Where does luxury belong during the recession — on our feet or holding our wine? Daze checks out sneakers and wine glasses.

Drinking in one’s freshman dorm room is a pastime that most people partake in — I certainly enjoyed taking part. While plastic cups are less obvious to a nosy R.A., they are about as inconspicuous as shot glasses. Thus, if you are going to drink, you may as well do it in style — Goosewatch chardonnay and Andre taste better in crystal (or just glass). For those who only put their lips to the best, Riedel makes beautiful wine and cocktail glasses. The standard lines, however, will set you back anywhere from $40 to $100 ... for a single glass. If you live in a single and never ever drop or knock over anything, these may be the glasses for you. — $122 for, for example, one Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Glass

On the other hand, if you aren’t looking to drop $400 on a set of wine glasses, or if price isn’t an issue but you simply can’t wait to have them shipped, Riedel glasses can actually be found in Ithaca — at your friendly neighborhood Target. Riedel’s Vivant line is made exclusively for Target, but once you take the glasses out of the box, it is impossible to tell the difference. They come in all sizes, so feel free to get both a white and a red set, and you can choose with or without stems. Weighing in between $40 and $50 for a set of four, they are a great deal — and you can actually use them without having a coronary. — $45 (average) for four glasses

The Verdict: Riedel for Target is the best option, hands down.

This past spring, Michelle Obama raised a few eyebrows when she volunteered at a D.C. food bank wearing her new favorite sneakers: fancy schmancy sneakers by Lanvin. Gray with gorgeous shiny pink toes and pink grosgrain ribbon laces, they retailed for $540 — far from a prudent choice for a day helping those less fortunate than the first lady. I couldn’t help but wonder who spent that much on sneakers, but when I checked the Barneys website — just in case — and they were sold out in every size. I was a bit crushed until my lucky day at Jeffrey in Manhattan, when I noticed a gorgeous pair of sneakers, sitting on a lonely shoe rack in the corner. Of course, since the last pair was my size, I took it as a sign that they were meant for me. And now I am so afraid of staining them that I suggest you steer clear if you see me in bright pink sneakers. Just saying. — $540

On another splurge day, on another lonely shoe rack in another part of Manhattan, I found another gorgeous pair of shoes that convinced me that maybe I was a sneaker person (a category I had never belonged to before). Low top, classic Adidas sneakers — shiny (and I mean really, really shiny) blue with the classic stripes in silver. They were comfy, my size and on sale — the shoe trifecta. They are now my go-to shoes for class, a quick run to CTB or a late night trip to Wegmans. And at a cool $40 (told you they were on sale!), I don’t have to worry about what may happen to them. — $40

The Verdict:  I love the Lanvins, but there are few less practical things in the world. The shiny Adidas wins.