It’s too dark for outfit photos…
I haven’t been able to take any good outfit photos because by the time I get home from work, it’s completely dark outside. I will have to resort to weekend outfits for the time being or until I can get home from work at a decent hour.
In lieu of OOTD posts, I’ll just ramble on about clothes and what else is new.
I was scrolling through some music reviews and found this one picture of Helena Deland wearing a knit sweater with a big hole in it. It caught my eye immediately. A lot of hole-y sweaters and T shirts are a marker of high fashion these days, but this hole looked like a true hole, one created by hungry moth worms. It made me happy to see some thing worn and imperfect glorified this way. I wish it’d be more socially acceptable to wear hole-y garments.
Switching topics: I bought one thing during Black Friday weekend: a programmable coffee maker (The Cuisinart Pour Over coffee maker). I’m on my 4th day of using it and already it has made a huge difference in my QOL. My mornings are way more relaxing than they used to be. Now I wake up to coffee already made. Plus the sound of the dripping serves as an extra alarm clock. I much prefer the sound of coffee brewing than the annoying sound of my alarm clock.
I used to struggle to get going in the morning, rush to the cafe, and then stumble back to the garage to drive to work. With the amount of money I was spending on coffee every morning in this neighborhood ($3.60), the machine should pay for itself in 2-3 months. I did a ton of research on coffee makers and settled on this one.
I think the Cuisinart is a Goldilocks coffee maker. It looks nice, makes very good coffee, meets the temperature requirements of the specialty coffee associations, is programmable, convenient, easy to wash and does not require paper filters, and doesn’t cost a fortune compared to the gold standard Moccamaster. I can’t believe I’ve gone this long w/o a programmable coffee maker. It’s life changing! I’m appreciating the little things in life.
Switching topics again: I’ve been thinking of buying another pair of ES Clyde pants. I’ve worn my current pair every week for ~2 years now. This week I even wore them twice. Even my other pants with big pockets don’t compare in ease and functionality. At work, I’m training students who are taking their psychiatry rotation and I wonder if they are judging me for wearing the same clothes all the time, lol. Yes kids, this is what you have to look forward to when you make the big bucks, lol. But those lucky ones without student loans will be all right.
But honestly, after paying for moving expenses, vacation, and other loans, I feel like I can’t afford a pair of Clydes right now. I can justify the purchase if I sell away some of my unused clothing. I’m thinking of putting my Eileen Fisher system tank dress and Elizabeth Suzann Harper tunic up for sale. I could probably get around $200 for them and use that money toward paying for the Clydes. I wish they would bring back the cotton twill. I get that cotton canvas is more durable, but much prefer twill because it gets so soft over time and looks better aesthetically. Other than the Clydes, I’m not really interested in any of the other clothes from ES lately.
Switching topics for a final time: In the last few weeks, I thought about shutting down this blog, completely independently of how other bloggers that I follow have expressed wanting to stop theirs. Is there something in the air? As you are all aware, I do this solely as a hobby. It’s a place where I can talk about clothes because literally I have no one else to talk to about these topics, and besides, I don’t really wish to talk about this stuff in real life with anyone anyway. Being anonymous is a requirement for my field (not everyone will agree with me on this); it also allows me to share more of myself than maybe I would otherwise. It also means I will never be “blog famous” or gain a huge following. And that’s not the point or goal anyway. It also doesn’t help that I’m fiercely opposed to being on instagram or any other social media platform, and even if I was, it might not make much of a difference. Who knows. I guess if you are making money off blogging, you can at least point to that as being “the point”. I’ve been super stressed during this time of transition, pressed for time and energy, and sometimes wondered what’s the point of blogging? But then I realize that I still enjoy it and love hearing from you guys. Not making any money off the blog is also a blessing. It gives me freedom and is the very reason why it remains fun. That, I’m grateful for. I’m also still surprised and grateful that people have stayed interested in coming back to visit me here.
So for now, I’m going to continue writing and don’t have any plans on stopping any time soon. Thanks for sticking with me!
Dr. it girl 
I’m so thankful you aren’t stopping this blog. I have no one in my small rural town to talk about clothing with the way that you disseminate wisdom on your blog. When i get a post notification, I read your writing. It’s affirming of all of our journeys (for me, as a professional woman who must toe the line for work, but who refuses to sacrifice quality, timelssness and individuality).
Thanks for always sharing where you’re at. I have learned a great deal from you (Dagne Dover classic tote for Christmas, for the work-life-mom-purse-win!) and, anonymity firmly in place, you’ve become a friendly voice that I look forward to reading. Thanks for your effort.
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Thank you Beth! Even in a big city, it’s hard to find people I can click w/ style-wise. Glad we have this online space for that. LMK how you like the DD tote!
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I enjoy your realist fashion perspective and the fact that there are not many blogs like yours. I hope you continue with this platform.
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Thanks J. It’s strange that there aren’t more no frills outfit blogs out there… I guess they all went to instagram?
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Selfishly I hope you don’t stop blogging; I really appreciate your insight both in regards to clothing and to what’s going on in the world (plus it’s always interesting to read about someone else’s daily life). But, if you ever feel so overwhelmed that a short break won’t cure it, then it will probably be the time to let it go. I often wonder how we’ll feel thirty years from now, looking back on this time. Will we remember it fondly or will the internet as we know it at this moment feel like a waste of time?
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Thanks Krystal! I’ll have to wait until it no longer feels fun, but I can imagine it still feeling fun 10-20 yrs from now. I predict that if I look back to posts I wrote 10-20 yrs ago, I’d cringe at my writing, assuming my writing gets better w/ time. I write, but have never felt very good at it. Even now sometimes I think it’s a waste of time. But if I’m not wasting my time doing this, I’m wasting my time doing something else. We all need something to waste our time on, lol.
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I too am glad you’re continuing the blog! I enjoy your posts because they don’t come from someone who blogs for a living. You have a real life perspective and I appreciate that you mull over wardrobe purchases instead of bringing hauls to your readers.
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Thanks B. I do try to be the anti-haul. Since I’m doing this all for free, it has to feel sustainable/easy which is why it’s just mirror selfies and writing on things that naturally come to mind. Hope it’s not too mundane, but maybe w/ all the flashiness out there, it’s a nice change for the minority of people who are interested.
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I appreciate you not stopping your blog – post whenever you feel like it! I love hearing about clothes and brands I’ve never otherwise have known about. A good outfit really elevates my day. The same for blogging, I think that if it gives you joy, then by all means continue!
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Thanks Susanne. That’s true I selfishly hope none of the blogs I follow stop too. I want to grow old with them, and you guys too!
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I hope you don’t quit, as I really enjoy reading your “ramblings” about clothing or otherwise! I’m very intrigued by the coffeemaker…I have such a hard time waking up in the morning, especially in winter when it’s so dark (I’m in Canada). In the summer I pre-make cold brew on a weekly basis so there’s no wait for the jolt of caffeine. But in the cold months I have a Chemex, and I just don’t have the hand-eye coordination for it in the mornings…may have to look into this coffeemaker you’ve linked! PS: I’m holding out for the upcoming olive/green Clydes that are coming out, for my second pair since I love my black canvas ones so much.
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Hi Kat! I tried the manual way to make coffee, but who was I kidding! I’m much too lazy to make my own in the morning. It’s the single best thing I bought for myself in a long time. I’m excited you might be getting one too! btw, re the clydes, I haven’t decided on the color I want… But I could probably use a khaki one. The olive looks nice! But probably wouldn’t look right for my work wardrobe.
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Glad you decided to continue the blog! I specifically enjoy this blog because you don’t receive a bunch of free products all the time and because you talk about dressing for a professional job with a similar dress code to my own. Plus, you’ve got your own aesthetic going on that is unique and cool!
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Thanks Alice!
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I’m really glad you’re still writing, whether it’s about clothes or sharing other random thoughts. Grateful that you keep it real and honest.
A thought about the Clyde pants, you might have more luck finding the older fabric secondhand? And since you know your size already it’s less risky to order?
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Thanks Joy! I’m on the hunt on the used market but haven’t been able to find any in the color/size I want.. I might have to buy new.
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I wanted to echo what everyone else is saying – I’m so glad you’re continuing, I always enjoy your posts! I think I feel similarly to you that I derive a lot of enjoyment from being able to interact with people and discuss interesting topics (that I mostly don’t talk about offline) with them through blogs. I totally understand why people need to stop blogging sometimes (I’ve done it before myself after just losing interest in it, and someday, though not soon, I may come to a time again where I have nothing left to say), but I’m always a little sad when some of my favorites stop.
I also spend a lot of time thinking about what clothing, shoes, or accessories, I can “afford” or not and it’s always a strange and complicated topic for me because I actually do spend a total amount each year that makes it clear that, er, I could afford almost anything one can dream of if only I prioritized it enough. Reasonable minds differ on whether those funds should all or mostly be put into my loans instead of my closet, but either way, I spend a large amount on shopping every year.
Separately, I’ve been following some discussions about ethical fashion and minimalism elsewhere, mostly Intsagram, that makes it clear there are a good number of people who get judgmental about other people’s spending decisions (grrr, everyone can afford ethical fashion, you just don’t value the environment or ethics enough if you say you can’t, rawr; or, er, more broadly, there are people in high-intensity professions who do good with zero waste so if you aren’t good at it, you don’t value the environment enough, and that’s bad for obvious climate-change-y reasons) and that really bothers me even though I know I shouldn’t let it. I’ve never been on the direct receiving end of such treatment, and I already know that Twitter or Instagram lets anyone have an opinion, no matter how ill-founded, but it just sours the whole enterprise for me, and makes me want to unfollow everything that could expose me to it.
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I love your super long comments Xin. They make my day. A few years ago, I almost stopped posting, but decided that instead I should make the blog be about one topic that I felt I would probably never get tired of posting about and was easy to keep posting on. So I stopped writing about recipes, design, home decor, and other random topics, and decided to instead focus on outfits. I was already getting dressed for the real world, so it wasn’t much more work to just snap a quick photo. I decided I didn’t want to be like other blogs and didn’t worry about creating the best photos or looking “pretty” and never looked back. I think making blog content organic and sustainable is important when you’re not getting paid, ie. being the content rather than putting in a ton of work to create content. But I do appreciate what others do to create content. I just don’t have the bandwidth to be that person. And re: the ethical fashion discussions on instragram… I hear that it can be judge-y / negative through blogs I read, but I’m not really on it that much to really see it all happening. I’ve always been too sensitive and protective of my well being to put myself out there on instagram. Seems like a lot of people are branding themselves as being “ethical” or “zero waste” and that’s probably mostly with good intentions but I guess the side effect is how it alienates other well intentioned people who aren’t there yet or may never be. Certainly there are times where I post a new item of clothing and wondered if I’ll be judged because Uniqlo isn’t an ethical brand for example, but usually I just shrug it off. And in general, people are pretty positive. I’m surprised I don’t get more trolls here. But I guess that’s because people who visit me here come with intention rather than through links or feeds. I’m a supporter of unfollowing and think you should do it if it’ll remove some toxic influence!
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first – about clothes with holes – I completely agree! I wish clothes like this were more acceptable to wear! I have a favorite favorite emerald green sweater that has moth holes from when I was 22 and didn’t know how to deal with moths in my apartment. I also have a grey wool coat that belonged to my grandmother that has some moth holes unfortunately. I wish I could wear these items, holes and all, as I think they’re still rather beautiful. I’ll have to learn some nice mending techniques, because at least I think visible mending can be more stylish.
and more importantly – I love your blog so much! I really appreciate it for the same reasons you discuss — I can feel the freedom that you have as a writer precisely because you’re not actively seeking advertisers, promoting products, or building a personal brand in the sense that is most popular today (tied to your name/face/pictures of everything you do). your blog is one of the few places I go to just read something that feels honest, real, contemplative, relevant. it’s actually the only blog that I just go to once in a while throughout my week (literally typing into the URL bar, “www.dritgirl.com”), hoping that there’s a new post! so much other content that I look at, I feel like I’ve been dragged there by mentions in newsletters, instagram, etc. I think the way that I’m drawn to your blog speaks to the value of what you’re doing here. it might feel like rambling, but it’s helped me be a more thoughtful consumer, and tune in to my own personal style!
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Hi Kate! Thanks so much. I love that you actually type the URL in. I think that’s the best way to visit. I used to use bloglovin and other blog feed sites to read blogs I follow but I got so annoyed with the random advertisements and all the creepy suggestions being pushed on me based on my feed. I decided to stop using them altogether. Now I have a folder in my bookmarks for blogs that I open all at once when I feel like reading new posts. I also get extremely annoyed w/ blog that have intrusive pop ups asking you to subscribe. I’m so glad you come here w/ intention.
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Thank you for continuing your blog. I appreciate your clothing thoughts, as I live in a isolated, island, rural community, where there is no one who shares my interest in clothing. I know I am being selfish, but I hope when you feel you need a break, you take a break, but please don’t stop writing. Your blog is very real.
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Hi Joanie. I think finding style soul mates is extremely hard, especially in rural places, and conservative professional fields. I’m glad the internet exists for this! Thanks for the support.
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I love your blog. I only found it recently, when I was searching for ways to style ranger pants. I love how real it is. That you just totally appreciate style without trying to sell something to me. It feels very pure 🙂
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Thanks Jo. I’m so glad you stopped by. I’ve always had a distaste for sales. Once I worked in sales for 2 months.. it was the most miserable 2 months of my life.. something about it just makes me so uncomfortable.. I quit almost immediately.
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