As long-standing readers will know, I haven’t altered the basic visual design of this site since Spring 2002 – when I abandoned the last vestiges of the original Blogger template, in favour of the symphony in mauve which has come to define my brand.
To be honest, I might never re-design Troubled Diva. There’s something about it which works for me – and I still find it visually satisfying, even after all this time. It’s a “busy” look – and as such, somewhat out of fashion – but then I like busy-looking blogs, stuffed full to bursting with a myriad of clicking opportunities. They make you feel like you’ve landed in the middle of a swarm of activity, or something. Also, I like to have as much content as possible accessible by a single click, with a minimum of sub-pages.
Besides, design really isn’t my strong point. Having devised something which works, I have become almost superstitious about tampering with it, lest I break the spell and dissipate the essence.
Having said all that, I love it when other bloggers – equipped with the requisite skills and enthusiasm – re-design their sites in fresh new ways, whilst still managing to retain whatever it is which constitutes their core identities.
Bugger, I’m over-selling again.
Anyway, two of my regular reads – Gordon McLean and Pixeldiva – unveiled their new looks today, and I’m mightily taken by both of them. I especially like the way that Pixeldiva has chosen to blend her words and pictures, and the way she has chosen to display her comments.
(Besides, if I redesigned Troubled Diva then all the merchandising would become instantly redundant, and we could never allow that.)
troubled diva 