Instagram envy is ruining my life – but I just can’t quit

With more and more of us communicating visually, I find myself checking Instagram for updates far more than I check Facebook. So, I ask, who needs words when you’ve got heavily edited pictures?

In the days of yore before I got myself an iPhone, I envied the Instagrammers. The members of Instagram, the photo sharing website and app, seemed to live in a perpetual summer, where it was acceptable to post daily pictures of your healthy breakfast simply because it’s such a damn nice photo. In fact, not  just acceptable, but you get likes from other users to reaffirm your choice of smoothie, and can give your brekkie a self-congratulatory hashtag like #bodyisatemple to boot.

But then I got an Instagram account myself and I realised even the best filter (I’m saying Earlybird – what are you saying?) does not make my life cool. I’ve uploaded pictures of my dad’s 60^th birthday cake, a book, my shoes, Elle magazine…all for the sole purpose of saying, ‘this is how I’m living my life’, which would all be very well and good, if it were not cruelly juxtaposed with the way others were living their lives. And when you’re following the likes of Alexa Chung, Miranda Kerr, Chiara Ferragni and Poppy Delevingne, no amount of sepia tone can make a shot of my Primark boots compare to those model beauties with their perfect Insta-lives.

The problem is that Instagram feeds you two kinds of lies:

1. Life is idyllic. All the time. By making an otherwise mediocre photo (I’m no Annie Leibovitz) appear as if it were taken in the 1970′s, what is actually happening in real life is as idyllic as on the screen. Thus you look back at the memory, thinking, ‘my, that Kerouac-esque road trip we went on to Tesco sure was fun.’

Real world

Insta-world

2. Celebrities are your friends. Much like Twitter, Insta-follows do not equate to actual friendship. This is all the more galling when you’re scrolling through your feed, and in amongst your friend’s dog, friend’s nail varnish, friend and boyfriend, there’s supermodels Karlie Kloss in New York. Like the luckiest, richest most annoyingly successful friend in the world.

And, yes, I admit, all this institutionalised jealousy is my own doing. I decided to follow exclusively supermodels and actresses, and I choose to relentlessly refresh to get another toxic hit of a beach, a red carpet, a catwalk. Worryingly, I feel myself changing as a result; last week I went to Instagram the floor of my hairdressers to tell everyone I was getting a haircut. I plan nights out with my best friends on the promise of some flattering, hipster photos gracing the internet the next day. I no longer consider a photo to be ‘good’ unless it’s had the Instagram treatment.

All this has culminated in my general avoidance of mirrors, lest they should show me how my face looks in real life. It’s a tough life, but here’s hoping that one day I get to actually go to Coachella like the rest of my celeb pals, instead of photographing my back garden and putting it through the Nashville filter.

Is social media stopping us from living in the moment? | Part 2

I came across a story in the entertainment section of the BBC website which I felt echoed the sentiments of an earlier blog post of mine. The subject of which we have all been a victim of at some point, maybe even been the perpetrator ourselves on occasion…

As if worrying about finding a half decent spot at a gig which allows you to actually see the band isn’t hard enough, we now have to contend with an array of smartphone wielding, vision obscuring pests. In these instances you have few options; either knock the phone out their hand and risk getting punched , grit your teeth and bear it or if you are feeling especially brave and confident you can compete with the noise, ask (yell at) them politely to stop. But what if we could skip all this and more performers followed Indy band, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s example, who recently appealed to the audience at their New York gig to refrain from filming their set. This was reminiscent of Stone Roses frontman, Ian Brown’s announcement to a crowd last year that, “If you put your cameras down you might be able to live in the moment. You have a memory there of something you’ve never lived.”

I applaud the likes of Ian Brown and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs – not only for lead singer, Karen O’s amazing style – but for taking into consideration their NYC fan’s visual enjoyment and being concerned with preserving the artistic integrity of their performance. After all, what really is the point of seeing a band live if you are just going to watch the show through a lens? This is where the parallels between my previous blog entry ‘Is social media stopping us from living in the moment?’ and this recent report became apparent. In it I talked about the time I pretty much ruined a short trip to New York by concentrating more on taking as many pictures as possible as opposed to actually looking around and drinking in such an amazing city with my own two eyes.

After the Yeah Yeah Yeahs aforementioned plea hit the headlines, a discussion ensued on BBC Breakfast asking for comedian, Marcus Brigstocke and musician, Graham Lambert’s views on whether or not spectators of every artistic discipline should no longer be allowed to film live performances. Lambert, a member of the band, Inspiral Carpets was quick to point out that his group welcomes it and are thankful for the free publicity it brings, as it has now become an indispensable way of lesser known acts gaining more recognition. looking at it that way, am I maybe wrong to condemn it?

Want to see a really cool magic trick? Last night we got up close and magical with O2 Refresh

Last night, Helen and I went to by far the most magical blogger event we’ve ever been to.

Held at swanky cabaret bar Circus in Covent Garden, we got the party started with some zingy refreshing cocktails and super fresh sashimi canapes (can you see a theme emerging yet?) served from platters smouldering with dry ice.

Next, magician Oliver B took to the stage and performed some mightily impressive mind-reading tricks that had us scratching our heads for the rest of the night – he also had us in stitches when he ended the show by stripping off his black suit to reveal some seriously questionable undergarments. It has to be seen to be believed.

Later, after watching a host of mind-boggling acrobatics and burlesque dancers do their thing, we were whisked away for a very special private audience with Oliver, where he helped me to magically upgrade my phone in the blink of an eye. Check it out in this video:

Pretty good eh? The party was held to celebrate the launch of O2 Refresh, a new service launched last week that lets you upgrade – or refresh - your phone in a similarly snappy style, as often as you want, while keeping the same tariff.

Lucky little me, I got to take home my refreshed phone. It’s a Sony Xperia Z, the smartphone that Stuff magazine named as their number one smartphone (before it was knocked into second place). The great thing about this phone is that as well as a slick design and loads of whizz-bang gadgety features, it’s completely waterproof. It can be submerged for up to half an hour, which, as anyone who has ever suffered the indignity of dropping their phone in the toilet can attest, is a very good thing.

Oliver B will be out and about this Thursday delivering more magical moments around London. Visit @O2 on Twitter and Facebook to find out where you can get your phone magically refreshed.

Dîner en Blanc | Apply now for your spot at London’s first 1,000 person flashmob picnic

I think this sounds pretty awesome. And kind of epic.

On Thursday 20th September at 7.30pm, 1000 people will descend upon a secret London location, all dressed in white and armed with the ingredients for a rather posh picnic. Given just one hours notice of the destination, they will take their hampers, plates, cutlery, food and fizzy wine (there’s no beer allowed) and congregate for a magical, communal, al fresco dining experience.

Why? Just for fun really. It’s called Dîner en Blanc and it’s a concept that was invented by (you guessed it) a Frenchman, François Pasquier, in 1988. On returning to Paris after several years abroad, Pasquier wanted to gather his friends for a dinner party. Rather than host it in his own maison, he told all his pals to meet at a park and wear white so they could find each other. Now the ‘epicurean flash feast’ takes place in 20 cities across five continents every year and it’s coming to London for the first time in September.

Despite the 1,000-strong guest list and outdoor location, it’s actually a pretty exclusive affair. To gain a place (and a plus one) you have to register on a waiting list, with preference going to previous attendees first. Last year, more than 30,000 people applied to attend the first US Dîner en Blanc, in New York’s Battery Park.

If you are lucky enough to grab an elusive invitation for the London event you’ll have some pretty strict guidelines to follow. As well as adhering to the compulsory ‘any colour as long as it’s white’ dress code you’ll be required to bring a picnic hamper with ‘high quality menu items’, wine or champagne (beer and spirits are prohibited), a white table cloth, white cloth napkins, a table (of a specified size), white foldable chairs, and flatware, stemware and crockery in fuchsia (just kidding, of course they’ve got to be white too). I think the idea with the  is to weed out anyone who can’t be bothered to make an effort. And judging by the video below, the diners in white sure do make an effort.

At the end of the night everyone packs away their things and it’s like they were never there. Oh, and for the cynics among you, this isn’t some thinly-veiled PR stunt. There’s no big corporate sponsor and it’s run by a not-for-profit organisation – ‘there is no goal except to spending an extraordinary night‘ they say. So Parisien, non?

But what if it rains? I wouldn’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be all white on the night. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.)

Dîner en Blanc London takes place on Thursday 20th September 2012 at 7.30pm. The location will be revealed to invitation holders an hour before the event. Visit www.london.dinerenblanc.info/waiting to register or visit the Facebook or Twitter pages.

Want to be part of the world’s longest social scarf?

Well you’ll have to learn to cyberknit. Sort of. Here’s a sneak peek of Wrapped in Merino, the latest global social media project from promoters of all things woolly the Woolmark Company.

Officially launching tomorrow, 29th May, Wrapped in Merino (merino is a super soft type of wool, FYI) hopes to make it into the record books by creating the World’s Longest Social Scarf. How? Well, they’re going to need your help. But don’t worry, it doesn’t involve any actual knitting (unless you’re into that, in which case why not attempt the world’s longest actual scarf?). What you have to do is go to the Wrapped in Merino microsite, upload a photo, design a section of the scarf as you see fit using the handy rotating tools – I went for a tasteful polka dot blue myself – and share it via all the usual social channels – Faceyb and the Twitters obv, plus my new favourite, Pinterest - if you wish.

What’s in it for you? Prizes potentially. Everyone who designs a swathe of scarf is automatically entered into a prize draw for one of eight winners packs, which include such desirable things as Net-a-Porter vouchers and Merino wool scarves – real ones, mind, not the cyber variety.

The campaign will be running over on the We Love Wool Facebook page, which I can honestly say is a constant source of joy in my Facebook feed – they’re always posted totes adorbz photos of things like knitted tea pots and mittens that two people can wear while holding hands. Can I get an ‘awww’? So head over there tomorrow and add get designing – the World’s Longest Social Scarf won’t knit itself you know.

Visit the Wrapped in Merino microsite, the We Love Wool Facebook page or watch a video about the project below. Check out my section of the scarf:

Is social media stopping us from living in the moment?

Googling an actor from my new favourite sitcom this week lead me to think about one of the dangers of social media.

I fought it for so long, adamant I wouldn’t jump on the bandwagon and that nothing could fill the gaping Friends shaped void left in my life until earlier this year when I finally caved. Yes everyone, I’m now a fully fledged fan of The Big Bang Theory, a good five years after the rest of you. So I decided I wanted to find out more about my new favourite TV characters. However, I failed to find out much about Leonard Hofstadter (played by Johnny Galecki) other than this rather poignant quote: “I don’t understand the current frame of mind in our society that seems to say that any action is not of value until it’s broadcast somehow.”

Upon reading this I was immediately transported back to last year when I was accused by a friend of insulting my other half at the time because I hadn’t changed my status to ‘in a relationship’ on Facebook. These days, it would seem, it just isn’t official until you’ve taken this crucial social media step. I have also received several odd looks when people realise my last Facebook album dates back to 2010, as though they’re wondering whether or not I have actually been out since. It soon became clear Galecki had raised a very good point.

Earlier this week Will.i.am, star of The Voice,  was seen – somewhat triumphantly – clutching the Olympic torch in one hand and his smartphone in the other as he tweeted furiously. It got me thinking about the time I went to New York several years ago. Instead of stopping to properly absorb such a fantastic city I found myself more interested in my new digital camera and becoming far too snap-happy for my own good, racking up a ridiculous 850 pictures by the end of my trip. It wasn’t until I got home I realised I had only really seen NYC – somewhere I had always dreamt of visiting – through a lens. Will it possibly transpire that somewhere down the line Mr I.Am might regret not tucking his phone away in favour of fully immersing himself in the historical event he was partaking in? What was it that meant he just couldn’t wait until he got home?

How many of us have taken a picture, looked at it then exclaimed to the room “Profile picture!” when we liked what we saw? To me it’s just another one of the signs that some of us have unwittingly fallen victim to pesky social media pressure. Could we be in danger – or dare I say it, already guilty – of concerning ourselves more about how we look having fun as opposed to actually having it?

Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s great to accumulate lots of great memories through photographs but if there comes a point where it prevents you from wholeheartedly enjoying yourself and being in the moment, maybe it’s time to put the camera/iPhone/Blackberry down. That goes for you too, Will.

Have you still not joined Pinterest?

Guys! Have you not heard about the newest social media bandwagon upon which you’re supposed to jump? Pinterest is the latest hyped to the heavens website that aims to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting.” I was dubious at first, but now I’m really getting into it.

How does it work? You go to www.pinterest.com and request an invite. Once you’re signed up you download a little button that sits on your browser that says Pin It. Whenever you see an image on the web that you want to share you hit the button and save it to a Pinboard. So you might save a photo of Ryan Gosling looking ridiculously hot to a Pinboard called ‘My Future Husband,’ for example. You can also choose to post your Pins to Facebook or Twitter as you go along, and you can follow other Pinners and ‘repin’ their images on your boards.

If you’re a visual sort of person (and you’re reading this awesome fashion blog right now so I imagine you’ve got pretty good taste) you’ll probably love Pinterest. Like most new social media sites, it takes a bit of practice but before long it gets addictive and you can’t stop pinning. I got properly hooked last weekend after the Angry Birds photo on my nail art Pinboard got 15 repins (I’d barely got a single repin before that). And my best friend Caroline discovered that someone had pinned an old street style photo of me, which I was pretty excited about: little old me, a source of style pinspiration, who’d have thought?

Check out Style & Then Some on Pinterest and leave me a comment below with some tips on which Pinners I should be following.

How do you plan on changing the world? A speech every woman should hear

Admittedly, I’m a bit slow on the uptake with this one, since it was delivered in May, but Sheryl Sandberg’s speech is essentially listening if you ask me. Watch it below.

Addressing the graduating class of New York’s Barnard college, Facebook COO Sandberg focuses on gender equality, and the lack thereof, which she calls ‘this generation’s central moral problem.’ She urges the all female class that in order to close the gender gap, particularly in the workplace, they’re going to have to be ambitious and believe in themselves. Hardly groundbreaking advice, but some of the studies she quotes from are astonishing e.g. evidence that women will attribute their success to external factors but men will believe it’s because, basically, they’re awesome. She also answers the question I posed back in April, do girls really run the world? You’ll never guess – it turns out they don’t. Yes, it’s a little bit cheesy at times, but ultimately this is an incredibly inspirational speech that every woman (and man for that matter) should hear.