Questions and Answers! Part 1

Hello, all! I'm back online for a couple of weeks, and I'm here with all new posts for your reading pleasure.

Since I began blogging over a year ago, a few questions have consistently arisen in conversations about What We Covet. I thought that now would be as good a time as any to respond to some of those queries. Enjoy!

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Why did you start blogging?

I found that every time someone mentioned liking an item of mine (dress, bag, shoes, whatever), my automatic response was to say, "Thanks! I got it at X store." So it seemed totally natural to me that I should start a website sharing that information in a centralized place and on a larger scale--not only the things I own, but the things I'd like to have, as well.

What is your blog about?

At its core, for me, What We Covet is really meant as a receptacle of things that I find inspiring, interesting, or useful (sometimes these coincide, but often they are separate issues). Mainly it is what you might call a shopping blog, but I'd like to think that it also provides visual stimulation and perhaps a bit of amusement, in addition to an impetus for my readers to go out and find things that interest them.

Do you own any of the items about which you have written? Do you actually like the items that appear here?

Yes and yes! Of course, it would be more or less impossible for me to buy everything I feature, and that's why the blog is called What We Covet: because there is no way I (or, in fact, anyone) can have everything that amuses me.

I make every effort to update my readers when I procure an item that was previously featured so that they can find out whether or not said item is worth the money or effort. After all, I don't really know many people who have the luxury of buying whatever strikes their fancy. From time to time, I share items I already own (such as the Longchamp Le Pliage) because I find them to be so stellar that I just can't keep my mouth shut.

There have been a few instances in which I would not necessarily use an item myself, and I try to make note of that (for example, these Frye sandals), but I still see the appeal and think they are worth promoting because of their practicality or the level of craftsmanship employed.

How do you decide which person to covet in a given month?

Although I do schedule posts in advance for time management reasons, I have to admit that I'm usually pretty lax when it comes to writing People We Covet entries. I have a running list of covetable people in my head, and I tend to make my decision based on who has been on my radar the most in the days leading up to my development of the post. A recent example is when I highlighted Chris Crutcher's work in March. It was not only because he's fantastic but also because I'd read two of his books recently, and so he was very visible to me.

You'll also notice that most of the people I covet have been involved in the arts, mainly cinema/television, music, and literature. This is because I'm a humanities girl at heart and firmly believe that culture--particularly popular culture--is a very important and integral part of the human experience.

How did you and Maureen meet?

We went to college together, and then I was her boss for awhile. Mostly we bonded over a shared love of Honey Buns and Lady Gaga. I kind of suckered her into writing posts here, but don't worry: she has recently been properly compensated for her efforts with a genuine Wienie Whistle.

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As always, thanks for stopping by! I hope you've enjoyed this semi-informative post!

-Cate-

PS Speaking of updating my readers, I recently saw these Betsey Johnson heels on sale at a Neiman Marcus Last Call store. Happy shopping!