What do Astrid's earrings represent?

Astrid's earrings symbolize the way she, like many characters in the novel, turns to consumerism as a coping mechanism. To distract herself from thoughts of Michael's infidelity, Astrid visits her jeweler, Stephen, and impulsively spends $784,000.00 on a pair of earrings she does not even like. Spending so much money for no good reason makes her feel amazing and momentarily numbs her to thoughts of Michael's unfaithfulness.