28 Comments
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Macarena Cifuentes's avatar

This was my favorite so far ❤️

Mara Hoffman's avatar

yesssss, love the feedback.

camille, fntp's avatar

Knowledge is wealth, and any opportunity to receive from someone you admire is a gift, no matter its vessel. Shared, sold, bartered, whatever it may be. Thank you for sharing, and thank you for the reminder that denim on denim is the most solid look for West Coast fall and winter :)

Mara Hoffman's avatar

Yesssss. East coast too! 😂

Meredith Baird's avatar

The problem is that the creators and up being the ones doing the selling- battling the algorithm and the popularity wank fest that is social media. It’s brutal!

Whitney Rutledge's avatar

I love the balance between talking about the real stuff and also sharing what you wore (also the real stuff in my opinion). It’s what I’m here for!

Mara Hoffman's avatar

I’m so glad. Finding my way over here. Thank you for the feedback. ❤️

Kristin Yunger's avatar

I really enjoyed this! Thank you!

Dana Davis's avatar

M, your words are the stuff we need. They name the contradictions so many of us feel between selling, sustaining, unplugging, and still showing up with heart and lets be honest with ourselves, it can't be about getting it “right” but about staying awake, honest, and willing to keep trying.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

You said it sis. Not for the faint of heart. Love you and wouldn’t want to do this work without you. Thanks for bringing the dedication, intellect and heart to this work. Always.

Ashley Martin's avatar

I’ve been feeling this so much but have not been able to put it into such clear thoughts, much less words. Thank you!

Mara Hoffman's avatar

So glad it landed for you.

Alyssa Paparatto's avatar

That Francis Weller quote ❤️

Bonnie Azoulay Elmann's avatar

This is such a thoughtful reflection—your honesty about the paradox of selling, creating, and striving for “enough” is refreshing. Thank you for holding both the grief and the hope so openly.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

Thank you for responding ❤️

Emetvarda's avatar

Thank you for offering your words about life on the other side… and your observations about what we keep doing. Why we will just keep doing.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

You’re so welcome. All works in progress. Forever.

Marsja's avatar

FWIW I loved your Tarot post- thank you for sharing 💜

Erin Allweiss's avatar

Love love love. Living the paradox.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

AREN’T WE ALL.?? Like, they say, “Never Trust a Purist!” I ADORE YOU.

Donatela Bellone's avatar

For what it’s worth, I don’t think your Substack comes off as advertisement, at all.

Your comment on grieving our current situation but still having hope is so real. Like I sometimes feel like “we’ve lost” where “we” means people that care about the environment, but when I feel that way I tell myself that I choose to have hope. And I will until the last tree stands.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

SAME, well said. Thank you XO

LaTonya Yvette's avatar

Love the denim. More-so, the LOL.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

LOL’s for Life. Amirite?

Elena Brower's avatar

creating what might inspire or uplift, first for ourselves then for others, then perhaps choosing to share it - that’s what we’re here for.

been savoring everything you do for two decades or so, my lady. show me all the outfits and the long curls and whatever pleases you - because it pleases me to see you delighted and inspired.

i am continuously creating with inspiration from you, and Ally, and so many of our humans.

fueled by my friends’ creations, offerings, writings, designs and synthesis of the information learned, i’ll pay to stay inspired,

and sell to put my kid through college and myself through all the trainings and classes that keep me going.

we’re all inspiring each other and feeding each other in our own ways, always.

and I love you more than ever.

Mara Hoffman's avatar

THE words I needed to hear. Straight arrows. Wow. THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU and yes, let’s keep doing this…feeding each other with inspiration, beauty and life. I’m in and sigh of relief. ❤️

Miranda's avatar

Feeling like you’re only adding to the noise and excess is not a good feeling and one I’m struggling with now. We all need to unplug because when you do you realize all this stuff is unnecessary for happiness.

I see these small business owners cranking out all this content and for what? To sell things? I’m happy to not be in their shoes. I’ve never been good at the online game, despite wanting my own business to grow. I would be glad if social media ceased to exist.

I don’t need another dress, shoe, or object for my home. What I need is time outside, time connecting with others. If we have our health, a safe home, food, and community we are rich!

I am reading Dana Thomas’s Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster and it’s just mind boggling how much greed exists in fashion. I also love love Lucianne Tonti ‘s

Sundressed: Natural Fabrics and the Future of Clothing. We can buy natural fibers and we can keep our clothing for decades with proper care, while ensuring our materials are sourced in ways that aren’t endangering the planet and all creatures who live here.

Meanwhile the US government is so off track. Today I read “climate change” is a banned term from all departments. Our planet, the only home we know, the only life we know is sure, is not a subject to be ignored. 😭

Thanks for the work you do, Mara!