FBFF: Blog Content

This week's Friend Friday (put on by Katy at ModlyChic.com) is discussing blog content and involvement.

1. With all the blogging events out there how do you determine which ones to participate in and which ones to avoid?
I determine which blogging events I want to participate in by feeling it out. Does it sound fun? Do I have what it takes to participate - in other words, do I own whatever clothing I might need to participate? If so, I participate. If not, I don't... or I make do! I absolutely love so many fashion bloggers and I feel like these events help bring us closer. My favorite "blogging event" right now is actually Every Body, Every Wear because it totally gives you an idea of what fashion should be - styled your way for you and your body and sense of style. I love seeing each individual person's take on a single idea. Blogging events are meant to be fun and bring a sense of community to the fashion blogging world - that is exactly why I participate.

2. Be honest, have you ever jumped on the bandwagon of some blogging movement/event for the wrong reasons?
Absolutely not. I actually found out for the first time this week that there are bloggers that have issues with the 30x30... I was shocked. I initially joined the challenge earlier this year because I honestly could not tell you the last time I only have thirty items of clothing to pick from for a day let alone a month. It was a lesson I needed at perfect timing: My closet was stuffed to the brim with clothes that I hadn't worn in years, didn't need or impulsively bought. The challenge showed me not only that I didn't need all of this but also taught me so much about remixing, which is something I am admittedly not the best at. The fact that any blogger would take issue with that is dumbfounding to me. Don't get me wrong, anyone is allowed to have their thoughts on anything. I would never take that away... But please don't assume that I am participating in a challenge to become more popular or that participating in the 30x30 is poking fun at those that only have thirty pieces of clothes. If you want to argue that point, then I guess we could go on further and argue that fashion blogging is poking fun at the homeless who have no clothes? Silly? Exactly.

3. How do you give your own flair to a blog event while still maintaining the general mission and purpose?
I wouldn't say that I have specific flair that is wildly different from any other girl. I mean, I'm a working girl that has to maintain a fairly professional dress during the week and I am cheap. I'm cheap not only because I pretty much have to be but also because I like to be cheap. Thrift stores are my mecca and maybe that is where I differ from a few bloggers here and there. I could honestly say that 99% of my outfits cost under $100, often very much below that. Frugality is my flair. :)

4. When determining the best content for your blog what criterion do you keep in mind?
I try to: keep it real, keep it honest and keep it fun. I'm pretty simple.

5. 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?
If I read your blog, I read because I want to and I like your content/photos/what have you. I would never read something just because it's popular and I would never stop reading a blog because I am not participating in something you are doing. What it comes down to is different strokes for different folks - this is what makes our world go round! Fashion blogging is a community and without support a community will die. That's the last thing any of us should want. Embrace differences and maybe we will all learn a thing or two along the way, eh? I read ALL kinds of blogs, fashion and non-fashion alike, and will totally admit that plenty of them write about or wear things I would never wear/do... but does this mean I won't comment/support them? Heck no. If anything, I love reading these blogs more! Would you have liked your favorite food if you had never tried it? Obviously not. I love to see all different kinds of style as it inspires me and gives me a total sense of admiration for all different women. I feel that style is something we develop and modify over time. What better source to help us do that than a fashion community?

Want to join in the discussion? Head on over to Modly Chic to read the weekly questions, link up and view other participants!

FBFF: Blogger Mechanics

This week's Friend Friday is focusing on all the important "tools" that help us all blog.

1. What technology do you use in blogging? My camera is nice but nothing top of the line - It is a Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS that my mom and boyfriend bought for me for my birthday years ago. I'm pretty sure it could take better photos (especially inside!) if I learned to use it a bit better but I have yet to take the initiative to do so. My camera and I have a love-hate relationship. I love it when I take photos outside - they pretty much always turn out amazing. I hate it when I take pictures inside - they always turn out pretty terrible... but that has a lot to do with the terrible lighting inside my apartment and my lack of know how to work on it.

2. What computer and online technology do you use? I use a DELL desktop computer. Don't even bother asking me what the exact model is because I wouldn't be able to tell you. As for online technology... I think I am a purist. The only image program I use is the free version of Irfanview and I use that next to never... I will sometimes play around with photos in this program or Picnik but I usually end up just using the original version straight from my camera. I honestly change next to nothing about my photos - what you see if what you get. Whether this is a good thing is up to you! :)

3. What is your process for taking pictures? It usually goes like this: Get out of work at 4:30pm and rush, rush, rush to get home and hope that there is still enough light outside to allow me a good photo taken outside. This is what it is like lately: Never happens as it gets dark so early in the day. Thanks, winter. I prefer to take photos out on my balcony because 1.) My camera takes way better photos in natural light and 2.) I like the way the brick looks as a backdrop to my photo. Also, I take all of my own photos. I had my boyfriend take my picture once and I looked like a turd in every single shot because he was either talking to me (so I chatted back) or was making me laugh. I work better as a solo artist - just me and my Walmart tripod. I usually take at least ten photos (usually more) a day, look at each using the Irfanview program, then upload my favorites to my flickr account, which is where I host all my photos. I can't say enough good things about flickr. I've had an account there for years!

4. When it comes to backdrops for your photos what do you consider? Do you scout locations or shoot the same spot daily? I would love to take photos in different spots daily but I'm just not that cool. :) I personally think I'm too shy to take photos in public places, especially when it's just me and my tripod. Plus, I work full time so I don't feel like I have the time to do that often enough anyway. My background of choice? The brick of my apartment exterior wall. Nice and simple.

5. If you could splurge and get one new piece of equipment what would you be buying? A new camera, for sure. I would love to get a new camera as the one I have now is getting up there in age.

What is FBFF? It's a weekly discussion hosted by Katy at Modly Chic. Want to learn more and participate in Fashion Beauty Friend Friday? Click the link and learn how to join in!

FBFF: Outfit Selection

This week's Friend Friday is getting in touch with how we select our outfits. I would say I am semi-organized when it comes to putting together looks... I consider myself smack dab between the "walk into your closet in the morning and put something together" girls and the "I have my outfits planned on a monthly basis in my planner" girls. I take a little bit from each side...

1. How do you determine what you will wear that day? I determine what I am going to wear the night before. I've tried the "what do I feel like wearing today" plan because I actually do prefer to go with what I am feeling on THAT exact day... but it just does not work for me. I end up standing in my closet, ticked off, unable to find the exact thing I am looking for to wear. It always seems to happen that the exact thing I want to wear is waiting to be washed. Of course. SO, that is why it is necessary for me to pick my clothes out the night before. I would never make it to work on time if I did not pre-plan. That being said, I do it on a nightly basis. I typically start thinking about what I'm going to wear the next day around 7pm.

2. Do you plan outfits out in advance for a whole week, month,
weekend? I don't plan outfits for a whole week, month or weekend. It's just not my thing. I've never actually tried doing this, to be honest, but I don't think it would work well for me. I tend to dress in accordance with how I feel... which is obviously not something I can plan on a month in advance (though it would be great if I could). I will admit that sometimes outfit ideas pop into my head and I store them away for the kind of day I would like to wear them - rainy, tired, easy, etc.

3. Do you have any specific way of tracking outfits and items already worn so you don't repeat? Nope. I actually know of someone who keeps an excel list of each item of clothing and the last time she wore it so she cycles through properly. That's much too constricting to me. I will admit that I'm not the greatest remixer on a daily basis, but I'm not AGAINST it to the point where I need to be sure not to wear the same piece twice in any given amount of time. Not my thing. Actually, to be completely honest, I tend to "track" by seeing what is in the wash/what I just washed and just my old noggin. I can remember what I have worn for any given day for quite some time - it's just something I tend to remember.

4. How do you discover new combinations of items in your closet?
(Trial try-ons? Hanging items together?) I generally discover new combinations just by thinking them up... My closet is organized by color so I don't really discover many new combos in there (basically, they're usually arranged the same way all the time). If I am wondering if something works together, however, I do hang the pieces together. One downfall I have is never trying my outfits on the night before though I put them together the night before. This can sometimes create chaos in the morning if the look ends up not going together.

5. To streamline the process for 2011 what is one new thing you can do to cut down your dressing time? Going back to what I just said - I could do myself a good service if I tried on my outfit for the next day the night before when I pick it out. That way I know everything looks good together, feels good and just works. Another big thing I could do is clear out my closet. I've been doing this slowly but surely but I'm not quite there yet. I know there are so many more things I could get rid of but just don't have the heart to do so yet. I'm working on it! :)

Interested in joining in on the conversation? Click here to read Modly Chic's responses and a link list of other fashionable bloggers!

FBFF: New Year, New Blog, New You: 2011

1. What's the one thing you vow to learn or do in 2011 to improve your blog?
I actually have a lot of plans to improve my blog. I've now been blogging for a few months and am feeling the need to include more information such as a link list of my favorite fashionable girls, an actual about me page to help you get to know me, and more. Right now I feel my blog is very limited to outfit posts but would like to provide more lessons in frugality posts and expand on that. Heck, my blog is about frugal fashion but I've yet to really expand on that idea beyond showing you the cheap stuff I wear. I want to take the "you can spend a little but look great" idea and really run with it.

2. What did you learn about blogging in 2010 that you plan to put into practice next year?
I am quickly learning that writing up a few posts each week, before hand, would be helpful for time purposes. I typically write my posts each day. I wear an outfit, come home, take pictures and post about it the same day. This doesn't work out well when I have things to do or am generally pressed for time. Instead of making my blog suffer, I'd like to have some posts in waiting that I can post instead and save the outfit for maybe the next day. Also, I have learned that being involved with your readers makes a huge difference. I love when people respond to the comments I leave on other blogs so I try to do the same thing for my readers! I am thinking about getting the disqus commenting system as it is better set up to respond directly to comments left at a blog.

3. Do you have any high-level goals for your blog in the coming year? Monetization? More comments? More connections with other bloggers? A new template?
I would love to gain more readers. What makes a blog more fun? Readers! I'd also love to connect with more bloggers. I'm about as shy as shy can be so that's always something for me to work on.

4. If you could collaborate with one other blogger within your sphere of influence in 2011, who would you like to collaborate with, and what would you like to collaborate on?
There are so many blogs that I enjoy and that inspire me... I'd love to collaborate with any one of them. I recently saw a few bloggers pass around a piece of clothing and style it each in their own way. I loved reading that and would love to take part in something like it.

5. What do you plan to do to support other bloggers next year?
Comment, comment, comment. And, like I said above, I'll enventually be creating a link list of my favorite bloggers.

Interested in participating in the Fashion Beauty Friend Friday group? Head on over to Modly Chic and join the discussion!