Dear Internet Friends,
I know when you see an entry from Miss Plumcake; you expect to be several things. Funny, yes. Fabulous, of course and ultimately –although I have been known to exaggerate for effect on occasion– truthful. Thus it’s with heavy heart that I am compelled to admit that recently I have failed to live up to those standards. What follows is not easy, and it’s not funny, but it must be said.
It is the policy of all Manolo blogs to give impartial reviews and to not accept incentives or gifts from those seeking favorable reviews. I am sad, not to mention ashamed, for having violated that policy. It is only on condition that I make a public disclosure and apology that Manolo is letting me continue my tenure as an editor at Manolo for the Big Girl.
A few weeks ago I was contacted through my personal email (given out, no doubt, by a colleague who knew me from my relatively public newspaper job) by Joy Yaupassan, a marketing coordinator for Crocs, Inc. Ms Yaupassan offered to send me samples of their entire new trendy line for consideration, in an effort to reverse what she described as “unfair stereotyping by the fashion industry to which we both can relate.”
Last Tuesday ten pairs of shoes arrived to my home address with two more arriving on Wednesday. Tucked inside each pair, along with the standard promotional material, was a Visa gift card for the shoe’s equivalent value (appx. $33.42 per pair) with the instruction to use these cards if I didn’t find the Croc brand to be the most comfortable I’d ever worn.
I am ashamed to admit that I did not return or cancel the gift cards, which I should have done as an impartial journalist, instead I featured a carefully-crafted review done in the Plumcake style of the Celeste Canvas Crocs, and, had Ms Yaupassan not copied the Manolo on her thank-you email to me yesterday evening, I have no doubt I would have used the cards.
Please forgive me, and know that the responsibility lies completely on my shoulders. Francesca, Twistie, Spiritfingers over at Ayyyy! and all of the other Manolosphere contributors whom I still hope to count as my friends, had nothing to do with this incident. I hope my poor judgment doesn’t negatively color your views as readers on what I still regard as the finest humor and style blogs on the internet.
Sincerely,
Plumcake
Editor
Manolo for the Big Girl
Hmm, good eyes, meimei. C’mon, guys, it’s April 2nd now … time to come clean.
Comment by Melissa B. — April 2, 2008 @ 6:12 am
Nice work, meimei!
Comment by Ginger — April 2, 2008 @ 7:31 am
Plumcake-
That couldn’t have been easy to admit. I don’t think you did the right thing, but I can understand. Shoe sway is difficult to overcome.
On a related but unrelated note, I was recently told by a doctor that I needed to cease going barefoot EVER and wear either Crocs or Birkenstocks. After a review of Zappos.com, I determined that the Celeste by Crocs was indeed not heinous and purchased a pair. Alas, they were comfortable. I am dismayed to say I will very likely buy another pair.
Yes, what you did was wrong, but you were a big person and admitted it. If the Manolo can forgive, I can too.
Comment by Isay — April 2, 2008 @ 11:24 am
1. You didn’t have to tell.
2. If you are taking a dive, do it for a real shoe not tires for the feet.
3. Crocs should have had a longer patents since the market is saturated with Crocs and look alikes. No matter how ugly, people are still buying and wearing them and not just for gardening.
4. Do a give away for the cards and shoes! Donate it to a local silent auction or something similar.
5. I’m sure us readers will be happy to Freecycle those Visa gift cards for you :-)
Carry on!
Comment by Roberta — April 10, 2008 @ 7:51 pm