The plus size community seems to be at antsy with itself lately and it is a sad thing to see.
Bloggers are being accused of various things to include: peacocking about working with brands, having too many gifted items on their blogs, always going on about going to events and generally saying that everything is "gorgeous" as long as it is free. They are also accused of encouraging consumerism and killing fairies. Ok, not the last one, but such negatively towards people in the same community as yourself makes me rant a little.
Bloggers are being accused of various things to include: peacocking about working with brands, having too many gifted items on their blogs, always going on about going to events and generally saying that everything is "gorgeous" as long as it is free. They are also accused of encouraging consumerism and killing fairies. Ok, not the last one, but such negatively towards people in the same community as yourself makes me rant a little.
I properly started blogging about fashion about a year and a half ago. I started because I caught sight of Becky's blog, saw all the fabulous, colourful and fashionable clothes that she was wearing and her awesome attitude and thought to myself, I want a piece of that. Not the free clothes, the confidence and her attitude.
The number of plus size fashion blogs I read grows on a daily basis. I don't pick and choose based on their brand interaction, I chose on the basis of if I find their blog interesting and also the kinds of clothes that they wear. Seeing how clothes work on different bodies is extremely helpful to a plus size person and also seeing someone wearing something that you would not have dared to, encourages you to be a little more adventurous and jump out of your comfort zone.
One of the unexpected perks that has arisen is that occasionally I get opportunities from brands in order to review clothes or maybe attend an event. This isn't something I expect or court, but when it does happen, it is obviously extremely exciting. When I see other bloggers doing similar things, I feel happy for them also.
The biggest perk I have gained from blogging though is this: I am so much more than the shadow of the person that I used to be. Fashion blogging has completely changed my life. I am no longer hiding and I wear the clothes that I want to, not the clothes that I "should".
Someone said on Twitter today that wearing clothes doesn't give you confidence, but they are wrong. Fashion can take you out of your safe place, which often can be the very place that you are hiding in, and into places that you could never dream of.
The other bloggers in the community continue to inspire me and I draw my own confidence from them. I don't care if the clothes they show are free, paid for, stolen or borrowed, what makes me continue to read their blogs is their confidence and their friendliness to others.
The plus size community has always been a supportive and friendly one and it is a shame when discomfort arises because some work with brands and others don't. Blogging is hard work and time consuming, especially if you are working too, or have children, or both! If someone gets a perk from doing their blog then well done to them.
I love writing my blog, both my opinion posts and my fashion posts. If I stop loving it, I'll stop, simple as that. If you don't kind reading someone's blog, then don't read it.
This is just a little of my perspective, but I urge you to check out Hanna's post and Leah's post
*Edit
Having read Gina's comments on the Facebook feed
*Edit
Having read Gina's comments on the Facebook feed
Love this post #justsaying xx
ReplyDeleteDamn straight the right clothes can make you feel confident. If that weren't the case we'd probably all still be in our birthday suits. Maybe those who don't see the appeal of great clothes just don't 'get' fashion? I mean, each to their own and all that. For me, wearing something I feel good in is empowering. That and a bit of red lippy and I can face the day. x x
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you- clothes / fashion can give you confidence! The right outfits sure make me feel a million times better about myself, and blogging has transformed me in to a much more confident person! It really is a shame that there's so much jealousy and rivalry around at the moment. The bloggers who get 'freebies' and invites to events work pretty damn hard to get there, and they deserve it! I don't think some people realise how much hard work bloggers have to put in day in and day out, and how much work they do in exchange for those 'freebies'. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for the mention love. I'm really sad all this is going on. None of us are perfect and we all have opinions and feelings and sadly, it would seem that when people voice those someone, somewhere will take offence. Which is too ok, because that is their feelings. But the fact we can't seem to accept that, is the problem. People are taking things as personal attacks and everyone is getting on their high horses and it seems to be escalating. We're not all going to be friends, that's not natural, you wouldn't expect to be friends with everyone in a big work or school environment, so why everyone thinks we should be all pally pally in the plus size community is beyond me. But what we could do with, is to be accommodating, understanding and enjoy the conversation and challenge.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. I think you'll find most people agree with you and I wrote about it in a ranty post myself recently. In fact I think I might have caused a lot of shouting in the first instance. I suppose I'm just not someone who likes to let other people cause others grief without mentioning it.
ReplyDeleteIt might be wrong to do that but I guess I can't change the way I want to battle the bully instead of thinking things go away by ignoring them.
xx