My mind went something like this: Why should I apologize - I am a busy person with a life outside of blogging, I sometimes struggle to find the time to even take outfit pics, I can't be expected to look "Lisa perfect" all the time, right? ... Except I am also by-choice a personal style blogger who intentionally puts herself out on the Internet to show off my daily ensembles, so. Yah.
I know we all try to keep things "real" here and are ladies who blog in our spare time for fun, and not because we get paid loads of money to do so or have a pro group of primpers and stylists at our disposal. We have jobs, kids, uncontrollable acts of nature to deal with, just to name a few. We can't be expected to look absolutely Stepford immaculate every second of the day - nor is it realistic to think that every blog picture of ourselves will be the Most. Flattering. Ever. And sometimes Goofy beats Fashion-y. Case in point ...
But as a blogger, shouldn't there be some sort of standard we set for ourselves? By having a blog, I am asking to be looked at (and thus judged), so I should want to show myself off in the best light possible, yes? I mean, it's my blog, I have full control of the content and imagery, right, so if my hair looked gnarly, shouldn't I be responsible for making sure it looks good? Or don't show it? Why half-ass and then whine about it later?
I think I've winded long enough for - what do you ladies think? As style bloggers, isn't it part of our "job" to look good on our blogs? We're putting ourselves out there for praise (and criticism) so shouldn't we be looking to post the best version of ourselves as we can? Or does the idea of that make things less relatable for you?
Jacket: Gap stripe twill (worn here - sim, moto, peplum luxe)
Top: J.Crew gondola stripe (worn here - factory version, same print in skirt, sim)
Jeans: BR classic skinny (worn here - sim, sim, deal)
Earrings: Target (sim, sim)
Ring: BR (sim, sim, pink)
Bracelet: J.Crew (sim, sim, skinny)
Shoes: Michael Kors hamilton (worn here - sim, sim, bow luxe)
♤ ♤ ♤ ♤
Today's your last chance to enter my giveaway for a $50 gift card to Shabby Apple!
I think being a style blogger is about being REAL... so if your hair is gnarly today, that is REAL....
ReplyDeleteGood point, but do you think I should post it if my hair is gnarly and I am going to complain about it? I know, it's my blog and I should do as I like, but even though we have our own blogs, we are still catering to our readership in some way, aren't we?
DeleteI personally feel like it's more important to be real about how I am than to try and look perfect. I understand how one can feel that way but for me I just choose to not care about looking perfect and saying "Well, that's life" and move on.
ReplyDeleteI love your way of thinking about things!
DeleteI think it's our "job" to put up cute outfits, or outfits that others would be inspired by. I don't know if it's our job to always look perfect in the pictures. I honestly like blogs where the bloggers look like "real people" (aka not model perfect) more than the ones that look like magazine shoots. Your blog makes me feel like I could emulate the outfits you're wearing, that another "real person" can pull off the look--which I like.
ReplyDeleteBut maybe I only feel that way because, if I only posted pics where my hair/makeup/skin/nails/outfit looked picture-perfect, I'd have like 2 posts, max. And I think your hair looks fine. Every time my hair looks a mess, I just think "Maybe I'm one step closer to being a J Crew 'style guide' model!" So maybe I'll just get some big old nerd glasses and commit fully to the look.
Also, oh man, I am in love with that jacket.
I agree with you - if we're purposefully putting ourselves out there, we should make some sort of effort to look "inspiring" in some sense - I mean, what's the point of me posting a pic of myself in workout shorts?
DeleteI prefer to see "real people" - there's more to a style blog than idealized images. I love seeing how things fit, how things look from different angles... you just keep doing what you're doing!
ReplyDeleteI like how seeing things fit on real people too - I don't always get to go to the stores and it is way easier to help judge things.
DeleteFor me i want to look good in the pics i am posting,but still keep it real.
ReplyDeleteI am kind of turned off by the mega-bloggers,that are so perfect in every way.
Love you jacket and the combination with the gondola stripe!!!
Ha you know me Lisa - I don't have the time to look perfect every day in real life, let alone online. Ok I choose to blog my outfits but I can't pretend to be something I'm not or take photos of outfits I don't really wear. It's a hobby to me rather than a job, to be fit in around working full time, keeping a home and raising a toddler. Honestly, I haven't been able to glean from your recent posts that you are overdue a trip to the hairdresser so don't apologise for anything of the sort!
ReplyDeleteDo our best and forget the rest! You look perfect to me :) I really like the 2 stripes blending in together.. inspiration!
ReplyDeleteGREETINGS FROM DUBAI
MRS JACK OF ALL TRADES
http://mrsjackofalltradesdaily.blogspot.ae/
I definitely try to look my best in my photos since I AM putting it out there on the internet for all the world to see. But sometimes my hair is in a ponytail or my nails aren't done and I'm okay with that!
ReplyDelete-Sharon
The Tiny Heart
I enjoy fashion blogs where the people are REAL and not always perfect. The ones that annoy me are the ones who take super fancy pics only to get back in their sweats. I like seeing what outfits real people put together to go to real places. LOL
ReplyDeleteActually I am kind of glad with the idea that some super-fancy blogger takes some pics then goes home to put on "real" clothes - some outfits are really kind of out there! ;o)
DeleteYou always look fab. Keep it real!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, you look fab, and so does your hair. It's really cool how you always make jeans look so dressed up! Love that goofy pose you do at the end, that made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you've raised an interesting question... I'm not sure if I'd have the guts to blog at all if I thought I had to look "perfect", because to be honest I'm pretty insecure when it comes to my appearance. Then I'd just be all, "I'm not pretty enough," and "I'm not thin enough". If I feel good in what I'm wearing, I'll take photos and blog them, if I have time. Other than making sure I'm wearing makeup and don't have greasy hair, I don't really sweat it too much. ;)
Blogging has actually helped me in a way with the whole insecurity thing. I started off as a headless blogger but when I started doing head shots, I started paying more attention to how my hair and makeup looked, which in turn make me feel better about myself because I made more of an effort to look better. It may be weird reasoning, but that's me!
Deleteum, i am NOT ashamed to admit that i photoshop the BUJEEZUS out of my wrinkles and under eye bags. and i try to look my best when i am posting pics of myself on the internet as well. i don't think people care to see what i am wearing when i am cleaning my house or playing outside with my son in our grubbies. EVERY thing i wear on my blog is something i WOULD and DO wear. i mean...hello...they are my clothes. so what if some days i just want to play dress up. sometimes i dress up just to inspire other moms that they can still be stylish after kids. i don't care if others REALLY wore what they post or not...just as long as it inspires me to try something new. but i will say it is funny when i can tell that the blogger has on NO makeup under their sunnies and the purse they are wearing has nothing in it. =)
ReplyDeletexoxo, jenn
the stylish housewife
I've zapped a pimple or two myself - no one needs to see that, haha!
Deletei think blogging is about being what you are, in real life. you don't dress for a pretend imaginary life, and real life means bad hair days (though i disagree with you that your hair looks bad today!)
ReplyDeletexox P
phiphi's blog
I try to look my best probably about 70% of the time. ;) The other times I'm just too overwhelmed with everything else going on. I tell myself no one is perfect, so why pretend to be?
ReplyDeleteFizz and Frosting
My fave blogs are definitely the girls who seem the most "real." I'm inspired by outfits that not only look good but that are practical. I've seen certain outfits (especially shoe choices) on other blogs where I'm calling BS on her saying she went to the grocery store in this particular outfit, or whatever. I actually like seeing wrinkles in ladies' clothes or messy hair or bags under the eyes. [I'm also completely aware that everything is edited & there aren't many people out there who are 100% honest on the internet (myself included). And I mean that by they don't disclose every single detail of what's going on in their life.]
ReplyDeleteI do like the more "perfect" blogs for what they are - more editorial-ish - because they help keep me inspired (by colors, etc). But I also take them for what it's worth & know that it's possible these were strictly photo shoots for the blogger. To each her own, I suppose!
And I reiterate the sentiment left by many - you look fabulous! Stop beating yourself up :-)
Thanks, Jen! I try to always take my pics early in the day BEFORE I turn into a wrinkled mess, haha. But you're totally right, as much as we try to put ourselves out there, it is still edited. We show what we want to show.
Deletephotos are the one thing on my blog that i need to work on. but... i work 40 hours a week... and sometimes the only time i leave the office is to run to the restroom, hence why so many of my photos come from there. i don't want to make myself into someone else just for sake of my blog - i am who i am on my blog.
ReplyDeletewow, that was wordy!
but, regardless, your outfit looks great - and your blog is always a breath of fresh air that i enjoy reading. :)
Ultimately for me, I am trying to get style inspiration from other gals, I'm most interested in seeing your outfits! ;o)
DeleteOh I do wish I could do the entire "stepford wives" perfect outfits - but it's not happening. At least not yet.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do think that we need to make our best effort - in fact right now thanks to one of your posts I am going through all of my jeans... oh my jeans are not really working for me!
:)
I just tossed a few pairs of F21 cheap jeans. They were great while they lasted but they always sagged so bad in the butt - why make myself feel awkward?
Deletehey lisa! great topic! i only follow a few "perfect" blogs (gary pepper, girl with curves etc), but my daily blog reading are of bloggers who are more natural and not "staged". i've ditched some that strive for perfection in every shot. i prefer a less structured blog. you can travel, still capture the moments and it still looks natural. that's what i look for. loving the stripes and i love the color red against jeans. have a great weekend.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.averysweetblog.com/
While I do think it's important to have some sort of a standard for ourselves (not wearing pajama bottoms to the grocery store, for example), I also think it's important to be real. Sometimes real means messy hair (though I think your hair looks perfect:).
ReplyDeleteYes - unless it's 2am and you're making a Nyquil run because your hubs/kid/friend is sick, no one should be wearing jammie pants to the store!
Deletelove this jacket. I have that one and the zara one sitting in my closet and I can't decide what one to keep!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo navy & orange
You look great! I love the mixed stripes... and I love this topic. I'll be honest... I want to look my best on my blog (not perfect but good) so I choose the photos that I think reflect that (eyes not closed etc.) but I don't think that keeps the blog from being authentic! I think we all do a bit of editing. I think authenticity comes through in the voice of the blog itself. Great post!
ReplyDeletexo, Kenya
www.kenyaldesigns.com
Kenya L Fashion Blog
Totally, I pick the best pics myself. I had this terrible habit of half-closing my eyes when the shot clicks all the time!
Deletegirl, you ALWAYS look amazing! :) I struggle with putting less-than-perfect pictures up on my blog but I realized my blog is about my outfit and style, not my face or my hair. We are REAL women who do have very busy lives outside of the internet, which is something I think most readers like to see...real, honest women.
ReplyDeleteOh and this outfit is great. Stripes = love.
-Jenna Brianne
wearablefunfashion.blogspot.com
I hear ya. My hair's been in a pony tail for weeks way overdue for a chop of several inches. We're all our own worst critics, I think. Your hair is NOT gnarly but I've described myself as a scuzz bucket.
ReplyDeleteI love this combo, you look really cute. So there's hope for that same top I have but don't know what to do with ... yet ;)
You're totally right - we're all way harder on ourselves than we need to be!
DeleteI think 'perfect' is not particularly interesting. I tend to avoid blogs that are overly styled and produced - I can see that kind of stuff in Vogue.
ReplyDeleteI love to read blogs that seem more 'real'. There's so little in the media these days that hasn't been photoshopped and faffed around with that realness is looking so much more interesting.
I think you look fab.
i would prefer goofy over posed any day! although i can agree wholeheartedly with what you put forth here, my immediate reaction is to apologize first for whatever may look awry in my photos, which is not the type of attitude i want to start taking toward myeslf (or others... believe me, i didn't even notice your hair looked out of place!). and i love the double stripes.
ReplyDeleteI know - on one hand you may notice your hair is out of whack and you don't want people thinking that you think your hair is OK if it isn't ... but then if they didn't notice your hair, you may just be drawing attention to it.
DeleteFirst of all, you look gorgeous in these pictures. You always look so happy and comfortable with yourself - I definitely admire that in you.
ReplyDeleteSecond, it's obvious why we feel we need to look good when we take pictures of ourselves and spend time putting a blog post together - it all takes a lot of time and why do it if we aren't happy with the pictures? I probably post...80% of the outfits I take but sometimes I just don't feel comfortable posting a bad outfit. Kind of not the point, but it's also not inspiring to see a frumpy outfit where the person doesn't feel good about the outfit. Ya know?
There are tons of outfits I've either not even bothered photographing or don't bother posting - I tried initially posting every single outfit ever worn in order to "keep it real" but it just got hard and not fun after a while.
Deletelove the stripes on stripes Xo Megan, www.TfDiaries.com
ReplyDeleteThis outfit is adorable!!
ReplyDeleteI think every blogger should do what they feel comfortable with. Some people do not mind posting less flattering images of themselves, which I very much admire, while others care more, which is fine as well. So whatever works for you, I'd say. It is your blog after all! :)
Fabulous jacket!
ReplyDeleteI still love that jacket! And stripes on stripes is so much fun.
ReplyDeleteFashionEdible Blog
You do the stripe on stripe look so well Lisa!! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
ReplyDeletenice idea to pair together two types of stripes!
I find it so cool :) that you're dealing with such blogging-world themes in some of your posts.
I like to think that the fashionistas that I follow look good also outside their blog.Though I understand that when somebody takes a picture of themselves in their latest outfit probably at that moment looks at their best.Anyway,don't we all try to look at our best when we for example go out at night?That's like the peak of the top for me,after maybe a week of taking good care of me and thinking about what should I wear that night.
You always look beautiful to me :)!
XO
I totally agree!
DeleteThat's okay dear! We need to look good too but you are being real. As long as we feel good about ourselves, imperfection is not the issue but how we let our readers/others think about themselves as well. They see us through our pictures, they know what we think through our posts. It's alright to be who we are than just showing off. Nevertheless, I still love your look (and cute pose, lol ) whatever your hair looks like, you're still gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWe're not models, so we're not perfect, and it's nice to see that from other bloggers. Also, it may not be perfect from your point of view, but you look great. And it you're ok with putting it up, then that's what you put up. :)
ReplyDeleteI like this mix and match of striped!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I like your pictures! I like that you laugh in them and add that fun look to them! So, don't worry about your hair and all that stuff! haha, as you said, we all understand. At the end of the day, we go through the same too!
xx
Hey Lisa..
ReplyDeleteLikin the mix of the strips..Very nice!
http://simplysassysstyle.blogspot.com/
Dawn
love this outfit so much !
ReplyDeleteI love your blazer and the rolled cuffs, :) I think you still look super cute with your hair up and yes most of the time we like to look our best but life happens and not every post cant be perfect. I've definitely learned that
ReplyDelete-Jessi
haircutandgeneralattitude.blogspot.com
love that you paired stripes with stripes! so bold, yet it works so well together!
ReplyDeletemodern.girl
i feel like my hair is always haphazard. I usually only have one time to do one thing well and i usually choose makeup. then my hair just gets tied up into a pony tail for convenience (that and i hate having my hair in my face).
ReplyDeleteMaggie
lovestylehappiness.blogspot.com
I really love this look, and after seeing you style that jacket I had to order it today with a 30% off coupon :) This one and the Zara one are just soooo cute.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic, and something I struggle with often. The regular readers will say they want the REAL - the bad hair, the bags under the eyes, but as a blogger you make yourself a brand, and you don't want the bad hair and bags to be that which a new reader or brand or Pinner judges you by. Always trying to find the balance of real life and a good example of me and my blog. Also, the point of our personal style blogs are to inspire fellow women to try combinations, learn new things, experience new brands and we can better do that if we're authentic, but a confident and what we find to be attractive image of ourselves!
ReplyDeleteOh man, Blogger ate my comment!
ReplyDeleteI think we personal style bloggers have to have the balance between being authentic and being inspiring. Our blog and therefore we are a brand, and we want to promote the best version of said brand. Personal style blogs are there to give our fellow women ideas on how to make ensembles, try new brands, have confidence in their fabulous real selves and it's actually more authentic when we look in a way that makes us feel attractive and confident. I think you look adorable (and I love the jacket, have it myself), and find on a regular basis that you perfectly balance real and authentic with attractive and inspiring!
I think you look great. Love the strip on strip. And you should give yourself a bit of a break. If you looked uber fab everyday, the rest of us would feel bad sitting here in our yoga pants with our messy hair and unpainted nails.
ReplyDeleteNothing to say about the hair. But that outfit is freakin fabulous. Maybe the favorite I've seen on your site so far. Makeup, accessories, it's all just perfect. Good job.
ReplyDelete