Friday, July 29, 2011

in which fashion is such a commitment

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This is THE summer dress. I would wear it every day except a) that would get boring, and b) it's actually pretty heavy linen and my body doesn't like to sweat.

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(dress: salvation army; shoes: seychelles; hat: uo; necklace: k's)

Now. I have something to say: Fashion is such a COMMITMENT. I'm struggling with this because in recent months I have not been financially capable of keeping up with the trends that I'm enamoured of, and I've officially trained my sights on fall fashion, which I predict I might actually be able to partake in. But when I realized that my DREAM SHOES are back on the market (they sold out last season and I've been checking back periodically for months to make sure I was ready to pounce when they reappeared) and they're just as expensive and unaffordable as they were last year, I was disheartened. I have no problem splurging on a nice pair of shoes, but what if I want them in yellow AND in brown (I do)? I am literally panicked by the thought that they might disappear. And after a night with a bottle of champagne, Project Runway (which always sparks inspiration), and a sketchbook, I want to buy up all kinds of fabric and fashion myself a fall wardrobe (loafers and leather and lace, o my!). But even that costs money. And what about my bigger goals? Would I be such a desperate shopoholic if it weren't for this blog? If I didn't feel pressure to offer up something new and different everyday, would I still haunt Etsy and Modcloth and Goodwill with such ferocious frequency? Would I still stress and sweat over the potential loss of a most-coveted pair of pretty shoes? Or would I be able to redirect that energy elsewhere? To maybe save some money once and a while? What about my other goals? What about travel? I can't say. I love fashion. It's become more and more apparent to me as I've been indirectly forced to watch from what feels like the sidelines while my fellow bloggers prance about in granny florals and washed-out whites, with a seemingly endless collection of pretty heels at their immediate disposable.

I'm not ashamed of loving fashion. I maintain that making clothes can be an art form, and that dressing up is important for many reasons. And sometimes all I want to do is curl up with a copy of Vogue and daydream of what I would do if I could really tackle my technical incompetance and make something miraculous happen with my sewing machine (working on it...).

But those shoes...
I... want... them.

Is that healthy?

11 comments:

  1. It's healthy to want pretty things! It's also healthy to set a goal to save up and get yourself those pretty things once in a while. Just remember that you might be projecting a bit onto those shoes, and that they might not live up to your months of shoelust and expectations.

    There's nothing wrong with working with a real person's wardrobe, and there's nothing wrong with rewearing outfits and working with what you've got. Why don't you try a 30 for 30 to stretch your remixing potential? I'm in the middle of one as a result of the process of moving, and it's really helped me understand that I don't need a new garment for every outfit to create interesting and fun clothing combinations--and that people will forgive me if I repeat myself. After all, fashion blogs are as much about getting to know the person and hearing what they have to say as they are about pretty clothing and shiny new things. If you know your fashion priorities, don't be afraid to stick with that and don't feel pressured to keep up with the Jonses of the fashion blogging world.

    Wow, this turned into a longer comment than I intended. I know I'm just a stranger on the internet who reads your blog, but I mean what I say, and I'll still be reading!

    http://readinginskirts.wordpress.com

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  2. Yes.

    Fashion exhausts me.

    It's funny because I used to feel so "into it." And I was scouring fashion blogs and Etsy and Modcloth every day and making lists of things that I needed and reading magazines and watching fashion shows...

    Then I just got tired. And I realized, all that work didn't really change my style. And it just always made me feel inadequate!

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  3. I love this dress, it's really pretty!! But I can understand not wanting your body to sweat haha.
    Even before I started blogging I enjoyed shopping, and looking at stores online and daydreaming about new things. I think because of my blog and trying to remix things I've gotten better at rewearing my clothes and trying to get the most use out of it. But somedays when I'm lazy and tired it is exhausting, and I'd rather not focus on it. But those are not the majority of days for me
    xJennaD

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  4. I feel your pain. I have less disposable income in my life now that ever and it sucks seeing so many inspiring things and not feeling able to buy/ create anything similar. I don't know that blogging makes it worse necessarily, I think it's just extra inspiration and can help you find new ways to wear old things. I suppose the thing is to make peace with the limits of your wardrobe.

    This is a great dress, love the nautical style.

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  5. This is such a cute nautical look! I love the dress and your accessories, especially the hat.

    I've been feeling the same way lately about my wardrobe. I have a decent collection of versatile clothing, but since I lost my job in December, I've been pretty limited in terms of shopping. Since then I've bought four extremely cheap sale items from Forever 21 and H&M and otherwise exclusively shopped at thrift stores...and even that has its limits, of course!

    However, I personally like seeing bloggers "remix" what they have because its fun to see how creative someone can get with a limited wardrobe. And I really like pushing the limits of creativity within my current wardrobe, even if it means I very rarely end up in the Chictopia style gallery...hahaha.

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  6. Those shoes ARE adorable, especially in yellow.

    I tend to find myself breaking the bank for shoes. I can thrift almost everything else, but good, stylish shoes are almost always bought new. I tell my boyfriend I'd gladly trade a month of eating out for shoes!

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  7. First, that is definitely the ultimate summer dress! I want it! Except it would probably be a shirt on me.

    As I'm sure you've gathered from various of my rants, I really struggle with the consumerist side of blogging. I do feel that it makes the longing worse, at least for me. Or at least, it makes it constant. I used to want things, of course, but I also had periods of months when I wasn't that bothered about fashion. Now I want something or other all the damn time.

    Have you considered not blogging every day? Perhaps your wardrobe will feel less stretched if you didn't post outfits five days a week (although I love that you post so often). Another thing to keep in mind is that your readers likely don't notice how often you wear something. Sometimes I wouldn't even know it was something you'd worn before, especially if well remixed. I think your outfits are often about the whole outfit, rather than the individual pieces, if that makes sense. Also, as a blogger with a limited amount of stuff myself, I appreciate seeing that reflected in others.

    And a lot of those big bloggers have half their wardrobe courtesy of anyway. Just accept that you can't compete.

    Oh, and please don't do a 30 for 30! Man I hate those things! And you remix perfectly anyway...

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  8. That dress is so perfect for summer. The stripes make it so adorable.
    I find myself constantly wanting things too. I'm trying to wear more of my less worn items. Since I don't wear them often it's like wearing something new.

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  9. Of course you're allowed to want pretty shoes! Perhaps you crave them more because you're being exposed to fashion more frequently because of blogging? It's fine as long as you don't blow all your money on clothes. I always feel like thrift shopping quenches my need for new stuff.

    Also, that dress is adorably nautical and I love it!

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