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Take a Picture

Today, I want to share with you one of the first and also most important things I ever learned from blogging: taking a picture.

There have been so many times where I’ve put together what I think is a nice little outfit and thought to myself, “Hmm. Maybe I’ll put this on the blog!”  So I go out and haul out the camera, snap a few pictures, take a look at what I’ve done, and then…immediately change. Immediately.

Apparently, over the years, my brain has automatically been adjusting my reflection to include longer legs, narrower shoulders and a whole litany of other fictions whenever I’ve looked in the mirror. I know this to be true, as it is the only explanation for a slew of photos from the last decade where some bizarre outfit choices were made.

So now if I’m trying out something different, I’ll snap a picture!

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Here’s my favorite perch to take pictures on – my bathtub at home. Yes, I’m exposing my messy bathroom to all of you. Mr. Feather isn’t a fan of this technique as I’m always on my toes and he’s afraid I’m going to tip over (which has happened). However, it’s a short fall down and I love the bright lighting! I am still convinced the pants in this photo make me look extra stumpy but they are so comfortable that I may choose not to care.

Also, please be aware that if you do start using your phone to take photos as I do, your albums will soon be filled with narcissistic tributes to yourself…occasionally I forget about this. A friend was looking through our Singita safari photos on my phone the other day and soon came across a series of myself in failed maxi skirt attempts. “Who are you??” he said. “Cher Horowitz? You don’t rely on mirrors?”

That’s exactly right! If only I had paid better attention to Clueless so many years ago.

How about all of you…are you guilty of the photo check? Does the mirror ever trick you (and does your camera always tell the truth)?

25 Comments

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    November 6, 2013 at 8:12 am

    I don’t like “selfies” … For NO ONE! The internet is full of those poses in the bathrooms… I rather preder the ones you always take, even if the pose is always the same… At least this shows some style and charakter! Sorry to be so brutaly honest, but this is how blogs like yours stands out from the crowd ( along with xour fantastic tips and the very interesting people you interview )
    As for myself ( who cares! ….): i like mirrors when I am in a good mood. Therefore the truth they tell depends on the mood and the confidence! Happiness is beauty and it shows!

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    November 6, 2013 at 8:14 am

    Somehow, my name did not appear… It’s Mel from Greece

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 6, 2013 at 8:42 am

      Hi Mel, don’t worry about being brutally honest! I would never use this photo to show an actual “outfit” on the blog – for me it’s simply to show how I check my outfit when I am unsure, in private 🙂 I am not bothered by selfies as you are and enjoy seeing them on other people but I do not think that the internet needs to be exposed to selfies of yours truly, lol! 🙂 Also, 100% agree with you on a happy person – it just shines through.

  • Reply
    Modestine
    November 6, 2013 at 8:27 am

    Ha- this post made me laugh. I keep a tall mirror in my room that I prop up against the wall. I try to minimize the tilt and also try to remind myself that it’s a flatting mirror, but I still get caught off guard when I see a picture of me later looking significantly less chic/cool/slender.

  • Reply
    Ella Pretty Blog
    November 6, 2013 at 8:43 am

    I so agree with you – cell phone cameras have single handedly helped me improve my dress sense. What looks fine in my head doesn’t always translate in person – especially when it comes to picking the right shoes.

    My biggest tip is to take pics when trying clothes on at the store. It helps you see how an item looks and fits (especially helpful when deciding between sizes)… And you don’t have to keep trying things on to be “sure”… Just try it once – and refer to your phone! My friends have started doing this too – it does make for an embarrassing camera roll (don’t scroll through my pics lol!)

  • Reply
    similara
    November 6, 2013 at 8:48 am

    Nice bathroom!

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 6, 2013 at 12:22 pm

      Thank you – it’s so messy! This photo reminds me that I need to keep it neater!

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    November 6, 2013 at 9:13 am

    Totally agree. When I’ve looked back in pictures, I’ll notice things like: ill fit, how tops that drape add volume in unwanted areas, and even hair length – time for a cut! I don’t get why it doesn’t translate in a mirror though!

    I came to the conclusion that I look better in person, lol, but I’ll definitely start using pictures to help perfect the look 😉

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 6, 2013 at 12:23 pm

      Love the conclusion – that’s mine too 😉

  • Reply
    LC
    November 6, 2013 at 9:32 am

    love the bobeau sweater! i have so many /: it`s my favorite thing to gift too!

  • Reply
    diane
    November 6, 2013 at 10:03 am

    I am convinced that my image of myself (shape wise) arrested at about age 20. I was naturally thin. I am 5’5″ tall and weighed about 125 from my late teens until I was in my early thirties. Good years for clothes shopping. I am now in my early 60’s. When I look in the mirror, I do see a heavier woman, but it took a photos from my niece’s wedding to make me see the truth. Unless someone copied my outfit and got themselves photoshopped into the photos, I had to admit that my body had changed more than I realized or wanted to admit. I fought it for a few years, not very successfully, and then decided to accept the body I have now and do the best I can with it. Although I am not huge, my BMI is 26. and that classifies me in the group of, “think before you eat and then eat less.” I do eat quality food: free range NGO chicken and eggs; coconut milk; organic fruit and vegetables, etc. I quit “waiting to lose weight” to buy good clothes. I think it’s ironic that when I was in my 20’s, I looked great in everything but didn’t have the funds to buy a lot. Now that I have the funds, it’s a lot more work to find things that look right.

  • Reply
    Mrs C
    November 6, 2013 at 11:26 am

    i’m hopeless with selfie plus I am hopeless with snapshots. So I rely on my twin boys for pictures. I think I look better (well, slight) real life.. my face looks so round my arms tend to look huge in pictures even on my slimmest days! Grrrr…..!

    GREETINGS FROM DUBAI
    MRS JACK OF ALL TRADES
    http://mrsjackofalltradesdaily.blogspot.ae/2013/11/travel-food.html

  • Reply
    Christinebrightside
    November 6, 2013 at 1:54 pm

    When I saw the (very cute) photo I was thinking “OMG, on her toes on the tub, she might tip over!” 😉 There are a lot of narcisstic pics on my phone indeed. Whereever I see a mirror and I think nobody sees me doing it, I snap myself. But I delete most photos, and only keep the few good ones. Ha ha ha!

  • Reply
    Christinebrightside
    November 6, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    …and how CUTE are your ducks in the back of the tub? We have a few little FC Bayern Munich ones in our guest restroom – Mister Christine’s way of showing our guests his religion 😉

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 6, 2013 at 2:53 pm

      You are too kind! Yes I love my duckies, I remember that you and your SO are big Lufthansa fans! Does he collect all the seasonal duckies? I only have a few I think from LH…would always love to have more!

      • Reply
        Anonymous
        November 8, 2013 at 2:15 pm

        No my husband is not a collector (except for red wines…). But I agree that the LH ducks are cute!

  • Reply
    Naaj Rona
    November 6, 2013 at 3:28 pm

    My phone is full of selfies and I also tend to forget to get rid of the ones that is worth deleting rather than saving. I always look fat than I normally am on cameras I mean far than I normally am because I am very very skinny, proper bones 😀 but the camera makes me look normal so I am grateful for that.

    Your bathroom is not messy at all. If you think that us messy then I should just keep quiet 😛

  • Reply
    From Shopping to Saving
    November 6, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    I think those pants look great! Especially when you’re going for a laid back casual look. I’m also just really obsessed with the color. I’ve been drawn to it every time I see it!

    I personally love selfies. I also take a ton myself..you never know when you’ll be having a good hair day etc. It also helps with me changing up my make-up routine or hairstyle:) And I have a huge mirror in my room…the only problem is a lot of family members like to come into my room to check themselves out in my mirror. Kind of annoying =X

  • Reply
    NVU
    November 6, 2013 at 5:48 pm

    I had a mirror that was tilted against my wall and made me look taller and better than I really was. I suspect that some fitting room mirrors do the same. I will say that not all cameras tell the “truth” either. Depending on the angle and the aperture, one can easily look much more or less frumpy. I think it’s the reason why tall, lanky models tend to be photogenic but not always as attractive IRL.

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 6, 2013 at 7:10 pm

      That’s a good point about the models! And yes I am a full believer in the fitting room mirror conspiracy, I have been tricked before 🙂

  • Reply
    Mila
    November 6, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    Hilarious!!!! So true! Somehow that great outfit that we have in our mind may actually look “great” in the mirror but oh not so flattering on a picture. Last time my sister tried something on and I kept shaking my head that I didn’t like it and she was saying “why” and “you don’t understand anything”, until she looked at that picture of herself on iphone 😉

  • Reply
    Adele
    November 6, 2013 at 10:23 pm

    Oooh I love a good selfie & i’m obsessed with instagram…double trouble!!!!
    Happy Thursday Katherine xoxo
    http://www.intotheblonde.com/

  • Reply
    Millicat
    November 7, 2013 at 12:01 am

    Haha, I too identified with the mirror problem, mine always make me look shorter and generally awful, rarely do I take a good picture !

  • Reply
    Jan P
    November 9, 2013 at 11:17 pm

    Can I just say that I’ve been guilty of standing atop the toilet lid to do the same? The husband tsks at this.

    I do like the pants on you! Sometimes comfort wins, they’d be cute with some low pumps too. 🙂

    • Reply
      Katherine
      November 10, 2013 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Jan, nice to see another bathroom stander, lol! Thanks for the pants feedback, I did keep them and wore them yesterday!

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