to look down on us now.'

I approach a middle-aged woman who looks as apprehensive as I do and is wearing a silk scarf. She says her name is Mary and she started coming here a month ago. 'The area's a bit dodgy', she whispers. 'But in this economic climate I can't afford Waitrose. I do feel there is a bit of a social stigma attached, but what can I do?'

There are more middle-class shoppers here, looking furtive, as if they'd been caught in a massage parlour. I approach one well-dressed woman and tell her I'm writing an article. 'Go away,' she hisses, holding her hand to her face.

To my astonishment, I spot a young woman wearing an expensive Emilio Pucci scarf and clutching a Louis Vuitton bag. Are things as bad as all that, I ask? Is her husband an unemployed hedge-fund manager? The young woman, who is called Elizabeth, grins. Her husband, who is dressed like a preppie, appears from the gardening tools section and looks equally amused.
'I'm not bankrupt, but I come here because it's cheap and why not save money?' he says in an American accent. 'We've just come here from the States and we don't understand this English thing about being ashamed to be in a store like this. You Brits had better change.