Innaugural Lecture: Media and Photography

Ever since LHdM asked me to blog here I've been curious to see how photographing myself will impact how I choose to dress, pose, or view myself. The first time I actually photographed myself for the explicit purpose of seeing how I looked in a piece of clothing was last month--it was to see the length of a bridesmaid's dress. Hoping to save money I wanted to get away with not hemming the dress (and the bride encouraged me to do this as well). This was idiotic: I am 5'. As in FIVE FEET ZERO [you will be hearing more about the perils of finding clothing that flatters the figure of a 19th century Mediterranean peasant girl]. The dress was supposed to be tea length and instead, on my frame, it was awkwardly ankle length. Needless to say I got the dress hemmed (but told the tailor not to bother with the lining and the netting--my scissors took care of that, thus saving $15).

But when I studied the photo in that dress for length I saw something else: how different I appeared in that medium rather than in front of a mirror. The dress is a bright navy taffeta and when captured by a digital camera with a FLASH, it creates a different sort of silhouette--a particularly UNforgiving silhouette across my middle. It also hit me that because of the ubiquity of cameras at nuptial events, digital and otherwise, there could be tons of photos of me with unflattering shiny streaks on Facebook and in photo albums for years to come. I am resolved to invest in Spanx.

In fact, I am off to do that right now, which brings me to my outfit. I will be taking public transit to an urban department store, then off to a 4-hour meeting, and I will have to take public transit back to my home late at night. I was going to wear a dress today, but it's too impractical for wearing a backpack to transport my laptop and papers.

I wonder, though, as I blog more, will I start to plan outfits because they will be photographed? Those of you who document your sartorial choices or know that a photo will wind up on Facebook (etc), do you find yourself self-fashioning for the interwebs?

1. Top - Nikka/Anthropologie [Ebay-ed], Cardigan - Banana Republic, Cargo Pants - Eddie Bauer [hand-me-down from MIL], Hair Scarf - Eastern Market in DC [Gifted], Earrings - The Corcoran Gallery in DC, Flip Flops - Old Navy, Sunglasses - H&M