Why You Shouldn’t Believe Everything You Read on Blogs

19 Comments 6 min read
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Sometimes, you shouldn’t believe everything you read or see on blogs. I mean, duh! It’s the internet, full of stories and anecdotes– possibly made up! This, however, is a true story. It is time to get honest about something…
I walked into the West Elm store carrying 6 shopping bags: a Michael Kors, a Swarovski, a Forever 21, a Nordstrom, a Steve Madden, and a Free People.
The cutest staff member from WE came up to me, gushed about loving Michel Kors, and asked if I had had a fun shopping day.
“ERRRRR,” I blushed, “well, this is a little embarrassing…”

I stopped mid sentence; do I tell her?
She leaned forward as I struggled with what to say.
“Well, I am a blogger, and I am working with this mall. I wanted to look like I have been shopping all day, so I brought these bags from home to take the photo with. This Michael Kors bag, I am pretty sure it is from a gift for my Mom for Christmas, it isn’t mine at all!” My face was crimson red now.
She chuckled, “that’s actually a relief, I wondered how bloggers shopped all day and why I wasn’t!”
“Smoke and mirrors,” I replied. 
I walked away, telling myself that I could only look — okay and touch — because this place is out of our budget.
What I am getting at is, what you see is NOT what you get. I may be shooting myself in the foot for a veryyyy long time with this post, but someone has got to let the cat out of the bag! There is this very infamous post going around at the moment titled, “Utah: Lifestyle Porn Capital of the World”. It made me cringe. I also felt terrible for the the victim of the author’s anecdote, both for being ridiculed, and for feeling the need to keep up with appearances. The post made my fellow blogging friends rear back in both anger and fear. 
My non-blogging friends both clapped and sighed, feeling comforted that what was being portrayed on blogs wasn’t true.
Well, it isn’t. But, even so, it is. Stick with me, I will explain.
I wake up every morning for work at 5:50. Sometimes I push it to 6:10. I brush my teeth, wash my face, throw on my favorite black pants, a comfy shirt layered with a cardigan, forget the makeup, and rush out the door with oatmeal in my hand — but sometimes nothing in hand, and I stop for McD’s Egg White Delight — by 6:30 to get to work by 7. The bare minimum is put in as far as getting ready; the most effort that a typical day gets is a braid when my natural hair is just too unruly.
On the day of a photoshoot, prep is a bit different. I wash my hair the night before so that there is time to air dry. I wake up at 9, style my hair for an hour, put on makeup for 30 minutes (sometimes I have the luxury of having someone else style my hair and do my makeup), and get 4-6 outfits hauled into my backseat with a duffle bag of shoes. I mean, I look fresh and clean, but in an hour, I will look pretty mean after having changed four times in a car backseat. The only way to jerry rig a pair of tight jeans on in the middle of the summer with leather seats is with maximum effort. All the outfits are captured in a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon, by a professional photographer, and sent back to me to post for content over the course of 2 weeks. 
Unless I am meeting up with friends or going on a hot date with my husband, I go home, change into my yoga leggings, and curl up to Netflix.
The two are very different snapshots of my life. The one portrayed on my blog and Instagram is often polished, pulled together, and pretty thought out. Every other day of the week, I look like your average teacher or SAHM from Utah (they love their Lululemon active wear)! 
Blogging has brought me amazing opportunities that, yes, if I wasn’t in the industry, I wouldn’t have the luxury to. There are frequent social gatherings. Companies gift items. Payment is made for product to be promoted. Services are comped. The back-end of things is much grittier though. There is a ton of work that goes into keeping the blog and social media relevant, networking, promoting, negotiating, shooting product. What may seem as a life handed to someone, is sometimes quite the opposite.
Even so, it scares me to think that what people see online may influence them to think their lives are not perfect enough. People may see someone they follow and think that their highlights are their everyday. It just isn’t true. It isn’t obtainable (okay, maybe it’s attainable if you are Melania Trump). A lot of the students that I teach know of my social media. When I first had students figuring out about my blog, I was concerned that when they saw me at school in average outfits that they would see through my brand. Then, as I grew more comfortable with the familiarity, I realized something: the kids responded to my real life me and my blog me as the same person. It came to be that they understood that while my blog outfits are fun for going out, dressing up, having fun, they were not how everyday life is. It was because of this realization that I chose to no longer wear makeup at school (with exception to special occasions like yearbook pictures). I wanted the kids to see the real me in life and the real me on my bog, but still be able to differentiate the two. There is a time for brains and there is a time for beauty. Both can get you far in life, but to keep your wits about you is far more important.
So, do me a solid. Next time you see your favorite influencer posting a photo at lunch with a “free” Gucci bag then heading out for shopping, while you are stuck at work, remember this: by the time the picture was taken, her lunch was probably cold, the Gucci bag was probably gifted for trade, she might not actually be wearing makeup behind those sunglasses, and the shopping trip might include empty shopping bags.
Don’t ever think for one second that your life is ordinary compared to someone else’s feed. For every perfect makeup selfie taken, there are at least 10 throwout shots that didn’t make the favorites in their iPhone. 
But, to the dude Mike that wrote the article comparing lifestyle blogs to porn, I’d like to tell you to take it down a notch. The P word is a heavy one. It carries a lot of weight for a lot of people. You may have had excellent click-bait (well done!), but let us all sit back, take a breath, be grateful for what we do have, and remember that if someone’s life looks better than ours, there are two options: 1. wallow in pity that they have everything handed to them or 2. use it to fuel the fire and take action to make our lives what we want them to be.
urban outfit with leather jacket | www.lauryncakes.com
free people jacket and band tee | www.lauryncakes.com
utah fashion blogger | www.lauryncakes.com
band tee outfit | www.lauryncakes.com
street style outfit | www.lauryncakes.com
velvet trends of 2017 | www.lauryncakes.com
balayage hair on brunette | www.lauryncakes.com
best styles to copy in 2017 | www.lauryncakes.com
Photography: Kelsie EmM Photo
Red Velvet Skirt (similar, mine was thrifted)
Beatles Band Tee (in white for $17)
Grey Backpack Bag (similar, mine is sold out)

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19 Comments
  • Laura B @ Walking in Memphis in High Heels
    January 5, 2017

    I have posted about this exact same thing. I have to dress up for work each day, but I would hate for people to think that their life doesn't compare because everyone only posts the "good stuff" on social media.

  • Ruthie Ridley
    January 5, 2017

    Besides the fact that these images are FLAWLESS I could not commend you more for such an honest and transparent post to start the year off with. I think there needs to be more transparency in 2017… loved every bit of this XO

  • Շɬɠɠ™
    January 5, 2017

    Good for you! I'm proud of you for posting this and reminding us all that no matter how perfect someone's life may seem to be, everyone has problems, insecurities and life to deal with. Your photos are beautiful. Love the outfit and your hair…💜

  • Lexi
    January 5, 2017

    This is such a great post and SO, so true. I wish there was more transparency in the blogging world. My pictures are pretty because that's how I make a living, but normally, I'm a hot mess, and I'm proud to admit it. 😉
    xx Lexi, Glitter, Inc.

  • Mirrored Chic
    January 5, 2017

    I love that! Thank you for sharing. Sometimes we get caught up comparing ourselves to others when we really shouldn't. You are gorgeous 🙂

  • Janelle
    January 5, 2017

    Loved your insight!! I don't think people see blogging as a job, they look at it as a photographer following you around & documenting your fabulous life (which is almost always NOT the case). It puts off an air of materialism & makes people aspire to the unattainable. Your transparency helps people understand whats happening in the background better! And your outfit is so fab & I'm obsessed with that skirt btw 🙂

  • Kahana Bigelow
    January 5, 2017

    I love this post!! I do feel that it is easy to get caught up on the images we see and believe that their life is perfect. I try and highlight my hardest moments as well to let people know that behind photos there are tough times, dishes in my sink, haven't vacuumed in a few days, no make up being worn, and countless temper tantrums thrown by my 1 year old! No matter how perfect an image my seem, there is always something behind it! Thanks for your insight! xx

  • Lily Higgins
    January 5, 2017

    The grass isn't greener on the other side. It's greener where you water it! You put so much time and effort into your blog and it shows. Loved this post ❤️

  • Kari Kriewald
    January 5, 2017

    This post is everything and so well-said! Kudos to you for being so transparent and honest. I'll definitely be passing this article along for friends and family to read. Thank you for being you! xo

  • Jessica Ashcroft
    January 5, 2017

    So much yes! You write so beautifully! Love and agree with everything you said. Thank you for being so transparent about your "non-shoot" days (writing this as I'm sitting in sweats and no makeup). It's nice to get dressed up once in a while, but also to be comfy when you need to be!

  • Ashley Hargrove
    January 5, 2017

    So true!! I don't think the majority of people understand that this isn't normally our real life.. Great post!

  • Kayleigh Adam
    January 5, 2017

    This is so true! I feel like people are the first to jump to conclusions about bloggers all of the time!
    http://www.kayleighskloset.com

  • Jenna Colgrove
    January 6, 2017

    What an interesting perspective!!! Thank you for sharing!

    Jenna from http://www.visionsofvogue.com

  • Kasey Goedeker
    January 6, 2017

    Amen sister! I'm so glad you said this! It's so weird hearing people from my hometown thinking I've turned into a snob who has a photographer follow me around daily. We work hard, most of us have real jobs and it shouldn't be a secret!

  • Greta Hollar
    January 6, 2017

    Thanks for writing such an honest post. People rarely think that what we post is specially made and curated for our readers and they don't know what we do outside of blogs and social media. Great read!

    Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com

  • L
    January 6, 2017

    Great, honest post! Social media is definitely everyone's highlight reel. SO good for all of us to remember that.

    Xo, Lauren
    http://www.aloprofile.com/

  • Maggie
    January 6, 2017

    I couldn't agree more with this post! Not everything you see if the reality

  • Gentri
    January 7, 2017

    Thank you, Lauren! This is so much of what I've wanted to say!

  • The Glitter Gospel
    January 11, 2017

    Well praise the Lord that someone had the bravery to do this! I could write a book full of days that I feel completely knocked down when I work and work and still feel like I can never get to the level of other bloggers. It's so important to just hone in one what you are doing, why you love it, and go from there… otherwise it's just too easy to get down and depressed and just want to give up! Kudos!

    xx,

    Lacey
    http://www.theglittergospelblog.com