Listen, guys, I started this post countless times and did not like the way it went and just hesitated to post. But I guess I'll just come and say what's real right now. I often find myself indifferent to fashion/style during hot weather, and this summer is unusually hot for our region (and for me, a mild weather kind of girl). I sort of lost interest in all that. But I am super busy exploring other areas of creativity, and have been busy cooking (I know, it sounds like a paradox, because it's hot in the kitchen too), or reading about cooking, or writing about cooking, or watching cooking shows (plenty on You-tube), and also very much into creative writing, particularly writing fiction. On the top of that I am starting a new creative writing link-up, dedicated to daily writing sketches.
Getting out of the closet as a writer is a huge deal. Being raised in a culture that pretty much considers only one way of doing things the "right" way and getting a fancy university education studying all sorts of great writers of the world can be challenging, intimidating and can be big road blocks to get over. Think of it like this: imagine finding your own voice in styling, getting out there in front of other brilliant stylish women and telling them - this is me, this is who I am, love it or leave it. It takes guts, courage, and everything you can think of in this context. But we do it just because it's as important as breathing to us. Can you imagine wearing only sweatpants and dull T-shirts for the rest of your life? I thought so. No more than that can I imagine keeping myself from my desire to write and share. For your and my own convenience I decided to only publish fiction on my other blog (Write and Link will still use In the Writer's Closet as its home base). If you are interested, you can follow my other blog, Out of the Writer's Closet, and read all the details about daily sketches, or writing exercises, HERE. And if you're not, oh well, then you'll probably need to be patient and just wait until the style bug bites me again - I know it will, perhaps when it'll cool down here (though I have one or two summer dresses in mind, and might post them some time soon). In any case, thank you for everything, for all your kind and encouraging comments, I do appreciate them very, very much! And here are a couple of latest outfits when I did at least some attempt to bow to Style.
Outfit #1
Shirt and skirt - thrifted via Goodwill (the outfit is under $10)
Outfit #2
Jumpsuit - Chico's (available online)
Linen jacket - thrifted via Goodwill
Sandals - Clarks via Nordstrom Rack
Linen purse - old, via boutique
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I totally understand! Hot weather is the pits! All you want to do it wait for it to end.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying printed pants and culottes at the moment, so my eye is caught by your beautiful black and white ones.
All the best with the writing! I will have a look.
I understand creativity can and should twist and change and we have to be flexible and flow with it to gain anything from it and be able to express ourselves truly. Much respect for putting yourself out there/here. But I must say your knowledge and ability makes me feel uneducated and puny. It's all relative!
Many hugs! Xo Jazzy Jack
Thank you, my dear! Yes, it is so true - our creativity has so many aspects, and the main creative project is life itself! :) Now, that is something I'm going to write a book about some day.
DeleteI would never, ever think of you as "uneducated" in the slightest. Not that it matters, really. You are a creative genius, a force of nature. Anyone can get an education, it is easier than trusting your guts to discover and unleash your own creative genius. I'm just saying that a fancy education can be both, a blessing and a frustration when it comes to critiquing your own creativity. The standards are set too high. Much love xxxx
Hi Natalia, first I love your Outfitposts ! I understand it, I hate hot weather. Please no boaring Shirts :)
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best for writing.
Have a nice Weekend, xoxo Tina
You are the sweetest, my dear! xxxxx
DeleteI am making a big effort to ignore the hot weather, but it is trying to wear any clothes at all, lol
ReplyDeleteI am with you 100%
Tons of love
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You are blossoming, Sacramento - hot weather or not! Love xxxx
DeleteHot weather and nearing 50-yes I hear you! I actually did wear shorts to the office (casual) yesterday. I was clean and neat but looked like I should have been hiking up a moutain.
ReplyDeleteMountain hike sure sounds better than office work, any day, any weather. Oops. What am I saying! If the office work means (creative) writing - then I'll take it over hiking any day. I can skip shorts too! :)))
Deletethis is why i don´t wanted my blog to be a fashion/clothing style one. although it would be easy to come up with "fab looks" every time. but life is more to me - much more. my clothes are only a fraction of it. and often a boring one after decades in the industry. if i really needed a label it could be "sustainable life" - and if you like you could add "style" :-)
ReplyDeleteso i can pack in the blog all the things that comes across if i want share them. and if i´m in the picture i will wear clothes anyway! (o.k. - i know thats are not the way to earn freebees or money with a blog)
BTW - you are the queen of overalls!!! thats a really chic one and you wear it sooo well!
would like to learn some of your cooking recipes......
nothing is carved in stone beside the dates on thombstones ;-) so feel free to use your blogs how ever you want! you will find readers for all themes - maybe other then the ones who read fashion blogs only. and maybe they are the more interesting ones :-)
hugses! xxxxxx
Thank you, my love! I'm the Queen, I'm the Queen! :))) This is my favorite jumpsuit to date for sure.
DeleteI think most of us can say that life is so much more than clothing... and much more than blogging, btw. :) There are definitely many ways of doing blogging, which boil down to the two main approaches: a blog as a diary (this is me and all about me and what I do and/or think about life), AND a blog as a theme (or a group of themes) journal. I've done both, I like both, and I respect both ways. This particular blog is not (never has been) a blog about style only - you know it. But whenever I have a feeling that some theme or a group of themes is taking over to live on their own, I give them a separate space and a special attention to grow. I like this approach, it works for me now. They all will become parts of one website or a portal some day. Much love xxxx
The summer certainly does have an uncanny ability to change our routines. Though I haven't stopped my wardrobe styling for the blog...I love warm temps, I have put my book writing on hold during this time. Too much activity for me to concentrate. I'll pick it back up again when school resumes.
ReplyDeleteYour jumpsuit is lovely on you, as well as the color combination. Try to stay cool ;)
Thank you, Glenda! Yes, we all change, our preferences change, our focus changes, and that's the beauty of it. By writing this post, I wanted to say that I am staying true to myself and doing what makes sense to me now. Creative life is flexible, but you know it yourself! :)
DeleteLove this jumpsuit!
ReplyDeleteBlogs evolve over time. It is natural to follow your heart and own creative path.
I look forward to your return with your wonderful sense of style.
bisous
Suzanne
Thank you, Suzanne! Will return, no doubt! xxx
DeleteI will follow your blog whatever you do and it is always among the ones I look at most often, if I don't comment. If I miss one of your posts I am missing a million things that day. I too struggle to care or put thought into what I wear when it gets hot. I do fine around 70 degrees but it doesn't have to get much hotter than that for me to start just throwing on as little as possible and I don't want to go near accessories. Having cut my hair I can feature my earrings again though and that always makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteI go in spurts with my writing and painting. Sometimes I am just sitting, taking things in, thinking, observing and then suddenly I write eight poems or a short story. Or suddenly I am inspired to paint something and I will paint for hours. I am dressed rather stylishly today-not sure how that happened-but have no energy or inclination to take a photo of it or make a blog post about it. Today I am trying to respond to comments left on my blog and keep visiting other blogs. It takes me days to get around blog land.
I am happy and excited for you that you are writing more. I enjoy having the writing passion in common with you, to be able to cheer each other on even though what and how we write is so different. Thank you for being you. xoxoxo
Thank you, Shawna! I can totally relate to this: "Sometimes I am just sitting, taking things in, thinking, observing and then suddenly I write eight poems or a short story. Or suddenly I am inspired to paint something and I will paint for hours." Yes, lots of sitting and taking things in - and it was as long as I can remember myself... For painting it would be cooking or decorating, or drawing, or container gardening (not at this period of my life, but in the past) for me. I do write most of days, for most of my life - though not as much fiction, mostly non-fiction, and the new in this particular period of my life is that I write every day in English, and that I started writing fiction in English. That is new, that is unexpected (2 years ago it was something unthinkable to do). Getting out of the writer's closet comes in stages, it's a long process - that's what I see, at least for someone who did not consider becoming a writer as an option growing up. But then again, being a writer is also only a part of who I am, just a part. But it's a beloved part, a treasured part, and it sometimes takes over other parts, for a while - now is one of those times.
DeleteI do hope that you'll be inspired by daily writing sketches. But of course, it should feel natural. I know that we writers write so much more than we share. This is only another attempt to share more of what we do, and share it regularly. I'm soooo thankful for living in times with Internet connecting us, kindred spirits, and giving us the opportunity to get out there and just do what we love, and share it with others (both writers and readers) - when in history did people have such incredible freedom to just being openly who they wanted to be? It blows my mind.
Much love xxxxx
How could I forget to mention that I love both outfits? And yes you do look amazing in jumpsuits! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you! I like these outfits too, it's just that I do not feel excited - that's when I know it's time to switch to what actually excites me at the moment (talk about multifacetedness).
DeleteI'm in total agreement. This heat takes it right out of me for sure. I lost interest in blogging via my own blog a while back. Same thing I did before. The desire to post photos of myself just vanishes. But I love visiting other blogs every morning with my first cup of coffee. I just don't seem to have the stamina to keep it going for myself. I seems to get harder and harder to take photos of myself too. That's a large part of it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you getting through this heat wave okay. I'm staying inside and laying low this weekend.
So nice to see you again. Keep on creating!
I'm so glad you commented, Joni! I've missed you! Hope we'll meet again when it's not as hot for both of us! :) xxxx
DeleteNatalia , wherever your heart takes you in blog land is the the right path to follow. I know I for one will continue to follow you as I so enjoy your writing , you inspire me to take some baby steps and rediscover the long lost writer I once was.
ReplyDeleteI do understand how continual heat can sap any creative energy as far as dressing goes but by those shots yours is alive and well , love you in that jumpsuit. All my best wishes . xxx
Thank you, Jill, for your warm support, it means a lot to me! It also means a lot that you feel inspired. You are so talented in many different ways, and I am looking forward to read your stories or poems, or essays... When a writer inside of us is taking a break, it's always a temporary thing - we need some rest to gain strength, so we can fly again! xxxx
DeleteI can relate to your thoughts: I often can't be bothered to dress up (when on holiday, I need a break) or am just too busy to care much (when working too much and too long hours). I set myself limits as far as the blog is concerned: I would post one outfit per week (occasionally 2), and have a different type of post towards the end of the week (e.g. travel, a rant on this or that...), and all in all the blog should not become another job, so when I'm really busy with work, I either have pre-scheduled posts or I just take a break.
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally understand that when you're in the middle of a very creative period, working on your writing, you simply don't have enough energy for other creative pursuits. And it seems that right now you must focus on your writing, to make the most of this creative burst.
Thank you, Tiina, you are so very perceptive. I'm very much like you. I love dressing up, and it's been fun working on this blog, but I also have other passions, and they need my attention, time, energy, heart and soul right now. Thank you for your kind and supportive comment!
DeleteI feel your pain, Natalia. I'm the reverse, Winter, grey days and cold weather sap my strength and outfit posts which involve coats, hats, gloves and scarves are a bloody nightmare.
ReplyDeleteYou and Anna look wonderful in your hot weather gear - the cheeky denim cut offs, the crinkle skirt and the fabulous jumpsuit.
I visit your blog for you, what you wear, how you write, what you eat, where you've been. Please feel free to share every aspect of your life in one place, none of us are one trick ponies and life is far more than clothes. xxx
I'm touched by your warm comment, Vix! I feel soooo happy to read your words. I do like the idea to keep things simple though, and keep my creative writing in a separate place, especially now when I add to it my daily sketches. The other blog has a different dynamic and slightly different energy from this one. I also like to see the results all together in one place. And I like that here I can see all my outfits and Justin's photography in one place too. I was struggling with finding the right format for my blogging a few years ago (in my Russian blogs), but I think I found peace of mind now - it's as simple as writing in different journals or publishing different magazines or almanacs (both of which many writers do), it feels right for me. Much love xxxx
DeleteI think blogging has to follow the heart, Natalia - and if your heart is in writing at the moment rather than outfits, then that's fine. Although I must confess I will miss seeing what you're wearing, because you look soooo good! Love that pretty skirt, but oh boy, the jumpsuit is amazing!
ReplyDeleteFor me, the reduction in posting is all about time, or lack of it, this summer. Working three days, and feeling that I should do more with the kids on the days I am home, has meant I am only managing one post a week. But maybe when September comes and the kids are back in school, I'll find a different rhythm.
Do what feels right - that's all any of us can do! xxx
Thank you my dear! So cool to feel support and warmth from you. Once a week is something I probably can manage in a dry period too. We'll both rearrange when September comes, I'm sure. :) xxx
DeleteI understand you and of course you need to listen to your heart. I'll join you on your other blog:)
ReplyDeleteHugs:))
xxx
I knew you'd understand! Thank you for joining me in my new adventure - I so appreciate that! :) xxx
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