Instagram? Why I’m Renaming It Boastagram…

Starting today, I’m going to refer to Instagram as Boastagram. Seriously, haven’t you noticed that most people use the social photo app for boasting about their life?

“Ooh, look at this amazing cake I just ate”

“Yep, I have nothing better to do than sit and drink this latte that has a love heart drawn in the foam”

“New shoes!”

“Old shoes… but they’re standing on a station platform, which means I’m going somewhere exciting”

“I’m drinking a posh, overpriced cocktail!”

“I just cooked THIS. Delia, eat your heart out”

I’ll admit it, I’m probably one of the worst offenders. This is just a selection of my recent Boastagram photos…

;

Marc Jacobs bag, cross body bag

Fizz, champagne, Barrel and Horn Bromley

;

breakfast, boiled egg, soft-boiled egg, Brockwell Lido

;

Pimms, Olympic Stadium, London 2012

French boulangerie, pink flowers

burger and fries, Byron Burger

Creme De La Mer, face cream, moisturiser

See? To anyone who doesn’t know me, my life looks like a whirl of fizz, face cream and France. If I gave a fair representation of my life on Instagram, I’d actually post photos of…

My two year old thrashing around on the supermarket floor because I won’t let her run around with a tub of Flora that I have no intention of buying.

The scummy, dirty McDonalds that my husband and I bought from the Drive-Thru last weekend after toddler fell asleep on a car journey.

The yoghurt stains on my black sofa, and the squished-in peas and fish finger crumbs.

The grumpy man that I was squashed up against for 20 minutes on my commute home from work tonight.

My size 10 Topshop parka that I still wear, despite the fact it won’t zip up over my tummy and boobs.

The piles of clean washing sitting in my spare bedroom that I have no intention of tidying away.

On second thoughts, perhaps the world isn’t ready to see all of that…

What would your Instagram profile show if it truly reflected your life?

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16 Comments

  1. January 14, 2013 / 9:50 pm

    I tend to look on Instagram a bit like a magazine -as in, it’s a little place I can escape to to look at pretty pics of cupcakes and handbags and beautiful countryside. I’m sure behind the pic there’s a pile of laundry and odd socks, but I like it for the pretty stuff. Plus I like looking back on my own feed and remembering happy little memories. My blog charts all the tantrums so there’s no chance of forgetting those! x

    • notanothermummyblog
      Author
      January 16, 2013 / 10:01 am

      I might start a rogue Instagram account that shows the real me, and then it’s up to people if they want to follow that or just the pretty coffee and shoes feed 😉

  2. Dina
    January 14, 2013 / 9:59 pm

    Me and Instagram are no longer friends. I tried it once after I refused it and then the whole fiasco with the picture thing happened and I promptly deleted my photos and account.

    • notanothermummyblog
      Author
      January 16, 2013 / 10:02 am

      Oh you should reconsider. I only post images online that I’m prepared to have stolen, and I think Instagram reviewed those T&Cs after the uproar, didn’t they?

  3. January 15, 2013 / 6:46 am

    Or in my case, a true instagram record of my life would be dirty marks all over the hall floor from where my younger son has trekked snow in (instead of taking his boots off on the mat as I have – once or twice – asked him to do), piles of ‘important’ papers that I never actually get around to filing, tail-lights stretching off into the distance as I join yet another traffic jam on the way to the supermarket… Ah the glamour of life in Moscow.

    • notanothermummyblog
      Author
      January 16, 2013 / 10:58 am

      Maybe we should have one day a week where we all post “real” pics of our lives?!

  4. January 15, 2013 / 6:45 pm

    Ha! I love this! I must admit that I’m rather fond of seeing life through Instagram filtered lenses. It’s my happy place where as Twitter is most definitely warts and all 😉

    • notanothermummyblog
      Author
      January 16, 2013 / 10:59 am

      I’m fond of them too. It’s actually a nice ‘retreat’ from the real world, isn’t it? (If you ignore the envy I feel when I see all the pics of other people’s amazing lives)

  5. January 16, 2013 / 9:56 am

    I absolutely LOVE this post – so true! But I think Instagram is there to add a little more sparkle to everyday life and I know which type of pic I’d rather see. I think most peoples feeds are Boastagram (case in point – the blog post I published today!) but sometimes rose tinted glasses (or an Earlybird filter) is needed to hide the eye bags! Really pleased to have found your blog via a RT this morning! xx

    • notanothermummyblog
      Author
      January 16, 2013 / 11:03 am

      Ah thank you. I enjoy your blog too (cue: blog love-in). Earlybird filter rocks, but have to say, my favourite is Lo-Fi.

  6. January 16, 2013 / 9:55 pm

    So true! I often think people must stage their homes for Instagram – they’re far too tidy. But it’s nice to escape into people’s pretty images…& to take a little momento of nice things you might be doing or seeing yourself.

    …But I actually think I’d really enjoy seeing the warts and all aspect of people’s lives too – would make me feel so much better about my Everest sized ironing pile!

  7. January 17, 2013 / 1:14 pm

    I’m just grateful to see all the loveliness that people capture – such as that blue boulangerie shop front with the pink flowers – it inspires me to paint – more! Thanks – Alison

  8. Emma T
    January 18, 2013 / 7:52 pm

    So true. I reckon everyone who takes part on social media, needs to be quite hardy to not get inferiority complexes about the ‘keeping up with the Jones’ statuses that go on.

    I left instagram with the whole furore with the T&C change, but am now back there. It’s so quick and easy to share pictures (and to nosy at what everyone else gets up to)

  9. January 20, 2013 / 9:19 pm

    The one that tickled me was the ‘old shoes at train station.’. I find this similar to the ‘checking in’ phenomenon on Facebook that sincerely makes me want to pull my hair out. A check in at Heathrow Terminal 5, for example, roughly translates to: “I’m a wordly jet setter off on another expensive holiday as I’m sooo loaded!”
    How uncouth.

  10. Peggy
    January 29, 2013 / 9:40 pm

    Ha ha, that’s so true! Ok I am guilty too… I often show off my perfect fairy lights around the house, so not only my husband is p*** off because he has to live with them but there’s a chance he sees them there too and cry… 🙂 evil I know…

  11. Laura
    November 5, 2014 / 3:14 pm

    I love your cream bag with the swallow! Do you remember where it was from? Probably far too late now but it’s so cute!!
    Thanks
    Lx

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