My Daily Struggle To Fake A Cool Life On Instagram

In the world of social media we live in today, it’s important to remember that more times than not we’re only seeing the pieces of other peoples lives that they want us to see. It’s easier than ever to fake having a perfect life.  (Or so I’ve been told…) But I have to disagree. Because I’ve been trying super hard lately on Instagram to make my life look really cool and I’m still failing. Like c’mon, what’s a girl have to do to make a filtered life seem cool? 
For starters, I have zero white backgrounds or table tops in my house and that seems to be the cool thing right now for bloggers when they’re looking for a space to take their random collage photos. You know what I’m talking about when I say “collage photos,” it’s when they just photograph an array of weird shit like a Glamour magazine sitting next to a small gold glitter candle which is next to a DSLR camera which is probably next to a planner and a gel pen. And fresh flowers. NEVER forget the fresh flowers.  
Don’t get me wrong I honestly love these photo collages of weird shit, I really do, I just don’t understand what’s going on exactly. It’s as if all of these perfectly posed items are just floating in an imaginary white space. How this happens, I may never know.
And that’s just one of the reasons I’m failing at my fake Instagram life.
And then we’ve got the whole morning situation. My mornings aren’t so pretty, unlike some of my favorite people I follow on Instagram. I’m not kidding when I say I absolutely love looking at peaceful mornings pics by blogger’s who’s fake lives I admire. The thought of having time to create a breakfast collage of my perfectly buttered toast on a small plate just big enough for the toast that says “Dream,” which is next to freshly sliced fruit in a small bowl that says “Wish,” along side an artistically created latte served in an anthropology-esque coffee mug gives me such jollies. I look at these photos and think I want to have mornings like this. 
Yet I just can’t seem to master the art of a beautiful fake morning, during the week mine are always covered in coffee spills and empty cereal bowls. And on the weekends I usually miss my chance because I sleep through them…
And please don’t even get me started on my favorite blogger’s pre-vacay pics. They’re just about as dreamy as it gets. Not only do they fold all of their clothes before they pack, they lay them out (typically color coordinated) and take a photo for all the world to see what they’re packing. Life doesn’t get much better. But then it does. Because they also snap quite a few “on the way to the airport” pics which are always adorable. Their husbands/boyfriends must really love them because Chris and I are rarely on speaking terms before we leave for vacation. It’s tradition that we always get into a big argument before setting sail for a trip, it’s a cute little couple quirk of ours.
Honestly, this list could go on and one, but I’ve got to wrap it up somewhere. 
So here’s the thing, I follow people with seemingly perfect lives because I sickly enjoy it. I like to look at their edited lives and imagine how someday my edited life could be. I know some people get irritated with people who presumably present a better life than they might actually have in real life, but I can’t help but admire it. Because as I’ve learned,  it’s hard work to fake a cool life, so hats off to those of you who have figured it out.
Someday my life will appear pretty and put together. And then you’ll know that I’ve finally mastered the art of faking it. 

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*The photo I used can be found here. It wasn’t mine obviously.

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49 Comments

  1. August 19, 2014 / 4:00 am

    Haha that's so true but as you say that's a filtered part of the perfect fake life πŸ™‚
    Kisses
    debsbug.blogspot.com

  2. August 19, 2014 / 6:08 am

    Only fake people have fake lives and to be honest, I don't give a damn if some self-styled celebrity designer tart off the TV visits my house one day and tells me I'm doing it all wrong.

    Look at the tablecloth on my blog about Curried Toad in the Hole. That's how it really is here…

    In short, I agree with you…!

  3. August 19, 2014 / 7:42 am

    How about the lovely ladies with all the great nature shots? Sunsets and flowers and just being outside? I look outside and see a parking lot basically. Although this new house of mine does have white countertops. In natural sunlight no less. So. #winning?

  4. August 19, 2014 / 9:15 am

    i took a picture or my dessert last night against a white back drop… it was my sink. i actually put my food in the sink to take a picture. i need help. and who has time for flowers?

    • August 19, 2014 / 11:11 am

      THIS is hilarious. Awesome, awesome! Yay for fake lives. (Helene, I wish I could read your blog more often, but I steal company time AKA take long lunches while reading blogs and your URL is "suspicious." womp womp.

  5. August 19, 2014 / 9:38 am

    Hilarious! So true… Who has time to fake this stuff?

  6. August 19, 2014 / 10:16 am

    Have you ever noticed on some IGs that even their posts are coordinated.. like they use the same filter for every picture and you don't notice it until you look at their IG as a whole and it's this perfectly coordinated collection of their life – fresh flowers, donuts, small plates, the works. Yea, mine's not like that.

  7. August 19, 2014 / 10:17 am

    Haha hilarious and so true. I'm definitely guilty of crafting the "perfect" photo for instagram of other social media channels….Of course mine never turn out like the pros do, but then again my life isn't all that fab so ya know lol πŸ™‚

  8. August 19, 2014 / 11:03 am

    Hilarious πŸ™‚ And don't all couples start vacation with a good fight?

  9. August 19, 2014 / 11:20 am

    This is fantastic.

    But seriously, who has time for fresh flowers?

  10. August 19, 2014 / 11:28 am

    Brilliant…the sad thing is I'm one of those people who try to arrange everything in a perfect pose then after a whole lot of faffing for a ridiculous photo- my food is cold or it doesn't look at all great. What is the point?! x
    http://www.missenchanting.co.uk

  11. August 19, 2014 / 12:31 pm

    This is why my Instagram account isn't going anywhere. My "daily life" pictures aren't pretty. Normally they're funny… to me, and not really anyone else, so not great sharing material in any way.

  12. August 19, 2014 / 1:04 pm

    hahaha this is too true! i have a white desk i could theoretically use, but of course then i'd have to clean it off every time i want to take a picture (and who has time for that?).

  13. August 19, 2014 / 1:40 pm

    This is the best post and so true! I totally turn into the world's most frantic raging monster before all trips and holidays. It's part of the magic. πŸ™‚

  14. August 19, 2014 / 2:40 pm

    This made me laugh so much! So true!

  15. August 19, 2014 / 2:56 pm

    Absolutely love this post, haha! Made me laugh a lot! x
    alifewithambitions.blogspot.co.uk

  16. August 19, 2014 / 3:08 pm

    I love this post! I feel like this is bloggers in general. Never mind instagram, which is obviously where they the most of their 'perfect life' sharing, even on blogs I look at some photos and think 'how?!' One day I will be a perfect fake life blogger too.

  17. August 19, 2014 / 3:49 pm

    My problem with Instagram is that all of a sudden it seems like you HAVE TO only post amazing, curated photographs now. It isn't real at all and sets us up for failure for not being able to produce amazing perfect posts. Damn it, that's too much pressure! Though I DO color coordinate and pack by outfit before a trip, but that's juts me being a little crazy and OCD;)

  18. August 19, 2014 / 4:09 pm

    even worse than a staged insta? forced #s… this is where I normally drop the ball. Reading your blog makes the last hour of work less of a marathon thanks!! healthylemonlife.wordpress.com

  19. August 19, 2014 / 4:35 pm

    I usually hear it described as a "still life" but I like the term "collage photo" better haha. I wrote a similar post called "How to Create Interesting Instagrams from a Boring Life" because I struggle with the same things. πŸ˜‰ Love your new bangs, btw!

  20. August 19, 2014 / 4:47 pm

    hahahahaha your sense of humor is about as good as it gets!

  21. August 19, 2014 / 7:49 pm

    I'm convinced that any time a blogger forgets fresh flowers in an Instagram, a cuddly puppy dies somewhere out there.

  22. August 19, 2014 / 8:17 pm

    hahaha so good. The only "fresh flowers" I ever get is a fresh basil plant to spice up my little caesars pizza. lets be real.

  23. August 20, 2014 / 3:26 am

    LOL at the fake beautiful mornings. I sleep through every morning, so there are never any pics to portray a fake life of mines. Bloggers really fold clothes? This is a new one.

  24. August 20, 2014 / 3:45 am

    best blog post ever! I laughed so much whilst reading this and can definitely relate to so many aspects of it! Would having a fake perfect insta life be good or not…

    http://tasxxx.blogspot.co.uk

  25. August 20, 2014 / 4:39 am

    Ha ha ha thatΕ‘ so honest, especially about mornings πŸ™‚

  26. August 20, 2014 / 10:14 am

    I completely LOVE this post! I had a good chuckle and it made me think how I've tried to stage similar photos to ones I've seen but completely failed!

    Reinventing Neesha

  27. August 20, 2014 / 12:01 pm

    I took a bowl of corn chowder onto my patio the other night because the light inside sucked. Don't worry I usually eat the food that has been sacrificed for properly lit recipe posts. I'm pretty convinced my neighbors think I'm certifiable.

  28. August 20, 2014 / 2:38 pm

    hahahahahaha you're one of my favorite people ever, Taylor.
    I actually heard news – SPOILER ALERT – that some folks purchase white science fair boards at their local Wal-Mart to make it look all spiffy and white. So while their Instagrams make it look like they're the textbook definition of clean living, really they're just a 7th grader's science project waiting to happen. Minus the fake volcanoes and glitter glue. (The glitter glue is already on the mason jar holding the day's fresh bouquet – duh).

    lovelovelove,
    Erica
    cominguprosestheblog.com

  29. August 20, 2014 / 4:08 pm

    so true. i think some bloggers try a littttttle too hard for their instagram pics. No doubt they all look like shit and have been dragged through a hedge backwards before they stumble to the bathroom, apply 60 tonnes of foundation and eyeliner – all before they even press the 'shutter' button. thanks for giving us a little reminder on how to be a real blogger, not those who have to perfect EVERYTHING. xxx

  30. August 20, 2014 / 5:53 pm

    This totally cracked me up because it is SO TRUE. How are people so good at making their normal lives look so amazing??

  31. August 20, 2014 / 9:44 pm

    hilarious post – my husband and I always manage to get in a squabble right before we leave for anywhere lol. i like looking at some fake perfect lives photos but others i just scoff at, no thanks! my life is hella boring and unperfect. i dont mind.

    • August 20, 2014 / 9:45 pm

      i meant to use unperfect kind of like ironically, like not perfect but it looks stupid. i didnt want you to think i dont know the word is actually imperfect. just so you know.

  32. August 20, 2014 / 10:08 pm

    this post made me LOL, and I am with you on "sickly" enjoying my favorite bloggers IGs and their put together life!

    xo Lindsay
    middleofsomewhereblog.blogspot.com

  33. August 21, 2014 / 6:01 am

    Well I admire your honesty that your life isn't so perfect :). Thanks for being one of us!

  34. August 21, 2014 / 11:52 am

    This post is about as honest as it gets. I see people with seemingly perfect lives everywhere- Instagram, Pinterest, and well pretty much everywhere. I know that they've edited their pictures and lives to make it seem, but I long for a life like that. Especially the morning parts. I usually sleep right through the sun rises and coffee parts of my days. I really enjoyed your post, and now I don't feel so bad! Thank you for sharing!

    -Lara
    http://methodicalliving.blogspot.com

  35. August 21, 2014 / 7:46 pm

    I'll give you the heads up on the constant white background…..it's white poster board. Easily found at the Dollar Store. And just like that…bam! You have the perfect collage photo background.

  36. August 22, 2014 / 8:52 pm

    I'm usually covered in poop, drool, or food and sometimes my kids get stuff on me too. Just kidding but seriously, ain't nobody got time for perfection.

  37. August 26, 2014 / 11:08 pm

    Funny that I almost unfollowed you for the exact reason and this is the post that made me stay. πŸ™‚ I think we're all trying to get somewhere and it's nice and painful to see other people already farther than
    us. I unfollowed a lot of celebrities and popular bloggers because it was making me so sick with envy I couldn't be happy or focus on anything I was doing. I like real people making it and this was a nice reflection of the real you. πŸ˜‰ Here's to being real.

    Xo,

    Trevia
    http://www.treviamilliona.com

  38. August 28, 2014 / 5:22 pm

    This post needs a sequel stat.

    "It's tradition that we always get into a big argument before setting sail for a trip, it's a cute little couple quirk of ours."- that sentence is absolute gold. You did it again, Tay!

  39. August 31, 2014 / 4:22 am

    I love this, it's so true… I'm guilty of trying to arrange stuff prettily, only to fail when I realise I've left a pack of baby wipes in the background, or forgot to wipe the thick layer of dust off the dresser first. And as for holidays, my husband and I had a huge argument trying to put the tent up on a recent camping trip. I stormed off, fuming and feeling murderous. Two minutes later I was instagramming a picture of the beautiful view enthusing about our perfect trip. I am a fraud!

  40. September 8, 2014 / 11:21 am

    I almost feel like rebelling against the perfect fake life photos.. Maybe I will start taking photos of my cheerios in my cereal bowl on my not-white counter top, or my clothes shoved into my suitcase without even being folded…

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