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The title of this post has a double meaning. One is about the argument about creating outfits that Graham and I had this morning, and one is about the myriad things I want to share in this post.
You see, I had originally planned on writing about how this outfit was inspired by the Dolce & Gabbana ads from last year that I fell in love with and blogged about in my post Back to the Land, Well Dressed Rich Folk Style. Except that this outfit is more like Totally Broke Thrift Store Style.
Then I was going to write about how we finally received our new camera and how stoked we are at the killer close-ups Graham took around the house yesterday (earrings & thyme, two of my favorite things).
But then the interaction between Graham and I this morning prompted me to dedicate this space to exploring the artistic issues around creating outfits for sharing on the internet.
As I’ve blogged about before, Graham has a great eye for aesthetics. Whether it’s a cake, a painting, a house, a flyer, or an outfit, he truly sees what works. And it makes him a perfectionist, a criticizer of the highest order.
Which means that, most every time I hand him the camera and ask him to photograph my outfit for this blog and/or for wardrobe_remix, he can’t help but tell me exactly what’s wrong with what I’m wearing.
And, over time, I have ended up completely frustrated and exasperated by this. For me, this is just fun. I am not looking for perfection. Perhaps if I was my blog would be more popular and I’d get more comments on Flickr. but that’s not what I’m after. I enjoy creating outfits and sharing them with other clothing lovers, that simple.
For Graham, if you’re going to be engaging in any artistic endeavor, you might as well go all out and make the effort to strive for perfection each and every time. As a busy mama who hardly *ever* has a moment to herself, I just can’t do that. Yet. (I mean just look at how tired I appear in the bottom right photo. Fulfilling, restful time for myself is just not on the menu. Apparently neither is make-up. Wearing that would improve my photos as well).
You see, he thinks that this outfit contains too many contrasting elements. Which is exactly what I love about it (the many threads).
But I suppose there is truth to what he’s saying. There is always room for improvement. And believe me, I am painfully aware of all that needs improving in Violet Folkloreland. And maybe now that we have this sweet new camera, complete with a tripod and a self timer, I can make the time to be alone and take photos of myself more often. That way I won’t feel judged every time I’m in front of the camera, but I can still keep his sentiments in mind and use them to motivate me to strive for ever better outfits and clothing combinations. A lofty goal indeed.
(P.S. I don’t know why WordPress compresses my thumbnails to such an extent. Click on the photos to see the killer booties that really make this outfit. In my humble opinion 
the contrasting colors look awesome.
not every look needs to be a jumble of color types, but too often we are afraid to engage a wide variety of colors within a single look because it looks too scattered or whatever.
but just as often, if you tame or coordinate the outfit, it might be stylistically correct but it will also be boring and not show your personality as much.
daniel@team h´s last blog ..Sneak Preview of Team H February 2010 Vintage Offerings…
i bet graham is a virgo like my man!
He’s a Gemini.
bull-hickey! I mean no offence to Graham, but am firmly of the opinion, that the many threads complement each other. I’m enamoured the off-synch styling of your image and would wear that combo in a heart-beat if it happened to be hanging in my closet. That is if I had the imagination to come up with it.
Furthermore, I agree with your lovely hubby completely on being a perfectionist about one’s artistic endeavours, BUT here in blogland, I find perfection to be rather annoying at times.
Picture-perfect outfit shots simply hold less interest to me than the kind where you can see the real person behind the image. So these shots to me are just perfect
ps. your package is heading out tomorrow. more off-beat outfit possibilities ensue!
Graham is a GEMINI. He and I are both born on the same day and I love him. I agree that he has a refined sense of aesthetics but that doesn’t mean you don’t rock the outfit. Compare jazz to classical music, perhaps you both suscribe to different aesthetics: his may be more on the nose, to the point, in scale, like a classical composition. You may prefer to riff, reference loosely and improvise. I can’t imagine living my life without the perfect pitch of the classic or the lively and infinitely unexhaustible flexibility of jazz. YOU both rock.
Love the plaid vest you’re wearing and the fact that you’ve paired it with a non-sequiter free flowing skirt. Looks to me like you’re channeling some sort of Irish beauty roaming the emerald countryside. Looks great; keep it up.
PS: you are perfection, just in a jazzy way.
Bella Q´s last blog ..Bette Davis Eyes
Firstly Amber is amazing, has a great sense of style, and a gorgeous body to wrap clothing around. I love chaotic outfits. Fashion that include multiple textures, colors, patterns are my favorite. I just don’t think this particular combo is a great example of that, does this make me a butt-face perfectionist? sure.
I really love Bella Q’s jazz/classical analogy, I think it’s perfect. Also, I think that little shrug sweater is really key in pulling the look together. I like how it echos the white ruffle of the skirt and softens the structured vest.
Hang in there mama, I know having no time to yourself can be tough. Lucas took Clover for a good few hours on Saturday and I got to go off and do some thrifting on my own. I was in heaven, heaven I tell you, it was so therapuetic.
Missa´s last blog ..A’ thriftin’ I will go