Friend Friday: Blogging Events – Staying True or Jumping on the Bandwagon?

In case you ladies haven’t noticed, the winter edition of Kendie’s 30×30 challenge is in full swing this week.  Besides the abundance of posts from the many fashion bloggers that took part in this challenge (including me!), there has also been some debate as to the real intentions behind this challenge.  While some see it as a great way to remix their closet, others feel that bloggers are just jumping on the bandwagon to garner some type of fame or just because everyone else is doing it.  I can see where both sides are coming from and in doing so, makes me sit back and look at the reasons why I joined.  This is what I came up with:

• I’m in a style rut.  A bad one.  I’m recycling the same four or five pieces of gear all the time and whenever I get bored, I run out and go shopping.  Doing this challenge will not only force me to shop my closet (which I never really do), it will also keep that shopping money in my pocket.
• Fulfilling one my blog resolutions.  For 2011 I wanted to incorporate more outfit posts into my blog.  Not only does it inject more of my personality, I also want to show that us curvy girls can dress our butts off too!
• I need a challenge!  Blogger burnout can creep up when we get stuck in our blogging routines.  Doing this challenge not only has sparked some incredible excitement it has also tickled my fashionably creative part of my brain that hasn’t been getting used often.

 

In case there’s any doubt that I’m jumping on the bandwagon, you can dismiss that.  At this point in my blogging life, I’m feeling more comfortable than ever in my writing skin.  I’m learning from some fabulous bloggers out there and making sure I stay true to myself along the way. I’ve been putting myself out there more and more this past year and always felt like a part of the blogging community, events or not.

So after that novel of introduction, here are my responses to today’s Friend Friday questions!

 

With all the blogging events out there how do you determine which ones to participate in and which ones to avoid?

When it comes to choosing which blogging events I will or will not participate in, it all comes down to whether or not I personally want to participate, if it’s feasible to participate given my editorial calendar, and if follows the focus of my blog.

Be honest, have you ever jumped on the bandwagon of some blogging movement/event for the wrong reasons? How did that turn out?

To be honest with you, the winter edition of 30×30 is the first time I’ve ever participated in a large scale blogging event/movement.  When I started blogging over a year ago, I was really just feeling my way around the whole blogging concept, especially when I was extremely fortunate enough to start working with brands early on.  I was trying to find my purpose, my niche, my own little part of the blogging world.  In the beginning I didn’t engage with the community nearly as much as I do now, so a lot of events/movements that were going on I simply didn’t know about!  The latter half of my blogging experience (last summer), I joined FBFF as a way to get more involved in the community and I’m now learning about everything that’s going on.  I didn’t join the 30×30 challenge last Fall because I wasn’t ready equipment wise and I was involved in my own project that was taking up my blog time.

How do you give your own flair to a blog event while still maintaining the general mission and purpose?

It’s all about keeping my blogging voice.  When I introduced my collection I let my readers know that this was my first time doing this challenge and shared my excitement (as well as my concerns!).  So they know it’s going to be a newbie experience for me as well as my blog.  I’m still going to overuse words like “awesome” and “ladies” and admit, like I did in Wednesday’s post, when I’m not feeling a particular outfit I’ve put together.  I even stayed trued to my Tonboy ways and included my Reeboks in my picks!

 My original intent of my blog from day one was that no matter who you are, what size you wear, or how big (or small) your wallet is, there is no reason why you can’t be fiercest and most awesome person you can be.  Doing the 30×30 challenge will show my readers you can create some slammin’ outfits – from right inside your closet!

When determining the best content for your blog what criterion do you keep in mind?

I have two main criteria, or questions rather that I ask myself when it comes to determining my content:

•  If I wasn’t blogging about it, would I still talk about it?
• If I wasn’t blogging, would I go out and get that piece of clothing, buy that beauty product, or visit that spa if my finances allowed?

There was a time (especially in the beginning) that I wanted to cover any and everything.  Not only did it drive me absolutely nuts, I was losing the original purpose of my blog and why I was blogging.  So I took a step back, developed those questions for me to ask myself whenever I come across a story and the answers determine whether something makes the blog or not.

While everything will not suit your blog, how do you try and support your fellow bloggers who are participating in something worthwhile but not your style?

That’s easy – keep engaging with them the same as I would if they weren’t doing a blog event.  When I didn’t participate in the Kendie Challenge last fall, I still visited those blogs and commented on the outfits I liked and commend them on taking that type of challenge on.  I always keep an open mind and admire people that do things that I don’t or wouldn’t necessarily do.  As long as they stay true to themselves, I will always be a fan!

Ok, I’ve talked waay too much! What are your thoughts on the 30×30 challenge or any blogging event for that matter?  Do you think it’s all about being part of the crowd or developing yourself as a better blogger?
If you’re interested in joining the Friend Friday fun, head on over to Modly Chic to find out the details!

 

Photo courtesy of:  blog.bioethics.net

Posted by MJ on February 4, 2011

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