No I don't have the always perfect manicure with perfect makeup and perfect clothes. I don't have a house which looks like it's come from a magazine shoot, nor a model husband, nor ridiculously cute kids. No not everything I cook looks and tastes amazing.
It got me thinking about the projection of perfectionism in a public platform and I wanted to use this post to demonstrate HOW, in fact, imperfect I am. And no this isn't a 'woe is me please give me positive reinforcement' post either (you can never win, right?)
- I am really lazy when it comes to housework. I pretty much don't do any housework (luckily I've found a guy who loves it)
- I don't remove nail polish even when it's been chipped for a week (refer to previous lazy comment)
- I'm really short and used to have huuuuuuuuuuuge hang ups about it (not so much as I get older but not being able to reach things in the kitchen still annoy me greatly)
- I don't read anywhere near as much as I want to
- My relationship isn't perfect (I've had a few people mention to me they thought it was). We do argue, mostly about aforementioned laziness hahaha
- I shop because I'm materialistic
- I have a lovely assortment of physical ailments which you will know about if you read this blog
- I don't do any exercise. Any. Refer to aforementioned laziness.
- Sometimes I find my taste in clothes are a bit pedestrian but I'm not brave enough to step outside my shell
- I watch far too long mind-numbingly dumb reality tv
Do you read "my life is so perfect" blogs? Why/why not?
To be honest, I don't get intimidated by the 'perfect blogs' but that could be because I'm old, jaded and just trying to keep all the balls I'm juggling up in the air. Then again, I don't read that many too often. When I do, I admire the beauty of the images and the prose and leave it at that. My little 'escape' for the day. Sort of better than reading the trashy gossip magazines, I reckon? Maybe?
ReplyDeleteBut thank you for bringing this up. Good food for thought.
SSG xxx
I think that's a great approach to have SSG!
DeleteI think the reason why they get to me is because I have life envy and it seems they have the perfect life because that's how they're depicting it online. Who knows what their life is actually like??
No I don't read them at all. In fact I can't stand them. I like blogs written by people I feel I can relate to!
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DeleteI agree with you Mandy, I read certain blogs because I feel I can relate to them. I really enjoy reading your blog Kay. It's nice to see that there are some people out there who are very similar to me. And I do get life envy which is why those 'life is so perfect blogs' don't interest me at all..and as soon as i land on one I close it and never return hehe.
DeleteThanks Janice that's so lovely of you.
DeleteI agree it is to do with life envy but sometimes it's hard to remind myself that "this person isn't 100% real, they are just showing you the amazing bits of their life"
"I shop because I'm materialistic" haha I loved this comment.
ReplyDeleteNah my life is perfect blogs are pretty boring
Haha Indi I knew you would love that ;)
DeleteI don't know why you read my blog then because my life certainly is oh-so-perfect...haha. Kidding!!
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand them either. My life is so not perfect. I wish my house looked nicer, I wish I wore nicer clothes, I wish I cared more. But I am happy as me and I am happy in my surroundings so I don't try and fake it on the blog. I mean, don't they meet other people in real life. Do they keep up the 'perfectness' (or fakeness) or does it all tumble down? I don't know.
Great post!
They mustn't meet others otherwise I'm sure the facade would come crumbling down. And I'm not sure I spent facade right. I feel like it needs a 5 underneath the 'c'.
DeleteI don't really read those blogs, unless you're referring to iheartorganization? I swear that lady is a professional organizer or something. Once I did read one of those blog, it was hilarious though as the blogger was "look at my perfect life where I have a man to support me and I don't work/almost" while one of the readers constantly attacked her. XD I got bored pretty fast though.
ReplyDeleteCuriosity killed the cat and I googled "iheartorganization". To be honest I didn't think it was that bad - I see she is trying to help people become organised (or maybe I'm biased because I love organisation). My problem is more with the "look at me, look at my perfect life with my perfect hair, it's all about meeeee" blogs. Not going to name any publicly obviously ;)
DeleteI love that blog, so inspiring. Gosh I'd take a interior designing/organization subject if my college had it! Most blogs I read have a certain focus rather than lifestyle, even then everyone I read doesn't do that. But I'm certain that if I read blogs of people from high school it reads like that - most are traveling the world (trust fund).
DeleteIts strange Kaye, I never view blogs as "My Life is perfect" Because a blog is not their life.
ReplyDeleteThere is always something more than what's shown. Be it arguments, domestic abuse, money troubles, family issues, sickness etc.
What does annoy me though is if they are trying to portray a life of perfectionism (proclaiming their life IS perfect) when in reality, it's not. I thik THAT would annoy me because they are doing it intentionally to try and feel better about themselves so people view them as "perfect" as such.
I think that is an idirect way of trying to make people feel like shite about their own life.
Does that make sense?
I never paint a picture of someones life based on their blog.
I like the fact that you put it out there what you don't find perfect LOL. Ps, I do the nail polish thing too. SO lazy. So bad.
- KK
I know Kara, that's exactly how I feel. No one is perfect, so why pretend to be perfect? To make yourself feel better? To make others feel bad that they don't measure up? I don't know, I just find it unsettling.
DeleteI think a lot of those super perfect human blogs are by bloggers who do it for a living. Take Cupcakes & Cashmere for example, her entire job is to have a blog and look good. So if I got paid to have nice nails (or advertise the brand), nice hair, clothes etc. I'd put in the effort too.
ReplyDeleteI relate to normal everyday kinda blogs, it feels normal seeing that someone has a bad day, bad haircut, bad anything. But then again I would absolutely never talk about my marriage or job in my blog.
That is very very true. "Professional" bloggers always have to seem perfect, otherwise how can they promote brands/items?
DeleteI just think that it must be very time consuming to keep a 'my life is perfect' blog or 'my life has a white background' instagram feed, when in fact that is not the case. Actually I would argue that these people are not in life's moment as they try to shoot their macaron from just the right angle, with latte art as the focal point with no visible clutter in the background. I think I would rather live my life (eat my macaron quickly and drink my coffee before it gets cold). If someone offered to pay me however... well I could wrangle aforementioned life just for show :)
ReplyDeleteI fkn LOVE "my life has a white background instagram" - am SO stealing that!! Judging by your comments I know who you are talking about too!
DeleteHaha - let's just be clear, I was not directing my comment at any one person in particular! I just find pictures of random (designer) objects amongst scattered peony petals a little forced. Sure it's pretty to look at, but for some reason, my thoughts of 'that's pretty' are quickly replaced by severe irritation. I'm not even sure why? Maybe for the same reasons you touched upon in your post...
DeleteHaha, this is great. I often wonder how people have the time to perfectly style their items to photograph them. I just point and shoot and if it looks ok and I want to share it, I do. I don't specifically take photos with the intention of instagramming them. Seems strange to me to 'style' your life for photos.
DeleteGood on you for posting this Kaye ! I love your blog & your realism !! I find blogs like yours much more interesting & relatable :) Hahaha i dont do much housework either, i wish i had that motivations lol
ReplyDeleteHehe glad to hear there are others who have no interest in housework!
DeleteI'm glad you find my blog interesting, sometimes I wonder whether I'm the only one who finds what I talk about interesting hahaha
Love this!
ReplyDeleteRamastar!!
DeleteWill you be blogging again soon? Would love to see/hear about your new Ikea makeover ;)
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