(taken with my iPhone)
Lately I've been reevaluating where I want to go with this little blog, which is why I've been posting less than usual.
The thing that I don't like about so many blogs is that they put me into a state of thinking that my life isn't sparkly or glamorous enough. Looking at pictures of Laudrée macarons or Giambattista Valli cocktail dresses (I just calculated that one of them would require approximately 400 hours of work at my part-time job) usually doesn't leave me in a happy and optimistic mood. Suddenly everything in my closet looks cheap, I've spent too much time looking at things that I can't afford, and I've fallen into a big unhappy spiral of want.
My favorite blogs are the ones that show how normal people with normal incomes (I'm looking at you style bloggers who still swipe your daddy's credit card) find creative ways to make their days a little happier. I love Melanie Blodgett, who can make magic out of a can of spray adhesive and a pack of tissue paper; Eve, who always looks adorable in her a sparkly t-shirts, cowboy boots and striped socks; and Kate, whose weekend recaps never scream LOOK HOW MUCH FUN I HAD!, but are a mellow snapshot into her happy little California life. These blogs inspire me to do something creative and fulfilling with my day, an effect that a Laudrée macaron doesn't seem to have.
So, my point (I swear I have one), is that while it might be easier for me to post pictures of dresses and macarons when I run out of original content, I think we all get enough "want" from the internet and I don't want to add to it. When I wear a new outfit or go on an adventure I promise to post pics, but if I've spent the day in my pajamas reading a book, you probably won't hear from me.
What do you think of my new blogging philosophy? Has anyone else had a similar conundrum?
I think a lot of bloggers feel this way, Erin. For me, it's not just the paternal plastic users. It's the model/stylist/editor bloggers - people with seemingly limitless access to the more artistic aspect of fashion. People who know what they're talking about or don't but it doesn't matter, because they get to hobnob with Hamish Bowles and make themselves look legit. I too take several days off when I have nothing to post or no one to photograph me in a last-minute ensemble. But maybe that keeps you hungry for more? Yeah, you, Erin.
ReplyDeleteP.S.: Remember the day you thrifted three dresses? Have we seen the third one?
I don't have a blog but I agree with you from reading them that I sometimes get that feeling too. I love all of your outfit pictures and I think that you should still have those but maybe you can do something more on like how to accessorize the same outfits in different ways. The 30 for 30 challenge really showed me how much I can do with my closet because not all of us have those fabulous closets where people only have to wear an outfit once. I like your new blogging philosophy and maybe you could focus more on fashion for people who aren't eating Laudrée macarons everyday. The comment above reminded me of those thrifted dresses and the first two are some of my favorite items you've posted. I would love a post about thrifting or something along those lines because I personally have no idea how to walk into a thrift store and come out with those. Good luck with your new blog philosophy! You have at least one reader who is eager to see what you do with it:)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! Sometimes I have to take a break from my blogs, because they leave me feeling dissatisfied with what I have, when I know I'm beyond blessed. I'm a new follower but love love love what you do with your blog. It makes me feel cheerful. Keep on going sweetie!
ReplyDeleteI deleted my blog because I had a hiccup that I had no idea what I was doing and there was no way for me to "compete" with others.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm making it more about myself in the way of things I like, which is primarily art. So now my website is my name (katskull.com).
I'd like to bring back some outfit posts into the mix, perhaps related them to art, but right now I'm just going to focus on one thing and myself before thinking about pleasing a (currently) non-existent audience.
Anyways, I've always loved your blog since I started following you through the 30 for 30 challenge.
Kat
Oh god yes, thank you so much for saying it! I've been thinking that for quite some time now, too. My perspective on blogs might be a little different because I do try to find German fashion blogs sometimes (can't hurt to have some local blogger friends!) and always fail miserably. Because all they ever post are lengthy fashion spreads they found on the internet. Little to no original content. Yet everyone is gushing. I don't get it. Hello?? BOOORING!! And then are the ones who are obviously living it up on their parents' money. That just doesn't relate to me at all, and I think showing a DIY that consists of cutting up a 1000$ Louis Vuitton bag is just tasteless. Others are just mysteriously owning all the expensive designer stuff without ever giving the slightest hint at how they can afford it. Now, I don't want to prejudice anyone, but it does make my curious. And THEN there are the "star bloggers" who do post original content, but it's like one picture a day, showing them in NYC rubbing elbows with "important people" (I'm looking at you, Miss Kling).
ReplyDeleteI'm so so so happy that there are many blogs out there by women I can relate to! Because they live normal lives with a normal income, they show how to use your closet to your best advantage and give you advice that is really helpful (unlike that time a more famous blogger doled out a piece of advice by Anna Wintour as incredibly eco and helpful... it was "wear the same thing twice". No, seriously.). That is why I called my blog "Relatable Style" because that is what draws me to blogs and I hope to contribute to that, too. And when I find that mainly in US blogs, so be it. I'm trying to drag that over to Europe, haha!
So, Erin, I enjoy your blog a lot and I think you are hilarious. It does not matter to me if you post daily, weekly, monthly or whatever. I don't think blogging should be that time-consuming monster eating away at your soul, but rather a nice hobby, something that you do if you have something to say. And I think it is perfectly ok to be M.I.A. for a few days. I actually hate it when bloggers always say "ooooh sorry I didn't post bla bla...". Most of the times, I didn't even notice. And even if I did, I'm good either way. There's no need to apologize :-) And I like it that you don't do it. There's only one occasion where I think it's necessary for the blogger to say something: If you discontinue your blog. I once had that with a livejournal I read for years. She'd post daily, and then just stopped. I was worried that something might have happened to her. But I've since heard that she's ok, and that's good enough for me. I don't need any reason to why she stopped, that is entirely her business and no blogger owes any reader anything (that sounds like I don't mean it, but I really really do). So, bottom line is 1. thanks for saying all that and 2. I agree and 3. do whatever you please, as long as you want to have people reading, I will :-)
Relatable Style
I know JUST what you mean. I recently started style blogging and I love it! However, I am constantly reminded that I am a divorced mother of three, in a suburb in Colorado (where NOTHING happens ever), working full time even though my paychecks are essentially gone when I get them, raiding thrift stores and clearance racks. I am ok with that, though. I still longingly and lovingly follow many other blogs of girls living in NYC, going to sample sales and launch parties, wearing Dior and Chanel, eating cupcakes that probably cost more than my entire outfit. Those are fun to read and fun to see, but when I go from their blogs over to mine wherein I shoot pictures out on my rented deck that needs a new coat of paint in my little suburban neighborhood, taking shots with my old handy Cannon camera and tripod, and find nothing more exciting to talk about than how I had to fight with my daughter for 15 minutes in the morning about whether she had to wear tights (weather is not prime here yet) thus causing my day to be 15 minutes off all day, it can be a little daunting.
ReplyDeleteWhat I love about this community, though, is that I have written a lot, A LOT, of bloggers from all realms of the style blogging world. Most of them wrote me back and all the ones that wrote me back have been encouraging, supportive, sweet and funny. I think it is great that we can all make posts like this one and totally relate to each other.
Thanks for the post. I just discovered your blog and I think I'm gonna be following you (another thing--can we change this term? It sounds kinda creepy . . .). I like what you got going on here! Best of luck always!
amazing photo! I love sunset! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://traveloguewithlove.blogspot.com/
Erin, you took the words right out of my mouth! I couldn't agree more with what you wrote. I love you & your blog even more now, hahah.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously though, while those glamorous blogs are fun to look at, in the end, they make me feel unsatisfied with my closet as well. I'm just like, "Wow, I'm a broke college student and I shop at Forever 21 and Goodwill...."
And another thing is that those blogs is that I can't relate to them at all. I don't wear sky-high heels everyday or get invited to exclusive events or have a wardrobe full of free clothes. While those bloggers can be inspiring at times, mostly they make me covet things that I don't really need/ will never have too.
I also love seeing a blogger who has a realistic budget close to mine and be creative with what they have. And also just a blogger who is just your everyday girl, has a life, and says things that you can relate to. When I first started looking at fashion blogs, I saw those "star bloggers" and then eventually found real life girls who I could relate to, which is what made me start my blog.
So to wrap it up, I'm a believer in your new philosophy! I will definitely be a faithful reader to your blog (:
I love your honesty in this post and it's exactly what I've been feeling as well. The bigger blogs are fun to look at but I get so bored of them so easily. But it's the ones like yours that I really value and keep going back to no matter if the posting schedule changes.
ReplyDeleteKeep doing what you're doing and give us "average" people hope! =)
Dear Erin, I'm so glad you posted this! You've put into words a feeling I have had for a long time. I don't read the blogs with the sky high heels that nobody could ever walk anywhere in or the sweet treats that definitely cost more than I would spend on a shirt anymore, but I do read yours - do not fear, your blog is nowhere near them in any way! I love your blog because you're honest and witty and sarcastic in a good way, and you're a student (well, not quite anymore - congratulations on finishing college!) on a budget just like me!
ReplyDeleteOf course I'm late to this party, but I'm so with you on this. It's rather obnoxious to see the same French kitchen or J.Crew lookbook re-blogged ad nauseum.
ReplyDeleteI don't happen to think that we are all constantly inspired, every day. I tend to blog when the mood strikes, and if that's three times a week? Awesome. If it's three times a month? Also awesome.
Shhh....but I'm not a fan of this whole barrage of Lonny rip-offs, either. (I realize this is a bit of an unrelated jag, but part of the beauty of Lonny when it first came out was that it was such a unqiue idea. Now it seems like there's another copycat every month.)