In her article, "Baubles are Back," in Marketing News (4/14/97), Cyndee Miller writes:

After spending the first half of the decade trying to live down the excesses of the eighties, consumers are again willing to splurge on the finer things in life. . . .

This time around, consumers are opting for "practical" luxury, or at least things that give the appearance of being practical. . . .

So that $60,000 sport-utility vehicle isn't considered cool. Rather, it's viewed as offering superior handling. The $450 black, patent-leather Prada backpack isn't about having a piece of the designer du jour; it's considered an investment that will last longer than a bag from Target. . . .

But unlike the "overt consumerism" of the eighties, this time around, "it's not about keeping up with the Joneses," said Wendy Liebmann, president of WSL Strategic Retail. "People are buying for themselves."

 What some people mistake for the high cost of living is really the cost of high living." --Doug Larson

 That's About the Size of It!

Evidence of people's growing expectations was revealed in a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, comparing amenities featured in homes between 1975 and 1995.

The percentage of new, single-family homes with:

Central air-conditioning:

2-1/2 or more bathrooms:

4 or more bedrooms:

Garage for 2 or more cars:

Average size in sq.ft.: 1975

46

20

21

53

1,645 1995

80

48

30

76

2,095

--USA Today (3/24/97)