I have a confession to make - my name is Marie and I am jealous of The Blonde Salad. {sigh!} I finally said it out loud! They say the first step to recovery is to acknowledge the problem. Jealousy and envy are my problems! There are bloggers who inspire me and who I look up to because I think that they are amazing. But it's different with The Blonde Salad. I feel like I'm in high school again, wishing I were the popular girl because she is everything that I am not. This is so pathetic. I should know better by now. But my jealousy is making me wonder: “Are there bloggers who are there just to make us feel bad about ourselves?”
You may wonder: “Why so jealous?”
I'm not sure but let’s make a list of options and analyze the whole thing!
1. “She is gorgeous.” Chiara – the girl behind The Blonde Salad - is very tall and skinny with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Her hair is always gorgeous – perfectly messy. She reminds me of Blake Lively – a cute blonde with an easy-going personality. No wonder she uses a Barbie as part as her logo.
2. “Her boyfriend is gorgeous” Also true but he is so not my type.
3. “They make the cutest couple” Okay, now I am getting warmer. I must admit that they are damn cute together. How do I know? Because they make cute little videos. Their videos are exactly what you wish your home videos looked like. Chiara and her boyfriend are beautiful, young, funny and in love. My boyfriend and I are really happy and in love but we don’t look like we were cast for a TV show!
They made this video for their 3rd anniversary.
This video makes me hate them even more! :)
This video makes me hate them even more! :)
4. “She is rich” I am not really envious of that. Yes, she does have very nice designer clothes but I am not really into labels. There is one exception though. Last winter she was wearing a Dior sweater that I had just blogged about because I was so in love with it. The sweater was worth around $3000. I still haven’t gotten over the fact that she was wearing it!
5. “She is famous” I don’t want to be famous – too much stress – but I would love to have more readers. I have to say that last week – when she received flowers from Louis Vuitton for her birthday – I was reconsidering the whole famous thing.
6. “After 1 year of blogging, she had 60 000 visits/day” This is what really gets under my skin. Who is that successful?! I have been blogging for over a year and I am happy when I have more than 100 visits per day! Okay, I may not be as cool as her but I’m sure I work as hard – maybe even harder than her.
Have I forgotten something? Oh, yes – that all 6 points are about the same person! Life is so unfair. I don't mean to complain but it's just a fact that life is unfair. Some people are cooler, more successful and more beautiful than others. I like my life – I have a good job, a great boyfriend, and fantastic readers. But when I saw that The Blonde Salad walked the red carpet in Cannes wearing a gorgeous Alberta Ferretti gown– I couldn’t help but sigh and think “You’ve got to be kidding me?!”
Why do I keep reading her blog? I don’t know. Maybe it's because I like to torture myself, maybe it’s like watching an accident happen – you don’t want to look but you do it anyway or maybe I just wait for a sign that she is not that perfect. The mind is a very complex thing!
Now it’s your turn. Who is the blogger who makes you feel like a charity case?
Don't forget to read: Feedback • Jealous [of The Blonde Salad]
- Marie
Photo/Video Credits: The Blonde Salad
You know what? I really get you. So that's why even though some girls recommended me all of these super-famous fashion blogs like Sea of Shoes and Fashion Toast I knew that I won't be visiting them. It's one thing to take them for inspiration, but who am I kidding? I'll never have enough money to afford new Alexander McQueen clutch or Chanel shoes. The reality is harsh - I sometimes don't have enough for Primark shopping. So that's why I stopped visiting these blogs. I do have links on my blog, but that's only because I see from the post titles what they're writing about and if that's interesting I click. Otherwise it's easy to become depressed and just think that "what's the point of my blog, I won't be as successful". It's hard work. Much more harder if you don't have unlimited bank account. But aren't you proud when someone new follows you or comments your post? I think one Follower means to you more than 10 mean for Blonde Salad. :) Chin up! X
ReplyDeleteP.S. And if I want the inspiration I just click on the blogs of the girls who are writing about affordable fashion or buy a French Vogue with the idea to recreate something on a budget.
http://mademoiselle-la-la.blogspot.com/
I understand you. I understand your jealousy, because sometimes, I am also very jealous about some bloggers. But you know what really pisses me off?
ReplyDeleteThat "new" bloggers, the one that just do the easy "copy and paste" from others' work on their blog and have, incredibly, more than 200 visits per day when I get (and as I see, you also) get miraculously 100 per day after working very hard on posts, looking for something different and special.
I understand you, you got me.
We bloggers "of high quality" should stay strong and together, don't you think?
Lots of love xxx
PS: Read this post I blogged a few days ago , dear Marie.
http://mariacarlainwonderland.blogspot.com/2011/05/pissed-off-by-blogosphere.html
Sorry for my awful english, I need to improve it ASAP! ;)
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha! Oh God i could not stop laughing while i was reading this! It is so true...!!
ReplyDeleteI love reading The Blonde Salad and in my opinion, Chiara is exactly how u describe her... who in the freaking world could be more perfect!? The moment i stop reading her blog and come back to reality i think to myself "U need to change your life somehow!"
I think it is not exactly jealosy as a bad thing in this case... 'cause we all, very deep in ourselves want to have a wonderful life like she has. Just take her as an example... an inspiration! I love to check her blog to encourage me to improve mine. I think she may be an perfect example of "Dream big and u'll succeed"... of course with a little bit of beauty and money hahaha...
The other case is Andy, from Style Scrabook. She is incredibly gorgeous and her whole life is awesome...yeah, i admit that i feel i little more simpathy for her just because she is latin hehe...
Trust me when i say it is ok to feel this way... just make sure not to under underestimate your lovely blog. Persevere and u'll get there! :)
Big kiss!
Caro
I understand your point but you know what. I think Chiara tries too hard. I don't think she or her life is really like se shows in the blog. The dior knit you talked was borrowed to a Dior event. Like many clothes she has, borrowed or given. Many blogs write about most of het Chanel and Balenciaga bags being fake and how cold she is in true life. I don't know if it is true but I'll hate to have half of the blogosphere talking about me and my life. Plus she doesn't answer to her followers, she deletes your comments when you say something she doesn't agree and she is too self centered don't you think? Yes, I'm envious of living of part of the clothes and bags and first of all of the travels she's invited to make. But you know what? I prefer blogs like yours.
ReplyDeleteFirst let me say that it takes great courage to come out and admit that you are jealous of someone. Second no one is really perfect although it may appear that way. There are people in life who make me feel that way, but in the end there is something about each one of us that makes us unique. And that my friend is what we have to offer! Dare to be you and highlight what makes you you....we are someone's hero, idol or icon, although we may never hear it or read it I believe it to be true.
ReplyDeleteListen I can't afford half of the items I photograph, but talking, writing and photographing them fulfills something in me, that in the end makes it all ok. I also have faith that one day I will :) PS-I heart the underdog!
Veronica
http://bestofpalmbeachconsignment.com
Pss. after this post I def. wanna keep up with what else you have to say-following you!
ReplyDeleteVeronica
http://bestofpalmbeachconsignment.com
fun blog!!! Don't forget to enter our May 2011 Giveaway to win free marc jacobs beach bag and sketch book at www.reachcouture.com
ReplyDeleteIt's open worldwide!
Good Luck!
Hahahaha this post did make me giggle! I have only been following Blonde Salad for a few weeks and she has a beautiful life. It's ok to be jealous because it is in human nature to always want something that you don't have. I wish I had naturally wavy hair instead of a frizzy lion's mane! Oh, and smaller boobs because big boobs are hard to accommodate with all the beautiful backless dresses and little silky cami tops! C'est la vie. - WMS.
ReplyDeletewww.wardrobeofamillionairestudent.com
Your blog is oh-so lovely <3
ReplyDeleteRegards from Brazil!
Believe it or not, I had never heard of "Blonde Salad" before I read your post!
ReplyDeleteI came here again to respond to your new post. There's so sweet of you to talk to each follower in person. Thank you for that! Sometimes the same happens to me when I'm feeling a bit down. I'm not happy of something in my life and then I see the perfect little life of some people on facebook, always travelling, always buying what they want, no worries just go with the flow. It's hard but it is life and I believe in faith. Not everyone is that lucky but somehow the world will make it up to you.
ReplyDeleteAbout Chiara, good one on the deleting the blog ;) Today I was there and I checked some older posts from the 3 months of her blog. She answered to every single person and she already had like 150 comments per post. So yes, I do prefer you, your amazing badge, your looks that show your fashion sense and you amazing posts here in IFB like this one ;)
Raquel Fernandes
http://bikinipequeninoasbolinhasamarelas.blogspot.com
(I can't login, dont know why..)
Well i have been reading The blonde salad for a past few days and i feel the same as you feel! In fact i think she is just "selling a dream life", that's why people love her blog so much. Plus she is beautiful and looks good in everything she wears, and it's always pleasant to look at her. And another observation of mine is the majority of famous fashion blogs are contain a huge amount of expensive designer clothes and that is the key for success!!! Fashion designers themselves promote them, send them presents, make discounts to them. Louis Vuitton sent to Ciara flowers not because she is gorgeous and has a perfect life but because she wears Louis Vuitton and promotes selling!!! Almost all famous successful fashion bloggers are rich girls and their blogs are the center of their life (She of shoes, the cherry blossom girl, fashion toast, the blonde salad)!!! They all have pretty the same life: Shopping traveling, hardly working or studying etc. It seems like being a famous fashion blogger is a new hobby for rich girls (when the majority of their readers are girls that hardly can afford that kind of clothes).
ReplyDeleteOf course there is a lot of other fashion blogs of more simple girls and less extravagant clothes, but they are also less famous. Its hard to compete with Chanel, Alexander mcqeen, miu miu, balansiaga etc. I like to read these blogs because i love to believe that one day i will also have that kind of life!!!
Keep working on your blog, be creative, interesting, surprising, unusual, unique, outstanding, think out of box and I hope you will succeed!!!!:)
P.s sorry for such a long comment and surely a lot of mistakes in English. I'm going to ask my boyfriend to block the blonde salad on my laptop because i stopped studying and i just read it all day long!!!
thanks for post Katia
Great topic! I am also jealous. Ok I may come off as a bitch here in a second so I'll apologize to The Blond Salad in advance. I just read a blog this morning about getting value out of blogs that we read. When I read The Blond Salad, I don't get inspiration because for one its completely unattainable to the average girl and for two, I find other blogs (even some with less than 100 followers) much more stimulating. Chiara is ok but we're all talking about her here like she's the queen. Its hard to realize through the glitz and high def photos, that she is just another girl like the rest of us with a really awesome job. I look through her blog occasionally but I'm not a follower. Of course there are people who read her blog religiously and really enjoy her content but lets be honest, what happens with anything of popularity? People jump on the band wagon, "I must read it because thats what's cool and if I don't I'm going to miss out." Not true. Be yourself, everyone is taken. Have a lovely weekend, again really great post!
ReplyDeleteYou know what, I am exactly the same as you! I've been thinking all of these things about Chiara for so long but can't bring myself to stop torturing myself and stop following her blog!
ReplyDeleteTo make myself feel better, and I'm not proud of this but hey this is clearly a 'safe place' for Chiara-enviers, I remind myself of her one teeny flaw - she is a little bit buck-toothed. Yep, that's the best I can come up with. And it probably actually makes her a bit more endearing.
But is it just me or are 'perfect' people kind of boring? I prefer my bloggers to be 'different' e.g. Bryanboy / Rumi Neely of Fashion Toast / Amber of Forever Amber.
Ooh I just thought of one thing we can really dislike about Chiara - and it's a genuine reason! She rubs all of her perfection in our faces! And that of 60,000+ other people!
♥ www.blahblahbecky.co.uk
I have never heard of the Blonde Salad before. I just took one look at her blog and immediately closed the window. Bloggers who show off nothing but their expensive clothes are incredibly boring and unoriginal in my opinion. I love fashion, but I think spending 3,000 on a sweater is just ridiculous. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above, but I must add some things. One, it's easy being stylish when you are given things and you do not mind spending rent on a particular shoe/bag. It takes a REAL stylista to style up a $20 dress and $5 accessories. Two, I abhor that website simply because it takes forever to load and is not laid out very well. Three, while I do not know these 'super-bloggers' personally it's simply vulgar to be that vain. Four, I am quite jealous of her incredibly cute Frenchie. ;)
ReplyDeleteChin up, the more perfect it seems, the worse it is behind the scenes.
I totally agree with K Wilk. And also there were a blog Style scrapbook witch was ok at first, but know this girl is so copying Blond Salad and she also want to be a it fashion girl with expensive clothes. These girl do not have a style.
ReplyDeleteI do not know did you watch movie "The Joneses" - recommended.
I just want to say I totally understand you! I was just thinking the very same today! It's just unfair guess... I am even thinking shall I just stop blogging... will see :)
ReplyDeleteXoXo
PLami
http://fashion-thrill.blogspot.com/
Dont be jealous at all!! that girl is a fake bitch..just take a look here http://fashionbloggerswhy.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/blogs-i-like-the-blonde-salad/
ReplyDeleteFirst of all its great that you mention all the above. Kudos for saying it. Most of us pretty much do not admit the part we like or do not like about her blog or whichever blog like hers.
ReplyDeleteBut also the point that everyone chooses what to do its true. I guess she was more original and spontaneous when she started. Now its a product presentation i real life.
:)
It is so interesting that I found this post today because I just had my first encounter with the blonde salad. I just started by blog about a month ago and have had to fight for every comment and she got 60 on her first day! I can totally relate to how you are feeling but i appreciate your honest blog much more than a collage of pictures of possessions she owns :)
ReplyDeletewww.stylekarma.wordpress.com
I'm totally with you. Jealous of every single point you made. I agree with most comments here, how it's easy to be fashionable when you have easy access to designer clothes. I love reading about her life and travels, but envious of it as well...it's a love hate relationship I think. In terms of her popularity, that's the one thing I'm most jealous about. I don't have a fashion blog, but I have experience with websites and web traffic, and I find it INSANE that she had 60 comments on her very first post!!! How does that even make sense? and look at how far she's gotten in two years... it can get anyone feeling depressed.
ReplyDelete@StyleKarma @Anonymous The reason why The Blonde Salad received 60 comments on her first post is because she was already very popular on Loobook.nu and had MANY followers there.
ReplyDeleteSUPER TRUE , ugh I guess its unhealthy for me to read her blog bcuz I'm not like that at all , I live in a caring closed community and I'm accepted and loved here , and I used to feel good about myself . But after I saw chiara I totally hated my self . She's 5'8 I'm 5'5 . She's 55 kilos I'm 77 kilos . She has all that pretty clothes and I do too but not like her . She has readers I don't . She travels a lot and I don't . So once I've built my self confidence she or better to say I've ruined it again . Ugh OBSESSION is so unhealthy for one's mind specially over someone like her .
ReplyDelete