OUTFITTING: Black/Cream/Brown

What a cool new feature, Tracy; I look forward to seeing more outfits! And this ensemble is lovely. You definitely make a great case for black, cream, & brown here.

Outfitting…love it!
I really enjoy your blog.
I’m not a huge fan of change but the evolution of your blog is just wonderful.
Keep up the good work

Good for you Tracy. You did a great job on your introductory feature. It’s always a big undertaking to add a new feature because it’s so time consuming. Food & Fashion = perfect pairing.

Love it!!! Can’t wait to see more!!!

Looking forward to more of this series!

Tracy Shutterbean,

I also listened this morning and I know we’ve already talked about all this stuff and you know where I stand on it all – I really think the blog world is going through a pretty big growing pain right now. I feel like over the last couple years (probably a large part due to professional blogging conferences and such) there’s been a huge shift and everyone is shoulder to shoulder, racing to make a dollar. Well, maybe not everyone. But it sometimes seems that way. There are definitely bloggers who do sponsored posts a hell of a lot better than others, where you read a sponsored post and you don’t even really realize it’s sponsored because it’s still so true to that blogger’s voice/brand, etc (hello, your silk post, your Ghiradelli post) and there are others where you read the post and you’re left eye rolling and slamming your head into the keyboard because the blogger has basically sold out and is trying to sneak some seriously bogus content past you.

I’ve been on the reader-only side now for almost exactly a year — it’s been great to experience such a different perspective, and it’s also made me realize how much things have changed. Sometimes I get frustrated when I see SO MUCH sponsored content, so many c/o’d items, so much pretty-beautiful-amazing-perfect life put out there and I end up feeling like I’ve had the life sucked out of me when I walk away from the computer. Does that make sense? I think it’s the shame spiral feeling you + Joy were talking about. The total opposite of feeling that Pinteresty groovy inspiration kinda feeling when you’re feeling like you’re on top of your game.

Anyhow — I’m going off on a tangent. I really do want to make a couple things clear:

1) I have no problem with a blogger teaming up with a sponsor when it’s a really good fit. At the end of the day, it’s up to the blogger to really KNOW their readers and stay true to their “brand” and be ok with passing up a product that isn’t true to what they do.

2) I read Rhonda’s comment above and really couldn’t have said it better myself. Your voice and your personality really shine through on Shutterbean, and that’s the kind of stuff that sets you apart from the rest. Of course I love your food posts and your photography is always stunning, but I also love that Shutterbean is so much more than a food blog. Everyday life + Friday Lists are always a favorite- I love how you see the world through your lens (and your camera phone!)

3) I am really REALLY proud of you and all your accomplishments – you’ve worked so hard on this blog and your hard works shows + deserves to be recognized and rewarded! You are a savvy business lady and you know what? Some of us aren’t. Some of us are making wacky deals because we have dollar signs in our eyes, and guess what? The reader instantly sees the difference.

4) re: IG. I do think you are onto something about the numbers… the higher the number, the more vocal the crazies get. All the wanty, where’d you get that ___ stuff makes me nuts. Or all the sudden opinions and lack of tact is mind boggling. It’ll be fascinating to look back one day on the effects of things like Instagram + social media + being constantly plugged in. What are we doing to ourselves?!?!?

thanks for opening up the floor for this conversation – I think it’s totally important and one that a lot of us have had swimming around our own heads for a while now.

and LADY! I love the new Outfitting feature and I can’t wait to see more.
XOXOXO