Does this dress look familiar? Why yes, it is the green version of the pink dress I worn a couple of weeks ago. I also wore this dress in the same exact woodland area in previous years with shorter hair and before that with blonde hair. It's clearly a spring favorite. It's funny that one of the early online fashion communities that predated fashion blogging was wardrobe_remix; a community on Flickr where people would highlight the clothes they were re-wearing/re-styling. I say it's funny because many fashion bloggers got their start in their community and yet today fashion blogging often as a reputation for not repeating clothes. I think that idea that fashion bloggers won't wear the same dress twice is a bit of a myth; I personally don't know any fashion bloggers like that and I think sometimes people confuse photograph with wear. For example, since I share three outfits a week on the blog, there are four outfits in a week I don't share. Just because something only appeared on the blog once doesn't mean it was only worn once, it could easily have been worn again on one of the many days I didn't take pictures. I don't think this is a truth exclusive to me either, but an example that holds true for many bloggers out there. But I also understand the impulse to not share things on the blog again because only this past week I was accused of being a "one trick pony" and always repeating the same things. It's a message I've received countless times over the years, "stop wearing those shoes, we've seen them enough." "Don't you own any other bags?" Etc. If bloggers do have a habit of only wearing things once on the blog then there are some legitimate motivations behind that decision. Those sorts of comments might have affected me in the past, making me hesitant to wear those favorite shoes yet again, but these days I rather embrace the repetitive side of my style and self. If I've learned anything through the years it's what I like; I like what I like and why stop enjoying something because some stranger on the Internet thinks I'm overdoing it?On a more practical note, I talk a lot about loving and wearing your favorite clothes for all occasions and repeatedly, but I haven't really written much about how to care for your clothes and make them last the long haul. One thing to note is that those pieces that do cost a bit more and might come from an independent designer rather than the high street are in fact better quality; they are made to last a bit longer. It doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg, but occasionally finding a quality piece is worth investing a little bit more in. A few other care ideas could be summed up as "less is more." Avoid over-washing your clothes; unless they end up muddy or you spill food on them or what-have-you, you don't actually have to wash your clothes after every wear (use your judgement if it truly needs it). When you do wash use cold water and instead of putting it in the dryer why don't you try hanging it on a clothesline or clothes horse? Both of these steps are better for the environment and will help make your clothes last longer. I don't really go to extremes to keep my clothes in perfect condition, but little things like that has allowed me to keep most of my clothes in fair condition through the years. My goal when shopping is always to find pieces I want to wear for years to come, so I try to be mindful as well in how I treat my clothes so I can enjoy them in future years--although I'm as forgetful as anyone and have occasionally shrunk a favorite sweater or stained a pretty dress! The goal is never perfection, but being mindful and trying your best.
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