A few weeks ago, I linked my blog to my personal Facebook account. Now my posts automatically feed to Facebook, meaning they appear in the News Feeds of friends, family, colleagues and people I haven’t spoken to for years.
As Facebook started sending visitors my way, I began thinking about my Blog Life vs. My Real Life, and what can happen when the two collide. To start, here’s an outfit…
Topshop blouse via charity shop, Topshop blazer via charity shop, Topshop skirt, Primark brogues, Miss Selfridge ring. Thanks to some excellent advice from the fabulous Kel, my hair no longer resembles the shaggy coat of a red setter. Rejoice!
It’s not just the worry of what people will think – in Blog Land, no one knows who you are IRL (In Real Life), and that anonymity can often be a huge benefit. It’s an escape from stress, a break from a boring routine, somewhere you can be fabulous and frivolous, even in your PJs. So how does introducing your Blog Life to your Real Life change all that?
Okay, so it’s really awkward when your URL gets sent to ‘all staff’ at work. You might get the odd sarcastic comment from the girl you sat next to in Year 10 English. And knowing your Grandma’s coffee morning ladies read your blog may make you think twice when writing that post on Agent Provocateur. But the benefits far outweigh the niggles – put your blog on your CV and many employers will be impressed by your dedication. Share it with your friends and they’ll probably marvel over the true extent of your shoe collection. Send the link to your Dad and you might get a text that reads ‘I am proud of u’ in return.
The most marvellous thing about mixing the two worlds, though, is seeing online friends turn into real life friends. I’ve been lucky enough to meet some wonderful, wonderful people through Little Bird, and that’s more than reason enough for me to make space for my Blog Life in my Real Life.
Do you mix Blog Life and Real Life? Do your friends and family know about your personal corner of the internet, or do you keep it private?
Jen, this post is brilliat! I definuitely have that fear of introducing my blog to real life freinds because I just think they’ll call me self obsessed and vain (or whatever) which is why I don’t link my blog to my fb account. Certain friends know and they always praise me about it. I have a fb ‘page’ and I invite the odd real life friend who I think will genuienly be interested. A few friends found out from friends who knew about my blog and they actually all had nice things to say so maybe I shouldn’t be so scared! I have blogging on my CV and when people ask me about it I alwyas ramble on for ages cos it’s something I love. But I do get the impression that people who don’t blog don’t understand the passion we all have for it which is fair enough.
Maybe I’ll share Bow Dream Nation on fb one da….
I love reading The Blog Issue, you always write about such interesting issues.
I had a really bad experience with a one time ‘friend’ finding my blog and to make a long story short copying everything I did and basically stalking me.
Since then I have been very wary of what I post and I still make a conscious effort not to post anything personal. I know that might sound funny because I’ve posted hundreds of pictures of myself but they were taken especially for my blog. I try to keep real life and blogging very separate.
Jen, you seem to recycle the same old poses… Branch out a little, lets see a ‘starfish pose’, or maybe the fashion industry tested ‘Tortoise pose’. Silly and wacky poses are whurr itz at. Ya Get Me?
I love this post. I’ve often thought about this and it needs to be addressed.
The issue of Facebook has been worrying me for months. The idea of bitchy girls and rugby boys knowing I have my very own space on the interwebz is something that makes my stomach turn.
Over the past year, or half a year at least, I’ve been slowly sharing my blog with the people around me, and I’ve found they’re surprisingly supportive. I guess it also helps that a lot of my friends do a similar degree to me and use social media as a tool themselves. My parents are consistently confounded by my blog – “so you write things? Online? But who on earth reads it?!” but they’re slowly starting to understand why I do it and support it completely, and I guess now I’m a bonafide “grown up” it helps them keep in touch too!
Who knows, maybe I’ll make the facebook leap soon. I have the upmost respect for you for doing so!
Xx
Nobody knows about my blog IRL I don’t think people would “get it” so i’m kinda embarrassed about it. I dont know I might change my mind one day
Fab post ! I am yet to share my blog with the world of facebook! I have it on my CV and a few friends know.. not many however!
I like mixing the 2 worlds. I know quite a few of my friends read my blog, and I know that relatives do as well. I’m more than proud of what I’ve accomplised with my blog. I have had a few sarcastic comments from people I know, but the good definitely outweighs the bad.
Also love the blouse you’re wearing. Gorgeous.
When I first started blogging I didn’t really tell anyone. Even on Twitter I have two accounts a personal one and one for my blog. Although I’m very much me on Twitter and my blog it also feels like a bit of a persona, maybe more my exaggerated personality.
As time has gone on I have told a few close friends about my blog but as yet I’ve yet to link it to my facebook. I want people to read what I have to say so maybe I need to take this brave step.
I always love reading your blog, the quality of the post is brill – such a rarity in the blogging world.
I link my blog on FB but I tend to keep FB to people I’m actually friends with AND actually like so I’m not too fussed. My family are aware of my blog but are pretty dis-interested in it. My mum showed an interest when I went to Plus London but she doesn’t really care about the clothes aspect.
My MIL on the other hand always asks about my blog…I think she just needs something to talk to me about!
I did just give my business card with all my blog info to a male friend who totally didn’t understand. I told him to go read it …
Apart from my parents, only 3 people know. It pains me to see my ex-bf read it still (through the stats). I def like my 2 worlds separate!
Indeed. My blog is such a huge part of my life that there’s no way it couldn’t be part of my real life. The two are virtually one and the same at this point. I get all sorts sending me messages about something they saw on my blog – usually people I would never have guessed would take the time, which is quite lovely.
And I can say, having met yourself and numerous other lovely bloggers in real life, it feels nice to add the people in my online community to my real life.
My goodness yes! I got into serious trouble with my ‘Cheddar isn’t the only cheese’ blog. As a self educated cheese connoisseur with 17 years experience I wanted to share my expertise with everyone. I know my Butterkase from my Buxton Blue and my Dry Jack from my Duddleswell.
I was abused by members of the ‘Oranges aren’t the only fruit’ blog. They seemed to think I was belittling the lezzers. How can that possibly be? I was extremely annoyed that my need to selflessly unload my wealth of knowledge had backfired in my face.
Nevermind. I carried on regardless. Each day I got on with my own business. My 35 regular readers were only too thrilled to see an expertly placed Roquefort flanked by the juiciest of Chardonnay grapes or a Scamorza nestled amongst an array of water biscuits.
Please may I take this opportunity to invite your fabulous readers to take a look at my new website? I’d be forever in your debt. I’ll return the favour.
http://www.cheese.com/all.asp
When I see your photos Jen I’m reminded of a Wensleydale circle. Strong, flavourful but a slightly musty tang.
This is a very interesting post, Jen 🙂
I tend to keep personal life and blogging very separate. My blog is basically my little time away from real life. I wouldn’t mind knowing that my close friends and relatives read it, but work just is another planet and when I drop my pencil, that’s when my freedom starts and I don’t want it to be stolen or have to explain it to anyone.
On the other hand, I love what my blog is bringing me, I met many adorable people and some of them are now part of my real life.
I’ve always been totally open about my blog in real life. I guess it is easy for me now as everyone i know is so use to it!
In fact, I think my mum is the person who comments on my blog the most!
Great post by the way – very interesting.
Christina x
I’m pretty new to all of this blog m’larkey but so far I’ve found that the only way I can enjoy it is to just be myself….which means including some of my real life in there…I’ve written a couple of difficult posts and found that because I’d “let it out” and almost put my neck on the chopping block I got a good/ kind response from people I knew as well as people I’ve never met in real life.
I’m just finding my feet but I like the fact that my friends and family read my blog as well as total strangers…there’s nothing I put on there that I wouldn’t want them to know, difficult subject or not 🙂
When I first set up my twitter account and my blog I was terrified of my IRL world discovering it, but as time goes on, more and more of my IRL friends/family have found out about it and, more than anything else, I find people are intrigued and just want to ask questions about it.
I just have to make sure I remember it’s accessible to my real world when I’m writing a personal piece on my blog!
LilliesandLove x
Ahhhh I understand this issue so much! It’s all starting to come to a head now, when Is started my blog two years ago, it was a release from a difficult uni living situation. I kept it pretty much season and just used it to document purchases and inspirations. Little did I know that some coursemates had found it and I had a ‘real-life’ audience, although it was small. Now two years later my blog is on my CV, and has partly helped me to get to the next stage of the interview process for a job. I’ve also been requested for some dissertation interviews and should be (touch wood) giving a lecture to second years about blogging. A tutor is even following me on twitter now! I’ve told more people at Uni as explaining certain things got a bit tricky and some are fascinated by it all. I guess it’s different because I do a fashion course, it’s all pretty relevant so the two worlds are entwined, but I keep my normal facebook personal. I created a facebook page for my blog so that friends who are interested can keep track, but I don’t feel comfortable letting all my friends see my posts. The address is available if they snoop enough! Anyways sorry for this long comment, but the main thing is this is just the start of something exciting and we are the pioneers! It’s good to share it!
Great post Jen, and I get genuinely, coy(?) about my blog, not embarrassed but I suppose it makes me very self aware. Whilst there are certain friends who know and read my blog, which I’m happy for them to as I know they’re supportive, I’m certainly not at the stage where I could post it on facebook! Too many, what Carrie Bradshaw would call, frenemies… I hope to get there one day though.
Penny x
interesting this, feel totally the same about talking to people i know about it(well lets just say, the none creative people i guess, really not trying to be pretentious there). i never talk to my mum about it but then my gf tells her mum something and she’ll ask me what my mum said, my reply is i haven’t told her. weird but that’s the way it is.
i haven’t linked to my facebook and i dont think i will, people have found out my name and tried to add me, this is fine if we’re onlining friends but random people is not good. people messaging me asking if we can be friends cos they like my blog. facebook is a personal thing and i’d like it to stay like that. make sense?
Ah I completely get this post too. I don’t like my blog to facebook, nor do I have a ‘fanpage’ because I just don’t feel the need to tell people about my blog. It’s not exactly a secret, but I just choose not to tell everyone. Plus with facebook, so many people on there I don’t really ‘know’ anymore so it’s a bit weird.
I’ve had friends who’ve asked after my blog after they heard about it, and others who randomly found it…one of my friends found it through a mutual blogger friend, and he admitted to browsing it in a club on his phone when he found out! Madness.
Blogs are sort of our alter egos aren’t they? A place for creative expression and not everyone understands. Such an interesting post though, I think we all understand it all too well!
In school i wasn;t one of the most popular people (not complaning though!) and i think that made me quite self concious about the things i maybe got teased about. Having a “beauty” blog is something that im sure people wouldnt associate me (of all people) with. When writing sometimes i feel like “what am i doing” but then when i talk to my boyfriend about things, he always says i have such passion in the things i believe and dont believe in (in tems of my blog, and such) When i get an email form someone, or a twitter request, it makes me realise that i dont care what some people think. I remember the day i (think) my housemates found out about my blog. i got really paranoid and worried about what they’d think. People know i have a blog, but i dont ever give out the details of it. Even my mum hasn’t read it. I dont feel like its a personal thing, i just feel like i dont want to get judged (although at the moment my follower count is at 180 or something, and everytime a person clicks follow it fills me with an unbelieveable ammount of hapiness, that people give a damn about what i have to say!) even when it was 5, or 11..it meant heaps. I dont think ill be giving my link out to facebook anytime soon, but if people come accross it that know me and want to talk about it, im happy to, because im proud of it.
Great post, yet again! x
I don’t know if you find this odd but: I have so far not sent a blog link to my parents. Perhaps there is always a certain dynamic between you and your parents, where you think they might not approve, or think it’s a waste of time. But more than that, I don’t know if at some point in time, I’ll write about something relating to growing up that they may or may not appreciate.
My god parents and friends have seen it though. My hubby has seen my blog. He hasn’t read it all, but he did scroll a good way down the screen and had a fair read.
I don’t do Facebook, but I do Twitter. Quite a high proportion of readers are from twitter, either followers, or searches. I have e-mailed links to people, whenever I am particularly pleased with a certain post.
It seems to be mainly online people, who are in the blogging world who mainly post blog comments though.
I’m so glad that lots of people who have commented feel shy about friends seeing their blog and even keep it a secret! I’m trying to keep mine a secret, but as my housemate is now following me on Twitter I am guessing she has come across my blog and not mentioned it!
I know that I’d get the mickey taken out of me if some of my friends found it, and I love blogging, so I don’t want to feel embarrassed because I love something. As for Facebook…Christ, I think I’d call about a dozen of my ‘friends’ my ACTUAL friends!
You’re a brave girl, Jen, but your blog is fantastic, so you should be proud of it 🙂
aw I love this post 🙂
I’ve never just came out & told any one I have a blog. but my real life friends who follow me on twitter, now know/realise, and I say things about events & what not, so I don’t keep it a secret. Two of my best friend read my blog a lot, and having them say ‘oh yeah, you wore that in X post’ is kinda weird. I have linked my blog shop on my own fb before, and you can get to my blog from that. But I’ve not just randomly gone out & linked it. I think my Mum knows, but she’s kinda the one person I’m not a fan of wanting to read it- that’s just a me & her thing though.
I talk a lot of crap on twitter, I promote my blog a lot too, so I don’t want my fb to get like that. But at the same time I’m not fully against putting my link up, for the right post, maybe.
I agree about making friends through blogging though, some of these girls are a dream.
Love the outfit by the way
xx
Great post!
Personally, I’d find it a little embarrassing if people I knew IRL looked at my blog, I don’t know why – I don’t talk about anything particularly risque – I guess it’s because I’m new at it, & I want to keep it private for the time being?
If a friend turned around & said to me ”Hey, I like your blush collection, but why have you got so many?” I’d probably die on the spot. I like to blog because it’s fairly anonymous. Maybe my opinion will change later on, but for now I’m happily secretive 🙂
You articulate this so well Jen! It was only yesterday me and my boyfriend were chatting about this. I don’t think anybody would really ‘get’ why I blog either, it’s definitely a fairly private form of expression… open to the entire online universe. What a contradiction! I think we came to the conclusion that it’s good to keep things separate, I’m happy to have close friends and fam knowing about it, but as for that random lad in uni I’ve never spoken to… not so sure it’s necessary for him to know about my favourite place to hunt out vintage crockery. jazzy ♥
I am a new blogger and I plan to keep it separate from my real life friends (at least for the time being) for some of the reasons you have mentioned. I’m also concerned about the judgments people would make in my place of work (fashion and lifestyle isn’t necessarily something they value/find interesting).
Going back a few years I also had similar concerns about my facebook account – would my life be as interesting as everyone elses? I even had a friend yesterday doing the ‘facebook’ comparision…”Their relationship looks so much better than mine.” I had to remind her that the comparison couple were self selecting to portray that image. Not everything on facebook is real – I have come to realise :).
And im quite content with my dirty little secret for now. I’m no stranger to them 😉
you are SO cute in this outfit! and i totally know what you mean about it being embarrassing. i’m definitely not to the point where i want to share this with the world. i have a teensy little link on my family blog to my fashion blog, and if you dig on my fb profile you can find a link, but i’m not really telling people. i’m not that confident in real life yet. but go you!! 🙂
http://www.yogaandpencilskirts.blogspot.com
Love this post. Linking your blog to Facebook sounds like a scarily big step in combining blog life and real life but it also seems nice to share it with people – it’s too good to keep secret!
I’ve only told a few friends about my blog as I’m worried that people will think I’m shallow or just not “get” blogging…most of my friends think I’m strange enough for the amount of photos I take so the idea of them reading my blog freaks me out a bit! x
Hi Jen and lovely outfit! I link my blog to Facebook, too. My Facebook account only includes nice people I like and know well and blog reflects what I wear so there’s no clash at all.
It was rather touching when some old troll came out and left 30 bile-riden comments (since deleted) on my blog last week that I had messages of support from my first boyfriend, who I dated thirty years ago. xxx
First: I love that outfit on you, so cute 🙂
Second: such a well written post. I told most people about my blog as soon as I started, because I was doing it in conjunction with opening and etsy store and didn’t want to hide it away. The only thing I don’t do is use my real name in full on the blog, because I don’t want it to be something that affects my IRL job (however unlikely). I am really glad I was open about it from the start, as I have been surprised by how supportive some people have been. And it puts such a smile on my face to see comments from old friends on a post, friends who live overseas and I don’t see often anymore. It makes me feel like we are sharing something.
I also had a comment from my Dad saying how much he liked my writing, and from someone who gives praise very rarely that was lovely to hear 🙂 xx
I kept mine secret for a good year before people started to find out after logging into previously desolate Twitter accounts. I now have a page on Facebook and have suggested a ‘like’ of it to close friends. I think there are still a good few who don’t know, but I’m no longer actively hiding it!
Nah. I’ve always compartmentalised my life. Home is home. Work is work. Blog is blog.
I don’t mix with colleagues out of school hours and never go to staff knees-ups.
I like having secrets. And I probably do have multiple personalities so I shan’t change at this late stage.
Ah I’m glad it worked on the colour front! Hooray! (although I quite like Red Setters)
Most of my friends now know about my blog, however I don’t think I’d link it on my facebook. Just because some wouldn’t get it, my family however are very supportive and happy with how my blog has enhanced my career. My dad was giving out my blog address to people on his cruise he’d made friends with!! And my boyfriend has just texted to ask my blog url. Apparently showing his work mates. 🙂
Anyone that decides to make bitter and jealous comments (and there are always some!) just come across as incredibly miserable people.
I love the blog issue Jen, such a good idea.
xx
I like to keep my two worlds as separate as possible. I knwo the on/off bf knows and reads it, which is why I try never to name anyone in my little rants, but the reason I started blogging was as an escape as and when necessary, it’s only subsequently that it became about outfits, and shoes and all things lovely..I don’t really use facebook very often, and therefore don’t pare down my contacts on there as often as i should do, and i think my blog is a lot more personal “me” so i don’t think i want everyone i have ever known from school to know about it.
When my blog first started it was very different to how it is now. I was getting over a break up and I used it to try and find the beauty in my life. I didn’t share it with anyone I knew IRL, although a couple of people did find it (still no idea how!). As it’s evolved more into a lifestyle blog I’m happy to tell most people about it, although I’m still too nervous to directly link it to my facebook! When I met the guy I’m seeing I gave him the link straight away, as it’s such a massive part of my life that I wanted to be upfront and honest. Most of my friends know where it is but, to be honest, very few actually read it! My parents know I have a blog but have never asked to read it and there are old posts that I wouldn’t want them to read, but I also wouldn’t be devastated if they did. These days I’m quite proud of my blog and so I’m happy to share it around! x
Great post – I was “outed” last week when my Mum googled a book I recommended and landed on my blog! Her reaction was so wonderful that I ended up telling most of the rest of the people I know about it.
I have been blogging for over three years and one of my worst fears was the idea of people IRL finding it. Now that it’s happened I’ve been surprised to feel relief.
Firstly what a chic outfit! And please dont listen to John C and go down the ‘hand to face’, woefull looking blogger poses LOL!
This is a tough question, I do keep my blog private from a group of people I have to work with, mainly because I have a fear of spitefulness but also because I think many would see it as unprofessional – I work in academia.
I actually have two FB’s one linked to my blog that everyone finding me through the blog can join, but only my family and real life friends I trust have access to it. I have another for work collegues and such.
The thing that always surprises me is when someone mentions the blog and I think, where on earth did you find out about it! But then these have all been fashiony people so they understand the fashion blogging world.
There is also the problem of people misunderstanding things on the blog, I have been ill for the last few months, and someone said but your fine on the blog I saw you, I had to explain that it wasn’t wrote in ‘real time’ and the photos can be weeks old.
I have only had positive responces and am touched when my friends mention things I have wrote about. x
SOO weird that you’ve written this at a time when i’ve been humming and hawing about what blogging ‘is’ and how it fits in with my ‘real life.’ I totally agree with everything you say but am unfortunately living in fear that anybody would ever find out about my blog. One of my friends found it by mistake and now totally ‘gets it’ but i feel like everyone else would just think it makes me look ridiculous! Well done for sharing though, i bet it’s a load of your mind x
I don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account so neither of those options are really available to me. In terms of real life people, a couple of my colleagues know about it but they’re kindred spirits anyway so I don’t mind them knowing. Family and friends know about the existence of the blog but not the actual name. I’m not shy about it as such, I just like it to be something for me than for everyone to know about.
Great post. My friends, family and work colleagues mostly know about the blog and have been really supportive. xx
I’m a bit of a closet blogger to be honest. I wouldn’t dare share on Facebook, simply because there are some lurkers from school/college etc who really wouldn’t get it.
A few of my close friends read my blog, but it’s not something I would ever make part of my real life. I can understand how it can expand and become both though.
Great in depth post and fabulous responses so far, these posts always generate such wonderful feedback x
I felt really awkward about my blog when I first started – it’s easy to ramble along when nobody really knows who you are, but once people start finding out, you have to think twice about everything you write (no work-related posts, no mushiness!), and will they think I’m completely up-my-own-arse for writing about what I’m up to week-by week?
I started justifying it as it supports my online shop, and then just got over it once people I knew started reading and giving good feedback!
Interesting topic as usual! 🙂
I’ve been out in “real life” for about a year now, at first it was very much a case of being worried of ridicule, but for the most part I’ve had nothing but good feedback and it makes things like outfit posts easier!
I know exactly what you mean about this, I’m quite a shy girl and I have people on my facebook from all different stages of my life(from when I was a wee nipper to embarrassing teenage years and I am not exactly comfortable showing this part of me to them. it’s not as though I’m different online to what i am in ‘real life’ i just don’t think a lot of people would understand, I am scared of being judged, or people thinking I’m vain. Basically, i’m scared of ridicule! My boyfriend found my blog before and he mentioned it to a few people, but I’m hoping that if its a natural progression and not some grand reveal I won’t find it too embarrassing! although when my boyfriend found it and mentioned he liked my outfit posts I felt a bit like my little sacred piece of the internet was ruined but i don’t mind as much now.
I really enjoyed this post because i wasn’t sure if this was something i experienced alone, but know i realise a lot of people feel the same way!
xxxx
Interesting post, Jen!
All of my close friends and family know. I get ripped to shreds by my friends who think everything I post is hilarious and so upbeat and positive- not how they see me in real life, which sucks but my own doing obviously.
I love my family knowing because they always gush to their friends about me, and always call me saying how proud they are of me which just me so happy!
Really great post Jen- you hit the nail on the proverbial head!
Jen, you are always totally spot on with these posts! I am actually really struggling with real life vs blog life right now. I dont mind my family and friends seeing my blog, but google analytics is suggesting that people from my past are typing my name into google. my blog comes up when you search my name… and I dont have a facebook so some people will end up stumbling across my blog instead and I dont want them to 🙁 ex friends and ex boyfriends are EX for a reason! but I cant pick and choose who reads it eh 🙁 its making me a bit anxious at the moment. What would you do in that situation? I have nothing to hide, I just… dont like it haha xx
Wow, I was wondering whether any other bloggers felt the same as me and having read your article it would seem that the answer is yes!
I only started blogging in October and not many people know about it. My boyfriend has been reading it since I started it, but most of my friends have only just found out. At first it was my “dirty little secret” because for some reason I thought people might ridicule me, or be unsettled by how different I am in real life. Especially those who know me well. It’s like I have a slightly savvier alter-ego, or something like that!
When people mention things I have written about in my blog it still makes me shudder a little, and I’m not sure why. It’s a bit like having a public life, just without the worldwide fame bit- all your stuff is out there for all to see. My blog isn’t very personal, but I can imagine that some people blog about things before they tell friends and family- it’s like Facebook- in certain instances you know your friends’ news before they tell you. I guess it’s one of the perils (or advantages?) of the digital age.
It’s like you read my mind!! I’ve been pondering the very idea of putting my blog onto either my FB or my Twitter. I recently got a new housemate and we both confessed to each other that we’d been writing blogs without telling anyone for a while. Since then our other housemate has found out but keeps taking the mick out of us. It doesn’t bother me hugely, I get that some people don’t ‘get’ it and still have stigma’s attached to the internet – but these people probably read other blogs by ‘credible’ sources – credible why? Becuase you’re told it’s a good blog? Because they have a reputation? ANYONE can blog, it’s just one person’s passion and how they convey them. It’s a modern day diary, for all to see.
I still haven’t plucked up the courage to post it – perhaps i’ll just put it as my website on my Twitter and see what happens ‘oh that? that’s always been there’
By the way, i love your outfit today – you’ve great style.
Thanks for inspiring with this post.
Favourite post ever. As you well know I struggle with this dilemma every day. Nobody really knows about my blog IRL except for family and the boy and the thought of people at work reading fills me with fear. I know some people at work have read it, and I’ve mentioned that I blog to a couple of people but nobody has ever said anything. I always say that when my blog is a certain ‘size’ I will deem it okay to tell the world. When I saw on your Facebook page that you posted your blog entries, I was so envious that you felt you could do that. You’re quite right to be proud of A Little Bird.. and hopefully one day I’ll get to that stage! xx
This post was just fabulous such an insightful read and it even made me giggle! Love it, i do share my blog on my facebook but my facebook is very limited anyway as i’m quite funny with who i have on their, but my big brother reads it and often comments on my bad grammar which is embarassing and annoying ! :o) xx
My two circles are totally separate apart from the OH, I have a fear a lot of people IRL really wouldn’t understand especially those at work and find it really geeky. Plus there’s a lot of things on here (wedding things) that they don’t really know about. Hopefully one day both of my worlds will collide and they’ll balance out but for now it’s a happy separate medium.
Firstly that outfit is gorgeous! Possibly my favourite of yours ever!
Almost all my close friends know about my blog now, but I wouldn’t put it on facebook because as you say – who knows what old acquaintance might end up reading it. I also want to keep it separate from my work, because I work in quite a conservative business and I definitely don’t think it would be looked upon well.
It’s an often discussed question and reading all these comments not an easy one… I’m neither here nor there. I don’t really mind if work colleagues know about it, put I certainly don’t put it into their faces and I don’t connect the blog on FB, though people/friends I photograph sometimes do.
Just one thought: From a boss’ point of view… If I wanted a straight-working 40h/w employee I would wonder if a dedicated blogging habit might be a bit distracting.
Only a few of my friends and my boyfriend know about my blog. I have the fear! x
So glad you mentioned this! I work in a similar field to you, so the fact that I have a blog is something that is occasionally relevant – my company is currently getting more involved in social media and I’m being used in a consultant role. But if I can avoid it, I don’t really want them to READ my blog – I feel embarrassed by it, the photos of me posing, etc. It’s just to the people who wouldn’t really get it, but even they know about the things I get to go to etc, so they know it’s not just a random waste of time. I don’t know. In another way, I like keeping it all a little private, separate to work me.
And those reasons are for why I rarely link it on facebook.
PS I like your blouse!
R.E. Kelly’s comment:
“Anyone that decides to make bitter and jealous comments (and there are always some!) just come across as incredibly miserable people.”
While I am always one to respect others opinions on most matters, I don’t think your comment is necessarily fair or completely justified.
While I agree some people or ‘trolls’ as I understand is the name used, appear to go out of their way to purposely assault and make derogatory and often personal/hurtful comments to bloggers out of sad habit or even hobby (?!)
It is my belief that not everyone out there with a justifiable opinion should be considered “incredibly miserable”. Not wanting to sound trite and righteous, but that is the beauty of free speech and in the same vein, is often the downfall of the phenomena of ‘Blogging’. Bloggers know the deal when starting a blog, the world isn’t all kittens and puppies, vintage floral prints and like-minded “creative-types” singing your praises and begging for more. I know this because I myself had a blog until I realised the whole blogging society was not a good fit for me. I eventually found myself agreeing with my more critical readers, analysing my musings which changed my way of thinking as well as writing. I’ll admit, at the time it was a bitter pill to swallow, nobody wants to hear the negative stuff about their offerings, but we’re more than happy to bask in our popular glow, consisting of positive comments on what we’ve said or what we’re wearing, watch those numbers go up…It’s human nature, it’s nice to be liked.
I learnt that just because I received a negative reception off a select few people, it did not make them instantly jealous, bitter or miserable in my view. They had something to offer, a new perspective on things and for that, I can safely say I am grateful and in their debt.
Now, when I peruse blogs (which is not all that often for why I shall explain), I find myself becoming increasingly despondent and almost agitated at the quality of material out there.
We have become a society overflowing with ‘buzz’ words, patronizing usage of language, and self absorbed nonsense (with an inane number of ‘showy’ photographs for which people expect praise, glory and high hit numbers. It’s shallow and soul-less and not in the least bit engaging.
I speak as a creative person, I am neither pretentious nor a philistine. I am working class, I am educated, I do not believe in bragging, nor do I believe in false compliments. I speak from the heart but not for an audience. I can confirm I am neither jealous, bitter or incredibly miserable, yet if I feel the need to make an honest, negative comment, I will do so, just like those who did with my blog.
You can’t please everyone, you will never be liked by everyone, if someone sees right through you and doesn’t like it, so be it, but be warned, more often than not, that person will have a valid point.
P.S. You need to have a rethink about your poses and hair cut.
Regards
i second that! i only have show my blog to very few people because i can sometime get worried about what people think of me, so id rather keep it as low key… beautiful post by the way.
http://www.thegirlwithanindianeyes1.blogspot.com/
xoxxx
Your outfit is awesome and your description of describing a personal style blog is HILARIOUS.
I used to feel that way to and then one day, I just said F’ it! =)
join my STila Giveaway!!!
http://fashioneggplant.blogspot.com
I keep mine a secret the only person IRL that knows is my husband.
I’m a new blogger and it’s taken me ages to even contemplate writing one because I didn’t think I had anything to write about/was too embarrassed, but even after 4 posts I can feel my confidence growing – I even had a problem with my b/f reading it at first, but yesterday he offered to photograph something for me. I actually want to get into social media as part of a marketing career, so it’s been really good getting used to putting myself out there and letting people see my writing, I’ve got it on my CV too, and yesterday someone asked to see my online work which is terrifying!!!
I love posts like these, they’re so insightful.
I’m not ready for FB yet,there’s too many old school ‘friends’ on there who I just don’t want getting involved.
xxx
p.s. I love your haircut – such a beautiful colour, I miss having short hair!!!
Constructive criticism is great, but I genuinely disagree with ‘anonymous’ on the points of criticism. I think in terms of your poses they show off how your clothes really look and hang on your figure – which is fab! I’m a sucker for a spot of consistency.
x
Such an interesting post to read! I personally try to refrain from letting certain real life people read my blog as to explain to someone who doesnt interact with the blogosphere why I have a blog about my own life is, to be perfectly honest, a very awkward conversation. I love blogging, and to be able to share it with a few special people in my life is wonderful but I don’t think I could ever be so brave as you are with putting it on fb. But again I think it is dependent on the type of blog you have, as mine is very much about my personal life sometimes I think I would be rather embarassed to have certain people read about themselves on it.
But your blog is wonderful, and you definitely deserve the recognition from your real-life friends. xxx
first of all, i love that outfit. menswear is one of my favorite styles. but i know exactly how you feel about people who don’t know anything about blogging (or any internet interaction). there’s still a certain stigma attached to it, which sucks because i love it! i just started my blog so the people who read mine are already people i know IRL. i get judged mostly by my boyfriend, he basically just teases me about it and doesn’t understand but i’ve been involved with internet communities for many years and i will never give it up because i have made so many awesome friends from it and i hope to make more from my fashion blog as well. 🙂
meghan
http://clotheshunger.blogspot.com
Nice post. I took a wee while to start feeding my blog through FB then figured if I wanted to make anythig of it, I might as well feed it out there as best I could. And I find myself staggered by the response and comments – the most random people I’d never expected read my blog and apprently find it hilarious and entertaining. It really blows me away. But, yes, sometimes it is difficult to explain it to those who don’t engage with these sorts of things. Ah well. I think it’s more win than lose for sure!
this post really hits the nail on the head. ive just started to tell people about my blog (and ive been writing for over a year!) and it’s helped me up the ante and put more effort into my posts. it is embarassing trying to explain the posing tho…
little bird is a good read- thank you for inspiring me
xx
I had the same dilemma, but then decided to just brazen it out! People think I’m a bit odd anyway, so I’ve never really had any negative comments about it. I do get the odd person from work asking me about it, and they’re usually more embarrassed than me because they have to admit to reading it! Emma x
I totally get what you’re saying. As yet I am way too chicken to let my blog out there too much! I did put it on Facebook right at the beginning and a few people looked at it – but I soon removed it!! Too scary! Maybe one day I’ll be as brave as you…!! 🙂