I’m generally attracted to blogs that keep things real but occasionally I gravitate towards some that could be described as aspirational. By this I mean that the author is able to present their fashion sense, culinary expertise, interior design prowess, gardening skills and  high falutin lifestyle in such a way that it makes you wish you were in wearing their Louboutins. I’m sure these bloggers dont set out to make you covet their lives. They just take pleasure in creating beautiful things. Nevertheless you can’t help thinking that your life appears a tad frayed around the edges by comparison.

This phenomena is hardly limited to the blogging landscape. I’m sure everyone has one or two irritatingly fabulous Facebook friends who are doing much more exciting things than you and looking amazing while they do it.  Some folk on social media seem to personify that Fergie song ( I’m taking about Glamorous not My Humps). Sadly I don’t think I could do glamour  if my life depended on it. When it comes to conveying my lifestyle I have the opposite of the Midas touch – I can turn gold into brown. As a blog Mumabulous is more ass-pirational than aspirational. Whenever I attempt “classy” I end up inadvertently dropping the “cl”.

Instead of having the occasional bad hair day I have a bad hair life. I would love my hair to look like this when I do the double daycare/school  drop off.

Aspirational hair.

Surely a bit of styling mousse and squirt of hair spray is all that is needed to rock my inner Betty Draper? Why is it that most days I emerge from Chez Abulous looking more like this?

My bad hair life.

I have a walk in wardrobe which is half the size of my former bachelorette pad in Sydney’s Chippendale. Sadly it is not really the stuff of my outlandish Sex and The City fantasies.

Carrie on.

This is where I rummage for something half respectable to cover my lumpy bits every morning.

Staying in the closet.

Have you noticed how some bloggers are able to create fantastical table spreads giving every occasion an extra sprinkling of magic? An interior design aficionado whipped up this  sea side themed table setting between naps on the porch. Sure its impractical. Those starfish tacked to the side of the plastic cups could take your eye out  but the ensemble looks marvelous.

Slightly dangerous seaside glam.

Here’s what the table setting at Chez ‘Abulous looked like last night. Its all P1′s handiwork of course.

P1′s stunning centre piece.

Some bloggers  have the high level gardening skills you’d expect from the love child of Peter Cundall and Alan Seale. Their healthy blossoms provide more gratuitous eye candy than all my Hollywood Hotties posts put together.

Hardcore flower porn.

Meanwhile I’m relieved that I finally nagged Dadabulous into weeding our back courtyard area.

A weed free court yard. Sort of.

Finally there’s a subset of bloggers who make you feel like a flabby slacker by documenting their regular exercise programs. Having quit my gym some six months ago I work out vicariously through them. Back at the ranch I climb the stairs of aspiration at least 30 times a day. The has not prevented a substantial weight gain since moving to Chez Abulous. Its just not fair.

The aspirational staircase.

If I were a pessimist I’d take all this as evidence that I am a total dag with buckley’s chance of ever mixing it with the “in crowd”. However I’m choosing a different perspective. It just goes to show that Mumabulous is normal. In the meantime, I’ll take some solace in the view I get during my early morning coffee run.

Not a bad way to start the day.

Nor that.

I’ll also get some smug satisfaction from the fact that my wood is bigger than most bloggers.

Chez Abulous has wood.

Are you inspirational, aspirational or ass-pirational?

Love

Mumabulous

I’m classy with out the “cl”.