Fashion: Perfection Is Just A Concept
The day we took these photos, I was very disappointed. I felt like they were all wrong, that we just lost time and that I would only get two or three properly usable shots, which wouldn't be enough to make a blog post. It almost spoilt my afternoon then, but luckily a yummy caramel and popcorn ice cream made everything much better.
When I came back home and looked at the photos on my laptop, I actually found some were okay, others I really liked, and I felt better about myself. This whole rollercoaster of feelings, but what for? ... a few outfit photos and a blog post. One amongst many others, that wouldn't ever be held against me if it wasn't that good anyways.
This got me thinking about perfection, why we strive for it and why we should always take a step back, think things through and stop worrying about being perfect and doing things perfectly. It's normal to want to be the best version of yourself, and we should always try to do our best in everything, to be proud of what we do and who we are. However, when pressure builds up, it destroys all the pleasure we take in doing things. I love taking outfit photos, I love putting these outfits together, thinking about pretty locations, editing the photos and sharing them on Julia Speaks. I want to look my best, take the best photos, but sometimes things don't work out and that's okay. I have to learn that not doing everything perfectly is okay; it is normal and we can't be perfect because that's just a concept. Perfection should push us, motivate us, but not bring us down. When we start feeling negative about something, it's better to stop, take a minute, and reconsider why we're doing it.
I will keep taking photos, I know sometimes I won't feel 100% satisfied with them, but that's okay. I can't be perfect, nobody can. We can just do our best, and that's already awesome!
Dress: H&M
Shoes: Gémo (old)
Bag: Naf-Naf (old)
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If you feel like you're not doing well enough, you're wrong. If you feel like other people are better than you, you're wrong. Keep working, keep enjoying what you do, whether it has to do with blogging, exercise, diet, or your personal life. Nobody will ever think that you're not good enough. I certainly know that none of you will point at these photos and tell me 'ew, they're not good at all, just delete this post right now'. We are so hard on ourselves, more than other people could ever be. Let's not reach for perfection, but rather for what makes us happy, and if we spread positivity, people will always answer positively to what we share. Positivity always comes first!
What is perfection to you? What makes you feel good about yourself and how you blog/reach your goals in life?
Lot of love,
Julia x
Lot of love,
Julia x
24 commentaires
Great post! Resonated with me. I'm a perfectionist and always want everything to be just right. You know, like just "perfect", and I go to such heights to achieve it, I nearly destroy myself. So I am definitely someone who needs to take a step back and reassess. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteAnd might I just say: Lovely photos!! :D You look so beautiful and the setting is wonderful.
Hope you're having a great week.
Much love,
Mona
Being a perfectionist is hard! They key is to understand that the pressure we put on ourselves isn't always healthy. When it pushes us too far, it's time to stop everything we're going and think about it! Thanks lovely Mona <3 xx
Deleteyou are so stunning and this post is so true, no one is perfect and imperfections are what makes someone beautiful anyway! <3
ReplyDeletewww.britishmermaid.com
Thanks Cara! xx
DeletePerfection is a concept many don't realise is just a concept, myself included. I just strive for a perfection I know I will never attain. But I also know that what I do, is good. Good enough for me. You look beautiful, Julia. Love the dress! <3
ReplyDeletexx Bash | go say H E Y B A S H
That's it, we should reach the point where what we do is good enough for us, and makes us proud. Reaching an unattainable and very abstract perfection wouldn't do us any good! Thank you so much Bash <3 xx
DeleteI am a big perfectionist, something that never affected my life that much until I started blogging. Everything else seemed to be under control, but the pictures? They are nerve wrecking, and I don't even take outfit photos, just makeup. But as you said, it should motivate us, not bring us down, and that is what I keep telling myself.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures, by the way, are amazing!
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
Blog photos are the worst, definitely! They're so hard to get right. But most of the time, even if they're not perfect, they'll work anyways! We have to relax and be proud of what we do :) xx
DeleteI feel like I'm a natural perfectionist so for me putting out blog posts is a big deal because I'm sharing something that isn't always going to be 'perfect'. I definitely think sometimes it's just in our heads because your photos look great to me!
ReplyDeleteJasmine xx
Jasmine Talks Beauty | US & Sephora Giveaway
Thanks Jasmine! Well, I can tell you your blog posts are amazing, you shouldn't worry about them! ;) xx
DeleteWell said, we are our own worst critics sometimes! Like you said, perfection should push us not bring us down- couldn't agree with you more! Great post, lovely and you look so pretty in that dress! :)
ReplyDelete♥NY
Yours Truly, NY | INSTAGRAM
Thank you Natalie, I'm glad we feel the same way! xx
DeleteYou look so cute and cosy in those looks and the place looks beautiful!
ReplyDeletewould you like to follow each other on google friend connect and google plus? If you follow me,
I will follow you back after it. ^^
www.tomntins.com
Thanks! I'm going to check out your blog first ;) xx
DeleteThis is something that I do all the time and I never want to take any photos of myself to later find that I don't look as bad as I thought. I think that you look very nice in these photos and I love the outfit!
ReplyDeleteSarah | What Sarah Writes
I'm sure most bloggers feel the same way as we do actually, that's why I wanted to speak about about it! Thank you Sarah xx
DeleteAww these are lovely photos though! But I know exactly what you mean about striving for perfection - I always feel like this with my photos - especially the outfit ones xx
ReplyDeletevvnightingale.com
Thanks Victoria! Outfit photos are the worst :( xx
Deletewe are the worst judges of ourselves! we could be really mean...at least i'm a perfectionist when it comes to pictures and sometimes i should just chill and let it go! easier saying it than doing it though!
ReplyDeleteyou look great in the pic at the louvre dear<3
xx from italy
Cate ღ kate/idoscope.com
We should all chill a bit more, trust me! The whole experience would be a lot more enjoyable :D Thanks so much Cate xx
DeleteFirst of all, these photos are so beautiful and you look gorgeous, I don't know why you didn't like that at the first place.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has their own definition of perfectionism and as far as I can remember, when I do something, I wanted it to be just right and like how I imagined to be and if they don't turn out the way imagine, then I just stop doing it. It is actually not a good thing because we push ourselves so hard that, even something good looks like it is not good.
In order to pick one or two photos for the blog, I end up taking so many photos, I remember one time I took over 50+ to choose one. We want people to see the best of us and in order to achieve that we pressure ourselves.
We should how to chill out and be happy with the things we do :) x
Ela BellaWorld
Thank you so much Ela <3 I am just like you, if I think something isn't going the way I want it to, I just end up eventually. We should be brave and keep going, but also be happy about how we do, without putting ourselves down! xx
DeleteThis was so lovely to read, Julia, I absolutely love your photos and outfit! I suffered with Body Dysmorphia when I was a teenager and thought I looked awful, like an alien, I just didn't look 'right', the way everyone else did or aspired to be. I wanted to change so many parts of my face and researched nose surgery and skin lightening procedures... you name it! It was so upsetting and I would just hide in the toilets at school and cry and not attend many days, it felt horrendous. There are still periods of my life where I think 'if it's not perfect, it's completely terrible and wrong'. I try to work past it and know that if I aim for 'perfection', I am missing everything good about what's there already - plus, what actually is 'perfection'? I try to remember how much of an illusion it actually is :D caramel and popcorn ice cream sounds AMAZING! xx
ReplyDeleteelizabeth ♡ ”Ice Cream” whispers Clara
Thanks Elizabeth! You got through a really tough phase I see, thanks for sharing this experience <3 It shows that our mind can bring us to think things that are far from reality! That is very hard to control, but we can improve a little every day, step by step. Let's focus on the good! :D xx
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