- Grey trousers – The Loft
- White top – Target
- Purple blazer – thrifted
- Paisley scarf – Target
- Red flats – Hush Puppies
- Train pin – thrifted
I’ve just finished re-reading A.S. Byatt’s Possession. I read the book every 3-4 years, devoting at least two weeks to Byatt’s astoundingly beautiful ways with words.
There are things which happen and leave no discernible trace, are not spoken or written of, though it would be very wrong to say that subsequent events go on indifferently, all the same, as though such things had never been. Two people met, on a hot May day, and never later mentioned their meeting. This is how it was.
(Although, in the case of the photo below, it should really be, “Two turtles met…”)
Then, I (foolishly) went and watched the film adaptation of the book, and was left highly disgruntled. I suspect if I’d never read the book I would have liked the movie a great deal more, but knowing and loving the original just made the latter copy seem a pale impression.
And my thoughts on Possession got me thinking about my thoughts (yep, thinking about my thoughts – bow down to the meta-queen) on style blogging. Specifically, my thoughts on “style chains” and inspiration. We all do it, and the good ones of us give credit where credit’s due, but does it work? Looking at this outfit here, I can see how I was inspired by both Clare and Elaine, but I still prefer their takes on the cropped pants, t-shirt and a scarf look to my own. Can my copy ever live up to my original references?
Picasso’s rumored to have said that,
Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.
Am I a copycat? Am I a thief? Does it matter? And why aren’t there more giant reptiles available for me to sit on?
How do you interpret inspiration from others?
On a unrelated note, any idea how to interpret a reoccurring dream in which the guys who sang Macarena mow your lawn while speaking in Samoan?
I think you loom just as great as your inspirations! and those photos are great, the sky is so blue!
*look. Though possibly loom as well!
I was already going to tell you how much I loved your outfit and that amazing turtle, and then I saw you were talking about one of my ZOMG favorite books of all time that I am actually listening to in audiobook form right this very moment (which, let me tell you, is a trippy experience). I think I read it for the first time in That Class That Changed My Life in undergrad (way way back, many centuries ago), but it’s definitely on the list with seeing Mary Zimmerman’s production of Pericles of experiences that opened my eyes to new kinds of creative possibilities in the world, and made me—though I realize this sounds odd—really glad to live in a world where someone could dream that up out of the currently available source material. But in a way, don’t you think she’s poking fun at the people who think that we can’t ever create anything new again, because it’s all been done before, in that while Ash is “duly exposed and found wanting” in Professor Leavis’ dating seminar, she’s created this fabulous and incredibly new work out of this deeply complex field of both real and fake intertexts? Anyway, I should write a brief about mandatory minimums instead of revisiting with nostalgia my days of thinking I was a person with serious thoughts about literature, but I’m so glad to find that you’ve loved and enjoyed this book so much as well!
I too love the BOOK Possession by Byatt, but the film not so much. Have not developed the habit of re-reading it periodically though. I really love the photo of you on the turtle and the last one. I never would have gotten the reference to Claire or Elaine…these photos seem uniquely you.
Like Terri, I never would have gotten the reference to Claire or Elaine – this outfit and these photos say nothing but Katie to me. Well, Katie and the Turtles, but you know what I’m saying.
I’ve been studying the development of copyright law in the US. My conclusion is there is no such think as “originality” but there is creativity and art, and artists should engage in their art (according to US case law) so other can enjoy it. I enjoy this outfit so that’s all that matters to me in terms of “copying”.
Your photos are great! It looks beautiful where you are. I love the cropped pants, very chic indeed!
I like that turtle-y perch you found.
Colors! And such fun photos!
♥
Fashezine
Thanks for the shout-out, of course, but I must agree with Terri and Gracey; these photos, and this outfit, is SO Katie. This is just quintessential “you”-ness.