October 3, 2005

Salon Goes Stroller-crazy

So a new mom goes to her pediatrician's office in a "trendy neighborhood" in Manhattan, and everyone there has the same "trendy" stroller except her? The thing is expensive--$900--but they can afford it. She wonders if the money couldn't be put to better use, but still, not having one makes her feel like a poor outcast nerd transferring into a rich high school. What should she do?

According to Salon, she should "please buy the stroller, please buy the stroller, please please please please please buy the stroller!"

According to Daddy Types, lady, you are insane. You should spend $900 on therapy to see why you're so insecure and desperate to be exactly like everyone else. Then you should buy the stroller here at babystyle, while they still have free shipping. I mean, you're not stupid, right? Just crazy.

Can I have the stroller I want? Can I? Can I?
[salon via dt reader jj]

Meanwhile, now that you've sat through that Salon commercial today, check out their ecstatic review of the Phil & Ted's e3 stroller, the one that lets you stay in the city by stacking your kids on top of each other. [see the first DT P&T E3 report here

10 Comments

I'm still glad I bought the Zippy. The Macs do nothing for me and I never watched SATC, so I hadn't even heard of the Bug. I live in the city and hardly ever see a Zippy. However, I buy a lot of vintage, so I never see anyone dressed like me either.

p.s. This site is so much better than Urban Baby. ;-D

I'm still glad I bought the Zippy. The Macs do nothing for me and I never watched SATC, so I hadn't even heard of the Bug. I live in the city and hardly ever see a Zippy. However, I buy a lot of vintage, so I never see anyone dressed like me either.

p.s. This site is so much better than Urban Baby. ;-D

I saw that, then I saw the link at the end to their Stokke story, and was happy to see a link to daddytypes in that story!

To me, it seemed obvious the person asking the question wanted to Bugaboo, not the Stokke...

[no kidding, I've seen exactly two Stokkes in the wild, meanwhile, there are now more Frogs in New York than there are toads in Australia. -ed.]

LOL, Greg! You are off your rocker, but in a GOOD way ;-)

I just wanted to add that although the Bug is expensive, it is versatile and worth the price provided you don't spend your money on other big ticket baby items. (You won't need the following: infant car seat carrier, moses basket, bassinet, portable high chair, pak n' play, trail stroller, and umbrella stroller.)

My kid was born in a different city, the bug was not only a pram, but also the Kids' portable crib, bassinet, his diaper changing table and his moses basket while we were in a hotel. (I also have the attachment to fit his infant car seat.)

Once we got him home it continued to be all of those things and more. Now that he has outgrown the Pram (at 7 months) it's his only stroller, a sleeper (when it's reclined all the way back--making the Graco Pak N' Play usesless) and his restaurant high chair. Sure it's size is rather large, but it's light and portable. When you see me on the street or hiking a hillside,I have everything in ones spot, and his diaper bag tucked neatly below him. Completely hands free.

If you consider what you get for 750 bucks, (whoever paid 900 didn't shop around.) it's not such a waste of money after all. I would (and have) recommended the bug-a-boo to anyone.

[you're on the right website, Oliver. I'm gettin' more Kool-aid; you want some? -ed.]

I agree that the author comes off as completely insecure and materialistic. At the same time, you give a $450 dollar stroller a great review and basically endorse it but you think wanting a $900 stroller is nuts.

I'd argue it's just a matter of degree and YOUR level of comfort is, say, half of the Salon article's author. I would say $200 is plenty to spend on a stroller. Does that mean I should call you off your rocker for recommending a $450 stroller? ;)

Anyway - I found your blog because of the Salon article and I am glad I did. :)

[Actually, if you want a cool, well-designed stroller that you don't see coming at you every ten seconds on West Broadway, the Phil & Ted's is the way to go.

If you buy any stroller because you think it'll make you cool or you want to be like the popular, rich kids, you are a chump, and all I can do is feel sorry. And mock you on my website. -ed.]

i agree with cary tennis--the chick CRAVES the bugaboo. and while the chick feels shame for her immoral bugaboo lusts, she says she can afford to slake these longings. so get the damn bugaboo, woman. otherwise you will be haunted by the bugaboo and get an ulcer. and i tell you this despite feeling scorn for the bugaboo. (i wrote the phil & ted rave in salon.)

[right on, Marjorie -ed.]

I have the Phil & Ted's e3 stroller - and it rocks! My husband is a kiwi, so we didn't really have a choice in stroller ;) (I was tempted by the Quinny Buzz myself), but this is great. It's very comfortable for the Beanlet, and folds up so neatly even in my tiny car. It's very sturdy, and has the most awesome turning circle - it's great in town or in the country. Downside is it's a total sod to clean, as we spilt something on it and had to dismantle it completely and soak it to get it clean.. it won't go in the machine. But it does come apart easily.

The tone of this woman just proves that consumer culture just turns us into children. Wants and desires are completely socially constructed - although needs and comforts can be more grounded more in reality. Its a STROLLER. Whatever works.

Isn't is little embarassing, actually, to wonder if one's bugaboo *and* Quinny Zapp fits into one's Porche 911? Such conspicuous consumption might have been cool in high school -but aren't most of us adults? Who wants to be the center of attention anymore? I for one, am uninterested in drawing attention to myself, via my car (volvo 240 for crissakes) or anything else. Goodness.

I just returned from Manhattan and was amazed to see the number of bugaboos out and about. I hardly think a $900 stroller is worth it, but I figured that if you have no car and no gas expenses and walking was your main source of transportation, perhaps it is.

The best stroller I ever bought was a $20 umbrella stroller. Handy, lightweight, versatile, hardy, and so cheap that if I had to, I could throw it in a garbage can and not look back. Except that I haven't had to do that because they're actually pretty well made.

Re: the Phil & Ted's e3 -- my husband read in their owner's manual that the buggy is unstable if only the baby (in the sling below) is in it and therefore they don't recommend that you have only the one child in it. It was no good to us since we assumed that baby would be sleeping and big girl would be playing (at the park, say) on a regular basis. Perhaps they've improved on the design since we researched last year?

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