first day of winter

I started this blog six years ago, riding the crest of the fashion blogger wave. I lived for your comments, dropping into my inbox like a never-ending lolly scramble. But like with anything online, real life interrupts and the gap between posts go from a day to months. The silence bugged me. Perhaps I'd outgrown it all? Some days, getting dressed and smiling pretty felt silly and vapid, instead of an empowering, fresh, exciting, and egalitarian approach to fashion which was what fashion blogging was all about in 2008!

Back then, I lived in a rickety old villa with my boyfriend who is now my husband, complained about mice in my flat, and dressed like Claudia Kishi from the Babysitter's Club. My husband took very many pictures of me in impractical outfits cavorting in flower fields, slouching around inner city carparks, and executing the classic fashion-blogger oh-what's-down-at-my-feet pose. I also took you guys with me on very many vacations. 

Through this blog, I've met inspiring, amazing, candid women who I still slavishly follow and talk to on instagram (Emily, Diana, Aline, Melly, Christina, Anna, Adeline, Laura). I even met up with this beautiful weirdo in Paris and we caused a whole lot of trouble. Some of you have been here from the start. We've emailed, sent packages, and commented on each other's breakups, makeups, tragedies, triumphs, and small joys. I've watched you get married, get published, score ads on TV and front row seats at New York Fashion Week. You've opened businesses, worked hard for promotions, switched careers, and just generally been amazing ladybosses and badasses. I've also observed you grieve, get knocked about, felt devastated at your tragedies, and read the posts where you've doubted yourself the most.

All that and imagine this - we've never. ever. met. Not once. Not at all.

This year I've flim-flammed between deleting this blog or letting it limp along. But today, I decided I can't let it go. Because, here's the thing, guys, it's you. I can't let you go. So let's try this again. You with me? 

Taken at Te Ahumairangi walkway and lookout