FBFF - Blogger Superlatives!

This Friday's post is the launch of the first ever FBFF Blog Awards.

Katy, of Modly Chic, asked us to nominate one blogger for each of ten categories.

These will be narrowed down to the top five for each category and opened up to the FBFF blogging community for voting!

As always, for more information on Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, please check Katy's blog, Modly Chic!

And now, for the nominations!!!

All photos are property of the blogs which have been linked for each nomination.

1. Creative Juices - most creative 

Keira - a pretty penny

Not only does Keira co-own her family's flower shop (hello, creativity!), she has some really amazing outfit combinations, does the most creative and quirky giveaway winner videos, and Keira is seriously kicking some a$$ on Project Re-Style!

YOU GO, GIRL!

2. The Real Deal - authenticity 

Melissa- A Working Mom's Closet

Melissa is as real as it gets. She shares her ups and downs, and she's a loving, caring, sweet friend, daughter, and mother. She gives us all Melissa all the time. Her outfits get more genuinely "Mel" as the days pass and she reaches out to her readers so well!

3. Spark Notes - most helpful 

Kimberly - Fab Finds Under $50

Kimberly is inspiring in so many ways. She does monthly outfit inspiration calendars, tells us where EVERYTHING in her wardrobe is from, answers reader questions on a regular basis (and seriously does research to answer them WELL), and has informational tidbits in each of her posts.

4. Newbie - best blogger less than a year old 

Kimmie - blue paper lanterns

I know I'm not the only one who thinks this talented beauty has taken the blog world by storm, since her entrance just a few months ago! Kimmie is the amazing designer that made my blog look amazing, is a great friend and confidant, has impeccable style (even though she doesn't think so), works full time, and has a husband and little man to go home to! She does it all and she's juggling life well enough to have an amazing blog, to boot!

5. Can You Hear Me Now - most connected 

Collette - Statements in Fashion

Is there a blogger out there that has not received a comment from Collette? Probably not many. I have no idea how this Super Woman does it, but Collette makes time for EVERYONE. She's always the first to compliment you, the first to tweet you, and the first to run to your side when help is needed. Collette is a friend, always, INDEED.

6. If I had a Hammer - best DIY 

Rochelle - Rochelle Approved

Like Keira, Rochelle is also rocking Project Re-Style. She's made several a skirt out of dresses or shirts (out of shirts? YES!), crafted a standing lamp all on her own, can sew ANYTHING on the face of the planet (eh hem, if you hop to her blog and find a picture of her beloved orange chair, SHE REUPHOLSTERED IT!), and she is also a painter and photographer. Yes, she does it all, my friends!

7. Tribe Leader - blogger who leads others and brings bloggers

together 

Katy - Modly Chic

Katy is the reason we're all here! She's brought so many bloggers together with FBFF in such a short period of time! Katy is enthusiastic, does blogger profiles to showcase awesome writers and fashionistas (and to introduce them to all of us!). She is dedicated to the blogging community, and I think that's what this award really means!

8. Practically Perfect - most fashionable 

Ramsey - Love, Ramsey

The sweet, fresh, chic Jackie O. of 2011? You were looking?

Oh, here she is.

9. Paint by Numbers - best beauty blogger 

Tiffany - MakeUp By Tiffany D

Tiffany is much more popular in the YouTube world than the blogging world, but she also has a blog that I keep up with. I learned a lot about eye makeup and concealer from her, and although she does feature some outrageous makeup ideas, I applaud her for doing so many "daytime" looks that I wouldn't be afraid to try.

10. Renaissance Woman - best all around blogger, fashion, beauty,

lifestyle 

Maegan - ... love maegan

I don't care if Maegan has one hundred bajillion readers. She is the very first blogger that I started to follow and is one of the reasons I began blogging in the first place. Her style is incredible, her DIYs are through the roof, she's hilarious, beautiful, and so talented. I swear, if you start reading Maegan's blog for a week, you'll be hooked for life. And so popular she can't return emails? Forget about it. Not one email I've sent her has been left unanswered. Love.This.Woman.

FBFF: My Blog, Your Blog, All the Blogs

Good morning! This is a FBFF post, led by the talented and thought provoking Katy, of Modly Chic. Katy came up with Fashion Beauty Friend Friday quite a while ago, and since the beginning, she has created a Google Group that all of you should seriously consider becoming a part of! FBFF is a great way for all of us to communicate with each other and talk about some really awesome topics that really pertain to what we do, here, on the interwebs. Have something to share? Get your voice out there!

Now, onto this week's topic for FBFF.

 This is how Katy prefaced her choice in questions this week:

"As I was reading through everyone's new years resolutions and where
they want their blogs to be I got to thinking how easy it is to become
discouraged by some of the very successful blogs out there, or the
ones we perceive as successful. We compare ourselves and suddenly find
that we are lacking. So this week we are going to be talking about
that."

{And here are this week's questions}

1. Have you ever looked at someone's blog and thought yours will never measure up?

I have looked at several amazing blogs and have become stunned with fear and drop-jawed with amazement. It's intimidating to see blogs with 2000 and 3000 followers- or even 500 for that matter. When I began blogging, I had no idea there was a community of style bloggers out there. Honestly, I read one blog (... love Maegan) and it truly inspired me to be able to write, again. The idea of fashion wasn't really of interested to me until after I had my daughter. It was then that I decided I wanted to really make an effort to not be a frumpy mom. I was a sweatpants-wearing, PJ shopper, and I didn't care who saw me or what day it was. And now, I know there is this amazing community of bloggers with similar interests. All I can think of is, "I'm thankful to be able to write. I'm thankful for a crappy camera that at least *works*, and I feel blessed that more people than my best friends and mom have a desire to read what I have to say." In short, yes, I'm afraid my blog won't measure up to others, but really, I'm here for me and am happy to have my readers along for the ride.

2. Do you (did you) feel pressure to meet some kind of undefined standard for fashion bloggers?

Mostly, I felt pressured to go shopping and never repeat an outfit or obvious piece of clothing. Kendi really inspired me to love what I already own, during her last 30 for 30 challenge. Most of you know that I didn't complete the challenge, but it's not because I wanted to go shopping. I just had a lot of things going on in my personal life that didn't allow me to stay on top of the 30 for 30, much less write every day. My current budget situation has also made me realize (or has really FORCED ME) that I don't need more things. I might want more, but I probably wouldn't have such a desire for clothing and accessories if I didn't read blogs by people that have seemingly endless wardrobes.

3. Many established fashion bloggers are also extraordinary DIYers, bakers, and crafty people. Do you think you need to combine all of these things to be successful at blogging?

Here's the thing- blogging is really awesome and fun, and all that jazz. But originally, the blog begins because the blogger has some type of content he/she would like to share. If you want to share shoes and shoes alone, have great content, and attract readers, then your shoe blog is probably better than a blog that includes DIYs, recipes, outfit photos, and ramblings, if that blog doesn't have original, captivating, well-written content. I think that no matter what you decide to share on your blog, as long as you're good at it and you're being original, you can be successful.

4. The most successful blogs are the ones that have their own personal voice - how are you developing your voice or how did you find yours?

I love this question, because when I think of a blog having a great personal voice, I immediately think of Sydney, of The Daybook. She is so spunky, unique, fun, and relatable. I guess that's another thing that I feel pressured about... I want to be funny, but I'm only funny sometimes. And I want to be so well-spoken and put-together, that my posts aren't so wordy. But if you read Fashion Momma, you know (an example is right here, in the making) that I can't shut my mouth... or stop typing. That being said, I think I've finally, after over a year of writing this blog, found my personal voice. I struggled for a while, wondering if I should sound like I'm teaching moms how to dress or if I should sound like a young professional, since I work at a university. But my personal voice is just that- it's totally me. I write how I speak to my best friends or my mom. I think that's the easiest type of writing to read. I want you to be able to imagine me talking to you. My punctuation is the way that it is because sometimes I need a "dot dot dot" to show you where I paused and thought, or rather, where I totally forgot what I was about to say. I'm a real person with a real life. I have drama at home, at work, with family. I am a mother and my husband works night shift. Life's tough, but I'm happy because I'm blessed. And I just want you all to know all of those things. So, I tell you. In my very best Kimberly voice.

5. Toot your own horn... what's the one thing you do that is unique to you and your blog? What gives your blog an edge?

Toot, toot!

I did it!!!

Just kidding... There are a couple of unique things about me and my blog. One of them is that I'm a plus sized young lady, who stands at the ground-breaking height of 4'11". I've got a seriously tough body type to dress, so I really like that I can provide inspiration to both shorties, and plus sized women. And if there are any others out there, like me, who are both really short and not so thin, please let me know, because I'd love to grab some inspiration from you, too!

Another thing that might not necessarily be unique to me and my blog, but is something that helps me relate to a lot of other fashion bloggers, is that I'm a mom. And I started this blog solely because I wanted to be a chic one. Fashion Momma has branched out to be so much more than just a blog about a mom that likes to look nice, but I really like the "edge" that being a parent has given me in being able to relate to other bloggers.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you'll participate next week and beyond!
Link your FBFF post, here!

xoxo,

Kimberly