Letting Go of Perfection

[top, Nordstrom Rack, (similar) / skirt, (similar in stripes or wrap) / shoes, Madewell / necklace, Nashelle]

As I was taking these photos the other night, I was perusing them on the back of the camera, and saw some less-than-flattering shots. My first instinct was: “well I could just edit that out in Photoshop.” But then I remembered a promise I made to myself, a promise to be completely honest with YOU. Going along with that mindset I decided that I would not edit myself to perfection, I want to come across as real as I really am. Even if you see a wrinkle or a flaw.

It’s tempting to want to imitate perfection, whether it’s the cover of a magazine, a celebrity or even a blog. For me, taking photos each week has put my good, bad and ugly under the microscope, and it has been surprisingly theraputic. Seeing my imperfections up close helps me to acknowledge them, and then move on. It is what it is. No big deal.

The other day I was helping my younger daughter (age 3.5) get dressed, and she was repeatedly pulling skirts out of her drawer telling me she wanted to wear them. She refused to wear jeans or pants because she wanted to be “beautiful.”

That just tugs at my heartstrings. I can’t believe she is ALREADY concerned about looking beautiful. And disturbingly she thinks her beauty is tied to her clothes. I told her that her heart is where she is beautiful, and that her clothes do not add or subtract to her beauty. However, it is so easy for me to say that to her without applying it to myself. It’s a good lesson for me too. A beautiful heart loves, helps, gives, even serves. You could have all the gorgeous outfits in the world, but if beauty doesn’t lie in your heart, you’re not going to be a very attractive (or happy) person. It may not be glamorous or industry appropriate to talk like this, but I know as much as I love, love sharing fashion and clothes and personal style, I also crave depth. Depth of experiences and depth in relationships. And that requires letting go of perfect and being real.

Letting go of perfection is freedom to be myself and it means the more deserving things in my life can have my attention.

On a lighter note, black and navy is one of my most favorite combinations, you will probably see a lot of it in my summer capsule. ;)