"ethnic"

So this is sort of complicated: vacation souvenirs. Let's face it, we all buy them. In fact, we go to great lengths. Countless vacation hours are spent in bazaars, night markets, and tourist "museums" in search for them. Numerous third-world economies are dependent on our shelling out dirhams and dong for wearable trinkets, totems of our travels.

But if you're anything like me, you hate yourself a little for being the goofy, gauche American tourist savoring a taste of the exotic to take home to your prosaic office life, even if you can't help yourself. And what are you supposed to do once you get home? Complete your weekend wear with the giant jade Buddha you got at the Taiwanese temple?

I suspect there are no right answers here, but here's what I know. It's best to try to refrain from becoming your grade school librarian. You know, the well-traveled and well-meaning lady who paired her turquoise Native American jewelry with her Chinese embroidered jacket (and never failed to insert a story about their origins between your inquiries for Ramona Quimby and Nancy Drew).

If you're wearing anything that could qualify as "ethnic" jewelry, let that be the only thing on your person that does. And when you're looking for that special souvenir, consider whether it is something you might actually wear (This rule, of course, is one to be broken, as I have a sand-colored boys' thobe for which I spent days searching and am glad for it).