The art of the everyday style selfie

Since blogging at the Mummy and the Minx, I have taken to the outfit selfie on instagram. Sometimes as part of a challenge, and sometimes because, well, just because. I have made lots of instagram friends over a shared love of fashion and I love seeing other people’s street style. I find so much practical inspiration in what others post.

I still feel a little self conscious doing it and feel like I should add #SorryRLInstaFriendsForAnotherOutfitPost or #TrulyIAmNotANarcissisticWanker.  Sarah (yes, I miss her too) shared how you can feel a little self conscious about the whole thing in her wonderful post Owning it does not mean you’re a wanker.

Aside from the self consciousness, there is a definite art to the style selfie.

When I first started posting #everydaystyle shots on instagram, my pose looked like this:

First attempts at Everdaystyle

I have no idea why I am wearing sunglasses inside. Fail.

This is the classic, standing-before-the-mirror shot.  You don’t want to smile too widely, because that would just be a little weird.  You can’t really look away because that’s even weirder.  So you opt for Oh-I-am-not-really-taking-this-photo nonchalance. Also known as How-on-earth-did-this-photo-just-happen-then? You take about five (hundred) photos before the final makes the cut. And of course, babies and messy drawers are de rigueur.

After style stalking some experienced style bloggers on instagram, I learned there are a few favoured poses:

1. Just go old-school. Looking straight to the camera and have a family member take the photo.  Nikki Parkinson, the brilliant & beautiful mind behind Styling You and #everydaystyle is so perfect at this. AND she shared some amazing tips here.  Nikki seems to have a more qualified photographer. This is what happens when my six year old takes a shot:

IMG_3220

I have no idea. I really. have. no. idea

2. The arms-reach selfie pose, which somehow manages to capture your entire outfit in a cool way. Sally from Steel My Style is completely awesome at it. It obviously helps to have long limbs. I tried it and it looked like this:

Hello There Boobies

Hello There Boobies

3. Use a tripod and a timer. The extraordinary Rachel from Redcliffe Style tells us all her secrets here.

4. My favourite, the hide-your-head-but-not-your-outfit shot. Jasmine, the gorgeous blogger behind Pretty Chuffed is splendid at it. She always looks perfection and I am sure her reasons for adopting this look are much less lazy than my own. But I’ll admit it – I totally tried to copy her pose during Frocktober 2014 and haven’t looked back (I hope you will forgive me and my inferior imitation, Jasmine).

No make-up. Lazy Hair. But you can't see it!

No make-up. Lazy Hair. But you can’t see it!

Since upgrading my poor little iPhone 4s to the newest iOS, I have access to a self-timer camera on the phone. Nothing else works properly, but hey, we can’t have everything.  I have a light filled corner of the house with an interesting painting and a louvre at just the right height just opposite.  I just need to crop and add the valencia filter. Liberally. So the style selfie has graduated to this:

Apply Valencia filter - does good things for skin tone and general cleanliness of walls

Apply Valencia filter – does good things for skin tone and general cleanliness of walls

Do you share outfit posts on Instagram? Any tips on photo taking? Because quite clearly, I need them (and a haircut)!

 

8 thoughts on “The art of the everyday style selfie

  1. Monique@The Urban Mum says:

    I love your last image, you have nailed it! I recently went to a lunch with Nikki and Olympus – to learn all about their new selfie camera – well I fell in love and am now saving! Nikki also has written a great post all about this topic, I am studying hard and hope to nail it enough to share – at some point….x

    • Robyna says:

      Oh thanks Monique – took a while to get there. I am going to edit the post to include that piece by Nikki – thanks for mentioning it!

  2. toniazemek says:

    Great post. I’m going to try some of these tips for my next selfie. By the way, your blog looks lovely. Great to have found you on #FYBF Meanwhile, have a nice weekend.

    • Robyna says:

      Oh thanks so much for popping by! I daresay the links are much more useful than my tips – it’s always a bit of fun. You have a wonderful weekend as well.

  3. Lauren @ Life at Number Five says:

    Great post! The outfit selfie is always a challenge. I try and get my husband to take photos in the morning but it’s usually when he is trying to hurry me out the door because we (and when I say ‘we’ I really mean ‘I’) are running late for work. I used to have an desk in our Executive area with no one else around so I could sneak an outfit selfie at work, but I’m in an open plan office now so that’s out! I’m still yet to perfect my pose though.

  4. nadiamc says:

    I’m not sure if this post was supposed to elicit laughter but it did from me! I’ve always admired the mums who post selfie shots of them in their outfits. I’d love to be the mum who could do that but every time I do it just looks awful! So I’m sticking to what I’m best at – photos of everything but me! (But in the privacy of my home I’m going to have some fun with your tips – because who knows… I might just turn out a fairly decent photo!) Thanks for sharing and highlighting some other great bloggers to follow.

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