If you've been following me on Instagram, you've noticed that I've been to Vancouver, Canada. I was there to attend a 40+ Blogger Meet-Up - organised by Suzanne, Sue and Melanie - of 18 or so bloggers, none of whom I had ever met in person...
I follow a lot of bloggers, most of whom have very different styles and tastes from mine. Some of these bloggers look fantastic in outfits that I would never wear in a million years. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they may like colours that wouldn't suit me.
But that's OK as I'm not looking for style tips: I don't want to copy or imitate anyone. What I look for is expression of individual style, and many of the bloggers I follow know how to match their outfits to their personalities. It is this coherence, the harmony between the outward appearance and the perceived personality that appeals to me.
The Vancouver blogger meet-up was a chance to meet, face-to-face, some of the bloggers I have been following, and see what they're really like... because there is always more to a blogger than what they choose to share with you on their blogs.
|Greetje taking a photo of me...|
And it was in that spirit that I left for Vancouver to meet with a bunch of people I had never met in person before...
|That's me, with Sheila (left) and Pat (right)|
So, what I mean is, I'm not comfortable meeting new people and mingling with them as equals...
No, that doesn't sound good, either... How about this: I'm an introvert, a bit shy, and somewhat insecure? And all of my friends reading this just choked on their coffees... Yes, I know I don't seem shy or introverted. I boss people around for a living, after all... Yeah, I'm good at faking it. Confidence, I mean.
Oh hell, my jet-lagged brain is just not up to the task of explaining this. Which is fine: overanalysing everything is something I need to let go anyway, in order to reach my goal of being more shallow...
|Pat, Anne, Patti and Louisa|
There were dinners, a clothes swap, trift shopping... I had a chance to observe how other bloggers put an outfit together, how they find the components of their unique style.
But more importantly, we talked.
We talked about style, fashion and shopping. And about life, our challenges and insecurities.
We connected and shared stories.
I may not be very good at starting a discussion (yeah, cultural differences: I'm a Finn, we don't talk to strangers...) but I can talk about a lot of things to people from all walks of life once I get over the initial awkwardness.
In all gatherings, I'm always drawn to outliers, or 'outsiders', those who feel they are out of their comfort zone, or just a bit uncertain of their role in the situation... Maybe because I always feel a bit like that myself. And I'm not in the least bothered by it. And I also know that sooner or later there's a group of 'outsiders' talking about everything possible. And this, for me, is always the best part of any get-together... because then I'm finally in my comfort zone.
I think its time to put a stop to this incoherent rambling for now. I blame jet lag: a day of travelling and my brain is a mess... I think I should do myself, and you, a favour and get some sleep...
But first, here's a list of the fabulous bloggers who attended the meet-up, in case you want to see what they had to say about the event:
Suzanne: Suzanne Carillo
Bag and a Beret
A Colourful Canvas
Patti: Not Dead Yet
Greetje: No Fear of Fashion
Trina: Tea Time With Trina
Tami: Thrift Shop Commando
Pat: Project Minima
Louisa: Damselfly’s Delights
Anne: Spy Girl
Shawna: The Director Of Awesome
Tiina : Elegance Revisited
Jodi: Day 2 Day WearWendra: The Looking Glass
I will of course be posting some more pictures of Vancouver later, as soon as I get my photos, and my head, organised.
Linking up with: