Your comment makes me realize that I defined the Artistic Expression axis too narrowly. It really should be labeled Creativity/Aesthetics to reference both aspects of how the individual contributes to personal style, through artistic expression and design and aesthetics.

We both know I’ve got ascetic tendencies, for some good and maybe not so good reasons, so I’m trying very hard to keep an open mind as I explore this foreign but interesting land of style.

I keep reading. My neighbor, a woman of style (LOVE her), loaned me her book The Power of Style by Annette Tapert and Diana Edkins and I’m really enjoying the personal stories of these style icons. So far I’ve learned about Rita Lydig, Elsie de Wolfe, Millicent Rogers, Daisy Fellowes and Wallis Simpson, and I must say, rivalry and desire doesn’t seem too far off point in describing most of these women. Except for Millicent Rogers. She was cultured — loved design and aesthetics — and so far I like her the best.

In addition, those of us who can’t help but care a lot about design and an aesthetic, we want to express that aesthetic itself. I don’t think of it as self-expression, because I don’t expect the aesthetic to necessarily tell anyone much about my emotional or spiritual self. But it will tell people what visual system appeals to me. So perhaps add aesthetics, for some of us.

I truly don’t believe it has to be all painful and difficult. I see that it is, often, what to wear, personal style, etc. But it’s not written in stone, as a dicta, that it be so.

I do love a good ham, but these days we’re on the vegan diet, Martin to fix his gout without medication and me in solidarity. He’s successfully dropped the uric acid from 14.5 to 7, nearly normal! So the diet sacrifice seems worth it.

Happy Easter!

Have a nice Easter break. If it were me I’d have a big ham sitting in my fridge to be creating meals for all those choir nights and company dinners.

I know what you mean about priestly vestments. They are gorgeous.

Now that I think of it I imitated clothing styles during my school and early working years when I wanted to be part of exalted groups. These days all that’s over. Fashion doesn’t much interest me anymore. I’m not quite at the uniform stage although I’m heading there pretty fast.

Also, I think Jobs wears his uniform for the reasons many do: they just don’t want to waste their time thinking about what to wear. They’ve got lots more fun and important things to do.

Just remembered: growing up, a good part of my time during Sunday Mass was spent studying and admiring the priest’s gorgeous robes.