When I started this blog, influencers still re-wore clothes. There were no haul videos filled with the latest from Shein before it winds up in a beach in Ghana poisoning the planet. There were no sponsored campaigns delivering fresh wardrobes each month. The content machine doesn’t like reruns.

When I was young, my Mother used to bring me along when she would go shopping for fabric. As a result, I spent a lot of time, killing time, flipping through pattern books. So when I spotted this dress, I was instantly transported to the pattern table at a Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Before we start today’s reader questions, I wanted to take a moment to talk a bit about mental health. For those who experience mental health challenges — whether occasionally or frequently — talking about our struggles is a double-edged sword.