Friend Friday: Fake or The Real Deal, Authenticity & Blogging
January 21, 2011 by Arash Mazinani
Filed under All Content, Friend Friday, Ladies
It’s that time again where Friday rolls around and I’m preparing my Friend Friday post. This weeks Friend Friday is all about authenticity and blogging. I have to admit the questions are quite deep so I’m going to have to get my serious head on for this post. My belly’s full so I can think straight and I have a big glass of water beside me for hydration purposes. Oh and if you missed my last Friend Friday ‘I Blame Marvin Gaye’ you can go back and have a nosey. So if you want to find out about how I feel about blogging fakes and the genuine blogging article then read on my friends.
Most readers and fellow fashion bloggers value authenticity in the blogs they read. How would you describe blog/blogger authenticity?
I think I would describe authenticity in a couple of ways. The most obvious is just being yourself and expressing your own opinion in your writing. It’s pretty much standard procedure that if someone mentions authenticity then the reply is “just be yourself”. But I also look at authenticity in another way. I personally feel it’s about expressing yourself honestly not just in your writing but in the way you run your blog. I think you should do what you want to do on your blog rather than following what is the done thing in that blogging circle.
When it comes to your blog how do you infuse it with that true authentic feeling?
I don’t follow the masses. I know that sounds a bit cliched, there is a tendency to jump on the bandwagon with things. For example I could post outfit posts because that’s quite a popular theme in fashion blogs at the moment. But that’s not really want my blog is about. I’d rather stick to my guns write what I want to write even if it means my blog doesn’t gain as much popularity as I’d like. After all I said it in a previous post and I’ll say it again I aim to build up a collection of posts that are still as valuable to a reader in 3 years time as they are today.
A rather unauthentic LV bag
Have you stopped following a blog in the last three months? What made you loose interest?
I don’t follow blogs, the only blog I follow is my own and that was only to see if my rss feed worked. I’ll follow blogs on bloglovin but that’s mainly because I like the blog and I want to help them out rather than for my own benefit. I never check bloglovin at all. In fact I’m quite a rubbish blog reader when I think about it. However, there is a method to the madness. The reason I do it is I kind of make a mental note of blogs that I like and will regularly do rounds throughout the week commenting on them. Now because I only follow other blogs via a mental note it means if you want me to remember your blog you need to interact with me or have some amazing content. If you don’t then chances are I’ll forget about your blog unless you pop up on my radar again.
The reason I do this is one because I’m lazy but also because I value interaction and community. So if you’re not interacting with me then I’m not going to spread the love I’d rather wrap the little piece of love up and give it to someone that really appreciates it.
We can’t communicate effectively on our blogs, something we don’t live in real life…what are some ways you try to live an authentic life?
I guess I just do me that way I end up living an authentic life. I don’t know I just walk through the world trying to give value and express myself honestly. It’s like bruce lee said
To me, ultimately, martial arts means honestly expressing yourself. Now, it is very difficult to do. It has always been very easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, and be flooded with a cocky feeling and feel pretty cool and all that. I can make all kinds of phoney things. Blinded by it. Or I can show some really fancy movement. But to experience oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, now that my friend is very hard to do.”
Give a shout-out…Which bloggers do you think are truly genuine and why?
Ok my shout outs go to brunette blogging, fashion limbo, ravingfashionista, gritandglamour, Jenna, shoespot and loads more!
For those that are not familiar with it FBFF was started by modlychic to help fashion bloggers connect and share more about themselves. If you’re interested in joining you can find the post that kicked it all off here.
Feeling this post? Then why not subscribe? You can subscribe by RSS here or subscribe by email by filling in your email address in the subscription box in the sidebar. You can also catch me on Bloglovin here.
I really like your “mental note” approach to following blogs (and I suppose when the latest fad seems to be obsessing over following every blog you can, always commenting on every post etc., it takes some balls to write that and post it online, on a fashion blog no less). A most authentic answer.
Thanks for the mention, Arash! So nice of you. And I’m super flattered that I register on your radar since you don’t use a reader. I didn’t for a long time…but when I finally did commit, I found it so useful.
I’m the same as you…I don’t tend to follow the massive blogs with the masses. I’m more interested in the small operations, because I enjoy the interaction. I’ve never been a fan club kind of person in real life, never was part of the “in” crowd, so I guess I’m still being me!
Have a great weekend! Oh, and your Links a la Mode question will be answered in a post on Monday. Thanks for inspiring it.
••V••
http://www.gritandglamour.com
@gritandglamour
Man I just wrote a long comment. I hope it didn’t disappear!
••V••
http://www.gritandglamour.com
@gritandglamour
What fantastic answers. It just goes to show how being authentic, original, and personable will really make you stand out.
I like the method to your madness of not “following” blogs. I do think the interaction with readers is more important than the numbers. It makes me so happy to see the number of comments go up even if half of them are my responses. I care about that number much more than the number of followers. I will admit that I will probably do a little happy dance whenever I hit 100.
What a great post! I always enjoy your responses. I added you as one of my shout outs by the way.
I like your approach to bloglovin…and creating blog posts for posterity!
Well said, well said….finding a blogger who values quality content and authenticity is so refreshing.
I think social media, as a whole, has become so focused on that significant number that as a society we forget about building meaningful relationships. I think it is wonderful that you value that interaction and value the community component. I known, I am guilty, for not maintaining consistent interaction which I strive to improve,hope when I graduate with that Masters degree then I can focus my efforts to more fun things like blogging and blogging networking.
But like you authenticity,amazing content and creating relationships meaningful is priceless.
-Madeleine
ahhhh!! thanks for the shout-out dearest Arash!!! I agree with you and your “following” philosophy…I only go back to blogs with which I can have a sort of discussion, that I feel value a comment or just a visit. And personality makes come back too, if a blog feels too much like a fashion magazine then what is the point? I love “hearing” a personality coming through, a personal style and a difference that will make me remember the site and go back to it. That’s why I come back to yours on a regular basis
Thanks for all the comments guys!
I have 300+ blogs on my reader but the ones that I comment on are mostly the ones that i interact with via twitter on a regular basis. I agree blogging is about interaction and community. I dont comment on the superblogs except for tamu of all the pretty things but thats only cos we have our regular chats on twitter and we genuinely get on
Hmmm. I can see what you mean by putting on your serious hat. It is truly hard to be yourself and not try and follow the norms….I find it especially true for even outfit bloggers….while majority of the bloggers are raving about the newest it thing……it’s hard not to give in and stick to what looks good on me or applies to my lifestyle.
I am going to go and read your jumper post now.
Look forward to hearing from you
Love
Tashrin – A Toronto based personal style blog
Hey, just read your post, thanks so much for the shout out!
These Friend Friday post are a fun read, it helps to get to know you from a different side.
I can definitely tell that you do stay true to what you want to write about & I consider that a valuable quality. So, keep up the good work!
brunetteblogging.com
I really love your FBFF!! I agree with you, I dont really follow the mass blogger, I read them here and there to find inspiration, especially when they post fashion week, other than that I really like to connect to niche of my blogger reader and if I get closer become one of my blogger buddy!! It is so much fun that way
<3
http://reserveradefashion.blogspot.com
Great insite to another bloggers mind. I think it’s important to keep what is real to you and your blog. I agree that you should be true to your blog and yourself, that you can’t always follow what everyone else is doing and if you are going to do something that other bloggers are doing you need to have other things in your blog that is specific to your blog and that can stand out amongst the rest. I think you have an interesting approach to blogging and reading blogs. There are plenty of blogs I follow mainly for inspiration and to interact with other bloggers.
http://fashionistanygirl.blogspot.com/
Very interesting post. I would say that you can identify authenticity within a blog simply by seeing if their content is true and real, not just ripping off someone elses post, and if they credit others when using their content.
Nesha x
As I was reading this post, I was nodding my head and thinking of things I wanted to say in my comment, and then was so flattered to see your shout out at the end. Thank you!
That said, I too can be a rubbish blog reader at times, getting wrapped up in a million other things, and then playing catch up to see what my favorite fellow bloggers have been up too. {I apologize for this!}
I think being authentic is the most important part of blogging by far. Your voice, your opinions and your style should all be your own, it is your blog after all. If you try to be someone you’re not on your blog, eventually your readers will see through it. My bf suggested recently that I consider taking photos of a few different outfits on a weekend day so that I wouldn’t have to worry or stress about taking photos every day. He couldn’t understand why I wasn’t okay with that idea, even after I explained that while yes, my readers wouldn’t necessarily know, I would, and it’s very important to me to stay authentic, only posting outfit photos of outfits I actually wore, not just threw on for an hour to take some pictures. As silly as it may seem, it’s something I’m proud to stand behind, and if that means some days I’m not able to post an actual outfit post, so be it.