{Bloopers} The Best of the Worst

One of the greatest things about having a blog is that you are in complete control of what you put forth into the world, and are thus in complete control of public perception. I get to choose the best photographs, the perfect light, the good hair days. Ohhh the swirly, dreamy life we can create, where dirty dishes and scuffed shoes don’t exist.

However, what I think is bad about that is that it perpetuates the misconception that a blogger’s life is somehow perfect, and therefore by not living that ‘perfect’ life yourself, you are somehow not enough. These are the kinds of ideas that the media wants to bore into your soul (that I want to beat down with sticks): You’re not perfect, therefore buy this make-up/hair product/miracle cream and your life will suddenly be better. You’ll be transported to the trendiest restaurant, wearing the perfect outfit with the perfect group of laughing friends clustered around you. Or you’ll suddenly own a bigger house and be able to ride on horseback down the beach with a perfect man riding beside you, your hair blowing in the breeze but somehow not becoming a tangled, knotted mess. To me, this is all dangerous thinking because, again, it implies who you are in this exact moment isn’t enough.

But I’ve got a secret to tell – you’re awesome just the way you are. And the imperfections are the best part. So, I decided to put a blooper reel together (the first of many!) to be the first to step up and embrace the off moments, the caught-off-guard moments, and, most importantly, the stop-taking-it-all-so-seriously moments. (and if you want to see the original post with all of the “pretty” shots and full outfit details, links below).

So here are a few truths about me:

1 I am the clumsiest person alive. Seriously. You may think I’m all put together, but I have a physical inability to carry a cup of coffee without spilling it, and the miracle physics in those takeaway cups from coffee shops…yeah, foam is constantly shooting up out of the finest hole in the lid. I also trip, drop things, and have zero control of my face when any of these things are happening…

2 The wind is my enemy. As anyone who wears dresses on a regular basis will tell you, we live in constant fear of an errant wind. I have surely flashed hundreds of people without meaning to. At least my neighbors know they can always count on a show…

3 I love action shots! They always seem to come with their own element of risk. And how amazing is it when you get the perfect shot? But here’s a little secret – for every awesome action shot I show you lovelies, every perfect twirl, every gravity-defying jump. For every perfect moment in motion captured in celluloid, there are about 104,000 of these.

4 And life is just incomplete without Willie The Magnificant Photobombing Dog. He and I both know this blog is more about him anyway (and I’ve been told he has his own fan base. Forget vintage! Show me the one eyed dog!). As such, I would like to title this next section, “Dude, you’re in my shot!

5 As much as I try to be “camera ready” at all times, the truth is I crack up a lot. I sneeze when I shouldn’t. I make a lot of faces. I wiggle, I squirm, I get distracted by sparkly things. But most of all, I have the ability to laugh at myself. Cause when it comes down to it, these shots are me more often than not!

As much as I love the perfectly captured moments, with dress freshly steamed and falling just so, I love all of these just as much. Because these are the real me. The real me who often has a dog trailing in her wake, with the wind blowing up her skirt, and who is racing between meetings while guzzling coffee. She who leaves shoes all over the house like a Shoe Garden. Who leaves the last sip in every glass of water. Who is blissfully, remarkably, perfectly imperfect.

So, how have you laughed at yourself lately??

xoxo

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**It was touch and go for awhile, but the brooch survived.

1950, bloopers, dresses, fashion, handbags, shoes, vintage