In response to some of your “final, burning questions,” I wanted to reflect today on one of the biggest effects that style blogging has had on me: nurturing a desire to BUY less and DO more with what I already have in my wardrobe. Sometimes I’ve been more successful than others, but I want to celebrate the items that have been particularly and surprisingly remix-able as I’ve gone through several significant life and body changes.
Now, I obviously haven’t stopped shopping altogether since blogging. Still, I think that I’ve become a lot more self-conscious about where and how I acquire clothing since starting this blog. I’ve definitely continued my love of a good sale, but I’ve also rediscovered my love of thrifting and uncovered a penchant for refashioning existing garments and helping to organize clothing swaps. S., L., A., and I all have different personal convictions about where we shop and what brands we support, but I have always valued the thoughtful dialogue that comes along with the recognition that, on some level, the statement that you make through what you wear hinges not only on visual appearances but also sourcing and motivation.
That said, while I have made a self-conscious effort to do my research and try to thrift more frequently, I do still shop at a lot of big box stores. And I will admit frankly that limited time plays a big determining factor — some might argue that it is too big a factor — in how I shop. Thrifting or finding vintage treasures on eBay or sewing my own clothes or even hunting down independent boutiques takes a lot of time. And in certain seasons of my life….well, time is a very rare thing. I say this to be honest with you all and to acknowledge that tensions exist (and probably always will). I don’t want to paint myself as operating on a superior plane of enlightened clothes-purchasing. Sometimes I’m just a tired mom that orders things online from Old Navy at 11:00pm because I can get free shipping and simultaneously buy another bundle of socks for baby e.
BUT here’s where style blogging comes in. Because I have a visual record of what I’ve worn and because I have so much inspiration at my finger tips (thanks, Internet), I am more prone than ever to figure out a new way to wear something than go out and buy a new garment. I’ve already gushed about some of the wardrobe workhorses that I own (like my little navy dress and my mustard blouson top), but here are a few more garments that I’ve worn in all three years of our blogging career.
The Expected: Navy Three-Quarter Sleeve Blazer
I bought this blazer expecting it to be a workhorse. I have not been disappointed.
The Dark Horse: Dolman Cardigan
When my mother-in-law gifted me with this cardigan I was initially unsure what to do with those sleeves. But, it was so soft and warm that I kept wearing it…and wearing it…and wearing it…and figuring out different ways to do so along the way.
The All-Season Surprise: Full Cream Skirt
Oh, my floaty cream cotton skirt. I love it. I wear it in the spring. I wear it in the summer. Sometimes I wear it in February. This is one of the garments I miss the most when I’m pregnant.
The Colorful: Purple Maxi Dress
I first wore this purple maxi dress to a baby shower when I was pregnant with little e. Then I let it sit in my closet for a while. And then…then I fell in love and decided it went with pretty much everything. And who doesn’t need a little more royal purple in their life?
It’s this aspect of style blogging — reimagining what I already own and feeling the freedom to occasionally get a little wacky in how I try to wear something — that I hope will remain with me. At the very least I know that I’ll be wearing that full cream skirt again, in some new iteration, just as soon as my post-baby belly allows…
P.S. You can see most of my outfits that utilized those orange shoes up top by clicking here.
Good Luck – I will miss you all. I wish you all every happiness in your new lives.
Jane X
I love that you all have a tendency toward swapping and thrifting! It’s a huge reason why you’re the only fashion blog in my reader–it encourages me to make do with pieces I already have, or to look for second hand items rather than spend oodles of cash on new clothes.
I will miss your thoughtful posts and inspiring outfits. I was kind of looking forward to a possible weekend workshop on nursing wear. Good luck with your future endeavors, and I hope you all post baby pics! :)
Thank you for listing your work-horse items!! It was very useful to me. I’m now going to look for a navy blue jacket and a pair of red/orange shoes. Your outfits are stunning, young, and wearable!
E, I adore you! You are the person who inspired me to actually try to have style when first entering the world of business casual. You made me covet and enjoy coloured shoes and the “fashion belt!” Best of luck in all that you are about to do. Thank you for making my corner of the world a better-looking place :)
I adore your full cream skirt! And I like all your examples of how you wore your blazer. I’m always struggling with how to wear a blazer but not make it look too business-y.
I’m going to miss all of you, but I have especially loved your experiments with color. Your photo in the purple maxi from last Thanksgiving with the pear tart (do I remember correctly?) would be my favorite of all your looks. Best of luck on your future endeavors.
Wow! I would never have called purple a neutral, yet you’ve mixed it with every colour in the rainbow and the combinations are stunning!
Best wishes.
Thank you so much to you all for all your wonderful writing and all the time you have taken to make this such a great resource.
I will really miss your efforts, but all good things must come to an end, especially when there are so many more good things coming!
All the best to you all… Thank you.
[...] pictures above proves)? I’ve always admired the way people like Kendi of Kendi Everyday or E. of defunct but awesome Academichic wears blazers with anything and look smashing. I’ve come to realize that while the [...]