Trying Too Hard

After a week or so of watching my back in what I wear to work in my new working environment and adjusting to a creative, relaxed and fashionable atmosphere, the Susie skin is finally emerging and I'm feeling more at ease.  By 'watching my back', I've been very subdued in my style (so much so that Style Bubble Daily Wear has been suffering a bit...sorry!), keen to concentrate on the job at hand and not let any 'loudness' in what I'm wearing detract from my role affirmation.

Well, it's the weekend and Disneyrollergirl has started the 'Trying too Hard' campaign which I'm fully onboard for after a week of feeling small and feeble.  I've always had problems with the negative connontations associated with the term 'trying too hard' and also have had my suspicions about that oh-so-popular style chant...'effortless'.  They're problematic for reasons that I won't go on about AGAIN because repetition is tiresome. 

Disneyrollergirl touched upon the tough economic climate that Western Europe and North America are cruising into and in these times of fearing, worrying and second-guessing, it's probably the best time to nurture a 'trying too hard' attitude.  I'm supposed to be seriously delving into why high fashion is thriving despite the economic downturn for an article but my own initial action had to be looking to my own wardrobe and 'trying too hard' in my own way and having oodles of fun whilst doing so because fun is still fundamentally the key thing that will survive monetary crashes.  Whatever happens, fun will defeat all... and I guess that goes some way to answering why people will still spend millions on fashion, to pretend that the shit isn't going on around them.

The critics and nay-sayers will always exist and fight for 'effortless', but this is my reverse reaction to the tough times ahead...

'Black, white, black, white, if I veer off course, it would be mighty tragic...' - Anthony Vaccarello headpiece, Ulrika Sandstrom blouse, vintage elastic harlequin skirt, Sock Dreams black and white striped stockings, Moschino Cheap is Chic black ankle boots

'Think Pink!  Think Scarlet!  Think Fuschia!  Think Berry!' - American Apparel pink headband, vintage Versace pink, red and orange dress, Topshop Unique pink pinafore, Bebaroque fringed pink tights, Miu Miu pink platforms

'Granny throws a fit and throws on some Balenciaga and paint on her dress....' - Vintage Hermes headscarf and vintage scarf as belt, oversized blue chain necklace worn as belt, paint splattered Vivienne Westwood corset dress, Balenciaga biker jacket, Falke scarlet tights, Rupert Sanderson sandals

'I don't want to see how many floral patterns I've put on...' - Vintage rose-print bed jacket, tiered floral print chiffon dress from Hong Kong, vintage floral strapless dress worn as skirt, Celeste Stein floral tights, Pierre Hardy x Louise Goldin ankle boots

'The crow just landed on my head and there was nothing to do but to let it stay...' - Beddug black crow headband, Label velvet printed caped dress, vintage Calvin Klein long chiffon dress, white felt ruffle worn around waist, tied with vintage black leather plaited belt, Bronx black cut-out ankle boots

'Texture upon texture!  Look, touch it all!  Isn't it marv?' - Vintage black fringe jacket, vintage tea stained lace collar, vintage square print skirt worn as top, vintage zig-zag print skirt, vintage black sequin skirt, American Apparel cracked black lame leggings, Topshop black patent strappy platforms, vintage fur-trimmed leather gloves, raw silk necklace worn around head

   

Comments

[selina]

harlequin and stripes WOW! that outfit pops off the screen so much

Outfits 1, 3, and 4 are fabulous. I could do without the red scarf round the waist in 3 but who am I to nit pick? You look amazing.

[b]

i wont try too hard and write a short comment
it is not the camera you do not love, its yourself you dont love i guess... (why are all the bloggers staring at the floor hiding their faces when photographed? are you ashamed of your face?
if that is the case, then is it the clothes you are proud of?
personally, i prefer to be more visible than the clothes i 'm wearing

[pretty face]

I love your fuschia outfit! My aim in life is to have a wardrobe extensive enough to be able to dress top to toe in pink, silver, gold or blue. I'm almost there.

erm...these pics have made me laff, but i'm not sure if that was the intention. Anyhow, fun to look at.

[Make Do & Mend]

Ah yes trying is fun, nothing more satisfying than composing an outfit. Effortless would mean letting standards drop.

And what's with the weirdy comment above given you do quite a few great glances at the old camera. Great poses and variety.

[anonymous]

Well said Susie, I'm all for having more fun!
Don't know if this is interesting for your research but I've been reading last Thursday's FT luxury supplement. It condenses a lot of what I've been reading about high fashion brands into a few manageable and well-written articles:
http://www.ft.com/reports/busluxury2008

Ps, those Miu Mius are literally giving me palpitations.

[rollergirl]

^^^

Oops, that comment was from me!

[WendyB]

I love outfit #1 and the bird-on-the-head one. I think "effortless" is bullshizz. It's like "aging gracefully" or "natural makeup." None of those happen unless you're trying really hard to pretend you're not trying. True effortlessness would be stained sweats, a fat gut, and blemishes on top of wrinkles.

[elizabeth]

that pink outfit is one of the BEST things i have seen in a verrrry long time. next levz.

[Rachie-pie]

how do u look good in classing prints???where is that over sized chain necklace frommm???

[anna]

oh susie, you are trying too hard! love it!

[Style Slicker]

love the 'trying-too-hard' looks....esp the post-modern-boho-space look and the last look is hardcore....love it.

[the launderette]

"Fun will defeat all." I couldn't agree more, I've always believed in that. And I love the pink outfit!

[Jill]

I like the black and white outfit and the floral explosion outfits best. Complete opposites but still my favourites. It is a bit ridiculous that people will spend more time trying to look effortless, but when it looks so fantastic in editorials etc. it can be quite appealing.

[Stephanie]

My first thought when seeing this was damn, why don't more people try too hard?
Then I realized it's probably because they won't look half as cool as this.. I'm resolving to "try harder" in my outfits!

[MHBass]

so... many... beautiful... clothes... seriously, i'm struggling to take all the beauty in! you look incredible, as always :)

[Rowena]

Just been doing the budget....your post made me smile. A welcome relief!

[Sabrina]

We all know the "effortless" look is just as highly calculated as "trying too hard". Maybe it's just "effortless" when the outfit happens too be a perfect match for the individual. That said, I've had to put way too much effort into my outfits lately. I might be losing gas, but some interesting combinations have come out of my efforts.

[Em]

Susie, you are amazing.

That's all I have to say.

so now, let me have my fun and laugh. because - thats the point right? i hope so.

[winnie]

Haha, Wow! These posts are fab, love the fuschia! You definitely put a smile on my face!

[Shen-Shen]

I love this!

[Saga]

This is great ... love all the outfits! you should be a stylist!

[kirafashion]

all looks are so funny, you really know how to pull it out!

a kiss,
love your blog,
if you have some time,
check it out mine :)

see you,
Kira

[elana]

your outfits are always so fun and creative! You pull off things that most people could never dream of pulling off! great blog!

[susie]

I think your first outfit is amazing!!!

<33333

-I'm a Susie, too! Except I live in the States. :)

[Drusilla]

Love love love them all... I'm all for 'making an effort', which is what it's really about, IMO.And why should effort be a bad thing?

[aziza x]

I love it. I think you look like a cartoon character. It's delicious. I especially love the Sandstrom blouse and harlequin skirt.

[enc]

WOWEEEE!

[galufante]

Welcome to the world of tights¡¡¡ Bst world possible...Thank you, Suzie

[la petite fashionista]

haha i love the excessiveness. it looks like something they'd do for a fashion editorial

xoxo

[ree]

Are you using a headband as a pair of incognito glasses? Brilliant! You make me want to do a indoors dress up session and tear up the closet!(actually, it would be fascinating to go through your wardrobe and play dressup...)

[raq]

the hot pink outfit blew me off! it's gorgeous!

[Fashion Tidbits]

mad harlequin skirt!!!!!

[kirsty lee]

i am also a fan of trying too hard. for some reason i've been toning it down since i started blogging. i think due to the influence of others who do the 'effortless' thing so well.

i'm now SO up for bringing back the trying too hard trend.

i'm also still cursing the day i didn't buy that pink pinafore dress. i must've tried it on ten times.

[lady coveted]

love! trying to hard is so much fun... i can do that a lot easier than 'effortless' which on me never looks efortless.

ah... the pink tent dress, i was wondering the other day what happened to it. it's so darling.

[Alice]

My eyes hurt. In a good way.

[Natty]

Trying too hard Posh Spice or trying too hard Susie Bubble? You win with these theatrical looks! Im loving number 3's mad granny / grey gardens look!

[susie_bubble]

Yup, the point was to laugh...it's not funny ha-ha...just the phrase is so laden with negative connotations, I thought I'd give it some mad lovin'....

b: just plain confused because i am looking straight at the cam in some shots...

The oversized chain necklace is from 172 Brick Lane...

[Helen-LG]

I love your crow, first time I've seen someone wearing one of them - they look so much better on than they do on the blank background of the Buddug site.

[Romeika]

My fav is the second outfit, and I love the crow headband, it rules.

[Iheartfashion]

Brilliant, Susie!
If only more people would "try too hard!"

[fawn lust]

ahh, that elastic harlequin skirt. every time I see a picture of it I almost faint from want!

can you believe it, I've been in london two weeks already and haven't been to any thrift stores ("charity shops"?) yet!

[anonymous]

i love your blog and i think you are truly a fashion visionary! your style is all your own and it is fabulous! keep workin it!

[giancinephile]

The black and white is so effortless cool... a little avant-garde and the graphicness works wonders!

I also adore the one with the crow! That ensemble seems to remind me of Belgian designers. Lovely.

[PixiesGrrl]

You are amazing! I seriously cant get over how awesome the first outfit is.
Also, I think it IS possible to Try Too Hard, but only when you're wearing something for other people. Which I guess is sort of what Effortless is. Ha, I don't make sense. Anyway, I think if you enjoy what you're doing with clothes, it doesn't really matter what the end result appears to be, you know? I also think the label is sometimes used on more stylish and editorial dressers by people who are jealous.

[StayingStacy]

Eww these are way overboard...I love ya but sorry too much

[Cammila]

I could ramble forever on the contradictory rhetoric of coolness and supposed effortlessness. Suffice it to say: I know what you mean.

[Giselle]

huh....for me I guess it's try too hard or don't try hard enough. I have never had natural style an I'v had to work hard at is so trying too hard is almost a must for me. Whatever, we both look damn cute! :-P