Mossimo jeans | $22, juniors, I’m wearing an 11, but probably would be happier with a 9. not perfect, but okay. glad I tried them though, because I wanted a pair of gray jeans, but I don’t really think I love them on me…
T by Alexander Wang long sleeve tee
HELMUT Helmut Lang jacket
UGG loafers
3.1 Phillip Lim Ryder Satchel
I guess I’m not really taking a break because I’m showing you an outfit picture, but I didn’t post on Grechen’s Codes today, and honestly, my heart’s not really in it. A lot of things are going on in my life lately, interesting, exciting, and scary things, and maybe they’re just all coming to a head right now?
My husband left the company he co-founded and had been with for 12 years recently, which was/is good, but a HUGE change. Just this week he started his new position as CTO of a very small company in Anna, Texas (north of Dallas). Which means we’re moving away from Austin. I’m excited and scared about this; I love to move – I see it as an adventure, but I worry about trying to keep things the same, you know? I’m very much a creature of habit and routine, breaking them doesn’t come easy to me. Underneath the excitement is all the thoughts about getting to Pure Barre, finding a new vet for Ozzie, finding new doctors for me, where is Whole Foods, finding good restaurants, leaving my friends/life here…
Anyway, all is good, but I’ve felt the anxiety the last couple of days.
I’m also thinking a lot about what I do here on Grechen’s Closet and why I do it. I know why I do it, because I love it; I’m fanatical about shopping, finding interesting things, and the best deals. I love to share my finds with you, and maybe if you’re looking for something I can help you make a decision whether or not to buy it, and hopefully help you get it at a discount. But my goal has never been to get you to buy things you do not need. Yes, here and there, I might mention something you didn’t know you needed, but I tend to talk more about basics, and good quality investment pieces for life, not just trendy “fashion” items.
I love to shop. LOVE IT. But even more, I like to talk about it 🙂 I’m conflicted though, sometimes, because this is my job – it’s been my career, my business, for almost 10 years. I couldn’t be happier. But again, I hate the idea that I’m driving anyone to buy things they don’t need, or into debt. I can’t be responsible for that, I know, but it bothers me sometimes. To be honest, being a shopping blogger hasn’t done wonders for my financial situation either, which is why I’m struggling to get everything back on track lately and fix my mistakes.
Anyway, just some things I’ve been thinking about/dealing with lately. And I thought I would take a break for a little while from blogging, but I won’t. I can’t. I love it too much.
And I would miss you guys…
Well i always look forward to see what’s new from Grechen’s Closet! Thank you for sharing. I think of shopping online more like a ‘safari’ for finding great deals. Don’t worry about other people, they will sort their own stuff out. Just keep being you!!!
really good post Grechen! Especially right now.
I wish you well in your move, and whatever creative new path your blog may take.
Also –great jacket, BTW!
Excellent, poignant post, Grechen. I can relate to how you’re feeling (in general about consumerism/shopping) right now, so this post was timely. Wishing you much luck with your move! I’ve moved a lot, and I’m with you- moving is an adventure, though it is certainly the people we leave behind that we miss the most. I don’t know Texas well, but I imagine it won’t be too terribly far to go back and get your Austin fix?
In regards to your thoughts about your own blog…I don’t think you should worry at all about taking responsibilities for other people’s actions/issues when it comes to shopping, etc. You are one of the most down to earth bloggers I have come across, and it’s much appreciated. I think you do help people find great things and sort through things, which is quite helpful as the internet is a vast place. I actually find that companies/stores in general are the ones that are constantly coming after us in terms of coming out with the latest collection or “must have”. I found that unsubscribing myself from a lot of promotional emails helped weed this out. I have spent way too much on impulse purchases that I have regretted (I know we all have), and at the end of the day I still tend to wear more of less the same pieces over and over. I’m on board with you in terms of trying to only allow myself to purchase good quality basics that will fit in well with what I’m already wearing all the time.
Wow. Way more than anyone wants to read. Just wanted to say, great post! Best of luck to you.
Grechen, good luck with your move. I know it can be daunting, because we moved cross-country a few years ago. Talk about change! I looked online at the distance, and didn’t realize that you were moving so far from Austin. It’s understandable then, that you’ll need new everything: stores, vet, exercise classes etc… Please be gentle with yourself, and it will all come together. I can speak from experience, since I’ve made major moves. At least, you have your husband to help.
BTW: Although I’m a new reader, I appreciate all of your efforts and fashion footwork. Personally, I hope that you maintain your blog. Because of your pertinent posts, I bought my first pair of leggings and a Vkoo cashmere scarf. It came today from Canada, and is absolutely beautiful!
I’m so sorry if I EVER gave you the impression that you were pushing me to buy things I don’t need. I take responsibility for my own shopping habit. Believe me, if it wasn’t your blog that I was following, I’d probably find another one. (Well, I love yours, so maybe not!). I don’t believe that you could MAKE me shop anymore than you could make me QUIT shopping!
I have moved so many times in my life, and sometimes it’s been a good thing, like our last move to the East Coast by the ocean. But other times, I’ve gone because I wanted to be supportive to my husband’s career.(I chose to be a stay at home mom most of the time.) And when he was a Forest Ranger, that meant living in the boonies. Life changes, and hopefully, you’ll adapt to all of those changes as they come your way!
Hey Grechen,
I went through similar thought phase, too, on why I blog about things. With regards to pushing others to buy things they don’t need, I don’t think you should worry about it. There’s buzzilions of blogs out there, and there’s a reason why you have a constant stream of readers, and I think it’s precisely because you are not into hype/fashion and you are not out there to promote and push products the way other bloggers attempt to. The way you write about your purchases are reflective of many of the dilemmas and struggles we also can relate to, and I think these are the things that brings one to revisit your site.
Fashion blogs have taken a life of its own, some bloggers now claim celebrity status, and some even say that the center of attention is no longer in the catwalk at the fashion shows, but the bloggers outside of the tent and what they are wearing—there definitely is a trend going on here. But amidst all those, you didn’t really change, which I think is a good thing. You keep it down to earth, you share your worries and complexes and struggles as well as the good times when you find great items in your hunt, you share both the ups and downs, you keep things very genuine. I think that is rare and something very precious.
Moving is hard. I moved around as a kid all the time because of my parent’s job. I never knew how long I get to stay in the same place because it was always up to the company’s whim. I hated it. So I can sympathize with your anxieties, but at the same time, I think you have a great supportive husband and a cute dog, and strong family support and network is what’s going to count in the end, everything else will follow, and I think you now have a very strong direction in terms of being committed to healthier lifestyle, you have a very solid core, so moving might appear scary but I think you’ll figure things out, just my gut feeling. =)
thank you!
thanks ally! i can’t wait to wear this jacket more often, was so excited it cooled off enough today to wear it 🙂
thank you lala for your comment – i really appreciate it.
it’s about 3.5 hours back to austin, so not too far, but not something i can easily do in a day, for example. but i’ll be back as often as i can, for sure..
see i DO subscribe to all the promotional stuff, just to see what’s worth sharing and what’s not. obviously, i don’t share HALF of the stuff that comes along – it’s crazy how many promotional emails i get everyday though. and so many tempting things….even with this shopbop code, i keep filling my cart up and emptying it again, because there’s nothing i DESPERATELY need, only things i want, so i’m not sure i should get ANYTHING right now. you know? it’s hard though, because i always buy something when shopbop has a code, i feel like i’m wasting money if i don’t!! SO RIDICULOUS!!
i will definitely maintain the blog RJS, i could never quit it…it’s my passion, i have such crazy love for what i do and for all of you guys, i will do it for as long as i possibly can! hopefully you guys will stick with me!!! 🙂
so happy you love your scarf, it’s one of my very favorite things ever….
no! it wasn’t you. well, you gave me the idea again, but i’m always thinking about that. heck, some of the blogs i read make me want things i don’t need! i make MYSELF want things i don’t need!!!
i’m trying to get used to life changes LOL – i try so hard to keep things the same, even though i get bored, i still like “the same” you know?
i’m looking forward to the change, it’ll be fun. and i have family in the dallas area, it’ll also be easier to get to my family in atlanta from dallas, so it’s all good.
Congrats to your husband! Must be such an exciting and scary time for you both!
I think what sets your blog apart from others is that you have made yourself into a resource about a certain shopping niche. You always respond to reader questions, give your real opinion, have suggestions of where readers might find something, and have genuine conversations with your readers. So while the blog does feature you and your purchases, it doesn’t feel “me me me” or create the unattainable/aspirational feeling that makes people buy things they can’t afford.
You manage to stay true to yourself. Hats off – having put my toe in this water I can see how hard it is to field the promotional stuff and still say what you want to say and make any money.
You do it well. You are one of the few.
xoxoxox
thank you so much for your thoughtful comment nanashi!
i think the reason that moving is (and kind of isn’t) hard for me is that i didn’t do it very much. i lived in the same places for many many years up until we moved to austin nearly 4 years ago. my problem is getting out of my head the “where should i be at 41” idea that we should have a house, be settled down, etc., etc., by now. when we’re just starting moving around. it’s conflicting, because that’s the beauty of being in our situation (childless) – we CAN move around, as often as we want, and experience new things. so i’m excited about that, i just have my small issue with routine, etc., to deal with !! but i will, and it’ll be fun. i’m sure i’ll tell you guys all about it 🙂
thank you lisa – i truly appreciate your saying that, it means a lot. i feel very lucky that i can call this my “job”. not that it’s not hard work, but it wonderfully rewarding in every way, and doesn’t feel like work most of the time…
thanks sarge 🙂 he’s so excited, and i’m excited for him. but of course, my excitement is tempered with anxiety. remember how much anxiety i felt around the trip to amsterdam??? story of my life…
i’m really trying to just let go and enjoy the process though. fingers crossed i can make it 🙂
I always look forward to your posts and am very glad you plan on keeping it up – Thanks! I really appreciate your online voice, practical suggestions and your good will…
I always enjoy your posts. I understand the need to take a break.
But I am glad you will continue. I appreciate your recommendations, promotions, and lifestyle tips!
Grechen, I think Nanashi’s response to you is so wonderful. I don’t see you as part of the hype machine – you were clear a while back in terms of your relationships you have with some advertisers, about your interest in well-made basics, and about your focus on having a wardrobe that supports your life, as opposed to getting more, more, more.
In terms of fashion/style, I really only read your blog and 2 others regularly, and I should stop reading one of the 2 because the blogger is apparently wealthy and getting her mitts on items by Celine and Saint Laurent regularly. It’s lovely to look at, but it’s difficult to find ‘inspo’ when every single outfit rings in at thousands and thousands of dollars – sometimes unnecessarily so, leading me to have rogue thoughts like, ‘Why are you posting about extremely expensive sunglasses when Ray-Ban made and still makes the first iteration of that style?’ I’m too old to keep reading something where I suspect the author is *trying* to generate a kind of envy. There are a couple of very popular bloggers that are in your same stream, aesthetically, where I truly feel the blog is written in that vein. ‘Solicit my expertise, don’t ask how I got my hands on hard-to-find, incredibly expensive items, compliment me.’ They don’t have a fraction of your authenticity.
If you love to blog, shop about blogging etc .. keep doing it. I don’t buy stuff, just to buy it .. I really have to WANT it 😉 I’m not heavily influence by bloggers choices, because as a pear shape, fit is everything. So some blogger can show off her fabulous outfit and link to rewardstyle all she wants, but if the pants are slim through hip and thigh .. well, I can’t buy those pants .. lol.
I love Austin it’s a beautiful city. Just be thankful you’re not moving to Houston.
Monica, http://www.pear-shaped-gal.com
haha! thanks monica. can’t say i’d be very happy to move to houston either…too muggy for me.
thank you so much carissa – i don’t know if i’ve ever mentioned it here, but i don’t read fashion blogs anymore. only a select few, and many of the bloggers i read also comment here. i used to read everything – especially THE BIG ONES – to see what people were posting about, etc., but always left them feeling blah, and dis-interested. so i cleared out my google reader and never looked back. life is too short to spend any time at all on things that don’t lift you up in some way. and i’m more honored than i can say that you guys have chosen to spend your precious time on me 😉
I think that Nanashi, CC, LaLa, Sarge, and others have said it SO very well….YOU are authentic, and that’s what keeps us loyal to you. YOU are not trying to constantly shine the light on yourself, but you have a way of helping me accept myself as I am, and just try to be the best ME I can be. I unsubscribed to all of those other bloggers a long time ago, too. I know the difference between real and fake, and I am SO happy that you’re a resource for us, Grechen! God bless you and Leo on your new life changes!! xox