All In Good Taste??

"Good Taste" sounds a little old fashioned and archaic nowadays, conjuring up images of old biddies with hats and gloves tutting over some neighbor's choice of new davenport or dinner-dance frock, whispering to each other,

 "Such poor taste, my dear, such poor taste. It ALWAYS shows in the breeding!"

Taste is relative, right? Hmmmm, maybe not.

"Good" taste is more broadly defined than it used to be, but it still exists. And people judge you on your taste... So, naturally, we get a little nervous when we have a dinner party or host an evening with acquaintances. No, I'm not talking about those REALLY close friends who can walk in our homes and flop down and happily eat cheese sandwiches and potato chips off paper plates with us.....I mean those OTHER people.

The good news is that, though you can't easily make yourself younger, taller, richer, or (very much) smarter, you CAN develop your taste!

But here's the REAL reason to want to develop a sense of good style and an eye for good design... It makes your life better every day. It makes life more satisfying and beautiful.

Who couldn't use more beauty in their lives.

Guess what, I know some of you are mumbling that it's too expensive but that's SO untrue. How many times have you seen people with loads of money and NO taste?!

"De gustibus non est disputandum"
(There's no arguing taste.)

We all have some things we like, some we dislike - personal preferences. Many preferences are quirky and individual: I like black, you like red; he likes chocolate, she hates it. (She's a freakin' WEIRDO btw!)
Personal preferences are almost impossible to argue anyone into or out of.
However, we can each, if we want to, cultivate a new taste.

Years ago I decided that I wanted to develop a taste and appreciation for Haute Cuisine. With this in mind, I read a reprint of one of the first reference works for chefs, Ouverture de Cuisine, written by Lancelot de Casteau and published in 1604, which set out rules for the preparation and presentation of food for the nobility.

This grew to my own kitchen experiments and years of learning. Today I can call myself a true Gourmand and more than a halfway decent cook.

Therefore, I developed a certain degree of taste in cuisine.

So what elements are important in good taste?

Good Taste is Appropriate to the Task

 Anything that hinders the activity or use it's meant to help is badly designed (for that use). Bad design is automatically in poor taste.

 

Good Taste Respects its Context

Have nothing in your life that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

 

Good Taste is Well-Designed

It's possible to choose things in socially-judged "good taste" which are just ordinary in quality and appearance, but truly good "in the best taste" requires beautifully designed things. Fortunately, you can find almost anything at any budget in both ugly and good versions. And beauty can sometimes be found for free.

 

 Part of developing good taste is becoming aware of the characteristics of the stuff we see and buy and use. Become conscious of color and form and function. Learn to spot the designer's hard work in simplifying things. It's the big reason Posh Brats products are so loved and coveted: good, simple, elegant design. I also think it's one of the main reasons why so many people are flocking to Etsy and buying handmade items....they are just classier and more beautiful than mass-produced crap.

"If you mention taste nowadays, a lot of people will tell you that "taste is subjective." They believe this because it really feels that way to them. When they like something, they have no idea why. It could be because it's beautiful, or because their mother had one, or because they saw a movie star with one in a magazine, or because they know it's expensive. Their thoughts are a tangle of unexamined impulses. "
- Paul Graham