I wanted to share with you a letter that affected me in a big way. It’s from a girl named Katherine, a blogazine reader.
“Deer Doe,
I was just reading your recent blog update, about the animal shelter, when realisation hit me. You are such an inspiration, not only to many people out there, but to me! I didn’t really ever realise before, but I understand now.
I have been following your blog for around a year now, and i have noticed a change in me. I think it’s a good change, well i most certainly hope so! Before, i used to be a very shy, quiet person, to the extreme. I didn’t want to be different, i just wanted to fit in with some kind of group. I knew inside of me that who i was being wasn’t the real me. But when i started reading your blog, and looking at your make-up admiringly everyday, i changed.
It was gradual – first i started to experiment with my make-up, using bright colours and bolder eyeliner. Then i moved onto my hair, experimenting with different colours. I had bright red, orange, pink, purple, every colour under the rainbow! And of course i experienced negative comments, people throwing things at me in the school corridors and shouting rude names at me. Before i would have been very upset, which naturally i was a little, but i let it all go over my head. Because i thought ‘If Doe can do it, why can’t I?’, so i kept going. I have grown into a confident young woman now, much more aware of my uniqueness and that being different is okay. I think i inspired other people too, and that made me feel really good about myself.
My friends sometimes ask me how i do it, ignore what people say, but why should I care? You can only be one person, yourself, why follow the herd? I recently wore No She Didn’t to school, and i received compliments! Because people accept it now, me being different.
I have visited the Glasgow Space NK twice, purchasing 3 of your lipsticks in those visits. Everyone in the shop must know me by now, because I am probably known as that crazy girl who is obsessed with Lime Crime. When i had lipstick put on me, i was going on and on about you and your company, telling them everything i knew! I handed a few of your business cards out as well and recommended colours to other customers. So you see, i really am strange! So i would like to thank you, because you truly helped me come out of my shell. If it weren’t for me reading your blog all that time ago, i think i would still be that small quiet person who was getting nowhere, fast. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
Much love and appreciation,
Katherine xxx”
This had a profound effect on me because it made me realize that being respected for who you are is a privilege – and privileges must be earned. I sometimes forget how hard it was being a teenager and being different; even in my 20s I had to struggle constantly to prove myself. It’s hard work, earning respect, but it’s always worth it.
Oh, that’s wonderful. I know there are probably many more girls out there like Katharine, and I think it’s wonderful you are such a positive role model whose influence is only growing!! :D As time goes on, hopefully more girls and women will start to feel this way and become more confident in themselves. I love hearing about how Katharine has inspired other girls because you, in turn, inspired her. That in itself is the most inspiring thing of all!
wow i was moved by tht, mainly because i have experinced all of this i was bullied at my school for having a different style and being different to everyone,but i have followed ur blogs and sights since the beginning, and i feel like they have helped me to realise i shudnt care wat people think and i have become a more unique person, im bright, colourful and confident, and i thank you for this as u r one of my inspirations!
thankyou for making me a better person :D your the best
Doe Deere! I’m in my 30s, with no lack of self-confidence, but you are an inspiration to me, too! Your rhyming post about painting your closet to match a dollhouse was the reason I started reading your blogazine. It was a huge inspiration to me and emboldened me in my paint choices in my home. I turned my sewing room into a pink and purple striped get-away. :D I’m still working on the gold trim. This was directly caused by reading your blog and thinking, “Hey this is my room, I can do whatever I want, dammit! And it can be fantastic and fun, it doesn’t have to follow any rules!” Everyone who’s come over to see it has just been very impressed! One coworker looked at me like I was crazy when I told him about it, but who care what he thinks? Life is too short for us to always be beige for fear of someone else’s opinion, when what really makes us happy is to be fluorescent or metallic. :)
Doe! I really wish that you would put up a post about your music…I’m sure a lot of young girls are really into music and it would be interesting to know how you go about it. Like what your writing process is like, how you make your music, how did you get started being a musician? Were you nervous singing in front of a crowd or anyting like that? I know you are more well known for your cosmetics line, but I think it would be really interesting to get to know that side of the spectrum!
Soraya (youseesaf) Reply:
May 9, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Agreed! Especially this part:
Like what your writing process is like, how you make your music”
” Were you nervous singing in front of a crowd or anyting like that? “
Oh thanks so much for posting my email Doe! Every word was the truth (:
Katherine xxx
Phoe Reply:
May 7, 2010 at 3:48 pm
This is really random but I’m from Glasgow, lol. Lovely letter, and I’m so glad she’s inspired you in that way =]
I loved reading that email – amazing. Gaining confidence is the best feeling there is.
As Paris Hilton said: “The only rule is don’t be boring, and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in.” Seems like that’s how you inspire people. :) And that’s awesome.
Xenia! I’m wondering what’s your favourite perfume? Make post about it ;)
Doe Deere Reply:
May 7, 2010 at 11:25 pm
I already did! :) http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/articles/smell
LilithOftheNargille Reply:
May 9, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Ah :) Thx!
Goes to show you get back what you give out :-) You’re truly the best kind of leader, the kind who teaches others to lead.
Doe Deere Reply:
May 7, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Thank you, that is the best compliment. :)
I was _so_ that girl. It took years to grow confident enough to wear bright makeup and to not care what others thought, but I’m so glad I did! And it’s all thanks to you, Doe!
You are so amazing Doe, you inspire everyone around you! <3 It's infectious!
And a million kudos to katherine, good job! :D I love how confident you sound. :)
This week I got to go Bath Spa town, it’s a beautifull city and I was so excited they had Space Nk store…so I went in and made a bee line for the Lime Crime lippy. The assistant was really helpfull and I made my first purchase! The product is such a great colour and stays on ALL DAY LONG! thanks for the glee xxx
Great letter. I totally understand her. I was bright and fun in Jr High & then 9th grade but people wore me down. So I just dressed to hide myself & fade away. As an adult I moved & felt able to wear what I wanted, dye my hair weird colors & get piercings. Now I’m back in my hometown & I still do what I want even tho I get weird looks & treated rudely sometimes. I have a lot of online friends who do what they want & appreciate expression, which I think helps.
Wow, I can relate… I’m 15 now and started reading the blogazine when I was 13. I used to be shy, blending in wherever I could. I chose not to stand out in fear of being rejected. Still, when people would try to talk to me, my inner colorfulness would always come out. I scolded myself constantly. I was depressed. I constantly told myself I didn’t exist. It was a very bad, traumatic situation that I had to deal with in the 8th grade… but, all the while, I read your blogazine like a bible. It was the only outlet I had for the secret, mute girl hiding inside underneath layers of scars and fear and terrible things. I experimented with make-up. I wore bright colors. I cut off my long, waist-length hair. I started getting better. [: I remember the feeling of getting my first order from limecrime… everyday I would check my mailbox. At the time, My best friend would get off the bus with me and then walk to her house. I remember opening up my mailbox, and for a moment, seeing nothing but junk mail. But beneath that I saw a package… THE package… I ran down my street yelling for my best friend, shouting, ‘My limecrime came!’ and practically glowing with joy. I look back on that day as the day that I realized that I could put everything aside and pretend, for a moment, that I wasn’t the girl with secrets hidden under her skirts, not the girl who cried all the time, not the girl with a knife hidden in room, not the girl with the heart with holes. I became the blogazine reader, the colorful girl, the model who didn’t belong in this armpit of a town. Because of your blogazine, I could heal myself. I can’t even begin to tell you the impact it has had in my life. I love it. [: I learned to stop putting a blade to my skin, and start putting color there instead. It started with ‘jinx’. “Is that glitter?” “Your eyeshadow’s really sparkly…” “why is your make-up so bright?” and so on and so on. It evolved into pink, purple, periwinkle, neon yellow, red, white, etc. hair, blue lips, red lips, purple black pastel orange bright pink lips, anything I could find. I dove into the world of color like I was a fish out of water. I read your blogazine religiously. My goal in life is to make something beautiful- perhaps something so beautiful it can affect someone like your art has affected me. That’s what this is- Art. Beauty. Change. Love. Passion. Color means all of those things to me. Thank you so, so much for everything you’ve done!
You’re truly an inspiration Doe! I was reading this and thought of how much this related to me. Before, my wardrobe contained a lot of black, and denim. I thought bold nailpolish was brave! Now I wear bright colours and bright lipstick, and I’m perfectly happy to wear different coloured wigs down the street. I get weird looks as I walk down the street with my purple lipstick, pink wig and fluro skirt, but I love it! I am me and I couldn’t be happier!
But without you Doe, I could never have done this. I thank you so so much!
xx
Thats was a wonderful thing to read!
I followed you, Keiko and Shrinkle on eBay years ago and you all inspired me so much. I used to spend hours in front of my sewing machine and resell my DIYs in a vintage shop. Now, your sites have inspired me to start a blog (and keep it).
You’ve been impacting your readers for a long time.
I teared up a bit reading this.
T_T z0mg thats was bjoetiful!! *wipes tear away wiz her paws*
>.> We humans are kind of a bit like sheeps, sometimes. (W00t? sometimes? ^^;) So when people choose their own paths/style even though it ish not mainstream&hard (becaush people can be a beetch) it also can (and definitleh will shmall or beeg!!) become rolemodelish to the ones that kind of need it (we all need something at some point LOL :P) to get an eyeopener. So it’s not only for you but for the mini you’s! Bla. ^^; Me too is very inspired by you Deer!!! T_T I promish i won’t stalk j00 though!
*roasts some marshmallows in her hide-out*
this is really sweet
It really feels better to be yourself than to follow the herd. I was the same way, I’m not very extreme but I’m myself now, and it’s so much nicer..:)
The person Katherine became reminds me of the person I used to be and makes me very sad. I want to be that kind of person again and not a shut in but every time i leave the house i get overexited and buy too much make-up and girly things and whenever I talk to people i either go blank in the head or get spastic.