A Rejoinder and Statement of Principles

I don't usually take the time to reply to negative comments that are left on this blog — why encourage people who are spoiling for a fight? I'm not bothered by their criticism, for the most part (and if it's justified I do try to take it to heart, however unpleasant it may be to do so!). But most of the time replying to negative comments falls under the heading "Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and only the pig enjoys it."

However, there have been a few comments on a recent post which I feel I need to respond to, if only for clarification. A commenter, mainly anonymous, but also signing one comment "7/10 split", suggested that I am a "professional what? writer/ advertisers? whose goal is to sell things", and also a "shill."

For the record: I am not a "professional advertiser". I am a writer, but of a very particular kind.

The same commenter (who may be this blogger) also suggested that I don't sew the dresses that I post here. If you would like to see pictures of ME in the dresses I have sewn (and I admit, I don't often post pictures of myself here because, all things considered, I had a better time in labor — and I didn't have an epidural! — than I do having my picture taken) you can see them in five out of the first six pictures here.
(The dresses shown in that link include a Duro, the pink jellybean dress, the blogiversary dress, the stunt Valentine's Dress, and the yellow-bird dress.)

Whether you enjoy my posts or not, I would like to state unequivocally that I do NOT accept money to post about any particular dress, fabric, pattern, pair of shoes, etc. There is NO payola or kickback scheme in effect on this blog.

For book reviews, I am, as is common practice in publishing, often provided with free copies of the book in question, to review or to give away.

The advertisers on the right-hand side are just that: advertisers. They have no influence on content, and I do *not* ask them for free stuff.

I accept pictorial ads ONLY from people who sell patterns, fabric, or vintage clothes, or are otherwise related to sewing. I must approve the ad before it will run. My ad rates are very low; $25/month (with a minimum three-month commitment, because I'm lazy and don't want to be bothered putting up and taking down ads all the time). I also participate in Google's AdSense program, which are the boxed text ads you see on the page, and in the Amazon Associates program, which gives me a commission on books purchased by Amazon customers who clicked on links to books from this blog. (To give you an idea of the revenue from those two sources; my last "payment" from Amazon was a $35 gift certificate which I used … to buy more sewing books. Google pays every two months or so; I think my last check from them was in the $125 range.)

I have set up "Dress a Day Inc" as a LLC company, so that, if I say something libelous and am sued, the company will be the target of any lawsuit (and not my family). This means I file taxes on all the income from this blog — if there is any, after paying hosting fees to my internet service provider.

As for the comments about the sweater in question, I am doing a little research on the subject; the commenter suggested that the sweater probably cost less than $1 to make, and that all the labor involved was sweatshop labor in Asia. I don't think that's right, given that the cost of a pound of even low-grade cotton is about .71 — that's a pound of unspun cotton. From what I can tell, the spinning of one pound of raw cotton fiber produces 840 yards of yarn. That seems to be on the low end of the number of yards you'd need for a sweater — any knitters want to jump in here? — and the sweater I posted about was 14 gauge, which is a fairly fine knit). So, at least .71 in raw materials, plus the spinning cost, plus the fashioning cost, plus the cost of the buttons — I think it would be hard to get the raw goods cost of this garment under $1. Even leaving aside that the garment is made in China (I called and asked) — there's the cost of the coming up with the design, a job almost certainly done by an American at American wages. (J.Crew employs about 7600 people.) The same commenter said that the sweater I linked to could be found in discount stores for under $20; if, in fact, that is the case — why haven't I found it there? It's not like I haven't been looking! Do you factor the salary of the designer into the cost of the sweater? If not, why not? Do you factor in the jobs of the catalog writers (Americans), shop employees (American and for the stores in Japan, Japanese)? The distribution center employees (in Virginia and North Carolina)? The UPS guy who will bring it to me? (Hi Luis!) The short answer, it seems to me, is that a narrow focus on manufacturing jobs is not helpful; if the company can't manufacture goods at a reasonable price, then all those other jobs I mentioned above — they go away, too. Despite conjecture about how much of the price of the sweater is pure profit, large retail chains have VERY small profit margins — one source puts it at 2%. Another source (from 1998!) puts the apparel profit margin at 5.4% … and given the rising costs of commodities since 1998, I can't imagine that margin has gone up.

I apologize for such a long and tedious post, without even any pretty pictures to enliven it; I promise not to make a habit of this kind of thing. However, I do treasure the trust you place in me by visiting this blog, leaving comments, and contributing to a little oasis of dress-loving camaraderie online, and I didn't want to give credence to accusations of shilling, payola, and "blogging under false pretenses" by letting them go by in silence.

(Comments of the kind "all her taste is in her mouth," "this is soooooo ugly lol", and "i cant believe u wear this!" will still be ignored. De gustibus, etc.)

If you ever have any questions about me or this blog, well, my email address is on the right-hand side, towards the bottom. I do try to answer all the email I receive.

214 thoughts on “A Rejoinder and Statement of Principles

  1. You go girl! People like that aren’t worth the frustration – they can’t seem to see the whole picture. Sorry you have to deal with that. I love reading your blog and I am greatly anticipating the delivery of my new ‘Brown Wiggle Dress’. Keep doing what you do! Even with the economy the way it is…It is always a welcome site to read your blog!

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  2. The only comment I have to this well-written post is this:WHERE do I sign up to be a charter member of the “We Love Erin” Fan Club?Surely I’m not the only one who gets up way too early, cracks open my computer, ignores the scary news, and opens “Dress-a-Day” first and foremost?

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  3. I am totally stunned by this dreadful person’s accusations and/or comments.. Erin, you are a joy to the internet community and I agree with others, you are the way we start the morning… You are educational and interesting and I never miss a day! Anita

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  4. I went and read the blog of the 7/10 split blogger. Talk about a sad/pessimistic outlook on life.Go buy more sweaters and forget about this pathetic person.~Funky Kimfunkykim@comcast.net(i have blogger issues and cannot sign in)

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  5. I’ll be the second charter member. Why do folks bother to read a blog if they don’t enjoy it? Why waste that time? Or didn’t their mother ever tell them that if they didn’t have anything good to say then they should just BE QUIET!!! Erin, I read your blog every morning and thoroughly enjoy it. I am an entrenched jeans and t-shirts kinda person but I enjoy the pictures, your writing is superb, and sewing is my hobby. Keep up the great work. Some of us out here can’t start the morning without a bit of Dress a Day to brighten the morning.Many thanks,Teresa

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  6. Oh for Pete’s sake (thinking something stronger…) If you don’t like the content, DON’T READ THE BLOG! I don’t particularly care for short sleeved sweaters, but I don’t have my undies in a wad over it. It’s not like Erin is forcing everyone to exclusively buy J Crew Sweaters. Get over yourself, Mr or Ms. Pissy Poster – and get a life! (thank you for reading, I feel better now).I would also like to join the “We Love Erin” Fan Club.

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  7. What I said is that you could find a short sleeved cotton sweater for under $20. Go to Chadwicks, Clearance, Item 2108-32648-1264.You will see a very nice short sleeved cotton sweater at a price of $9.99. Additionally, if you search Google for Chadwicks coupons, you can probably get the sweater even cheaper than that. You might argue that the quality is not comparable, but I have already explained that it is comparable, and currently it is $55cheaper than J Crew’s sweater. It is more than 80% cheaper than J Crew’s sweater. Just because you, Erin, can not locate an item, this does not mean that the item does not exist. And, if Chadwicks has a cotton sweater, you can be sure that there are many other places besides that have a cotton sweater. And I’d be willing to bet that the majority are far lower in price than $65. As I said, if J Crew doesn’t get hip to the prices that our current economy can bear, those 7,600 people are going to join the other 20% of unemployed Americans who can’t even afford Chadwick’s prices.

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  8. What a wonderful post. You obviously are a person of considerable integrity. Well done.I absolutely LOVE your site and I come here every day.

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  9. I still love you.I ignored the sweatshop stuff on the other post because I did not feel that A Dress A Day is the correct place for that discussion.Further, there were so many holes in several points of logic that I started to feel that it was not all an honest discourse on economics and human rights but little more than troll fodder. So I stayed out of it.And yes, I am one of those people who is trying to make all of her own clothes and/or buy non-sweatshop goods because I do have strong feelings on the subject. However, I refuse to preach about it and covert the masses and all that as I find that sort of thing to be in the poorest of taste.LONG LIVE A DRESS A DAY!LONG LIVE THE FASHION REBEL ALLIANCE!

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  10. 7/10 Split, thanks for the link.Unfortunately, that’s not a comparable sweater.The J.Crew sweater has rib-knit trim at the sleeve and waist; the Chadwick’s sweater does not — it is completely ribbed.The Chadwick’s sweater is v-neck; the J.Crew sweater is jewel-necked.The Chadwick’s sweater comes in eight colors, mostly pastels; the J.Crew sweater comes in twelve colors, mostly brights.These may sound like petty differences to you, but I am very, very picky about my sweaters; if I am going to spend $9 or $65, it is going to be for exactly what I want — anything else is a waste of money, because if it’s not just right, I won’t wear it.

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  11. Erin…Of all the ridiculous…I just don’t even have the words. I will never understand why people have to be so meanspirited. If that person wants something to rant about,, how about world hunger, war, abused women and children,, childhood cancer or any other of the millions of things one could crusade against…This person is not worth your time..or mine. Done dealLove you, love your blog, you are a postive light in a very negative world. So there.Melissa

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  12. Knitter here – for that fine of a gauge, I estimate you would need considerably more yarn than that – probably almost double. A normal sweater often takes 1000 yards.

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  13. Erin!You are in Wikipedia! That’s soooo cool.I want to be in Wikipedia. I figure I can get listed as “totally anonymous American.”As for the rest of it, good on you for responding. It takes a strong character to know when to be quiet, but a stronger character to know when, and why and how, to speak up.

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  14. And, why would you think that the design had to be originated in America? Don’t you know that all of our engineering jobs are gone along with our manufacturing jobs. Don’t you think an Indian or an Asian can engineer or design just as well as an American? If you don’t have any factories, you don’t need any engineers/designers. And, if you are a real person, and if you aren’t being paid to advertise (and I don’t believe your claims to the contrary) then the only conclusion I can draw is that you are very out of touch with the actual economic condition of the vast majority of Americans. Because I’m speculating that there are very, very few who would be willing to pay $65 for a short sleeved cotton sweater. And, the vast majority would find that price to be obscene. In fact, I’m going to speculate that if that sweater is comparably priced to J Crew’s other merchandise, they won’t be in business for long. And as for the rest of you, who are probably all the same person, I have already spoken to the only response you can come up with: “you don’t have to…and why don’t you go away.”

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  15. I’m awfully sorry for posting 3 comments, but I just had to say this – why does Anonymous think you posted that affecting and heartfelt tribute after your father died? To sell more dresses that you didn’t make? Jesus!

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  16. 810 yards of yarn will yield a sweater if it’s knit up at about 4 stitches per inch– if it’s 14 sts/inch, you’ll need a lot more yarn than that! (Going on my sizing, 38B, size M/L)I think that, sometimes, these petty anonymous commenters cannot find anyone to read their own blogs, so they attempt a hijacking of one that is more popular. I’m sorry that it had to be yours.

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  17. I really love your blog and enjoy reading it as the first blog each day. It would seem that their are a few readers of blogs that enjoy leaving negative comments all over blog land-I guess that is how they get their “jollies”. What a sad life they must live-and they seem to be the same people on each of the blogs-re: confessions of a cf husband. If they get off on getting a reaction from people, I guess the best is to just go ‘pffft’ and then ignore them. I think that, in a way, they are secretly jealous of you! Speaking of that, I hope we get another “Secret Lives” soon, maybe on the dress from yesterday!

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  18. 7/10 Split: If you don’t believe that I’m a real person, I don’t see any further value in arguing with you (not that there was all that much value to begin with). (But do I at least pass the Turing Test?)

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  19. *boggle*You know, I care about the ethics of shopping but to even pretend that the Chadwicks’s sweater and the J. Crew sweater are the same is ridiculous. Alas, J. Crew does not clothe the fat, but I’ve ordered from Chadwicks and the quality, as well as the design, is not comparable.While I’d love to see Erin talk about the ethics of shopping, if she were so inclined, there is no excuse for the rudeness displayed by annonymous/ 7/10 Split.

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  20. There are many things to love about this post, but the BEST (because it’s what I was thinking) is the bit on J. Crew. Stores, websites, designers, advertising ALL TAKE MONEY. It’s like saying the dress I made for you only cost $50. There was my time and labor and my thought. You pay for that too.

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  21. Also! I just read 7/10 splits comments (above). I bought three cardigans at the JCrew outlet store for $45 each. Then I went to Steinmart and found very similar cardigans, in the same colors, for $20 each. The Steinmart cardigans were thicker, to boot!So I returned my JCrew cardigans and bought the Steinmart cardigans.Sounds simple, right? Wrong! I’ve been looking for these sweaters for WEEKS. I looked at JC Penny, I looked at Sears, I looked at Kolhs, I looked at Target, I looked at Walmart, I looked at Dillards, I looked at Belks, I looked at Macys, I looked TJ Maxx, I looked at Marshalls, I looked at Nordstrom, I looked at Eddie Bauer, I looked at LL Bean, I looked at Land’s End, I looked at Chicos, I looked at Geoffrey Bean, and I looked at Izod.So when someone finds the Holy Grail of cardigan (and those of us who love cardigans will understand exactly what I mean) and posts the link for the world to see, it’s like manna from heaven. I think you’ve missed the point entirely, 7/10. The point isn’t buying the cheapest clothing you can get your hands on. The point is FINDING the clothing you want to wear.And for pointing all of us to a wearable, attractive cardigan that is remarkably difficult to locate, Erin gets my unreserved thanks.

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  22. I *heart* Dress A Day!I have plenty of thoughts on anonymous/7/10split… however, expressing those would just add to the number of bad things said on the internet, and he/she wouldn’t pay attention anyway. It’s unfortunate that he/she feels the need to spread his/her poopy attitude by encroaching on other people’s happy places! 🙂 Erin, I do love your blog! I read it every day, I look forward to every post, I refer back to several of your posts, I share your posts with my mom… You are more inspiring than you know! Thanks for all you do!

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  23. And finally, after reading both of 7/10’s posts, I see that s/he is kind of out of touch with reality, so I for one am going to wish him/her well and let it go at that.

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  24. Hmm…all interesting stuff. I can see many of the points of view here are valid: I have seen (and been horrified by) TV programmes about children sleeping in the same room where they hand-embroider fabric to be sold at enormous prices when made up as garments, I don’t give a rat’s whatsit about designer labels, I have donated clothes to and bought clothes from “thrift stores”, I have made my own clothes and finally, I have been persuaded – after reading this site – to buy Liberty fabric from a seller on eBay to make into a fabulous gift for someone (can’t say who, it’s in the post and the recipient does not know yet!) Where do I stand?Well, I have my principles and my ideas but I don’t argue well, so I’ll keep all that to myself. However, when my gift-garment is received I will send you a picture of it (and to the eBay seller you were kind enough to point out to me!):-)

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  25. 7/10 split probably doesn’t know what a Turing Test is. What I don’t understand, if he/she disagrees with your blog, thinks we are one person…why is she wasting her/his breath hear. If you want to buy a $65 sweater and you can afford it…that’s your perogative. I’m probably wrestling the pig right now… but I just can’t saty quiet. You have been an inspiration to me as both a hobby sewist adn a writer. Thank you.

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  26. There’s no point arguing with someone who is determined to be obdurate (a very good word, no?). As you say, arguing with a pig etc. But I have to say that I’ve appreciated the thoughtful comments and your post for their thoroughness and logic. Your sincerity speaks for itself but I particularly appreciate the precision and directness in your argument. As for your J.Crew sweater – if all of us only ever took the economic factors of each purchasing decision into account, wouldn’t we end up dressed very much the same? And history has shown that social models, based on some utopian version of economic equality, seem to end up being more oppressive to the very people ‘They’ were trying liberate.It’s your sweater, if you can afford it – morally, ethically and economically. It’s your choice to make. Mao suit, anyone??

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  27. Some people are just rude. Msotly, they’re jealous of you & your talent!Dress a Day is the first thing I look at most days, keep up your great work!

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  28. first i have to say i love the pig quote – seriously, i hope to use it sometime in the near future! a lot of people don’t realize what it takes to produce a garment. i sell patterns but when some people ask me how much it would cost (for them) to buy an actual item made from my patterns, they are floored. part of me does not blame them but the other part reminds me all that goes into the design and creation process, and that my time is valuable.anyway, before i forget, thank you for the google pics. the most fun part for me was reading more about who you are and what you do, aside from writing the blog.

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  29. Love your blog Erin, keep it up! To 7/10 split: Where do you think the Chadwicks sweater was produced? We are moving into a global society with all kinds of jobs dependent on jobs in other countries. It’s the same kind of shift that happened when manufacturing moved from northeast America to the south. What line are you in? Can you say that you are not in a “global food chain” in your line of work. I doubt it if you look closely enough. Finally there are plenty of foreign owned companies who provide jobs here. Check into some of those big names you see everyday and find out just where they are headquartered. As someone who works in the financial services industry I can assure you there are plenty. (And yes there are still people who can afford it.)Jill

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  30. I love you, Erin!Were I to show all those comments on the third-world economics of cotton cardigans to my boyfriend (the Master’s candidate in International Development), he would probably start to cry just from the stupid. So I won’t show him. Not unless he annoys me, or something.In conclusion… We love you, Erin! Never stop being you!

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  31. Responding to 7/10’s comment-“Don’t you know that all of our engineering jobs are gone along with our manufacturing jobs.”That’s absolute bull CRAP. I’m a technical recruiter and there are at LEAST 25% more engineering jobs available in the US than trained talent available. There is offshoring, sure, but it’s happening because we’re not growing our own engineers here. The US is losing the competitive edge because there is a CRYING need for both engineers and designers in almost all technical fields. ANYway. I just couldn’t let that pass.Erin, you have a lovely and inspiring site which I check every weekday without fail! Please keep it up!

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  32. Re: 7/10 split’s comment: “Because I’m speculating that there are very, very few who would be willing to pay $65 for a short sleeved cotton sweater. And, the vast majority would find that price to be obscene. “Maybe if 7/10 spent less time posting negative comments on blogs all day, she could get a better paying job an then it wouldn’t seem so obscene. And now, I’m going to work because I saw a $65 sweater I really want. I’m going to go earn some money so I can buy it.Someone had to say it.

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  33. Erin, I’ve never commented here before but just wanted to say I love your blog and think you’re awesome.Is there a reason you don’t moderate your comments or have a comments policy prohibiting trolls? I had to start moderating my blog (granted, I do political cartoons, which attracts more trolls) after one troll repeatedly left disjointed rants that eventually became racist screeds. Your blog is YOUR house, and you set the house rules. While you might choose to allow one comment by someone who disagrees with you, someone who repeatedly attacks you and claims you’re not a real person deserves to be kicked out of the house. You can also prohibit anonymous comments, too. Finally, it is NOT obscene and BS to post about the fact that you are going to buy some fancy sweaters that suit your taste or that it is hard to find the perfect short-sleeved cardigan–speaking as a cardigan lover, it’s DAMN hard! Even the Budget Fashionista will link to some more expensive items. Personally, I am quite cheap, and buy a good portion of my clothes at thrift stores. Which frees me up to buy the occasional perfect item at retail price if it is an item I know I will wear repeatedly–cost per wear is hugely important. I have some cardigans that are cashmere that I paid $60 dollars for (on sale, of course) and I have worn them so many times in the last four years that their cost per wear must be something like 2 cents.

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  34. Good lord, it’s not as if Erin is compelling us all to run out and buy a $65 sweater. It’s her blog. She gets to talk about what she likes. My personal preference is for V necks with sleeves, that cost a bit less. Do I feel I need to tell Erin what SHE should wear? As we used to say, “Not.”

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  35. I had to google Turing Test.7/10 split appears to be struggling with the alienation that happens when you watch your hometown’s economy dwindle and the culture along with it. It’s not that I lack sympathy, this just isn’t the forum to discuss it.If this were all one person posting here, I’d say you know a heck of alot! I doubt that any one of us has the time or the inclination to run this many accounts in order to make this many comments.Like most of you here, I check out this blog in the a.m., looking for a little inspirational tidbit before I move on to the serious matters of the day.Thanks Erin, for providing this forum. If you were making more money from it, that wouldn’t bother me. It is a fortunate person who can make a living persuing their passion.

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  36. Oh, dear. I’ll just add that 7/10’s comments remind me of Grandpa Simpson (you know, from “The Simpsons”), who’s always afraid/angry because everything’s too fast and loud, and the kids play music he doesn’t understand. Next he’ll be telling us to get out of his yard, and that gas should be a nickel a gallon, like when he was young.

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  37. Oh dear. This person is a troll. I am all about being green and avoiding sweatshop-made items, but let’s have a bit of perspective here: this blog, correct me if I’m mistaken, is in large part about *making your own clothes*. That’s about as far from sweatshop as you can get. (Unless you want to start growing, spinning and weaving your own cotton or linen–which is crazytown, really.) For all of the clothing you make for yourself, I think you’re entitled to an off-the-rack cardigan once in a while. Please.And as another knitter, I can attest to the fact that a sweater at that fine gauge is at least 2000 yards. Though finer gauge yarn will weigh less, I doubt the sweater would be less than a pound.

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  38. 7/10 split, are you completely clueless about how Blogger works? Now, that you’ve figured out how to add your name, can you not see that there’s just no way we could all be the same person? You can follow the links (non-anonymous users names are links) or our pictures (which are also links) in the comments to all our individual blogs and user accounts. Who would create all those accounts just to fool you??? Accusing us of being one person is preposterous. Are you a conspiracy theorist or something???Seriously, that’s most ridiculous. You lose more credibility every time you post.For the record, one person’s vote: I CAN afford a $65 sweater. I find J.Crew’s quality pretty good. In other words, I don’t need to buy a new sweater after 3 washings which is what happens when you pay $9.99 for a sweater. So, in the end, I’m spending my money more wisely because instead of buying throwaway Forever 21 crap, I’m buying clothes that will last, I’m investing.

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  39. Hi Erin, hi everyone.I don’t comment often, but check in most days, and love the blog. It’s been part of the motivation to get me out of my jeans and into more interesting things – including some home-made skirts and dresses in lovely Liberty prints now that it’s finally warming up.Any “regular” will know how genuine Erin is….so…STEP AWAY FROM THE PIG everyone!Chris x

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  40. Erin, I’m so sorry you had to put up with that crap. I know it’s hard to ignore it. I’ve learned so much from your blog and am geeked to discover you’re a lexicographer!Enjoy your beautiful sweaters!(Maybe you could get someone else to model your creations? Seeing dresses on real people instead of on a dummy really makes them come alive.)

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  41. Anyone who actually READS your blog knows that you’re not a shill. You like stuff, you write about it, end of story.I read your blog because it’s funny, and it’s relevant to my interests, mainly vintage clothing and sewing. I also read your blog because it’s an entertaining read, and I appreciate your sense of humor. Those of us who read your blog regularly know you’re not a big spender, and you’ve posted on more than one occasion that you love an item, but would never buy it because it’s too expensive for what it is. That’s hardly inducement to be called a shill.I know you’re not one, because I read the blogs of several writers who ARE shills, and frankly, I don’t mind it. As long as the content entertains me, I consider the time well spent, even if the blogger IS trying to induce me to buy a spiral ham, or some incredibly expensive fabric. If there was a blog out there whose content I didn’t enjoy, I’d simply stop reading it. I certainly wouldn’t be ridiculous enough to post a “Screw you, goodbye” comment. And then keep coming back.Bottom line – negative comments won’t keep me from reading your blog, and they won’t keep your regular readers away.

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  42. I have never–and will never–understand trolls. What a strange, strange compulsion/hobby.Erin, you know I’m 100% in your fan club, and while we don’t always agree on all fashion options, I think you’re swell.*waives Erin Fan Club flag*–Lydia

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  43. Looks to me like someone was fired from JCrew, and can’t get past the anger. Ignore the trolls – eventually, they’ll get bored and go somewhere else to be jerks.

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  44. Erin, the first thing I do at workis open your site which brightens my day each morning.Ignore the jerks – there will always be the nasty people in life who just want to crap on everyone -it’s plain jealousy.You go girl!

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