Birds of a Feather

I have a tendency to buy clothing without realizing I may or may not have something to match it with in my closet. I make 99% of my shopping choices based off of how unique it is against my wardrobe. It's an exciting way to shop if you ask me, since you end up with a bunch of pieces you love. Like my Jeffrey Campbell shoes - I bought these 7 years ago, and today, they are one of my favorite purchases. At the time, I hated green, but I absolutely loved the cut of the shoe. 

I must say, I really do love how feminine this outfit is. The skirt, from Wizards of the West, is so out of the ordinary for me in terms of a not being a floral print or stripe, but it's got an artsy feel to it as the birds look somewhat abstract. Since it was a cool day, I wanted  had to wear a sweater, and this monogram J pullover that I nabbed from Old Navy draws from the light blue in the print. 

I know my outfits might look of a similar theme on House Of Jeffers, but in my opinion, it's more important to wear what you love than to try and please everyone else. Sure, I'm a fan of trends and love incorporating them into my style, but I feel so much more like myself when I'm wearing clothes that represent more than just what's popular... Clothes and pieces that represent my personality and my love for diversity are much more important to me than following the crowd.

Maybe that makes me an outcast as a fashion blogger. But, I hope that the shift towards embracing the differences among us, versus celebrating bloggers all wearing similar outfits because it's "the thing to do" becomes more acceptable.

Monogram J Sweater - Old Navy / Bird Print Skirt - c/o Wizards Of The West / Rebecca Minkoff Blake Bag - won at a South Moon Under event (sold out, but here's a similar style)  / Jeffrey Campbell Kitten Heels - sold out, but these JC shoes are just as pretty! / Heart Beat Ring - Etsy / Chain Link Bracelet - Charming Charlie

Freud would approve

Outfit:

Floral Tunic - Urban Outfitters

Tights - Forever21

Cardigan - Express

Boots - ModCloth.com

Necklace - Mandee

When I started my blog, my main motivation was to someday, hopefully, turn it into a career. Writing and fashion are two huge influences in my life and the idea that people visit my blog and read my words is inspiring.

So what about other fashion bloggers? Everyone has their own reasons for vogueing in the (sometimes) cold and taking pics of themselves. Career, entrepreneurship, attention, a need for approval... The motivation is different. I started to think about how readers view bloggers, and it made me question:

"Are fashion bloggers narcissists?"

Yes and no. There is a slight narcissistic element in taking photos of yourself because you think you look good, or want to show off your style. And I'm cool with that. Besides, that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's such a thing as healthy narcissism, and having self confidence, which is where I feel many fashion bloggers fall. However, to each is own and the answer varies among bloggers.

I can only speak for myself when I say I don't think I'm the bomb, and I'm certainly not breaking any barriers by wearing floral printed skirts with striped lurex tights. But in my eyes, and the eyes of others around me, I've always been one who was really into fashion and my own view of what's cool and what I'd wear as opposed to someone else has been slightly more adventurous. My view may be bias, but by healthy narcissism standards, I'm getting a rush out of doing something I have confidence in and feel I'm good at. Don't believe me? Blame Freud... Afterall, he did say that narcissism was a phase of development, where people turn their love for themselves toward another object. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthy_narcissism)

In this case, it's having good bangs and the ability to pair skinny jeans with killer shoes.

So, if that classifies fashion bloggers as people with self confidence, then we're just fashionably dressed, practicing narcissists.