polkadot scarf Archives - Suzanne Carillo

Would You Rather Be Heard Or Seen?

The Problem With Instagram

That was the question I posed to some of my bloggy friends. I’m troubled over the proliferation of social media and its emphasis on pleasant images rather than authentic commentary. Blogging is on the downturn and Instagram is booming.

More people simply want to look at you than hear you.

As a blogger this is discouraging. The platform is meant for expressing your thoughts and connecting with people. Sure, we can have pretty photos but if the blogger has no valuable information or commentary to offer me other than where they bought their latest pair of shoes, honestly I won’t bother visiting them again. There needs to be some kind of connection whether it be humour, activism, life stories, creative ideas or simple opinions. I need more substance than just pretty pictures.

Yes, of course there are exceptions to the rule, bloggers that are creative geniuses or those that take spectacular photos in exotic places are a source of visual inspiration however I can count those on one hand.

I’ll be honest, I’m not successful on Instagram, possibly because I feel it is mostly devoid of meaningful content. Instagram is filled to the brim with pretty images and quotes. I suppose the quotes are there to make us somehow feel that the time we’ve wasted scrolling through two hundred and fifty images in ten minutes is time well spent.

Am I “connecting” with anyone like that?

would you rather be heard or seen the problem with instagram by suzanne carillo — Thrifted vintage skirt, thrifted jean jacket, thrifted scarf, Aldo handbag, Zara boots.

To me, Instagram is based on photos without meaning and moments without truth.

I’ve never felt any kind of bond with anyone that I “met” and followed on Instagram. In comparison, I feel a certain kinship with the readers of my blog, especially if they comment. We know a bit about each other, we’ve invested some time getting to know how the other person thinks and what is important to them. Also, I’ve met some great real life friends via my blog. On Instagram I’m just scrolling as fast as my thumb will take me.

How does social media enhance my life?

The take away I get from social media is that it is simply a marketing strategy encouraging shameless self promotion and mindless consumption.

Am I missing something important and worthwhile Instagram offers that I haven’t figured out yet?

As far as Facebook and Twitter goes I stopped visiting those ages ago. As an Etsy seller and blogger I continue to have operating pages only because it is expected of me. I post automatically to them via Etsy or Instagram but I don’t frequent those sites more than once every few months. The value of them eludes me.

On Instagram you can leave a heart or hand clapping emojis in a fraction of a second.

It’s faster than reading a blog. People feel they’ve interacted on a much larger scale without investing the time. Is that truly a way of connecting? Are the hearts we receive meant to fill our heart with joy and acceptance? Does it make you feel that way?

I know I cannot force people to connect with me on the platform I prefer.

It’s such a shame because I’d drop all of my social media accounts in a heartbeat.

Blogging is where I can most fully express myself.

Many other bloggers I know feel the same way as myself while others dropped blogging altogether and are now only using Instagram. Certainly the amount of time and effort that goes into a blog is greater than that of an Instagram account.

All of the bloggers I asked said they would prefer to be heard rather than seen.

What about you? Would you rather been seen than heard? Does social media enhance your life and if so, how?

Linking up with Jess over at Turning Heads Tuesdays.

I attended the Toronto Vintage Clothing show with Shelley recently.

You may remember when I did this show as a vendor. I *wish* I could have done the same this year but my helper and main squeeze is on the other side of the world right now so I made due with shopping the show instead.

I know!

Poor me!

Ha!

This was the opportunity for me to pull out all the stops and showcase some of my vintage collection.

I love creating a memorable impression with layers.

Sure this fabulous 1970s lurex dress in gorgeous copper is amazing on its own but I need to prove my styling abilities when I go to a show like this so I added a few pieces and accessories to make it truly mine.

First item was a romantic floral tapestry blazer that I thought I was going to sell but then changed my mind.

Oops! I did it again!

Funny how that happens.

Since I’m a stickler for showing my waist I added a belt.

I should have used that hack with a mini elastic band to catch the end of the belt so it wasn’t flopping all over the place.

Then added a scarf.

This scarf is one of my favourites. Who doesn’t love polkadots?

Only freaks don’t like polkadots.

That’s right. I said it. Deal with it.

Now I’m liking what I’m seeing but there is still something missing. Can you guess what it is?

My main goal is to leave a lasting impression and a good vintage hat tops off the look, literally.

Did you guess correctly?

If so you win a hug from the pug : )

You lucky dog you.

Hats are one of the surest ways I know to separate myself from the masses.

From my many years of working in ice cream parlours I can tell you that this is the difference between an ice cream sundae or a banana split.

One is just so much better than the other.

There is a titch of a Mary Poppins vibe on this outfit but I don’t mind. All I was missing was a massive carpet bag. Although I love big tapestry bags the fibromyalgia hates them so it is strictly small cross body bags when I’m going to be out all day. I save my oversized bags for shorter trips.

Shelley and myself at the show.

Shelley has her posing down to a science.

I need to make a mental note to point my foot out to the side next time and throw my hand on my hip. It accentuates your waist and elongates the body so you avoid looking like you have munchkin legs.

Here is Shelley in action…photographing some of the amazing vintage pieces at the show. Be sure to check out her post on the Toronto Vintage Clothing show.

shelley forest city fashionista toronto vintage clothing show fall 2017 — I was in love with her thrifted 1980s thrifted paisley jacket with the peplum and the “don’t invade my personal space” shoulders. Groovy baby!

The show was great but I found that I was rushed for time and I didn’t make it round to all the booths I’d hoped.

Funny thing was that people were packing up while customers were still everywhere.

This is not a mistake I would have made. It reflects poorly on the vendor and I personally wondered if they were so flush with cash that they simply didn’t need any of mine.

Here are some very quick pics I snapped of pieces I would have snagged had my budget been more robust.

I bought one of the pieces below…can you guess which one?

Here I am showing off just how awful it is to see myself in hideous fitting room lighting.

Scary!

But the dresses are sweet and both made it into my bag.

I made it home without breaking my budget and added five new pieces to my collection.

If you guessed that groovy 1970s shirt with the plane on it you’re correct! That also came home with me. It was too cool and I’d never seen anything like it before. It’s an Italian brand called Nik Nik. The graphics and the colours are wild and will really work with my bright yellow booties.

I would have loved to have taken home that pretty cardigan too but it was well out of my budget.

Two other vintage dresses grabbed my eye at the last minute and are now taking up valuable space in my closet which I will need to share with you another time.

Vintage shows are a blast to attend.

If you get the opportunity to visit one I highly recommend it. There are one of a kind pieces and interesting people abound.

Thanks to Catherine Knoll the organizer for providing entry for Shelley and myself.

Creating A Memorable Impression With Layers & The Toronto Vintage Clothing Show Fall 2017

I attended the Toronto Vintage Clothing show with Shelley recently.

I love creating a memorable impression with layers.

First item was a romantic floral tapestry blazer that I thought I was going to sell but then changed my mind.