The Tea – We All Have Changed

I’ve been on an extended hiatus from my blog and social media. Doesn’t that sound better than I lacked the motivation to get my work done? So many factors go into my “laziness,” but the result is the same. My blog has lain fallow for far too long.

Where My Head is At

At first, I was just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with Covid, everyone constantly at home, and my daughter’s illness. I’m still a bit overwhelmed. Then the influencer industry changed. TikTok became a major player, Instagram stated they are no longer a photo-sharing platform, and the pressure to make small videos caused this introvert mass anxiety.  Honestly, I feel like TikTok is a lot of work for a little return. Then, I began to question my contribution to over consumerism. Fast fashion is a real problem right now (more on that later). Lastly, I realized I am just not shopping or going out as I used to, and I felt less inspiration for outfits.

Still Covid

We all had no idea what we were facing as Covid numbers rose around the globe. Mass shutdowns, toilet paper shortages, and a level of selfishness, even the most jaded of us could not likely predict spread as quickly as cases of Covid. We were rolling with the punches in our house until Covid caught up with us in Dec. Luckily, we all had mild cases.

Everything Changed

Unluckily, my daughter developed a chronic condition named POTS or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia which causes her heart rate to be very high and her blood pressure very low. She faints A LOT. For the first several months of 2021, caring for her was my full-time job. When I should be preparing for her to leave for college, I am helping her walk upstairs and remember to take her medication (brain fog is another symptom of POTS) and catching her when she faints.

It has been quite an adjustment for all of us. I have spent more time at the pity party than my daughter. In fact, she is amazingly resilient, and I admire her positive outlook and her ability to adjust to her new normal. The pity party is exhausting. I found myself reading about POTS, studying possible treatments, lingering in Facebook groups, and zoning out on the couch whenever I had a free moment. I had no interest in getting out of my workout clothes any given day, and leaving the house was impossible as we couldn’t leave her alone.

That Darn TikTok

I think we all found solace on TikTok during quarantine. TikTok became our connection to the outside world. It made us laugh, cry and connect. Honestly, I LOL at least once a day watching the app. The success of TikTok stung Instagram, and as a result, Instagram announced it was no longer a photo-sharing app but a video platform. The pressure for bloggers to makes videos became intense. I love using Instagram as a platform to share snapshots of my latest outfits, hottest trends, and sale finds, but videos stopped me cold. I’ve tried and will continue to incorporate videos into my content, but it has to be in a more organic way for me.

I made a couple of TikTok’s, but it seems like an awful lot of work for very little return. Doing multiple outfit changes in a 30-second video is exhausting. So when you see a fashion influencer on TikTok, make sure to like their video. A lot of work goes into what looks like a simple video. Honestly, I think it feels like such work because I am not really passionate about video content.

It is All Too Much

In the hours I spent on TikTok, I realized that mass consumption seems so glutenous. Try-on hauls of 10-20 items from fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M and Topshop filled my feed. These videos have been common on YouTube for years, but with the fast-paced nature of TikTok and the fact we are all stuck at home, the hauls feel more offensive. Also, trends started moving so quickly to keep up with the demand for content; we didn’t have time to wear one trend before influencers told us to move on to another.

So at this point, I am spending much more time at home than before Covid, and trends are blowing by me at a speed I can barely wrap my head around. I found myself frozen by how to move forward. So for months, inaction was my only action. I read several books, worked out regularly (my salvation), wasted too much time on TikTok, and I cared for my daughter and supported her budding TikTok career (a story for another time).

Not Quite Normal But On Our Way

Somehow September finally rolled around, and my son went back to in-person high school. My daughter attends an online community college intending to transfer to a university next year because her cardiologist recommended a year at home to focus on her health. So, I am back to having several hours a day to myself.

What I realized during these last several months is I really like blogging. I enjoy sharing my outfits on Instagram and Pinterest. For the time being, TikTok isn’t my thing. Never say never, but I prefer to express myself in writing versus video. It is the introvert in me. I realized I allowed what people said I should be doing to derail what I really enjoyed doing.  So I need to get back to what I like to do.

But how given my feelings about fast fashion and the wild trend cycle? What got me back to my computer was a long list of blog posts I want to share with you. The list grew organically inside my new reality. There are definitely ideas on how to follow trends, curate your own personal style, and thoughtfully source the clothes that I want to share with you. My posting cadence may be less, and/or I may throw in a few posts on other items that interest me. I hope you will continue following along. I’ll leave you with this quote from George Bernard Shaw.

I would love it if you followed me on Instagram for my everyday outfits or Pinterest for my fashion inspiration. StyleDahlia is a fashion and lifestyle website with a modern take on midlife. We hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and live your life in full bloom.