Everyday romanticism
Updated: Sep 11, 2022
Hi knitters! Today I'm so pleased to share a guest post from designer Lauren Rad, the artist behind A Bee in the Bonnet (here's her website!). Lauren creates knitting patterns that are relaxing, easily memorized, and full of charm and romance. I asked her to share some thoughts on how she lives her aesthetic, and she has been so practical and generous. I hope you are as inspired by her words as I am, and that you'll check out more of her work (here's her Instagram)!
I’ve spent the last several years trying to figure out how to describe my aesthetic as a knitter, designer, photographer, and person. There are often pastels, but not always. I use a lot of teacups and old books. My knits feature tons of lace and bobbles and delicate texture, but all of it is part of my day-to-day life and therefore has to be sturdy enough for actual use.
And then, earlier this year, it clicked: everyday romanticism.
It captures that sweet spot where the things I love all tend to live: the place where things are beautiful and soft but also useful. It’s a slightly fuzzy concept, though, so I thought I’d take some time to explain it a little more and talk about how to incorporate it into your own life.
What is everyday romanticism?
When I was a younger woman, I used to think that my love of beautiful things made me seem weak or lesser. I was a lawyer and figured my clients and opposing counsel wanted me to seem tough and no-nonsense. As a result, I tried to push away that softer side of myself, wore all black to work, and kept mum about my love for costume dramas and 19th-century novels.
But that didn’t serve me well. I felt smothered, constrained, and worst of all, inauthentic.
So part of my journey toward embracing everyday romanticism