Many Threads

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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 :-)