- I started blogging back in late 2007 when there really weren't a plethora of blogs around. I have noticed lately that blogs are literally a dime a dozen and it doesn't quite feel as "special" to have a blog anymore. Does anyone else feel this way or does that make sense to you?
So I pose some questions for you kitties- What makes you like a blog and keep going back and/or following said blog? What do you like about layouts, what do you not like about layouts? Do you actually like blogs where people get all "professional photo-shoot" on you like you're looking at a magazine? Do you like photo-shopped collages of items? My pictures suck, I realize this, but quite honestly, I would feel like a complete toolbag if I had someone taking pictures of me outside. And really it's just more convenient to take iPhone pictures. I think I may need to invest in a tripod for my living room.I am looking to make some changes with my blog. Right now I feel like I am stuck in a rut. There are simply too many fashion bloggers. It seems like over the past year that is just the new "it thing" to blog about. Although I love fashion and write about it quite often, that is not my life, but I try not to get personal on here either because that's just not my style.
Anywho, let me know what you think. Suggestions? Advice?
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60 comments:
Your blog is fine just the way it is! I check in daily!
I don't mind blogs looking "professional" as long as I don't FEEL like they're trying to make a business out of it. If I feel like you're constantly plugging some company and you have a bazillion (actual number) ads on your blog...I just don't buy it. Sure, making easy money is great and all...but I don't know.
I don't ever even look at layouts because I read blogs through reader...if you changed it I wouldn't know.
But you do need a tripod...because I know you don't really have an orange glow in real life. :)
And don't take my blog link off your sidebar because I get the most traffic from you. K thanks. BYE!
I think you blog is fine, one I check daily....those taking "casual" pics while posing in the middle of a park....i mean really?! :) who does that!? I like the reality of yours! :)
I read blogs that are simple and sometimes not too long. Like you said there are so many blogs nowadays it's difficult to keep up with them all, on top of the life we deal with daily.
Pictures are also attention grabber.
Skincare products reviews are very informative, especially coming from people with nice skin.
And please no ads. If you must, maybe just a little. :)
Hey! What a fun topic! One I have certainly dealt with for a long time!! I love getting a mix of your personality in posts. For example, I still remember one of your posts about an old lady who wouldn't get out of your way in a grocery store parking lot--that was hysterical! I love hearing personal stories and getting fun fashion advice!
I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!
I followed you, Shasta, Brittany Joy, Grits and Chloe Conspiracy since early 2008 when I started my own blog. I hate the blogs with the photo montage of outfits outside or looking like a fashion shoot. Yes it's pretty, but can also be so...obnoxious sometimes.
I love your blog and the style it is now. Don't change it!! I have bought so many things and received so much advice from your blog (and Twitter) over the years!
(And I agree with Grits, thanks for keeping my name on your side bar!!)
Your blog was one of the first blogs that I ever read. I think having a great sense of humor and being able to write in a way thats funny but intertesting is what brings me back. And obviously, since I'm still a faithful reader and all, I think you do that :)
As I've told you before, you're one of my very favorite bloggers on the whole interwebz, so I wouldn't change a thing about PIPM.
I think that there has been a weird movement away from "authentic" blogging in the years since we all started. Blogs are a dime a dozen now, and it seems like it's really hard to establish a core readership. So many people are blogging for sponsorship, or as a springboard for endorsements/freebies/book deals. It just feels that blogs are increasingly a "product" rather than a creative outlet.
As for fashion blogs, I already read Vogue so I don't need bizarre faux-remakes of their photo shoots. I'm all for interesting styling, but so many fashion blogs seem to be insane portraits of clothes that don't apply to real-life style. I prefer for blogs to be about how everyday women style their fashion finds. That often means photos in the office bathroom or in a messy apartment bedroom, shot with an iPhone.
I like your blog just the way it is! The "professional" ones are just that, too professional and not someone's opinion on random things.
I like your blog just how it is. Honestly, it is one of maybe two or three blogs that doesn't annoy me--all the "big" fancy bloggers are slowly working their way off my reader.
It IS lame when you think about their professional photos--you really stand in the street every morning and pose?
Stay the way you are, Megan! Also of note, I'm sure it's nice to do offers and reviews, but that gets annoying for readers too. I like that you aren't always hawking stuff.
I read your blog on google reader so I'm another person tat wouldn't know if you changed things :) I like reading this blog because you update often and it's just fun to read! It doesn't seem like you are trying too hard to sound cool or whatever. Also it's a good mix of fashion and personal stuff, like your dogs or Apple purchases.
years ago when i first started blogging, i found a few handfuls that i loved. since then, i've found new ones, but i still go back to those. i like when people are real. i don't care about professional photos or jank outfits. i just like it when they make me laugh and i feel like i get some sense of who the person really is.
I prefer blogs that aren't all professional and staged. Random snapshots of a person's life and non-professional pictures are SO much more fun.
You were one of the first blogs I started reading, you and Shasta's. And I've loved it ever since! While I read a lot of blogs, I don't have many blogs listed on my sidebar...yours is one I've always had. :) Keep up the great posts!!
I love your blog because you don't take it so seriously! I prefer blogs that are more real and lighthearted and when it comes to fashion, a real human take on it, not that of someone with an unlimited credit card and live-in photog!
Your blog and Shasta's blogs were the first I ever found b/c they're just...perfect. I mostly prefer to read/blog about fashion and OOTDs, etc.
I prefer a simplistic layout. If it's too busy, too many places to look, it's just annoying. I like being able to read someone's whole blog and easily find old posts.
I like both the IPhone/courtesy of Hubby w/ the point-and-shoot pics, but I can appreciate the artsy-ness of the outside ones.
I get so much inspiration from reading about other people's lives (and outfits!)
I think your blog is great just the way it is. If you need a change-up, maybe just change your header or something simple like that. I know you don't get too personal, but I like that you put different stuff out there - everything from y'all's wedding pics to antbites to product reviews.
P.S. Thank you for adding my blog to your sidebar. I receive lots of traffic from your site. Honestly, I just blog for fun and enjoy making new friends.
I like your blog hte way it is! I like that you don't do the dorky outdoor photoshoots... it makes me uncomfortable to see people who are taking themselves too seriously and really trying to model.
http://www.stylish3.com/marylane
hmmmmm..so much to say.
I am a fairly new reader to your blog and am never disappointed. I love your fashion advice, but I feel like anyone give fashion advice-its your personality and sense of humor that make me come back. Sure its nice to read blogs that are visually appealing but that doesn't seem "real" to me. Or relatable for that matter. If you want to get that tripod then do it-just don't lose who you are. :)
Secondly, I do not have a large following on my blog, but completely hear what you are saying about the special part. I feel sometimes that everyone is so wrapped up in their own thoughts & blogs (me included) that we're failing to read others. Thanks to twitter I now read blogs at redlights (safe with a baby in the back I know) and often forget to comment. This upsets me- I try to always comment if I have thoughts on something I'm reading.
Just my 2 cents!
Your blog is one of my favorites and I hope you don't change a thing!
I love your blog just the way it is before i started blogging there was a handful that i would follow and yours was one of them! including shasta! love how you both are so real and have me laughing aloud to some of your posts! you both inspired me to start! xo
I have to agree with most of your comments already left. I like your blog just as it is. Yes, sometimes it's nice to read personal tid bits about the blogger from time to time, but that's totally up to the blogger, and obviously if you don't get to personal on here, it doesn't seem to slow the traffic down to your page! :)
I'd suggest maybe a new header just to spruce it up a bit (even though it's totally fine as it is now) :) those are my thoughts as you did ask us to leave our 2 cents! :)
Your blog is fab, please, don't go!!!! I have purchased so many great items based on your recommendations, thank you!
Wow, what a fun convo. I agree with so many other comments--I adore your blog because it's very "real" and such a great mix of fashion/skincare and your life. Thank you so much for having so many blogs on your sidebar--I get lots of hits from you as well. Maybe adding one to my blog should be my holiday break goal. ;)
I love the "real" pictures. Some of my favorite blogs are just a daily roll of iPhone pics. I like the "professional" look when it comes to design/decor blogs, but not so much for the fashion blogs. I have to laugh when I see someone posing on the street gazing into the distance wearing an overstyled, impractical outfit. Keep on keeping it real!
I think your blog is just fine like it is. I do not like the blogs that look like the person is trying to start modeling or like they dont actually wear the stuff the say they do in the OOTD pics. Your pictures are real and your blog isnt too "wordy"..Perfect!
Don't change a thing!! I am a long time reader, since 2008... I actually started with "preppy wedding" then found "Grits" that lead me to you!
I totally understand what you're talking about with certain blogs... the ones that have "professional pictures" of themselves all up and down their page and it takes 3 mins to load, because of all the ads.
I love your blog... I think you're hilarious! I am a daily reader.
like many others, i have been following your blog for years. one thing that is crucial to me to keep coming back to any blog is regular posting. your writing is done well and you blog about different things.
i do think even though you blog about a lot of high end fashion & beauty products that many people cannot afford, you still are relateable (a real word? i doubt it) and down to earth.
i know you know this already, but the pictures you take in your house suck. the ones in the bathrooms (haha) have better lighting at least! a point & shoot on a tripod would do wonders.
i read a lot of fashion blogs that obviously do it as some sort of income & have a real photographer taking their pics, but i take it for what it is. i know i'm not going to click on their blog one day and see them in no makeup and talking about reality tv.
blogs were initially online journals. a good blog creates an emotional connection with its readers and that will always keep them coming back. i think you do this well, this post is a fine example!
ok. i'm done now. great post. i think it's good to have these thought provoking posts every now & again.
The best part about your blog is that you are REAL. You show bad pictures of yourself, you take "non-professional" photos, you tell embarrassing stories- you're hilarious! You don't try too hard (like most people); It just comes natural to you. That's why I enjoy seeing what you are up to and that's why your blog is a success. Stay gold, Ponyboy.
I've blogged off and on for 4 years. My life and my blog has changed drastically over those years. As has blogging in general. When I started it was small community of preppy blogs. Now it is a money making machine. I'm not interested in most blogs anymore except to go OMG YOU HAVE TERRIBLE TASTE.
I've read yours from the beginning. If I were you I would keep as is. It works for you.
I agree with everyone else- I like your blog as it is! It's very *you*. You keep things real both here and on twitter, and so to me...the candid iphone shots make sense.
Ad count me in as another blogger that doesn't quite understand the "life is a photoshoot, POSE!" feel that so many fashion blogs now have. While the pictures are at times beautiful (I often get photo envy, I'll be honest!)...at the same time, I would feel like suuuuuuch an asshole making my husband take pictures of me daily (or at least several times a week) in public settings.
Besides, I barely have time to snap pictures of myself in my own home before I head out the door for the day, so I can't even imagine devoting time to find places to have photoshoots and having to get my husband drunk enough to agree to be my personal photographer. He has a job, a business to run, basketball to coach, etc etc etc.
The fashion bloggy girls that have photographer husbands & boyfriends lucked out (and get a pass on this), but the rest of it is just a little weird. I like blogs that keep it real and provide more content aside from pictures posing in a golden sunlit wooded forest, like yours! Yay!
Pretty early on someone told me I was writing a "lifestyle" blog. That helped:). Not fashion per se, but a slice of life and taste that people could like, or not. I do think good pictures help. I don't think it's douchebaggy to set up a tripod and good lighting. If you ever read Fashion for Nerds, who has a completely different style, I think she manages to put up good photos that in no way read as self-delusional, self-important, or any other annoying attitude. I try to think of good pictures as a service to the readers.
Not that I have it figured out mind you. I was doing pretty well when I wasn't working, had a backdrop, a tripod, good lighting, etc. Now that I am working again, I'm snapping outside and I need to get better at it. Think of it this way. If you are going to do outfit photos, might as well make the photos themselves as nice to look at as the clothes are in real life.
I have been following your blog for about 4-6 months and I enjoy it! I like that you blog is real and authentic in the sea of bloggers! I love dressing room pics!
I don't care for the magazine layout blogs. They feel impersonal. I just look around and leave.
As far as making money from the blog (if that was question) I say go for it! In this economy why not! I know you will keep it real.
I have some appreciation for the blogs that are super professional but I prefer it to be a bit more real life. I like to see what real people are wearing and BUYING. I'm less interested in seeing what some company is going to give you to put on your blog. I want to know what you'd spend your own $$ on and how it looks. I'm newer to the blog world and really enjoy the inspiration I get from so many, you included!
I love your blog as it is! The blogs that come across as too "professional" don't hold my interest. I like your REAL photos and light-hearted writing style!
i don't like "fake" blogs. i had a blog I liked to read and she recently got "popular" and all of a sudden it turned into a self-righteous barf fest.
ps: you mean you don't have time to frolic through a cornfield on a daily basis? come on, get with it! :)
My favorite things about your blog is that although some of the items/outfits are aspirational, they aren't completely out of reach. Some bloggers present such an image of perfection that it is annoying to read - no one makes delicious homemade treats every day while wearing chanel and redecorating their apartment! I would appreciate slightly better quality photos, just because sometimes it is hard to make out the details of what you're wearing, but it's not a dealbreaker for me. Thanks!
Knowing you as a dear friend in real life and still, after years, remaining a blog reader makes me say, DONT CHANGE A THING. Sure get you a tri pod and snap away in that living room with the pups looking on. But the best part about you Meg is that you are real, quirky, fun and mysterious on this blog as so many people have said.
If I see you out in your neighbors yard fondling their yard globe in your designer duds, I swear... Our friendship is over ;)
But if you wanted to start videoing your skills as a sword dancer, well, I think that would be a great addition to PIPM.
I actually really appreciate your iphone photos, specifically the ones taken in places like the TJMAXX bathroom! I'm not kidding - you crack me up!
I'm newer to the blog world, and agree that it's easy to feel like one in a million - still trying to find my niche!
I love your blog and always look forward to reading your posts. I especially love your vlogs. They are great!
You are one of my fav's! I love your product reviews and look forward to checking daily posts! Don't change a thing!
You are actually one of the only blogs I read related much at all to fashion because I know you buy clothes then have to wear them to place I go too: errands, work, JL meetings, dinner etc. Nothing is ever TOO crazy or TOO trendy.
As for the style of actual blogs I agree with Grits: I like professional feeling blogs but not actual professional blogs.
I totally relate to this post. I feel in a blog rut too. But your blog is one of my favorite daily reads. I like it because you are real. I feel like I know you and you have great fashion sense. Totally agree about the photo taking, I am way more comfortable snapping iphone pics of myself than posing. Keep on blogging girl!
Megan! Don´t change a thing! I love the iphone pictures and all you´re blogging about. Ther´re a few fashion blogs that I really like, yes,but they´re not the reality.I don´t think these girls are running around in high heels all the time. You´re real and you´re not a snorefeast like so many other blogs out there. I hate all the ads in the sidebars and also all the "follow me and I´ll follow you back" comments, seriously, wtf! If there is a post from PIPM and one from...a blog like Atlantic Pacific (I like her, but doeas she really go out dressed like that in public?), I´d always look at your post first. I also have a fashion blog ;) We´re blogging because we want to show other women beautiful everyday outfits. What I wear on my blog is what I wear when I get my kids from school. So you see, I agree with everyone else, I love your blog as it it! It´s real.
XX Doro
I'm late to the party here. And to echo so many other commenters -- you have a writing style that makes your blog stand out. And the dry sense of humor! I love it. My favorite post of yours, EVER, is the one on CBF. Although I love the bathroom iPhone pics too. :) In addition to your product reviews, your vlogs are some of my very favorites, so keep those coming. I like your high/low mix of style -- i.e. F21 with Chanel.
I've only just found your blog, so please don't go. I check for your posts daily and I find your blog to be true, human, genuine and from the heart. I wouldn't change a thing. If you're experiencing blog burn out, then take a little time off, just don't leave us for good. As you can see from all your comments, you would be missed.
I've read your blog for a long time and really like it. I like that your blog posts are never too long but you post frequently and that you seem like a real person. I like your iphone pictures because they are real! Also, I love that I never feel like you are trying to make money off your blog/sell me something.
Megan - I LOVE your blog just the way it is! It is so nice to see "real life" photos instead of fancy photo-shopped/perfectly lit/magazine quality photos! Your sense of humor is fantastic, your style is amazing, and you seem very down to earth...so please, please, please... keep up the GREAT work!!!
I like blogs that are "real" and aren't predictable and almost fake. I like hearing about peoples everyday lives (good or bad), I like pictures- they don't have to be professional- I still come to yours for the iphone pics everyday haha! I also like a rather simple design. I'm not one for all kinds of buttons/blogrolls/etc on the side....plus that takes forever to load, and I probably won't stick around.
It does seem like lately there have been a lot of blogs popping up, good and bad. Some people take it ENTIRELY too seriously. I think of blogging as something more for myself (heck, I blogged for a while with NO followers!) but if others wanna read it and join in on my life, more power to them! I don't think people should focus on blogging for everyone else!
I come back to your blog every day because you are real, fashionable, and just so darn funny! You twitter keeps me in giggles (and up to date on stuff) all the time!
xo
Honestly your twitter feed kills me so I think if you injected some of that into your blog posts it would be hilarious. And agree that a tripod would be great for your photos. I don't even think you would need a remote since you can just do the self-timer for 10 seconds or more, plenty of time to go stand in your spot after you set your camera. Please don't start taking pictures where you're looking down at the ground next to you...those photos on the money-making fashion blogs bug the crap out of me. Something else I like about your blog is that although you buy/own a lot of items that are way over my budget, you still work cheaper pieces into your wardrobe - makes your style more relatable to a peasant like me. :) Okay, that's all I've got. Keep on keepin' on.
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You don't need to change a thing... Your blog is great because you (and your pics) aren't all stuffy and serious. Keep up the good work.
Keep it. Keep it. Your blog is one of my favesies because you seem such like a normal gal (with obvi a great fashion sense). It is much more accessible seeming and appealing that way. You is the bomb PIMP :)
you already know how I feel about these ridiculous fashion blogs. but you're right, iphone photos are easier.... that's all I ever blog. But I wouldn't mind it if you got a tripod and used your nice camera every now and then.
I've been thinking about making a change to my blog too, but I'm also not sure what. I think I'm going to do a once a week post of all my outfits that I wore that week since I have to wear suits every day... I want to look cute and I think it'll encourage me to look nice instead of wearing a black or gray suit every day.
I don't read the pro fashion blogs. They're just not realistic & I subscribe to magazines for a reason. You're one of the few fashion blogs I read daily, so keep it real. My all time favorite moment on your blog was when you said, "Stop it Miss P. I'm trying to video blog." My husband and I say that to our dogs when we are trying to skype and they won't shut up, that's how "favorite" that PIPM moment was for me.
i think i like your random "catch all" posts best! can really see your personality in those! and i love all your beauty product reviews...bc you aren't reviewing them bc you were paid but bc you actually like them. iPhone pictures are fine with me, i mean, you can still see what you are wearing. i think its good that you aren't strictly a "fashion blog," that we get to know the real you and its not all "look at me," "look what i have/wear."
I love your blog! It's perfect and I check all the time. The iphone pictures are what makes you seem real. Who really has time to have someone chase them around in a field to take pictures of their $2000 skirt that was donated from a friend that works at a nice boutique. Nuff said. Go girl! I would like it if you turned your blog more personal, too. There's nothing wrong with evolving the blog as our lives change. Personally, I'd like to see you recap some tv. I know you've got opinions on that!
You are actually my favorite fashion/style blog! I love your candor! Nor does your blogged seemed "staged."
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