Happy Monday my delicious little pickled herrings, how’s every little thing?
Me? I’m great. I got my beloved brother all married up on Saturday and that was fun, inasmuch as anything in Denton, Texas can ever be described as fun. It was a small courthouse wedding, the bride looked flawless and appropriate and –miracle of miracles– I managed to sit through bad Tex Mex AND the inane ramblings of various family members without any bloodshed which was achieved WITHOUT ALCOHOL through the cunning use of staring at the Real Madrid vs Atlético Madrid match until blood came out of my eyes. Kinda like this.
And do you know what that means? That’s right. A totally gratuitous photograph of Iker Casillas being pounced on by El Guaje (David Villa) who also wouldn’t be booted off the pitch for eating tapas.
Oh Saint Iker, I’d like to observe YOUR feast day, if you know what I mean. sigh.
Right, where were we? Brother got married, Iker Casillas being hot…OH! Right, fashion-y things. The past two months or so haven’t really been fashion-centered and I thought I’d shed a little light.
Doing sales posts are boring and it’s mostly for clothes I wouldn’t put on my body and thus can’t wholeheartedly recommend to you. Since sometimes we make money –a very little bit of money, but money nonetheless– off these affiliates (not all stores are affiliates but some are) it’s a bit of a sticky wicket because it could look like I’m recommending clothes that I wouldn’t personally wear just to make a quick buck. So although there are alley cats and federal lobbyists who can only aspire to my lack of morality in my personal life, professionally-speaking I really try to keep everything above board. It’s a curse, but I live with it.
So that means I can only recommend things I’d let come in contact with my own alabaster epidermis, but when I do post Plumcake-approved items? Complaints galore. Too expensive, too formal, too painful, too protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 blah blah blah. it wears on a girl. Besides, if giant pandas didn’t want to be turned into coats they should’ve picked a less convenient color scheme.
That photo will be my go-to “This meeting is boring, I must think of something else to keep me from going insane” mental image from now on. Thank you, darling Plummy!
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — November 8, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
Now I kind of want a (faux) panda coat. How fun would those enormous spots be?
I do miss your shoe post series, where you would combine shoes with corresponding photos. I don’t remember ever thinking the shoes you featured were outrageously expensive. And the accessories posts are fab, but I’m an accessories person myself, so take that as you will.
Honestly, I think the fashion posts worked best when you did the aspirational items and Francesca covered the more attainable yes/no/maybe items. My personal style is a lot closer to yours, so I could always use what you featured as a jumping off point for something more within my price range/pain tolerance/whatever.
Comment by Emily — November 8, 2010 @ 4:39 pm
Who cares when people complain but then read your blog anyway? They obviously still enjoy the blog, in some crazy way! And don’t forget, complainers tend to be more vocal than happy people. I think most of your readers love your posts.
“I can only recommend things I’d let come in contact with my own alabaster epidermis” Surely you don’t mean literally? I know you’d recommend something that you adore, even if it wouldn’t suit you personally? Otherwise, here comes commentroversy! Remember all the hubbub about “nude” shoes? sigh
Comment by wildflower — November 8, 2010 @ 4:46 pm
@Wildflower: Ah, good question. I mean as in all other things being equal I’d wear myself, not necessarily that which flatters me or rings my particular bell. And I actually do care about it when people complain, because I work really hard to provide a free-to-you service, and it’s frustrating to spend hours of work and have someone complain. If you don’t have anything nice to say, and you don’t get paid for saying mean things, don’t say anything at all!
@Emily: Oh those color studies aren’t gone for good, and I love them too, I just need to be inspired because they take for.ev.er. They’re actually one of my favorite features! Thanks for reminding me about them. You’ve got a good point that back when Francesca was on board she did a lot more street-level clothes which gave me room to put clothes that were actually tasteful and attractive (oh snap!)
@La Petite: Well what can I say, I’m a giver. Congratulations and welcome to the Manolofam by the way!
Comment by Plumcake — November 8, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
Wow, Plumcake. What a sensitive soul. :)
Comment by wildflower — November 8, 2010 @ 6:02 pm
But but but…..she stuttered as a single tear slipped down her alabaster cheek (thanks to Plumcake’s recommendations of Makeup Forever’s Hi Def Primer and Powder) I live in Austin, where people wear Teva sandals to the opera. If I don’t get my fix of high end aspirational fashion tips from You Plumcake, where WILL I get it? Not to mention links to resale Herme scarves…
I mean let em whine! we can’t always reduce our fashion sense to the lowest common denominator. If we can’t afford the good stuff, at least we know what lines to look for in our knockoffs!
Comment by Thea — November 8, 2010 @ 6:06 pm
I’m always a little surprised to hear when people complain about blog postings for any reason – I’ve never been invested enough to get upset about it. To each their own! In any case, I was wondering if you mean quality, too. Speaking as a totally broke grad student who carefully parcels out my clothing pennies, as much as I love the idea of getting expensive pieces that last forever, my body changes too much and I am too poor to really operate that way right now. I wasn’t really ever able to order clothes through the sale posts since I float somewhere in the gray area between standard and plus sizes, but I liked knowing what sales were on even when the recommended pieces didn’t do anything for me.
Comment by Becs — November 8, 2010 @ 6:25 pm
@Thea It could be worse: you could live in Seattle, where sandals with wooly socks, shorts, a tshirt, and a North Face fleece vest is considered a “go anywhere” outfit. My old hair stylist called it the northwest bikini. And don’t get me started on the idiots that wear their Vibram Five Fingers everyfreakingwhere, like they’re some kind of radioactive latex gorilla-people…
Comment by Emily — November 8, 2010 @ 7:14 pm
@Plumcake: Thank you kindly, my dear! I’m humbled and honoured. You’ve written some excellent posts on jewelry here, so I definitely have a tough act to follow!
Comment by La Petite Acadienne — November 8, 2010 @ 7:27 pm
I love your fashion posts, taking a color scheme or cool accessory and suggesting ways to put togther a look. Or showing the influence behind the item. Look, Madame Gres’ style met a snail shell, and here’s a great hat to wear with a plain camel coat. I like to think people can extrapolate beyond a specific garment to do something cheaper but using that idea. ( As a young, poorer professional, I put great shoes with cheap department store sale clothing and people thought I dressed very well. And I wasn’t bitter. I thought I was clever).
So, yes you provide a great service. And I still don’t approve of lynx coats–you take away what you can use.
Comment by Debs — November 8, 2010 @ 8:37 pm
Hey Plumcake, I am sorry the complaints detract from your pleasure in blogging here. And I think wildflower is right that the majority of readers enjoy your posts, and the only a small minority complains. Perhaps those of us who regularly enjoy your posts should comment more frequently!
The panda comment was so funny my husband–who isn’t precisely into shoes, or fashion–is still laughing.
Comment by marvel — November 8, 2010 @ 9:55 pm
I for one love your taste in clothes, and soccer players. Keep it up and post any damn thing you want. It is your blog.
Comment by Klee — November 8, 2010 @ 10:48 pm
I’m with Klee. Come now, Plumcake! You have readers. You have opinions. You have readers BECAUSE you have opinions, and censoring yourself because of complaints can be a mistake in the writing bidness. Complaints are like white noise: they are constant, and the key is separating the complaints that have merit (like the well-deserved blowback at Marie Claire) from ones that don’t (e.g., you should write about stuff that I can buy because it’s about me.)
I’m not sure why people think it’s your job to figure out what’s affordable for them and post accordingly. Maybe you have one of those neat-o mind-reading machines like Professor X? If so, can you tell me what my niece wants for Christmas?
Manolo never gives in to the demand on his page about what he should and should not post in terms of expensive shoes, and I’m glad he doesn’t. He has his voice, he has his interests, and he’s stuck with those over the years, and his blog remains a fun and lively respite from a difficult world. I am never, ever, ever going to buy $1000 cage booties with 5 inch heels. Do I like looking at them? You betcha. I kind of hated them, actually, as shoes. But they were, at least, interesting.
Comment by Lisa from SoCal — November 9, 2010 @ 5:29 am
I’m with Klee – post what you like! It’s true that complainers complain whilst happy people just read happily, and then move on without comment, so it’s probably not a true reflection. I love the high end stuff, and it’s so difficult to find on other blogs – in fact apart from Stephanie Zwicky’s chanel shoe and mulberry bag collection, it’s rare to see anything not made of polyester on any regular basis.
It’s nice to have an alternative to low-end high street, make-your-own and badly cut man made fabrics that stylish big girls are doing their best with. Yay, diversity!
Comment by Josie — November 9, 2010 @ 5:37 am
I love the direction this blog has taken lately. I tweeted & facebooked your letters to a young fat girl. I don’t know if you read Corporette, but she varies the expense of the item by days of the week. Monday is the splurge day through Friday which is the deal day. I haven’t looked for one, but I wish there was a Corporette style blog for plus sized professionals.
Comment by Rayne of Terror — November 9, 2010 @ 8:12 am
I agree with Lisa from SoCal – and the memory of more Marketing and Customer Service training sessions than I like to think of, reminding me that satisfied customers generally don’t say anything, but unsatisfied customers, whether legitimately burned by your product or service, or simply habitual Grinches, will whine to as many people as they can get to sit still for it.
Complaints happen. Complaints and incendiary posts get you noticed. For those who can’t be arsed to get their own blog, going around judging others on their privilege or their lack of economic sense or their poor taste is a way to get their jollies, and possibly start an amusing, increasingly bitter exchange which will hopefully end with one or more parties stalking entertainingly off the Internet in high dudgeon.
Come on, Plumcake, I’m sure this must just be an alignment of the stars or something. I’m not going to wear any of the things you post, not only because I can’t afford it, but because your taste and my taste are staring at each other across the room and daring each other to throw down, but I don’t care. I’m here to read what you write about it, because it’s clever, funny, and opinionated.
Comment by Katharine — November 9, 2010 @ 10:15 am
I love your “aspirational” posts, because even if I can’t buy *those* particular items, I can get ideas and keep an eye out for similar things in my price range. And people who can’t extrapolate your gorgeous sense of style and the trends behind the items you post into something more wearable and appropriate for themselves… again, I wonder why they would continue to read the blog, but moreover I wouldn’t consider their complaints terribly worth your consideration.
Comment by SarahDances — November 9, 2010 @ 10:16 am
I’m an avid reader, but rare commenter. I agree that you should post what YOU love and if we don’t like it – we lump it! I’m from the UK and a lot of what you post isn’t available over here at all. Do I mind? Nope. It’s still great to get ideas, see what different people think of it and maybe inspire a little. I’d never dream of whining about it!
After all, it’s your blog, goshdarnit.
Comment by Jo — November 9, 2010 @ 10:31 am
‘You’ve got a good point that back when Francesca was on board she did a lot more street-level clothes which gave me room to put clothes that were actually tasteful and attractive (oh snap!)”
Ow. Was that really necessary, Plum?
People who complain about prices really weird me out. The day they start PAYING for MftBG, they can start whining about how you never feature Wal-mart Couture. Til then, walk it off.
Comment by Frances — November 9, 2010 @ 10:54 am
I’m with Klee, too.
Comment by Rebekka — November 9, 2010 @ 11:46 am
I dunno, I look forward to the lifestyle posts (and definitely Iker Casillas! Yum!), but in all honesty do miss the sales posts. I learned about sites like Kiyonna, Simply Be, etc. that I never would’ve heard of. I still enjoy ManoloBig, but visit less often and go to other blogs for sales info.
Also, as long as it’s constructive, I don’t think it’s a bad thing for readers to give feedback. Having said that, I haven’t emailed anyone my thoughts about the old sales posts, but given the subject matter, thought I’d chime in.
Comment by Lexi — November 9, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
I had noticed an unusual amount of complaining in the comments lately. But you know what they say: It’s awfully hard to be all things to all people. It sounds like there are more happy (though sometimes silent) readers than unhappy ones, and if you’re writing what you like, the quality of the blog will reflect that.
Personally, while I certainly do appreciate sometimes having acknowledgment of the realities of the checkbook, like with posts about how to be fabulous with a budget less generous than my figure, I’m also one of those who reads more for inspiration and for the entertaining writing than with any expectation of ever actually shelling out $1000 for a pair of gold snakeskin stilettos.
(Please. Do you know how many pairs of tango shoes I could buy for $1000? Although conceivably one of them could be gold snakeskin…)
And I have not said much, but I also appreciate posts about body image and other relevant issues. I’ve found that to be one of the bonuses of this blog–part of what being “For the Big Girl” is about, apparently, to the writers–and I thank you for it.
Congratulations to your brother on his marriage! And thanks for the soccer players. ;)
Comment by The Accidental Tangoiste — November 9, 2010 @ 1:40 pm
Actually, at the risk of playing devil’s advocate (who, me???) I want to remind you that when you did that post on The Godawful Stuff At MonifC we sold a metric shit-tonne of those zebra-print caftans. There are plenty of closet Bea Arthurs out there, and even all the scorn you can muster will not stand between them and their menopausal-hooker-wear.
Comment by raincoaster — November 10, 2010 @ 3:07 am