Perfect Places | + Thoughts on comparison and finding your aesthetic

About a week ago now I wrote a tweet on twitter the tweet read 'Sometimes I look at other peoples Instagrams/blogs & think why does my stuff not look like that? But then I remember I am me and you are you' it attracted a lot of attention whether that just be the time of day I posted it or and I hope it's the latter (whilst this post is kinda pointless.) 

That people often need that reassurance whether that be as a creative or as an individual, that we are all our own person; unique and different to the next. The content we create is personal to us, with our own touch. We shouldn't resort to comparison but do we do of course. 

Though I feel like this post has probably been written a million times in various different ways its still a reoccurring issue to come up. Or something that plays on my mind at least. 

 The day I wrote the tweet I spent say a good half an hour on Instagram scrolling through my feed catching up on posts and found myself asking the same question in my head 'why does my stuff not look like that?' admittedly I did the same last night. Scrolling through photos of perfect flatlays placed out and photographed beautifully, to badass girls with badass locations or an outfit tied in perfectly to match the wall behind - whether they said it was accidental or not (definitely not accidental)

I find myself often closing the app down and going back to it later when Im feeling a bit better about my own content. 

 At the time I was taking a break from writing a blog post. I glanced at my screen to one of the photos I had ready for a post. I looked at my work and back at Instagram and thought that's not me there on my phone. This is me, this work I have produced right there, spent hours editing and planned to the point is me. And the reason it looks that way is because I wanted it to.

Through my inspiration, my mind, my work. 

That same night I happened to stumble upon one of my current favourite bloggers very old posts whilst browsing her blog. It wasn't perfect and in no way am I being mean or putting her down. In comparison to now I think even she would say she's come a long way.

All us bloggers have, whether that be our photos getting better, our styles evolving or simply just having more confidence to do what it is you do.

To look at blog photos I started off doing and comparing them to now, they have changed drastically.

My photos used to be taken in my garden with a broken fence in the background on a camera with half the mega pixles I have now. I had no one to take my photos I'd set up my tripod and do them myself.

Before I go any further let me say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

Blogging I have always believed should be enjoyable, it should be and if you aren't enjoying it then you aren't doing it right. You don't need the equipment to compete. Bring the content, bring what you have to the table with everything you have. That aside, as a blogger you often face personal challenges too. You could have everything but I guarantee that down the line you will look back on your work and see how far you've came; there is always room to improve.

I came to a stage where I wanted my blog to become more me. For my readers to go on my blog and get a real sense of my persona.

I gained a lot of confidence on my year out (much as I think I've mentioned a million times now) and really came into my own.

I think that taught me the direction I wanted to go in. The whole feel and astetic I wanted for my photos.

But it hasn't been easy to get there I've had my blog for years now but yet its took till now for me to really take the direction I want to take. The point I'm trying to make is your aesthetic doesn't come over night it takes a long time to find you, to find your brand.

Another reason I decided to and wanted to write this post was also inspired by the photos for this post. I've been quite down about my wardrobe just lately too, the day these photos were taken I threw together an outfit that admittedly took all morning to put together. I had no idea in mind for location so already I felt disheartened about how the pictures would look. The weather too wasn't on my side as you can probably tell from the sky.

I've spent hours before trying to get an exact shot or close to an image I had in my head. I've learnt not to get caught up with that. When I did this shoot I had nothing in mind but instead I've fell in love these photos. Getting back home to see them on my computer I thought hey not so bad after all. Of course thanks to my wonderful photographer Tomas for that but also it just teaches you that you shouldn't always aim for perfect, what the hell is perfect anyway?

Mainly I think I've learnt not to pressure myself to have the best outfit, an amazing wow shot of my skirt perfectly blowing up in the wind. If i get that of course I'll be thrilled but it isn't the be and end all. Of course my blog is mostly fashion based so when writing things like this I always get caught up with outfit shots but exactly alike the same situation I've toyed around with objects before trying to put them into a perfect, oh so perfect flat lay and instead gone for the one I took on a whim right at the beginning.

Sometimes things just falls nicely into place other times they fall flat on their face. Man sometimes it ends up being your best work. 

One last thing if you are still with me I wanted to end by saying one important thing to realise is not to believe everything you see on social media, we all know this by now of course.

 Photos can be edited to shit or edited in a way that fits a bloggers ascetic. Sometimes I agree with other times I don't. I think there is absolutely nothing wrong with some retouches here and there and I don't feel as though people should be ashamed to doing so. Adjusting light, removing something from the background or that pesky spot thats been on your chin for weeks- though it looks like its set up a permanent residence its not there for life so I see no problem with removing it.

The other important thing though is you have to draw a line somewhere unless you've actually, physically gone to that location to take a photo don't pretend you have. Don't lie, don't sugar coat things to much. Experiment with your style and edit to your hearts desire but stay true to who is really you. 

I hope that all made sense. Before I leave you for another week, as this is still an outfit post as such I wanted to quickly touch on my outfit. 

The frills and gingham trend is still firmly in my heart. I've been wearing a lot of 'workwear' clothes as late, whilst being at my internship. I brought these trousers a few weeks ago, admittedly I don't know why its took me so long to get a pair of paper-bag trousers but finally I'm glad I have they are SO comfy whilst still maintaining to look chic. 

Until next time babes take care!

Whole outfit: Primark 

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