How Blogs Influence You and Learning To Be Yourself

Influencer...or Not?

Do you ever feel like you are influenced by bloggers to buy things? Even when you really hadn't really thought of purchasing a particular product or item until you see someone else with it on a blog? And you think, "hmm... maybe I would look good wearing that." Blogger influence is my topic today and a case in point of how I have been influenced is the coat you see me wearing in today's post. Luckily, even though I was influenced....I think I ended up buying what I truly needed.

The past couple of months, I've been noticing some bloggers I follow modeling what I call "classic" coats. These are dressier coats that you would wear with nice slacks or a dress. I have several cold weather coats to choose from, but it's been several years since I have purchased a "dress" type coat. By several years I mean...oh....probably 20? 

I had thought a few times over the last couple years of getting a dressier coat, but deemed it not really necessary. I had a dressier coat in the downstairs closet. I just never got it out to wear. It kind of slipped my mind until a couple things reminded me. During one of my closet clean outs this past year, I took out my "old" dressy coat and discovered it had become mildewed from hanging in an unheated closet. I decided it was past saving and chucked it out. And then, I started seeing these really nice coats on the bloggers and...well....I was influenced. Guess that's why many of these bloggers are called "influencers!"

I kind of half heartedly would check for dress coats in some stores I frequent, but didn't see what I was looking for. Until last week, when I was running errands and found myself close to Stein Mart. I figured they would have dress coats. And they did. And, even better, they were 30% off. Yes! 

But, this is when things got a bit tricky for me.  The "classic" coat I tried on was beautiful, but the style fit really tightly against me and showed off every unflattering curve. I tried it on again and again, trying to convince myself it was for me. I almost talked myself into it, but finally,  I left the store and came home. There, I proceeded to look up the coat online, reading reviews about it and, again, trying to convince myself it was for me. After all, the bloggers were wearing this style. I was under the spell of being "mega-influenced!"

I actually made up my mind to return to the store that afternoon and buy that "classic" coat. I convinced myself that I had only imagined that it hugged my curves unflatteringly. After all, I have a very vivid imagination! So back I went, where I proceeded to put the coat on....and off....and on....and off....over and over. Finally, I gave up, disgustedly hanging the coat on the rack for the final time. And that's when I turned and saw the coat I'm wearing in these pictures. I took it off the hanger to try on thinking, "but this is not a "classic" coat like the bloggers were wearing."  Maybe not...but, it was the perfect coat for me. The first thing I noticed was how it was hanging perfectly on my body, not hugging me in an unflattering way. It is basically an "all weather" type coat which both zips and then buttons and has a removable liner, making it perfect for year round use!  I remember owning such a coat years ago and I loved it! Although not a "classic" coat, it is still dressy enough to wear with nice slacks and dresses when occasions call for such a coat. I can tell you that so far, I have worn it in downpours of rain and very cold weather and it is a winner! And that trumps being "classic" in my opinion! 

So here's the moral of this story. I need to be careful about being too influenced by things I see on the blogs. I need to really consider, first of all, whether I need something or not and, secondly, I need to choose things that fit me and my body and not someone else's body. One reason I try to encourage folks to "shop their closets" is that I know I have made some splurge choices in fashion just because of blogger influence. Some of those fashions have worked for me, but some have not. I'm trying to be much more particular about what I buy these days, making certain that it truly "fits me" and not someone else. And, sometimes, if I just shop my own closet, I realize that I truly have all the style I need at this time. Other times, as with this coat, I find that I need to let go of pre-conceived ideas of what is in fashion and just shop for what fits Debbie. 

How about you?  Do you ever try to "convince" yourself to buy something that doesn't really fit your style?  And what do you think? Am I an influencer?

Until Next Time,
Debbie