Last week, I asked readers to submit questions for a post to celebrate the sixteenth birthday of Capitol Hill Style. I think I was feeling a bit nostalgic, but I loved so many of the questions I received that I decided to turn it into a series. Here is part two.
Is there any advice you look back on and think, “Ohhh, That was not good.”
Sometimes I come across an older post, and I wince at how certain I was that there were right and wrong ways to dress or act. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that everyone is just doing their best to solve their unique challenges with the tools that they have. Even when the advice was right, the tone could have been a bit gentler.
What’s the best skincare product you’ve ever bought and recommended?
I started this blog when I was 26, so my skincare needs have changed a bit over the years. That makes choosing a single product a bit of a challenge.
At present, my absolute must own is the Prequel Gleanser. It’s such an amazing face wash; it has absolutely changed my skin.
In my 30s, my favorite skincare product was the Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Gel. May it rest in peace, in the graveyard of abandoned beauty products. But a close second was this TonyMoly Magic Food Banana Sleeping Pack, which always makes me look like I got a full night sleep for <$20.
Your blog was size inclusive before it was cool. Thank you for that. Why did you decide to expand the size ranges?
There is actually a funny story behind the inclusion of plus-size styles. In 2009 (2010?), I posted a sleeveless shell that came in misses and plus, and I accidentally linked to the plus-size item. The response to that “accident” was several readers thanking me for featuring something in their size.
Until that moment, it never dawned on me that there was an entire section of the readership that wasn’t being served. So ever since, I’ve tried to include inclusive sizes when possible.
Did you ever figure out how to survive life with a toddler, aka a cute illness incubator?
A few weeks ago, I asked for reader advice for avoiding spending my entire winter sick. Ever since we have Sloane, the diseases come fast and furious.
The general consensus was that the parade of illnesses continues until age 8. In the meantime, I am using Zicam swabs and drinking Emergen-C (I like the crystals) every day. I’m also washing my hands all the time, which means I need to keep my favorite hand lotion in every room.
Do you miss D.C.? I think I’m ready to leave but I’m not sure.
I miss my friends terribly. I also miss the vibrance of living in the city, but mostly I miss the Hill.
I often wonder if I could work in the Capitol now. Things in politics have changed so much. My life has changed so much. But sometimes, I remember what it was like to walk through the Rotunda after hours, when the Capitol was quiet, and I just wish I could go back.
My former Boss recently ran for Congress again, and for a brief while, I got to live in a dream world where going back to the Hill to be his Chief of Staff was possible. Sadly, he didn’t win the primary, but it was a nice dream while it lasted.
Are there any “basic pieces” you wore in 2008 that you still wear now?
One of the first pieces I recommend was a sleek trench coat. I still love a great trench, and this Banana Republic option is a favorite. If you want one that has something a bit extra, this cream BR trench has a cool funnel collar. To find the look for less, Mango has you covered.
Beyond that, I still love a black and white stripe tee. I wear one every week. This Spanx top is my current favorite (also in plus). The material is thick and cozy. For a more casual look, I just bought this Land’s End waffle knit (also in petite and plus).
What do you miss about the height of the blogging era?
Ah, the heady days of the early 2010s, when Google Reader still existed, Twitter wasn’t a cesspool, and OOTD ruled us all. It was a glorious time before social media videos, LTK widgets, and monetization took over. The thing I miss most about the old days was having the power to decide what content you consumed. Now, I only see what the Almighty Algorithm chooses for me.
Success on social media is governed by the algorithm. Everyone is just trying to figure out the formula to beat the “algo” in order to get views and make money. As a result, you see the same themes and memes over and over again. You might never have a single worthwhile suggestion on your Explore page. And you have to scroll Instagram on silent, because you never know when Benson Boone or Sabrina Carpenter might cry out from your screen.
Recently, I noticed that my Instagram posts and Stories are being viewed by 80% fewer people today than ten months ago. Maybe it’s because I occasionally post political content. Maybe it’s because I don’t post Reels. Maybe it’s because I like the written word and write too much text. Who knows what I’ve done to offend the Great and Powerful Oz.
I never embraced monetization on Instagram because I knew I wasn’t in control of who viewed my content and I didn’t want to be beholden to a bunch of tech barons who are accountable to no one. Before the tyranny of the algorithm, you chose to follow certain bloggers and (shockingly) you actually got to see their content, on the day it posted. Frankly, I just miss having any semblance of control over whose content I choose to consume and having that content be geared toward an audience, a community, not an algorithm.
Did you miss Part 1? Click here to read that post.
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This post really brought me back. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my past life in DC. I completely burned out from Hill life, so I don’t miss that (I was once told, if you look at the Capitol building and don’t feel something, you know it’s time to leave, and I definitely reached that point). But I do feel nostalgic for my life back then, for the DC of the early 2010s, for my friends, and my lifestyle. I can’t go back to that and wouldn’t really want to, but I do miss it sometimes.
It is such a shame how the internet has evolved – how so many rely on algorithm-driven platforms to aggregate and drive their consumption, that is. There’s this whole concept of the attention economy – the algorithm doesn’t care if it feeds you tripe that doesn’t engage you *meaningfully*, it just wants to keep your eyes glued to the screen, on their platform, period.
I’m grateful for this site and your content, and I visit it manually, daily. Despite working in tech, I’m also a fan of the written word.
Ditto on all fronts except working in tech. 🙂 And algorithms often drive the customer away. I sometimes leave Amazon altogether without buying anything because I’m tired of seeing so many repeats and too few options. If I don’t like the cat-shaped planter shown repeatedly, I’m simply not buying it. 🙂
I really loved the height of the blogging days and yours is one of the few that is still around. I love long form content and don’t like how content is presented and filtered via Instagram, even though I consume it like everyone else. I miss Google Reader and feeling a more personal connection to bloggers.
A moment of silence for google reader. But I am thankful you are still here. Your insights and perspectives are greatly appreciated.
If anything ever deserved a proper funeral, it’s Google Reader.
Okay, and Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker, though.
I agree with all of this, but just wanted to give a plug for Feedly. They took in many Reader-less blog lovers like me and I’m still enjoying it 10+ years later. You can also subscribe to free substacks via Feedly which has been a game changer for managing my inbox.
I miss Google Reader too! I went to Feedly (and still use it) but it’s not quite the same.
I also started reading your blog when I moved to DC (still here, still enjoy the blog!) – this series is a fun read! Congrats on 16 years 🙂
The Tony Moly banana pack remains a life saver. Thanks for some immune system boosting recs, too.
I just wanted to say that I have been reading your blog for 14 years, and share so much of your nostalgia for when I first arrived in DC as a young staffer in the early 2010s. I’ve enjoyed reading these Sweet 16 posts because they take me back! At least big scarves and barn coats are back this fall!!!
Thank you for keeping this blog going and keeping it true to yourself and itself all these years – there isn’t any other content that I’m still consuming today that I was 14 years ago other than yours, and that’s a testament to you.