Warning: don’t read this post if you don’t like really grumpy Gogo!
When Rayvn sent me her new Leaf Chairs, a collaboration between her own brand, MudHoney, and Exposeur by RubyStarlight Writer, I cringed. I like Rayvn a lot, and I like the chairs a lot, but I did NOT want to mention Exposeur on my blog. I don’t want anything to do with this brand, and have done my best to ignore it for the past few years. I think that RubyStarlight Writer is one of the rudest designers in SL. Do I have reasons to say this? YES.
I’ve never really been big on blogging poses, although occasionally I do like to feature pose props. I actually didn’t pay too much attention to Ruby, I did one event of hers in the past (as cheLLe), but I never knew that she felt so strongly about me. She said I am the most ungrateful blogger in SL. Give me examples! How is a blogger grateful, or ungrateful? I have great interactions with most designers and readers, and I don’t owe anyone anything.
If someone says negative things about me unprovoked, I will boycott them forever, unless they manage to collaborate with someone I do like, in which case, it is harder to ignore. I am the most grumpy blogger in SL today, but I will blog MY way. I could blog this and say nothing, but she’ll still make money off this post if you guys do like this chair, BUY IT!
Anyway.. back to the chair. A proper review, I suppose! The chair is available in gorgeous fall colors, and includes 8 sits (although the sits are kind of awkward)! I decided to hold the Mochi Bunny from Ohmai to make the poses cuter/less awkward.
Do you want me to blog how I usually feel, or CENSOR myself?
What I’m Wearing:
Pink Fuel Skin
Exile – Breeze (BabyDoll)
The Secret Store – Scallop Sweater (Milk) S
Monso – My First Jeans (Lime) Size2/S
Ohmai – Mochi Bunny (Pet Ver – Hold)
Ingenue – Pickford Heels (Jadite)
About Post Author
Preach it. The chair is SUPER CUTE. Say what you believe.
I say blog how you feel, if you can take the fall out. I love Mudhoney and Ravyn she’s a wonderful person and I like the chair. But I wouldn’t buy it simply because of the person she collaborated with. I’m sure it won’t hurt their bottom line in the end.
I think that as a blogger you act as a sort of critic. How would you feel if you picked up your local paper to read a review about a movie or play you wanted to see and saw that the critic showed bias or was grumpy because of their own treatment? Now, with that aside, a critic gets paid, and you do not. This is not your profession, and therefore you’re not required to be unbiased. You may be as biased as you like. I think it all is a matter of “Which Gogo do you want to be?” You can write as grumpy Gogo, but I doubt that made you feel any better than it made me feel to read it. Why not channel your energies into something that will make you feel happier as a result? You shouldn’t review something that is just going to make you feel unhappy to review it, and it seems the only reason you did review the product is for Ravyn. Kudos for your dedication, but I would consider putting “myself” (or in this instance, yourself) first.
I disagree with the idea of blogging about only things you like. I find blogs that are full of rainbows and lollypops to be staggeringly dull. Sometimes you like things, sometimes you don’t – why would that have any relation to what you write about? When I look at something on Amazon for instance, I make sure to read the negative reviews, not just the positive.
It wasn’t the fact of her opinion. It was the bias. If her opinion was negative based on the product then I feel that is an acceptable review. Do you see what I’m saying?
She didn’t give the chair a negative review, she just said it put her in a bad mood and she was looking out for the other designers so she still reviewed it, she liked the chair, she doesn’t like that it’s giving someone who she’s in a mutual dislike with publicity they do not need/deserve. If the director of a movie took the time to say I was ungrateful if I didn’t like something about one of their movies, (a movie I bought the tickets for, mind you) whether my critique is paid or not, I would deffinately let that keep me from reviewing any of their movies ever again. Say two dear friends of mine are actors in a movie by this rude director who can’t take any opinion apart from an overly positive one, I would call it out and still review it for my friends who it would also promote.
“includes 8 sits (although the sits are kind of awkward)!” You’d call that positive?
They are. Have you tried them? A review is a review, no one said a review = only praises, it is an honest observation.
I do see what you’re saying and I agree that if one’s bias gets in the way of reviewing something then it’s a less credible review. However, she made her bias known, which enables anyone reading to take that information on board – thereby making it wholly acceptable. If she had slammed the chair and not revealed her bias, then that would have misleading (if the chair itself was undeserving of criticism).
Regarding saying how you feel, that is ofcourse up to you. Forcing yourself into something you’re not comfortable with never works and will show in your posts.
It does make me sad that you’re trying to promote the chair without actualy mentioning it where to find it. Exposeur and Mudhoney collaborated on the Leaf chair for the current round of Atelier Kreslo, which can be found here: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fall/137/42/23
I linked to MudHoneys Flickr which has it!!!
Your Blog, Your Rules.
Too many bloggers feel that can’t say what they want because they’re afraid of backlash and whatnot. Or afraid of not getting review packs or whatnot. So say what you feel.
Cute outfit, but I can’t stand that hair. It doesn’t look “pretty” to me, it’s “too” blown around. Analog Dog has one like that too, it just looks “off”.
just laughing to myself.. love this post. wont say why cause i need drama like i need a hole in the head ..but.. just loving this…you are spot on
I’ve noticed a lot of bloggers simply blog about what they’re wearing, and are never critical about it. A sort of bland, “This is what I’m wearing, credits are below.” The products we get from designers are called “review” copies for a reason. No one would write a movie review that just said, “Today I hit up the local movie theater and saw this movie. Below are the showtimes.” I get that bloggers don’t want to burn bridges with designers, because the stuff they get is often free. But if something was wrong with the product or designer, as a reader, I’d want to know.
Blog how you feel. 🙂 I would prefer to have the unvarnished truth about a product than to have a watered down “positive” review. If there is something wrong with a product (especially my own) I would prefer to know that. Obviously that does not have to cause drama. But if a blogger can state that they prefer a certain product line because the creator is a kind and considerate, then the same blogger can certainly state they avoid a certain product line because the creator is rude to them.
Side note. I LOVEEEEEE your blog. 🙂 You are my fashion guru and the first place I check if I want to try something new or look up how to achieve something. The first tutorial I will click on for any subject is one by you if available. 🙂 Keep up the Awesomeness.
You’re right, I know that a lot of SL fashion blogs tend to avoid revealing any personal interactions, but like I said in my post — this was UNPROVOKED.
If I remember correctly, I haven’t ever talked to Ruby in-world and she wasn’t even on my Plurk timeline when it happened. It was a plurk someone on my timeline had made, laughing at morph picture of Frolic Mills. I joined in and laughed at the pic, and then Ruby started to say how gracious Frolic Mills is, cos he always accepts requests to take his picture, UNLIKE ME — cos I’m ungrateful etc etc!! So yea, I just wanted it to be completely clear, that from that point on, I was made aware of what she thought of me, and avoided her products.
As someone who loves to blog and promote brands, I cannot feel good about promoting a brand from someone that badmouths me on a public forum.
I hope you guys are okay with that, but I’ll still encourage readers to buy from ANY brand that they want to buy from! My personal “do not buy” list is not your own.
I share your opinion on this subject , as to the chair i like the chair itself , i havent tried it so i cant be the judge of the poses awkwardness, but i , as you would not want to advertise Exposeur in any way. The chair itself looks darling to me !
You shouldnt censor yourself.. i admire that you have the guts to say how you feel. I dont usually do that ,cant force myself, but here’s a little uncensored comment on my end ! Keep up your great work Gogo you rock as always
Also, agree with comment made by Lourdes on this. Pretty much how i feel
I am new to your blog, and am enjoy your unfurled commentary, so blog how you feel I say, dont ‘pussy foot’ around when your blogging.
Fashion you have a superb eye and your pics are high standard, ever thought about being a ‘dresser’ for some rich SL girls?
Cheers 1
I always look forward to reading your blog and don’t think you should change how you write it just to please others..
( I love your hair <3 )
While it’s always open season on the Lab as far as criticism goes; as far as I can tell yours is one of the few (if only) blogs related to SL that will sometimes be critical about designers/creators. While I don’t always agree with your opinions or choices, I find you honest and credible because you’ll say what you like in equal measure with what you don’t like. There is waaaaay too much backscratching and glossy kiss-ass coverage of wares out there – not everything can be “fantastic” or “amazing” – even the best quality stuff out there has its weaknesses, and I for one would rather know about them before buying. The other thing I respect, that you do, is you name the people and brands you don’t like. That’s way more honest than talking about “Someone” or “Somepeople”, which is just passive-agressive BS as far as I’m concerned. Keep being honest, even when you’re grumpy. Thanks.
I think, as bloggers/writers, we have creative right to write what we like. (I RHYMED) we also have a responsibility to our readers to be truthful. Some bloggers give bad/honest reviews and some bloggers just won’t blog what they dislike without a bad/honest review. Either way is right….but to censure yourself, so long as what you say is true, is well….wrong. I think you are harsh sometimes, but it doesn’t stop me from reading or liking your blog….because to me it seems your honest opinion….and far as I am concerned, that’s fair enough! <3
Your blog. Your rules. IF you wish not to promote someone that is rude towards you then who is to blame you if you don’t? I honestly love the honest posts instead of the sugar coated ones. *shrugs*
The blog is yours.. you can write whatever you want to. There have been times when you are negative about something that I think is awesome. It wont make me stop reading your blog.
Love your honesty Gogo, you are one of the very few if not the only one with the guts to say when they don’t like something and I respect you for that.
Am I the only one who is fed up of looking at bloggers pictures of room upon room crammed with furniture and accessories with no comment at all if the items are any good or not, yet the SL ass kissers ooh and ash over everything they post!!!
I love Gogo’s honesty too, and it’s precisely this quality that makes her credible. 🙂 On a sidenote, in response to your (James Adam) observation of “…room upon room crammed with furniture and accessories with no comment at all if the items are any good or not”. Allow me to speak as someone who do interiors often, and when the writing is not necessarily about the furnitures…
Not all of us get review copies. Not all of us will use review copies given. Most of us DO have the money to buy things in SL…things are relatively cheap in this metaverse. So by that line of reasoning, I’m not going to buy and/or use anything that I don’t like, for obvious reason.
Not all bloggers are freeloading ass-kissers. Things are very cheap in SL as it is. Some of us do buy things very often and very happily. Obviously we who buy would ooh and aah over the things we buy because that is the reason why we spent money on it…because we like it! 😉 If I buy it, it means I like it. Why would anyone spend money on something they dislike and then use it, right?
I’m one of those bloggers who makes pictures of room upon room, crammed with furniture and accessories with no comment at all if the items are good or not. This is how I see it, if anyone is interested: if I like an item, I use it. If I don’t like an item, I don’t use it. It doesn’t matter if it’s given to me or not (Obviously, if I don’t like it I’m not going to buy it). I receive review copies from a few home and decor designers, and I choose to simply avoid the products that don’t align with my tastes and/or standards. I, and I’m sure some others, am not avoiding negative reviews because I don’t want to step on any toes, I would just rather spend my time covering things I enjoy.
Gogo is talented, and I give her tons of thumbs up for speaking her mind. I don’t think it’s accurate, though, to say everyone who doesn’t do the same when they come across something they feel is sub-par, is doing so out of fear of losing free items.
Ruby seems to have a history of attacking people unprovoked. I have never been involved with her in any way let alone have done anything to her and she has not spared any verbal abuse towards me over the years. If I was in your shoes I’d be grumpy too Gogo.
Also this post should win post of the year award!
I like your blog, dont listen to bad comments!
Just yesterday i was ejected from a designers group (i had to pay 500L$ to get in!!!) because i only gave her 2 out of 5 stars on xstreet. No need to say that my 500L$ were good enough for her to keep, right?
It happens… now i just wont buy there ever again, and never recomment to my friends to go there. Haters are verywhere 🙂
I’m going to echo just about everyone and say DON’T CENSOR YOURSELF. I’ve been reading your blog for almost three years (side note: I found it three years ago looking for Sims clothing – it’s the reason I signed up for SL in the first place – I NEEDED the clothes you were wearing ;] ). I read quite a few blogs regularly – and yours is the only one I see that gives honest product reviews (and little tidbits of juicy gossip along with it).
There are enough blogs out there that are nothing but sheer brownnosing for freebies’ and popularity’s sake. While I personally don’t reveal much of my personal interactions with designers, I feel it is your and my right to do so and/or give honest critique. I much rather read an honest review and a different perspective on certain designers than reading another asskisser’s blog. Stay the way you are.
point taken. don’t piss GoGo off. long live GoGo!
Your honesty is why I even read this blog. Even if I think your criticism might be minor on a review of an item I in fact like, I adore that you point them out. I can then ask myself, “I still like it despite the issue, but do I want it?”
Most of the time it is no, but the few times when it is yes are the instances where I’m glad I knew the flaw before rather than after the fact. As a creator myself, I wish more bloggers of anything in SL were more honest and not just, “This is a pretty thing someone made. Get it!”
You tell us WHY it is pretty, WHY it is worth getting, HOW you feel while wearing of using it, show us pictures or videos of HOW it looks or moves. I could go on frankly but the point I’m going for here is please keep doing what you are doing, Gogo. The rest can sit and pout.
Awww, you’re sweet! Thank you! <3
I’m coming out of the woodworks just to answer your question. 🙂 No, please don’t censor yourself. I sometimes find your critic a wee bit on the harsh side, but it is what makes you credible and I respect that. It has never stopped me from investigating a product myself, to be honest, but at least I am warned about it.
No, don’t change a thing about yourself or your blog. We love it, and those who don’t have an easy solution – don’t read it!!!
I tend to get myself into trouble in RL because I say that ”I” think, not what people want me to think =)
It’s your blog. You’ve carved a niche out for yourself in the blogging world by being honest, so why censor yourself? Your loyal readers like you, for you 🙂
Seriously, girl. Your blog, your rules. Until someone is actually paying you to advertise for them, you say what you want. F&*k those that can’t take criticism.
Part of selling goods is the customer service. If you buy a gorgeous product of fantastic quality but it has been sold to you by a rude assistant, chances are you will never shop there again. Personally, I would not have blogged about her product regardless of the others, but I am a bitch and you are clearly a nice person who is putting her own feelings aside in order to review this chair for your readers and because of the other designers. Thats a cool thing to do 🙂