Tuesday, February 2

not to be done in


Warning -this post is very real life and just a little personal, but nothing major...
A little over a year ago when I started this shop/blog I was so excited by it and by getting dressed in general. I blogged more outfits and had more overall joy in regards to getting dressed. Somehow after a year of cracking the whip on myself and handling thousands of garments I seem to have somehow lost this joy. It is also a function of working alone from home everyday with no reason to get dressed. And I never thought I would be so uninspired to get dressed in the morning. But considering all the time this job I have given myself takes, I have let what I love about clothing the most slip right through my hands - getting dressed. I thought for certain I wouldn't practically live in my comfy clothes. I thought I'd get dressed just the same as when I worked in an office. Boy was I wrong. I wake later, I wear the same sweaters around the house every day and I loathe having to leave home because it means getting dressed. But today I abolish this thinking! My love for getting dressed cannot possibly be  lost forever. I think it's also a little bit lost in the doldrums of winter, once it's spring I know inspiration will rears it's head and I'll be prancing around the house once again in lovely little frocks. But for now, it's still winter and I'm deciding that I will make more of an effort to make an effort. Since I have decide this, I am excited by it, like it's a little pet project. I just need to turn the heat up more often in the house so I don't always feel like being huddled up in my yoga pants!

vintage 1960s wool check shift dress - thrifted, so many years ago
charcoal cardigan - H & M
bright salmon belt - "stolen" from a friend's closet
vintage 1960s Charles Jourdan t-straps - estate sale

22 comments:

Q's Daydream said...

ahh, I know just what you mean lauren! I too roam about the house in yoga pants and the same sweater almost everyday. i do think it has something to do with winter though. who wants to freeze all day just because you're wearing a dress and tights. in the summer it's just so easy to throw on a cute dress and dance around barefoot. this to shall pass girly! you look darn cute btw!

Neon Relish said...

Oh gosh, you took the words *right* out of my mouth! I, too work from home - and I have a closet filled with fun stuff that I used to love making outfits out of, but between the winter weather and who knows what else, I've also lost my motivation! Good luck getting back in the swing of things, and thanks for the inspiration and commiseration. :)

The Sunday Times Market said...

Thank you for such an honest and inspiring post. I feel you really put in words how many of us work-at-homers feel and it is refreshing to see such a bright perspective. So encouraging and I think I shall go change out my yoga pants into something a little more cheery. You are so adorable and I look forward to seeing all the new clothes you show off each day. Someday I hope to buy all of your clothes! I guess I will need a bigger closet. :)

-Ashley

jenny said...

Wow, I totally understand your feeling now. I was just talking to my boyfriend about how I am more in need of him coming home for lunch rather than eating with his co-workers because I receive ZERO human interaction each day. It's nice to work from home, and my pug helps me feel a little less alone, but really. We lack the interactions of having co-workers --I almost feel anti-social sometimes.

But you know what? I recently got a cute off-shoulder sweatshirt from another Etsy seller and I've never felt so cute prancing around the apartment with "sweats" on. And I think it's those times that really motivate me to get up in the morning and start working. :)

I hope you can find the motivation to keep doing what you do! :)

catinanemptyapartment said...

i have the same predicament. i live in these black cotton jersey AA harem pants that double as a strapless onesie when pulled up. (i pull them up when i am too lazy to pick out a shirt to wear.) but now, when i go visit new york, i bring all my saved outfits and pretty coats and boots and have so much fun getting dressed.

working at home alone doesn't give me a chance to get dressed but i dress my mannequin everyday, sometimes in outfits i would never dare wear myself. but i can imagine who would wear them in other parts of the world. fun!

Karen/Small Earth Vintage said...

I can relate to this a little bit. The one thing I miss about my old office job was getting dressed up every day. (I was the only editor who wore vintage suits--everyone else was always very casual all the time.) And then I moved to Michigan and was dismayed to see that nearly everyone I met seemed to wear only "technical" clothing (i.e. athletic wear) all the time! I'm now used to being the only person "dressed up" when we go out. At the same time, I'm used to wearing warm/comfortable clothes around the house, too, and saving my dressing up for when I go out (whether that's out thrifting for the day or out on the town). I enjoy my dressing-up wardrobe just as much (maybe more!) when I don't wear it every day.

Love that orange belt!

reilly said...

I know how you feel! I was home schooled for over a year and now while on break from college, I rarely change out of pajamas/comfy clothes and don't want to wear my nicer stuff around home where it won't be seen. Good luck getting out of your funk :)

The Glamorous Housewife said...

You are SOOOO not alone in your thoughts. I have a MUCH harder time being cute in the cold weather. It is just so much easier to wear yoga pants and a long sweater, plus that is pretty much the uniform in my neighborhood. It is hard to break out of the rut, but I am hoping life (and by life i mean fashion) springs eternal. But i am glad you blogged your feelings, so now I dont feel so alone.

Thanks doll,
The Glamorous Housewife

Good Girls Studio said...

I thought the same thing when I started working from home. I didn't realize how much I lived in my yoga pants until time went by & my laundry pile was always the same few pairs of sweats & t-shirts! Yikes! I force myself to make appointments during the week so I have to get dolled up & at least throw some makeup on :)

Unknown said...

Oh Lauren I totally hear you. I've got it bad, too. I recently decided that I will do two things every day: yoga or run and then get dressed {cute}! I, too, used to dress up every day. I was a manager at Nordstrom, you had to dress up, not only cute, but in the latest, greatest, most expensive things. I found myself, last year blogging about beautiful things, making pretty things and living in Victoria's Secret PINK sweats. Not so pretty. Eventually, it bummed me out and I decided that to be true to who I was projecting to the world, I also needed to get back to having some style when I was out in public...so, I've been dressing up and feeling better, some days it's shopping or lunch out, most days it's just to the post office and grocery store.

p.s. can I just say that I think you look pretty no matter what you're wearing. ;)

Kerri

Robin said...

I understand. Over the past year I have grown very comfortable pulling out a vintage dress or skirt and happily prancing off to work. But just recently we went to uniforms. So now I long for the weekend and am overjoyed to open my closet and not pull out a horrible polo...but I find myself making up a reason to go out of my apartment so that I can show off my outfit.
Anyway, I am glad you got all dressed up for us, you look lovely :)

daniel said...

Luckily I have a partner working on this project with me, so about half the time we can at least have a bit of company as we drudge through the etsy forms and resizing photos and measuring and researching.

But the other half of the time, it can be some long lonely stretches. Strange to dress up when there is no one else around to even see what you are wearing.

BetsyM said...

I totally hear you, I have similar issues. My advice is to .. get a dog.

When I first started selling vintage in 2002 I had a wee terrier and my day went like this: work /espresso /work /lunch /work /26 block walk with the little furrball/ work. I saw the beauties & wierdnesses of the city (baltimore) and felt very grounded. Looked forward to getting dressed up for "the walk". Anyway my schedule's very different now as I have a little daughter, but I look back I view those days as almost ideal. It was the dog that did it!
xo

Catherine Shu said...

I know exactly how you feel because I work from home, too. I always thought I got dressed up "for myself," but I didn't realize how much I really got dressed up as a way of expressing myself to other people. Sometimes all I do is wear leggings, a polo dress and a sweatshirt, which is one step up from my PJs (in fact, those sometimes ARE my PJs). One of the reasons I started a style blog is to force myself to get dressed up at least a couple times a week, even if I don't have any appointments that day.
If it's any consolation, I love your outfit posts and find them very inspiring.
the renegade bean

Anonymous said...

I work from home and your blog is my daily reminder to set out in search of my own beauty by means of my wardrobe. If it wasn't for you and the guilty conscience your blog instills in me – albeit in a good way – I'd not bother to get dressed in winter half of the week.

PS Writing this in my pj's. ;-)

Catherine said...

I freelanced from home for about a month last year and I completely understand. All my beautiful things sat in my closet and I wore slippers and t-shirts from college all day. Having to leave the house was a hassle because I'd have to put on shoes— and I love shoes! I really think that being away from people was making me depressed— the second I got an office job, I was back to loving clothes again.

In response to the winter doldrums, when I'm really feeling down, I wear bright colors— even if it's just a comfy sweater.

- Catherine at Littlehouse of Style
http://littlehouseofstyle.blogspot.com/

Lisa in Canada said...

First, might I add to the other comments that you indeed look fabulous!
You are amongst many who feels the same way. Some days I have to decide between my "nice" yoga pants or just the plain ones ;)
Winter will suck the fashion right out of you for sure!
Don't feel so bad..it is a phase and the weather.
What goes up must come down and those yoga pants will be replaced with fabulous spring skirts and dresses soon enough!

Don;t be too hard on your self...enjoy the fact that you have the freedom to do either if you choose.
Hang in there and continue writing your great blog that inspires so many of us.
Take care, Lisa in Canada :)

Tara said...

I really appreciate this post. Honestly, I guess misery loves company - but so does getting over the misery! I've been blogging about my personal style redeux - and have just recently begun enjoying getting dressed again. It's definitely difficult when you have no one to show off to - but we bloggers do have eachother, don't we?

Best,
Tara
http://elanvitalanthology.blogspot.com

PS - Love your shop and blog, following now!

Mother Midnight Vintage said...

sigh...
i spent the ENTIRE day yesterday in my robe, p.j's, slippers and a winter hat.
same situation here, same business. unfortunately, not as successful as you yet (fingers crossed!) so i can't quite turn up the heat yet...
between thinking i'm going blind from staring at the screen all day and never feeling "put together" it's enough to drive a person crazy!
and my poor mate, don't even get me started on how bad i feel that he has to look at me!
there should be a pledge or something for vintage sellers who work from home - to get dressed at least 4 times a week! it's especially awful for us folks because we have so much clothing around us just dying to be worn!!

Queenie Bee said...

I know exactly how you feel. Yesterday, I realised I hadn't washed in two days! Eugh! I too need to get more glam (and clean)!

the letters i wish i'd written... said...

Bingo! I am like one of those children in the back of a car except my chant of choice goes something like this, "Is it spring yet? Is it Spring Yet? What about now? Now? Is it spring yet?, repeat as necessary...

ADOREDVINTAGE said...

I was at this point once upon a time, but now that I have to go to work and I work in the fashion industry, I feel like it's a requirement to be cute. Especially when buyers from Piperlime, Urban, and Bloomies are in and I'm like "Ahh Shit I look like Poop" I wish I COULD just come to work in my yoga clothes and be all chillaxin.

I think you always look lovely, even in your edwardian inspired nightgown :)

- Rodellee

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