Guilty pleasures. We all have them, whether it’s trashy magazines or MTV reality shows (who can resist a good Laguna Beach rerun?), and there is definitely something to be said for indulging in the little things, even if they may not provide any intellectual stimulation.
“Bergdorf Blondes,” by Plum Sykes, is just such a guilty pleasure. Sykes’ debut novel centers around a “champagne bubble of a girl about town,” known simply as Moi. Moi is a PAP (Park Avenue Princess), who, along with her best friend Julie Bergdorf (the original Bergdorf blonde and heiress) just wants to find an ATM (rich boyfriend) to turn into a PH (potential husband).
Does that seem a tad superficial? We haven’t even scraped the surface. Some recurring themes include Moi’s obsession with Chloe jeans, invitations to the most exclusive sample sales as the secret to a fulfilled life, spontaneous trips on a PH’s PJ (private jet, of course) to exotic locations, a desire to be “ana” (as in anorexic) thin, and Bellinis as the answer to any problem.
Now don’t get me wrong, I see no problem with nice jeans or taking vacations, but I’m sure you’d all agree there’s more to life. Not so for Moi and the other Bergdorf Blondes – although, Moi is actually a brunette. If you take the book at face value as simply a romp through the lives of Manhattan’s overly privileged socialites, then I have no doubt you will find a light-hearted read.
The problem is that Sykes did not intend for the novel to be taken this way. She intended to write “Bergdorf Blondes” as a satire, but while it certainly exposes the lives of the young and the wealthy as frivolous, and even hints that perhaps they take themselves a bit too seriously, it is just shy of actually satirizing them.
Sykes does an impeccable job of writing in great detail about the right clothes to wear, places to be seen and what is and is not acceptable behavior when wearing the right clothes at the right functions. For example, one must never actually eat at a restaurant opening, but being seen there is crucial.
Though these idiosyncratic behaviors of the very rich are certainly amusing, when it comes to pulling off a social statement on the subject, Sykes misses the mark. Instead of providing a true satirical take, Sykes seems more fondly reproving of the PAP lifestyle than interested in pointing out the glaring problems with their choices.
While our main PAP is charming, in an extraordinarily self-centered, naïve sort of way, she is severely lacking in intelligence and depth. For instance, she desperately wants to find true love, but eloquently states this desire by saying, “I just want to fall in love… like all the other girls, and have radiant skin without having to get Vitamin C injections.”
Unfortunately, Moi’s love life is exactly what you would expect from a girl who equates excellent dermatology on a par with a fulfilling love. She dates a series of unsavory characters, including a photographer who is even more self-centered than she is and two married men. All the while, a handsome, English-born movie director named Charlie Dunlain lurks in the corners and always seems to turn up just when she needs him.
Coincidentally, Moi’s mother (American, but living in England and desperate to be considered a Brit) has had her heart set on Moi marrying the perpetually absent “Little Earl” of the next-door castle since they were children. Now, I won’t give away the ending (okay, maybe I will), but let’s just say Moi, her mother and Charlie (English-born, remember) will all manage to find their happily–ever–afters by the conclusion.
But perhaps I’m being too harsh. As I originally stated, “Bergdorf Blondes” is a guilty pleasure. While Sykes may have intended it to be a bit more of a social commentary than it actually is, it is still an enjoyable read. I may have been slightly incredulous at some of the antics of the Upper East Siders, but I was always intrigued.
The Bergdorf Blondes provide a genre of escapist literature that just can’t be found anywhere other than a world where money is no object and affairs of the heart (specifically, one’s own heart) are the only thing worth thinking about. So, if you are looking for a thought-provoking work on the nature of what it means to be overly privileged, stay away from “Bergdorf Blondes.” But if you go into this novel expecting nothing more than a light read and a peek into the lavish world of Manhattan socialites, then read on and enjoy!