Ahhh, skinny jeans… we wanted to buy into you. We wanted the promise of “skinny”. We saw you everywhere, so clearly you must’ve been awesome, popular, and oh so worth it. But why oh why were the majority of us just left feeling… uncomfortable.
If you’re active in the social media scene, I’m sure at some point lately you’ve read a post, or a tweet, or facebook status by a blogger asking you to vote for them for… something. All you have to do as a loyal friend or reader is visit whatever website has nominated them, and click the “vote” or “thumbs up” next to their name. And you can even vote once every single day.
These “contests” are different than Top Fifty lists that are put together by actual editors of an online website. Those are opinions of the editors or committee and those bloggers are chosen by a number of factors. I’m talking about the contests that ask the public to decide.
I did one of these once, and I can’t blame bloggers for getting caught up in it. Who doesn’t want to be recognized for their writing, and opinions, and time and effort? Only about 5 percent (completely made up statistic) of bloggers are actually going to make a living at it, so why not get a little pat on the back every now and then? Who wouldn’t want to make it on the list of Ten Funniest Bloggers?
Top Twenty Daddy Blogs?
Hot Housewife Bloggers?
Most Fashionable?
Top Ten Bloggers Who Have Shoulder Length Hair?
Most Popular Female Satirical Bloggers Who Own Chickens?
It’s getting out of control. I’m starting to get the skinny jean feeling about it. You know, lots of hype, made to look good, wear it with anything, everyone then wants in on it… and only very few benefit. These websites that nominate bloggers (or let bloggers nominate themselves), are just using bloggers to pull in traffic. A majority of these contests are held on websites with no real significant cache or exposure, and if everyone on a list of 100 bloggers gets fifty people to visit every day and vote, that’s huge traffic. The website gets lots of clicks – the blogger gets nothing.
Bloggers end up hounding their friends and family for votes. It often escalates into a barrage of tweets and updates begging for everyone to go vote EVERY DAY. But unfortunately, the prize for making it to the top of one of these lists is most often nothing – not even a little spike in website traffic. If it were a contest where the winner wins a good amount of cash, a contract, a job, or a large donation to a charity – that would be a different story.
Plus, a blogger that watches their name rise and fall in one of these “popularity” contests often starts to feel less and less, well… popular. Just like squeezing into those skinny jeans can make one feel much less skinny. The top three bloggers on that list look awesome – everyone else looks like a loser. The supermodel population looks great in skinny jeans – the rest look like sausage.
And let’s face it, begging every single day for people to vote for you can make you feel icky. Much in the same way that sitting or crouching in skinny jeans does for your gut and crotch.
If you’re not already popular, these contests do nothing for you. The A list blogger can mention briefly ONCE that they were nominated for this or that list and soar to the top. There’s also that small percentage of people that can slip into skinny jeans, pair it with a relaxed but flattering top, the right pair of calf high boots and look stunning. The rest of the population is left trying to be trendy while hiding their muffin tops, tugging at their camel toe, and staring at their mary jane flats wondering why their ankles look so small while their feet look so big.
A lot of bloggers are starting to catch on.
So let’s hope that these popularity contests, just like skinny jeans…
are already going out of style.
I love the analogy to skinny jeans (which I’ve always hated as they make me look anything BUT). I have the same thoughts about these popularity contests which are not based on merit at all. I see the top 10 and wonder, who are they? I visit some and think, why are they top mom blog when they write er, crap? How is it this one is ‘funniest’ when I don’t go away laughing? I don’t vote anymore for these things, nor do I ever want to get involved in one.
(I am involved in one weekly link up where fellow bloggers are asked to link up on one site, read other blogs, then vote for their favorite each week, but to me, that’s different, as I feel it encourages community and gets a small blog out there read. I met loads of awesome people that way.)
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..Parents Are the Best Teachers
Yes – the link up sounds like community engagement. That’s a little more like relaxed, boot cut jeans… Ahhhh…
Boot cut! hahahaha!
OMG this is way too true. I was guilty of doing a few of those myself, but now I have stopped because I know how annoying it is to beg people to vote every day.
The Mommyologist recently posted..No, I’m Not Preggo. I Have My Effin’ Period, Ok?
Thank you for saying this.
I hate these contests and feelings pressured to have to go vote for them by my friends for these silly contests that don’t mean a thing.
Chloe recently posted..Save the Planet! One Shrimp at a Time
I won’t ask for votes for those things. I guess I’d be tempted if it was some weird situation where I was in second place and the prize was a million dollars. But, just for the sake of being on a list? No, thank you.
shell recently posted..Wine and a Good Cause (Twitter Party)
Jenni,
I may be the only person in the history of the world who has NOT gotten nominated for these damn contests. So I’m not even popular enough to warrant a freaking nomination:)Fuck it…I’m too cool for school anyways and way too fucking big for skinny jeans. Damn skinny jeans would cut me in half and leave me bleeding on the side of the road, much like these popularity contests. I would however like to get an honorable mention or something on one of those damn top 50 blog lists like ( ahem) some people I know:)LOL Alas,I will hold steady in my state of anonymity…or is that anemone? I can never remember, see that is part of the problem. This is part of the problem no one sees the pulchritudinous in my blog (aside from you), that and the fact that I ramble on..in fragmented trains of thought in opposite directions.:) Oops, I did it again. I think the skinny jeans may be cutting off the circulation and causing a lack of blood flow to my brain. Must go now…am dying slowly from unpopularity and skinny jeans. Going.towards.the.light…… XO
and this concludes the Truthful Mommy ranting Monologue. Scene. curtain.Lights.
Truthful Mommy recently posted..The Mommy Resume
… and bow.
*standing O*
I believe it was my second year blogging…I wanted the award SO bad that I actually nominated myself and thought no one would be the wiser. But then I realized people COULD see who nominated me…and that it WAS me. I felt so stupid that I stopped pushing my votes altogether. #oops
Mama Kat recently posted..Writer’s Workshop: If I Didn’t Have To Work
You can pry my skinny jeans from my cold dead hands.
But I hate those popularity contests. Those totally make me feel gross, whether I’m a participant or a voter. I think we all feel a little dirty afterwards.
Mandy_Fish recently posted..The Science of Bad Kissing
You skinny jean lover! The “people on the TV” tell me they’re going out of style… Whatever will you do? I shall nominate you for best ass in skinny jeans blogger. Send every one you know to my blog to vote.
I am guilty of asking for vote but the last time that I did it, it left me with such a bad taste in my mouth that never again will I do it. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to be on one of those Top 50 lists.
(Never going to happen but a girl can dream, right? Just like I can dream of one day wearing skinny jeans)
Jen recently posted..The Goal: A Healthy Relationship with Food
I think everyone goes through this at least once…we whore ourselves without really thinking about it and then later we’re all “wait…did I just do that!?!” It’s like a regretful one night stand…felt good at the time but then you sobered up.
Not that I would know.
Mama Kat recently posted..Writer’s Workshop: If I Didn’t Have To Work
Haha! Yes – total one night stand feeling… Not that I would know either.
I can’t wear skinny jeans. They make my legs look weird.
I’ve never won a contest like that. I was in a top 100 and that was cool but I believe that was about it..
Dude. Just look at The Clash – they never won anything.
Wise words from a scripted 10 year old. Yah, School of Rock.
EFF THE CONTESTS! HA-ZAH!
Lady Estrogen recently posted..Milking the Moo Cards
Thanks for clarifying, Jenni. I’ve been curious about those lists. And starting to feel a little bad about not being nominated for ANYTHING! I thought that maybe it was because I was short, had dark hair or *horrors* was divorced and remarried with a literal red-headed stepchild.
I feel so much better now. I’m going to find my old Levis and see if I can still fit in to them.
Jen@Life’s Dewlaps recently posted..Short Order Mother
I have voted in many of these contests for my friends on twitter. Not really sure what the point is them. Pretty much people begging for votes which doesn’t necessarily mean that their blog is good or not.
this is why there are pajama jeans.
and why i wear no pants.
nic @mybottlesup recently posted..claustrophobic block
I vote for this post as best anti-popularity contest post! I hate anything to do w popularity contests. Because I never win. This is so true.
Thank you! As a reader it’s exhausting to keep hearing about the contests and voting, blah blah. I hated the popularity contest in high school, skinny jeans were not made for my body, and I hate the blogging contests now!
Kimberly recently posted..An Old Rocker
Shit. I’m wearing skinny jeans right now.
Minky {moo} recently posted..Standing Tall
With a baby only a few months old? GET OUT!
Thanks so much for writing this! I HAVE been seeing them all over and am kind of like, “really?” Plus, truly, I have a big enough challenge keeping up with my twitter stuff, blog reader, own blog, oh yeah and my real life too t0 keep up with popularity contests.
I feel much less pressure to conform now that you’ve written this.
Missy | Literal Mom recently posted..Ask Literal Mom – When is My Child Ready for a Cell Phone?
I hate skinny jeans but I’d wear them if I thought it was funny…which is why I once nominated myself for hottest mommy blogger. Me? Hottest anything? Hilarious.
Great post & I totally agree about the editor lists vs popular vote lists. I take a lot more stock in the editor lists because they chose them for a reason & their own reputation is on the line if something they recommend is utter crap.
Dana K recently posted..Urban Hens & the Women Who Raise Them (Guest Post)
Oh, did I learn my lesson with this when I was a brand new blogger: I was 1 of 5 finalist trying to win a blogging gig at the Winter Olympics. Didn’t win, & hated that I was pimping out for votes. First and last time I do that.
I looked horrible in skinny jeans!!
Kelly recently posted..Finding Peace with Just Be Enough: Wordful Wednesday
Hate skinny jeans. Love this. I’m so nominating you for the “Best common sense, down-to-earth blogger who brilliantly worked in camel toe reference without grossing me out” list.
You’re going to win for sure!
Ash recently posted..A Tale of Two Sons.
funnily enough,I got an email that someone nominated me for something or other, so I go visit…and really? there’s no way I’m going to win unless I go door to door begging for votes..and that really cuts into my sitting on my ass time…so no thank you…
But because I don’t want to look like an ungrateful bitch, I posted the button for all to see and mentioned it once in a footnote…
and there you go…
because this chick? isn’t in middle school anymore and I don’t have time for these…
good post
Not a Perfect Mom recently posted..Wordless Wednesday Brookie Style
ack … guilty …
on this damn babble list and i know its stupid, and i know its for page views and i know it doesn’t mean a damn thing …
BUT, there it is, at 11, hoping to finish up in the Top Ten and then honestly, will take out the person who nominates me for this bullsh*t in the future.
and my kids think its cool.
Just call me shallow til the damn thing is over – it will end right?
By Word of Mouth Musings recently posted..Just be Yourself. Wordy Wordless Wednesday
A babble list was my guilty one too. The thing is – I love Babble! But I felt icky afterward, and even after finishing at the top, realized I didn’t get much in return.
I also have skinny jeans in my closet. Doesn’t mean I don’t look like sausage in them.
My camel toe will be in fashion for years and years.
MommaKiss recently posted..Help. I feel like a maroon.
I did it once.
When I first began blogging.
Won’t do it again…felt like I was such a pest.
VERY NEEDED POST.
Thank you.
xo
Alexandra/The Empress recently posted..A ScaryMommy
I’m guilty of doing it a few times, but I’ve kicked the habit.
I just replace the defining descriptor in the title (like “Daddy Bloggers” in Top 20 Daddy Bloggers) with the word “Whores.” Like a charm, baby ….
Always Home and Uncool recently posted..Beer is a Many Splendored Thing
Awesome post! Yes, skinny jeans are my nemesis! I did not look skinny in them at all! And I’ve thought the same thing about those contests. There seems to be an increase in those lately, even in the short time I’ve been blogging. I don’t think the best blogs should be decided by how many friends a person has or how often they ask for votes. Though I’ll still vote for my friends.
Grumpy Grateful Mom recently posted..A Heated Debate: One more?
Oh the skinny jeans…how we love what hates us most. They are fabulous on the thin and physically gifted that is for certain.
I have yet to be nominated for any “contests” or anything of that sort but I would think it would give you that feeling of waiting to be picked in a line up of high school kids for the kick ball teams.
For now I shall pass on participating….like I have a choice but whatever. I will keep my dignity in tack. Thanks for the laughs
Amanda | OneMommysThoughts recently posted..A Change of Season, Underwear and Looks Part 2!
i did it once. got so down on myself that my “likes” don’t compare to others, that my traffic doesn’t measure up and that they just plain don’t like me! then i re-focused and remembered why i did this journey to begin with…..to stop the voice in my heads who thinks in blog posts, to document life for my children and to help everyone eat well one recipe at a time (and possibly get my dream of a cookbook one day). to showcase that maybe my choices have not been the wrong ones except for a few haircuts – what was i thinking??? oh and that t-shirt phase…long story. that’s all. and all the people who don’t like me or don’t read me can shove it – cause i’m not going anywhere!!……but thank you very much to those who do!
and in the case of skinny jeans – yes i would love to strut my stuff down the street in an amazing pair and turn heads but the reality is i am 5’9 and i’m a baker not a model. and i can’t help it…i love the look of wide leg better! room to move!
love your words….funniest blogger nomination…i left laughing!
jen recently posted..the art of canning.
Best analogy ever! Written so well, too.
My fav line “Most Popular Female Satirical Bloggers Who Own Chickens?”
Can I vote for you somewhere? wink-wink
Joann Woolley recently posted..I really want to Zumba – Bucket List
I’m not sure if I should be proud of myself or worried that I don’t know of these lists. Or that I don’t know what skinny jeans are.
John recently posted..Where I play out the movie of an unwritten memoir
Be proud… or maybe just lucky. They make skinny jeans for men, but I’m sure it’s a plot to sterilize and keep us from over populating.
Okay just reading this now, almost a year later and they are STILL not out of style. *sigh*
Jessica recently posted..We’re like the Science Center sort of, a little bit
Right? How disappointing.