Turn to the side

Seeing as everyone has been blah-ing on about New York Times' new style mag - TMagazine, I spent a good part of an hour perusing the very engaging site.  Fronting the cover is Natalie Portman whose photograph spread by Raymon Meier can only be described as 'neon ethereal'.  Portman's sillhouette bears a slight resemblance to that of the singer Feist's 'The Reminder' album cover (probably my most-listened album of mid-2007), in both shape and style. 

Thinking about my own poor relationship with the camera, if I ever had to be forced to take 'professional' mug shots of myself, I'm definitely going to hark back to the Victorian tradition of sillhouettes and turn my face to the side with perhaps a hint of my face peeking through.  It goes along with my other thoughts of self-image, and this will sound completely and selfishly self-conscious, but increasingly as I walk about London going about my ways, people will come up to me and ask 'You're Susie Bubble, aren't you?', inner-fears creep in and I wonder 'What if I had never shown my face on this blog/in press/elsewhere and remained completely annonymous with a camera forever obscuring my face?'.  Are people disappointed/surprised by how I look in reality?  It's a little disconcerting that I'm thinking about these things toward the end of what has been a fantastic year for Style Bubble, publicity wise, and most people will probably say 'Pull yourself together and get a grip!'.  However, the unsure side of me does wish that maybe I should have turned my head to the side and hidden myself away a bit more...

Comments

[Lola]

Hi Susie,

I once saw you when I was out shopping, but I recognised you before I saw your face by what you were wearing. You looked beautiful by the way, I didn't say hello and went quietly on may but I did notice quite a few people staring at you and I'm sure it was admiration. I was certanly not disappointed by the way - you looked beautiful.

[selina]

i sometimes think it would be seriously cool to remain mysteriously hidden like mrs fashion, where people try to guess your identity, or can just imagine you how they want. but i guess some point of blogging is to express the real you, and people definitely seem to like it in your case! take it as a major compliment!!

Oh c'mon, no need to be so self-conscious! I find your aesthetic inspiring, and you're adorable too. Why hide? :)

[sticky]

Susie, I've met you and talked to you in person for a while and, as they say in the fashion world, you're fabulous! x

[dez]

YOU LOVE IT! :)

[Thom Wong]

It's been said before, but I'll say it again - you have no reason at all to hide. Take a profile pic because they are wicked cool, not to shield your face.

I've been enjoying the NY Times mag since my library carries it (go Victoria!), and that site only reinforces my appreciation of it. Its functionality is astounding.

[Sam]

I thank you for showing your face on your blog, I really wasn't surprised at all when you put up your full pic for the 1st time. When some other bloggers do it and I am very startled and sometimes my opinion and vision of them changes, but not with you. Your face met every indication my mind originated as a result of reading your writing.
Luv you Susie!

[Yolly]

Honestly, I don't think it matters what you look like.
I've been reading this blog since pretty much the beginning and I'll admit at first I was a bit ambivalent about you but as the blog has progressed I think I've developed quite an affection for you (in a friendly, strictly appropriate manner).
I think your attitude to yourself and you self image is probably one of teh things that allows readers (well, me at least) to warm to you, it gives you a very human aspect and it makes the blog very relatable, even if I don't quite share your excitement over run way shows.

I think this has slightly lost the plot, but was I was trying to say is, I kind of feel it doesn't matter what you actually look like because I like the person you are (on the blog), in the same way I don't really care if my friends are attractive or not.

P.S Please note, I don't think we are best buds or anything, I'm just saying that as far as you can like someone you have never met, but just read a selection of their thoughts, I like you.

This must be one of the least eloquent passages ever.

[Aya]

I am a believer that self confidence translates into being photogenic because I have friends that are not beautiful, in the classical sense that is, but are very confident about how they look and they take very good pictures :-)

[susie_bubble]

The post was a random 'What if?' post and something that I felt very acutely especially after the Grazia article came out...

Ppl have commented that it's strange how I'm self-conscious yet I do reveal a lot of what I do/wear on the blog. It's a dichotomy that I don't really get either!
Lola: Say hi next time!
Selina: Yes, I was going to mention ppl like Fashionologie and Mrs Fashion seem to keep an arm's length distance that I quite admire as I still get a LOT out of their blogs...
Sticky: Who are you?!
Thom Wong: I wish I could get the NYT mag in print...
Sam: It's odd how you imagine someone to look a certain way after reading their blog for so long isn't it? Sometimes I'm surprise, sometimes I'm not...
Yolly: Thanks for the kind words... no need to be defensive about getting friendly vibes from ppl! I befriend ppl quite easily online as well! It's a bit complicated as I feel because I'm spouting off about fashion on this blog that I somehow have to live up to looking well.... like someone who knows a thing or two about fashion! I don't really know how to make that last sentance not sound completely ridiculous but there you go...

Aya: Ah well...there lies the problem then...

[WendyB]

"Pull yourself together and get a grip" :-)
It's better for business if people know who you are. And this is becoming a career for you, no?

[susie_bubble]

Ah... but bloggers like Manolo the Shoe Blogger do EXCEPTIONALLY well whilst staying annonymous....

And it isn't a business/career for me... I'm still at my day job... in fact, I have a client proposal to write up now!

[evie]

I can relate, I seldom feel pretty. Knowing other people think I am doesn't really make a difference... Having said that, you are really pretty though.

[sasa]

it made me think of this lovelyness.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517FaXQSn7L._SS500_.jpg

[Trisch]

Feist is amazing. One of the best Canadian artists recently I'd say. Right along side metric.