Today I ran across Ashe's post FBFF: Fashion, Blogging, & “One Time Use” (based on Modly Chic's FBFF prompt) and thought I'd chime in with my thoughts on the subject of remixing and such. One of the things that I love most about blogging, and fashion blogging in particular, is that we're real people, living real, regular lives. We're not celebrities who have designers throwing clothes at them to wear to events, and we probably don't have the disposable income to buy something to wear once and then never again. What drew me to blogging in the first place was a) the idea that fashion/style wasn't limited to people with lots of money, that real people on a budget could be stylish and remix what's currently in their closet and b) these are girls who are like me! They aren't models, they aren't celebrities. There are bloggers who are 5'1" and bloggers who are 5'9", bloggers who are 100 lbs and bloggers who are 180 lbs. Blogging is so much more diverse than magazines, and that's what makes it so inspiring!
1. Are you a one-time wearer?
Definitely not. I'm sure there are a couple things I've bought and thought would look good, only to discover I didn't really like it after all, but for the most part everything in my closet has been worn multiple times, and in multiple seasons. This frugal part of me feels like I have to style something multiple times, because I have to get the most out of my money. But I'll never consciously get something to style just on the blog once and then return it.
2. Do you feel the need to purchase something new for an evening out or a special event?
Not for just an evening out. I have a few LBDs in my closet which rarely get worn, but exist for the sole purpose of being "evening out" type dresses. I don't go to a lot of special events, so sometimes I think I'll buy something new for something special. I remember I bought a sequined dress once to wear at NYFW, but as I typically don't go to special events, I'll most likely just try to find something in my closet and make it work, or maybe try thrifting. Hell, I didn't even buy a wedding dress!
3. Re-mixing is something a lot of bloggers are proud of being able to accomplish – are you a re-mixing pro or do you shy away from posting items frequently? Why?
I think anyone who's been around here for very long knows that I have no shame in wearing something to death (hi, recent propensity for wearing a certain denim jacket). The true mark of when I absolutely love a piece is if I want to put it on before I leave the store and can't stop wearing it for the next two weeks. In fact, if that doesn't happen, I kind of feel like I wasted my money buying something I wasn't in love with. I'm sure some readers get sick of seeing me style up the same item over and over, but outfits on the blog are outfits I'm wearing in real life, so if I'm in love with a dress or top IRL, then you're probably going to see it here quite a bit. But I do avoid wearing the same outfit more than once. The beauty of remixing is that you can take one item and style it up in almost infinite ways! I love making the most of items in my closet, and remixing is the best way I've found to keep things interesting, while not spending a ton of money on new clothes all the time.
I started the Delightful Dozen because I was so inspired by remixing, in fact. I wanted to see how other stylish ladies would style up one piece of clothing. It's really fun to see someone else's perspective when it comes to styling one of your items. They come from a completely different place, stylistically, so they can see ways to style it that you might never have thought of! It can open up a whole new world of seeing your clothes in a new light. It's also a fun way to style something atypical which you might not usually go out and buy. It could be a dress with a silhouette you don't usually wear, but you give it a try because you're swapping and not actually buying it.
4. Do you have a clothing budget or are you an impulse buyer?
I don't have a clothing budget, just because I don't have a budget-budget (which I need to have). My clothing "budget" is to avoid buying clothes 90% of the time. When I do buy clothes, it's usually at Target or thrift stores, so the impulse isn't too painful financially. Some companies and shops choose to give me clothing to style on the blog as a way to promote their business, so that means I get some clothes for free (though I feel like a distinction should be made that while I get the clothes themselves without having to pay for them, I definitely work for them, in the sense that I work very hard on this blog and companies see value in that work and choose to sponsor me by allowing me to style their clothes, rather than purchasing ad space, as other sponsors do. Sponsored clothing "allowances" and such seem to be a touchy subject for some, though, so that is a discussion for another time).
5. Do you find yourself bored when reading a blog in which clothing items are often remixed and appear frequently?
Definitely not. It's what drew me to blogs in the first place! Actually, the blogs which bore me most, are the ones where the blogger wears super fancy designer clothes and never ever ever remixes. I love the down to earth aspect of blogging, and while those bloggers have beautiful photographs, I can't identify with them, and I know that I would never feel comfortable spending that much money on clothing even if I was rich enough to have the disposable income to be able to comfortably afford it.
