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Emily Hostetter's avatar

Perfectly expressed.

Clothes have been my favorite form of creative expression since I could dress myself, famously churning through three outfits a day in childhood just for the joy of combination.

Cue parenthood x2 and a body that no longer looks or feels like it ever has. It’s been a funny thing, like feeling lost in a place you used to know by heart.

So this letter struck a chord I needed; A reminder that style is iterative, there is no need to rush in order for that part of my identity to return. Now is the time to listen, discover, and play.

Thanks, Erika 🀍🀍

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kiks's avatar

β€œFeeling lost in a place you used to know by heart” β€” holy shit, I have never felt so seen…this is exactly it after two babies. IDK whose body this is but I’m just going to wear beautiful flowy dresses until I have enough energy to decide how much work I want to put into β€œgetting my waist back”. Btw my youngest is almost 3. πŸ˜…πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ There’s just so much more meaningful and important shit to do. But the feeling of failure still lingers.

Sorry for this rant, thank you for your perfect words.

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Erika Veurink's avatar

thank you for YOURS! I think about this all the time as someone who hopes to have kids. I want to embody the same energy x

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Erika Veurink's avatar

<3 I’m so glad.

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Stephanie Johnson's avatar

This just HIT today. "I started it as a fashion newsletter, not a shopping newsletter." Restraint really is the biggest key to personal style. It's about repetition, getting dressed, using a critical eye about what's already in your wardrobe and only then adding more pieces that help to better tell your style story. Thanks for sharing this!

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Erika Veurink's avatar

yeppppp so glad this resonated

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Hey Mrs. Solomon on Style's avatar

"Personal style is a lifelong project. And it’s not for everyone! Some people outsource it. Other people study it." -- there is SUCH a joy in studying it. I really hate this idea that "you either have it or you don't." XX

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Erika Veurink's avatar

YES! it's like how we all were taught about learning styles as kids

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Caitlin's avatar

Yes! I feel like β€˜Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’ needs to be applied to like…the entire world rnπŸ™‚β€β†•οΈ

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Erika Veurink's avatar

hahahaha yes

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Renee Chang's avatar

"I see so many people wearing them and think to myself, β€œThey look so cool.” And then I don’t do anything about it." RT! when i wait to buy something that's really *me* it also makes it that much more special

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Lauren's avatar

This is perfection; it really is. I have a whole bag of patterned clothes going to The Real Real tomorrow. (Dior!) No more patterns. And I don’t need to buy anything to know that.

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Erika Veurink's avatar

bye patterns!!!!

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Karen Topper's avatar

Love this. Literally just said to someone today, β€œDo I want to buy a barn jacket because I like how they look? Or do I want to buy a barn jacket because everyone else is buying barn jackets?”

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Erika Veurink's avatar

YES!

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Grace Claus's avatar

I have finally realized this about gardening, lol. Like I can admire that my neighbors have dahlias and roses and fruit trees and outrageously gorgeous peonies and I can appreciate their beauty in someone else’s yard! I don’t feel obligated to buy everything anymore, nor do I have to care for alllll the plants. And my garden doesn’t look quite so chaotically piecemeal. It’s freeing! I don’t have to possess beauty to take delight in it.

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Erika Veurink's avatar

yes!!!

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Marilyn Arbour's avatar

This is something I know, but as I flip through sweaters thinking I need that and that and that, it was a great reminder. At 61, I've reinvented myself more times than I can remember. I love where I currently am....a tight, well curated wardrobe built predominantly on my best neutrals and a couple basic colours that I can mix and match. Seriously pared back from wardrobes past. Showing restraint is an ongoing work in progress.

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Erika Veurink's avatar

This is beautiful ❀️

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Ruby Redstone's avatar

Honoured to be mentioned in the same breath as The Talented Mr. Ripley and To Catch a Thief, even more honoured to be presented as an antithesis to shopping <3

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Erika Veurink's avatar

you are my muse!!

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Ceridwen Box's avatar

I love my friends’ style so I will often want to buy things they might wear. But! Those clothes often don’t suit me even though they would look amazing on them. Your newsletter made me realise, a most likely obvious thing, I can admire the clothes on them and my friends’ style and know it’s not for me. I’m on the life long study and I’ve found as I’ve gotten older and my body changes I want to simplify. I don’t want to be digging around my wardrobe. I just want to get dressed in clothes I feel good in. I’m an op shopper (thrifter) and I’ve learned restraint so not just buy something because it is a brand for example. It must fit, be in good condition and I’ll actually wear it. Love love love your advice. It’s helped me!

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Erika Veurink's avatar

I’m so happy to hear that ❀️❀️

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Ani's avatar

This is such a great essay, thank you! It's very easy to mistake consumerism for fashion these days

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Erika Veurink's avatar

<3

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Grace's avatar

This is what I really appreciate about your newsletter. Style over stuff! Being true to you! As you said, something doesn’t become a signature piece if it’s only worn once. I had a bright blue coat in college and would hear all the time from friends that they saw me by this building, when they were on the bus, etc. People knew it was me before they saw my face!

People don’t need to buy a big flower pin or nameplate necklace to have a Carrie Bradshaw signature piece. Just wear things you love often!

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Erika Veurink's avatar

i love this and loveeeee bright blue outerwear

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Daye Pope's avatar

Yes to this! Especially "What makes you feel like you." I gravitate back to the same styles and concepts again and again even if the other outliers might have looked "good" simply because some things feel like me and others make me feel like im in a costume

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Erika Veurink's avatar

YES!

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Ceridwen Box's avatar

This is such good advice!

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Erika Veurink's avatar

❀️❀️

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tariro makoni's avatar

This made me emotional. You are everything.

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Erika Veurink's avatar

Ily

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