Do you watch Instagram Stories? They’ve become my guilty pleasure. Every night, I devour them like I’m watching reality TV. Here’s my #1 favorite…
For those who don’t know what Instagram stories are: You’ll see them when you tap on a person’s Instagram profile photo. They’re collections of short videos and photos that disappear after 24 hours. (FYI, you can view Instagram Stories only in the Instagram app, not in a browser.)
My current favorite Stories are from The Home Edit by Clea and Joanna, two professional home organizers based in Nashville. They’re hilarious, endearing and neurotic. While Instagram photos can be so idealized, Stories are more raw and fleeting. I can’t stop watching them.
This is their typical glossy Instagram photo.
And here’s a still from today’s Instagram Story. Clea is describing how she gives her friends, family and employees the exact Pantone color of the coffee-milk combination she prefers, so they can get her order just right. Joanna is making fun of her for being high-maintenance. I’ve watched so many of these episodes that they feel like my friends, and I start laughing before they even begin talking. They often discuss the calming rituals they do on flights (“I’d rather be in labor than on a plane,” Joanna recently admitted), how they freaked out when they got to organize Gwyneth Paltrow’s pantry, and their Container Store obsession.
You have to find your people on Stories — some people do confessionals, some do live commentary during TV shows, some reveal the behind-the-scenes at work, some show their babies slow-blinking to sleep. They can be hugely compelling. A few that we love in the office: Jenny Komenda (interior decorating and musing), Chad Jamian (his garden, his cat and general LA funniness) and Hillary Kerr (fashion and anxiety).
What about you? Do you follow anyone on Instagram Stories? Do you publish your own? Are you really into them, too?
P.S. 8 cool Instagram feeds, and a funny (daring) guy.
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My outright Most loved is Paris In Four Months. Carib is a picture taker who is Swedish and lives in Paris. She’ll give you significant craving for something new yet in addition bunches of motivation on finding the excellence in your surroundings wherever you might be. :)
My outright Most loved is Paris In Four Months. Carib is a picture taker who is Swedish and lives in Paris. She takes you along on her goes all through Paris and around the globe. She has such an excellent method for catching pictures and recounting a story through Instagram. She’ll give you significant craving for something new yet in addition bunches of motivation on finding the excellence in your surroundings wherever you might be. :)
I’m late to the game, but you have to follow @jaminato her IG stories are HILARIOUS ? I promise she’s worth checking out! I also love The Home Edit I want to be their friend so bad!
I like doing stories, and really enjoy catching glimpses of real life. It’s a nice vacation from the curated squares.
I LOVE insta stories! I wish there was a fluttering mix between the content on Facebook and the playfulness on Instagram. I post stories all the time– one of my favorite ways to share and watch! (@thesunnysideofsomething if you’re looking for more!
am fifty/ fifty about this.
Girl, you have to find more relaxing and calming things to watch/read before sleep… I am kidding but I am serious, I know you have sleep problems, I have been reading you for eight years
A little late here, but Orlando Soria has, hands down, the funniest IG stories of anyone…and great design, non-fussy design tips!
*and great, non-fussy design tips. ugh.
Oh my gosh!! I totally agree. Love his stories.
While I do enjoy watching a few stories (and making them too!) I find that I’ve got to limit myself. Otherwise, it’s just too easy to keep watching…and watching away.
Next thing you know it’s 10 pm and I’m struggling to get myself off from the couch. Face palm.
Vanessa
modernflourish.com
I love insta stories! My faves are Orlando Soria (interior designer and funniest person alive), Cupcakes & Cashmere, and AmbitiousKitchen and Fit Foodie Finds.
I don’t publish my own Stories, but I will say that I’ve loved watching my friends’ posts when they travel. Over the past few months, my friends (real and IG-only) have traveled to China, Italy, Cuba, Israel, and all over South America, and watching the snippets they post makes me feel like I’m actually there too. I think that’s a really cool thing.
Beverly Weidner (bevcooks) is ALWAYS cracking me up!
Agree – she’s hilarious!
IG stories can be really fun, but sometimes they really bum me out – why am I watching someone else enjoy life than doing it myself? I kind of go back and forth with it. Sometime’s it’s a fun little indulgence, but lately everyone I follow has been posting them and it takes a long time to get through it all. I’m trying to detox from social media a bit, so as long as it’s in small doses it can be great. I enjoy posting them more, especially when I’m traveling.
I love following Kathryn Burns @katmburns, the choreographer behind Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She posts awesome dance stories and behind the scenes snippets, and I really like her sense of humor. Of course, I also follow Rachel Bloom @racheldoesstuff, co-creator of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, who I think is so hilarious.
On the dance front, I follow as many ballet dancers (ABT, NYCB) as I can, because their IG stories are always so on pointe (ahhh sorry, I couldn’t help it), like @isabellaboylston (her crosstraining stories are so intense).
I’m in love with the Brawner family’s instagram stories – @billyjackbrawner3 and @skbrawner3. Such a gorgeous little family!
The photographer Jamie Beck of @annstreetstudio has been posting the most beautiful photos and stories of her life in Provence. I love seeing a glimpse into her daily life!
Two words: Orlando Soria. I’m pretty sure he’s my best friend (even though I’ve never met him).
I love watching Christy Wright (Business Boutique) but I haven’t gotten into these others. I’ll have to check them out!!! Thanks for the recommendations. I love your blog (new reader). :)
I hope you follow Orlando Soria… @mrorlandosoria. His insta-stories are HYSTERICAL and I’m obsessed. Obsessed.
Me too! My husband always makes fun of me, but I say that his Insta-
stories are my favorite thing on the internet.
If you want someone to really make you LOL….I highly recommend Erin Foster! She is hilarious!!
Try Mother of Daughters – London based midwife mother of 4 girls inc. twins with a very real and honest take on parenting.
Shutterbean is my very favorite. I just want to be friends with her!
I love Edeneats Instagram stories, too. Thanks for this fabulous collection of gorgeous story tellers!
@catandnat from Toronto! They’re REAL moms that have class with 7 kids between them. They’re encouraging, support each other, genuinely funny, have great taste and 2 peeps I’d have cocktails with.
I love love LOVE watching and making IG stories. My husband watches a LOT of baseball, so I tend to watch my videos while he’s into his games, or when i’m winding down for the night. I felt silly making my videos at first, but my friends and family have all chimed in saying how much they love seeing what’s happening in my day to day life, since I live about 8 hours away, they say they feel like they’re “hanging out” with me. I also travel a lot and it’s fun sharing more that way, instead of spamming a ton of photos in my feed.
I’m not one for babies, but one of my absolute favorite accounts is @lauraiz. My sister and I are always talking about what Baby Joey is up to! @inspiralized is awesome for yummy food (and i love her product!!). @aubreystrawb_rny is just always really real and inspirational and i just love her, i want to be her friend.
I literally cannot stop watching IG instastories! My little dachshund gets so tired of me staring at my phone he starts barking for attention and I have to make myself stop and put it down and get up and take him for a walk or do something else!
Little dachshunds are the best :)
honeyandfitz & katieleekitchen!
love @katieleekitchen! i want to hang out and play with gus so bad!! :)
Oh, I am SO into them… just like you… hit start and watch ’em roll. It IS like better reality TV.
I’m a little embarrassed when I’m trying to watch them (or worse yet, FILM them) when I’m around my husband who said once recently, “wow, I didn’t know you were such a vlogger”. (dies)
Arielle Vandenberg is so funny. She is like a female Jim Carrey, doesn’t take herself seriously AT ALL, and sometimes I’ve laughed until I’ve had to pee while watching her stories. She does the best mini videos too.
Follow Alan Cummings. He is a treasure of a human being. His Saturday Night on Broadway insta stories are pure joy!
I am SO obsessed with the stories of a handful of people. Here’s a few:
Caroline Hirons – British skincare expert / pro & a mom. (Watched a story of hers today about discovering that her 15-year-old daughter got a belly button ring. Had me rolling!) She’s so funny and smart, but then you also get that dose of skin care advice/product expertise. *Also makes amazing YouTube content/vlogs.*
Magic Baby Vintage – Recently widowed mom of 3 living in Seattle. Her two male friends help her take care of the children. They refer to themselves as the “real” Full House. Heartwarming, insightful, funny. I’m totally wrapped up in their world.
Chinae Alexander – Fitness Instagrammer, but she’s more than that. Girl power, fashion/beauty, a little bit of lifestyle. *Also recently started a YouTube channel.*
I love instastories but I don’t do my own… #1 reason being that I live with 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, a nursing infant, and a husband who works from home (that’s code for “doesn’t wear pants”). There is always someone in a serious state of undress and I fear accidentally publishing a story with an unfortunate amount of nipple/buttock in it.
You sound hilarious! I bet you’d be an Instastory star :D
Well goodness, isn’t that the nicest thing to say ? I finally tried it the other day and I laughed at my own so that’s a good sign. Or maybe it’s not. Ha!
Busy Phillips is awesome! Her week on a Disney Cruise with her family was so much fun to watch, it reminded me when I was kid traveling with my parents and siblings to Búzios (Brazil) every Carnaval!
Mariana
Orlando Soria is dynamite. I recommend him to people like he’s a television show, because he’s that entertaining.
I went to college with him! I’m so so so pleased for his success. What a solid guy.
yess!!! I was going to suggest him to – his are the best and when he doesn’t post for a few days I miss them!
His instastories are the best. Hilarious!
Busy Phillips and Anjelah Johnson are my two faves right now! “You guys….”
So many of these same people and THEN SOME!
Yes, Busy!
Yes, Emily Henderson!
But, I also love:
– Ruthie Lindsey (@ruthielindsey) for her inspiration, realness and hilarious dance moves.
– Brooklyn Wagner (@brookologie) for her RIDIC sense of humor. She cracks me up constantly and has truly mastered the comedic timing of a zoom-in. Seriously, check her out. She is great.
– Denise Bovee (@denisebovee) for her beautiful visuals, adorable children, lip-synching, etc. She is a super funny single mom to two cuties, always lip-synching in the car, dancing to pop music and she is always talking the most beautiful adventures.
ALSO, is anyone else addicted to food videos?? I could watch cookie decorating (@sweetambs) and insane cake-baking (@yolanda_gampp) insta stories ALL DAY, ER’DAY. Mesmerizing!
yes to @ruthielindsey – she is amazing and inspiring! Also, her bff, @jedidiahjenkins!!
Jetsetmama!!! i have to mention her again because she is hilarious and sweet and seems like a lovely person AND lives in Byron Bay!! I love her stories!!
I love love LOVE Kelly (@studiodiy) and Jeff (@jeffmindell). They just adopted the sweetest baby, and Kelly runs a fun party company, so it’s a delightful mix of baby and brightly colored party supplies. But mostly baby.
Joy Cho (@ohjoy) also does amazing stories and even does series every day, like Outfit of the Day and questions with her daughters, Ruby and Coco. I can’t get over the cuteness of it all!
I love Kelly and Jeff! I get so excited especially when I see Jeff has a new one. #teamArlo ?
Agree! I love watching her stories! Her little girls are the cutest! I watch them throughout the day :)
I also love Busy Phillips stories. She just seems real.
Jeff is my favorite instagram story to watch! He makes me laugh so hard, especially when it’s Bella’s feeding time (their dog)!
OMG I love the IG stories feature – both watching and doing my own.
Do you follow Jen Gotch from Shop Bando? SHE’S HILARIOUS. And she’s very very real about her struggles with mental health. Just overall a wonderful feed that’s both funny and keeps it real.
Agreed! Love her.
YES
Just sent a screen shot of this to my boyfriend (“when your favorite blog and your favorite pastime collide!”) who thinks it’s ridiculous that I spend 40 minutes before bed every night watching my “stories” :)
If I had that “Chips” basket, it would always be empty ;)
Busy Philipps is the QUEEN of Insta stories!!
@nocrumbsleft is my FAVE!!! She is an ultra-positive food goddess who is always posting videos of different sauces or recipes and saying they’re “FAAAABulous!!!” She is my current addiction. My husband is always asking me what I’m watching and then rolls his eyes when I tell him it’s Insta Stories…but I love them!
Yes, I love her!! Her use of adjectives gets me every day, I love how excited she is about EVERYTHING!
Jeni Britton Bauer, the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, is amazing on IG. She’s so funny and relatable while also being totally in-charge. She’s my inspiration as a female business owner. Plus, you get to see lots of fancy ice cream soooo… it’s an all around win.
I don’t know if it’s been said yet, but I really enjoy Jen Gotch of Bando fame. Her stories are funny and real and often follow her through the depths of her depression. It makes me feel better knowing these lovely, fun people we watch online don’t always have easy lives, but somehow manage to carry on anyway.
So funny. I just commented THIS SAME THING. Her stories have made me cry and feel not so alone in some personal struggles. I def recommend her as well.
I HATE having un-read / notification things, so the constant stream of stories with that little outline on the circle drives me crazy, because I don’t want to watch them all (really, i don’t want to watch about 90% of them) so I end up watching some and skipping thru just so they go away! ha!
I’m just trying to figure out how the F I didn’t follow Orlando already?! I thought I did, but I was wrong (also, I wonder if he’ll be confused by all the new Insta followers he gets today)!
My tip for breastfeeding moms: find some people to follow who live in a different time zone so you get new content in the middle of the night. I love following Australians for this reason! I especially love Courtney Adamo and Celeste Barber. Other non-Aussie faves are Emily and Busy (just like everyone else, apparently), swissmiss, NASA, and my sister who has a private account, but posts great videos of my nephews. Ha.
Also, I agree about the fashion blogger comments. They are so rough to watch! I love pretty pictures of pretty clothes as much as the next girl, but it’s super annoying to watch a video of a girl making winky, kissy faces into the camera. All the eyeroll emojis!
CAROLINE HIRONS! Queen of skin care knowledge and british realness. Her insta stories are the best!
LOVE HER
Oh, Instagram stories. I love them and I hate them. I’m a “completist.” I do enjoy watching IG Stories, but once I start I am plagued with a ridiculous sense of anxiety if I don’t finish them all. It’s so silly… and is clearly a sign I should probably just not indulge in watching them at all! I kind of wish there was a way to curate a list of stories you want to see, versus having to tap through all the ones you don’t just to get to the ones you’re most interested in. I kind of hope that’s a real thing that I just don’t know about and someone will tell me it IS possible in a follow-up comment… ;-)
I too am a “completist” (love that term!) if you swipe left (instead of tapping each video) it’ll skip to the next person, but its still sort of annoying.
Oh my goodness, cannot agree more! A completist! I also can’t stand seeing unwatched stories, even if I just skip over them.
Someone message Insta HQ and demand a curated list of stories. Brilliant.
If you hold down the story circle at the top, you can choose to “mute” stories you don’t want to see. I recently found this..it’s life changing for us completists. Ha!
I’m so glad I’m not alone in my anxious stories binge watching! I will definitely try out the mute option — didn’t know that was a thing! Thanks for sharing! Also, I always forget to swipe left through an account I’d like to skip, and instead tap through each story. Thanks for the reminder!
KATRINA! You’re a life saver!
Thx – now I have a new one to add! I like Emily from Cupcakes & Cashmere, mommyshorts & mother_of_daughters (this hilarious British family with the most adorable girls)!
Orlando Soria forever!! He cracks me up. Adore his guest posts on Emily Henderson’s blog, too. I enjoy Emily and Jenny Komenda’s stories too, but the more personal ones than the rambly project ones. My other favorite is Rachel Hollis! Love following her everywhere – she’s real and funny and inspiring and a great motivational lady. @Livefreemiranda is a blogger that uses stories a lot and I think she’s just adorable. Jessica Honnegger and Jamie Ivey, and Joy the Baker are others I enjoy too.
OMG – ORLANDO. American Doll news? Hot guys I should marry? Cooking for rich people? The microphone gag?? He just cracks me up.
Orlando is the BEST!!!
LOVE HIM.
SAME! First person I thought of! I wish he had his own show, I would binge watch that too.
I just love the Instagram stories.
Haha, am I the only one with a baby who doesn’t breast feed like an angel? First, I would have to have head phones because he gets distracted easily when he eats. And second, I don’t have a spare hand because he can’t keep the breast in his mouth by himself to save his little life!
You are not alone! Breastfeeding was so laborious for me and required constant re-positioning. My daughter would get distracted by anyone talking, or noise like from the phone. It was usually a very slow and boring time (i.e. no phone or TV to pass the time!).
I love watching them as much as I love making them (with my dog :) It’s way more fun than Snapchat. Definitely going to check out some of these recs!
Its gotten to the point where I would rather watch insta stories then look at my actual insta feed…
@tommylenk has the best insta stories!
I second this. He is so freaking funny and creative and I just want to be his BFF.
My favorite part of Stories is that it separates the edited from the real when it comes to personality. There are so many folks whose blogs I follow, or Instagram accounts, but with stories you can really get a sense of whether you would like this person in real life. Creating great content is different than being full of personality or relatable or funny or sweet. I like that for good or for bad you get to see through the glossy images and perfect posts and see that maybe… that perfect person… is just a little bit..lame. ? Or the reverse… so fabulous! Like Jenny Komenda and Orlando Soria! My faves! The one thing that drives me BANANAS is when people use stories to repost images drawing people to their blog. It’s fine if you don’t post much but if you blog almost daily… ENOUGH! And if that’s all your stories are, then truly it is bone dry.
You need to watch Paleomg ‘s stories. She’s hilarious, always eating, talking, being raw, funny and her dog is adorable.
I am 100% fully committed to InstaStories, to the point where I deleted Snapchat without a blink. I scroll through the endless circles at the top fo the app each morning and choose the ones I want to watch – they’re usually camping pages, smart compelling women and ALWAYS the hilarious Susie Verrill. She’s the long jumper, Greg Rutherfords, girlfriend and mother of his little boy and bump, and she is honestly the most sarcastic, real and warm human I’ve ever seen.
Lo
http://www.themixtures.com
The girl from the House That Lars Built does the best outfit stories, where she dances in on screen. She has the best moves! Plus she plays the recorder. Her instagram stories are amazing!
Oh god, yes! I’m so addicted! I watch them in the morning while brushing my teeth and in the evening, either on the sofa or in bed. My boyfriend isn’t a fan – he finds it noisy and somewhat stalker-y. While that might be true, I also just love it!
Great post! I also love Insta stories and use them myself more often than posting to my feed because there’s not that same pressure to be perfect. My fave stories belong to Alaina Kaczmarski of The Everygirl, and Amanda Frederickson’s Fridge Foraging videos always ignite my culinary creativity!
Am I the only one following jetsetmama? She is hilarious and her kids are the cutest!
Jetsetmama is THE FREAKING GREATEST and I also second Orlando Soria from a previous comment too. Love them both.
She is my favorite!!!! I was just wondering why no one posted about her!! Jet set all the way. Especially all the mess about her braces!!
TOTALLY ADDICTED….I do have to remember to reach out to my actual friends though as the stories have become something I just naturally gravitate towards verses texting a friend when I have downtime. Like everything in life, there is a balance to watching them too much. With that said, I mostly think the stories are a great way to unwind. It’s fun to find out the ‘real’ stories behind certain instagram personas as they remind me that we are all just a bunch of dorks, trying to make sense of our every day lives and finding joy in the littlest and often mundane details of our lives.
Jenny Mollen is my favorite!
Jillian Harris, former Bachelorette. She and her family are adorable and she’s good at executing stories. Also FiveMarys, a family of ranchers out in CA. They have four daughters named Mary and they live a great carefree life on the farm.
I have been turned off of bloggers whom i have followed for years because of their IG Stories. — How can anything think that videos of them just walking down the street smiling into their phone is interesting to anyone?! The narcissism is frightening and pathetic. Another one is Eva Longoria. I really like her but her IG stories with all those ridiculous snapchat filters…. ay, ay, ay! Grown people screaming into the void… with melting bee faces and squeaky voices. Squeaking into the void.
Having said all that, there are some that I wish would post more stories like you, Joanne, and Caroline! I also like actors’ behind-the-scenes stuff (like Hamilton cast!), and i just watched Orlando Soria and he is funny!
I totally agree — every story starts with “HEY GUYS” and then its them driving (which is also super scary and distracting) to get a coffee. who cares?!
@thealisonshow ! She is hilarious, energetic, and so so awesome.
I love Instagram stories! I go down the rabbit hole every night and every time I procrastinate.
Here’s the good (or not so good, if they distract you): You CAN see them in your browser. All you need to do is download this plugin and, voila, now you have them in your giant screen. (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrome-ig-story/bojgejgifofondahckoaahkilneffhmf?hl=en-US). If you use a different browser, just Google “Instagram Stories Plugin” and follow the link.
First time commenting ever. Love your blog and I look forward to reading it every day!
@jennyandteets2 Jenny Mollen is amazing.
@Wolfgang2242- senior dogs..enough said
@theascherhouse..Butters the dog will make you laugh until you cry
I implore you to watch Orlando Soria’s stories – literally the best thing on social media. Soooo funny. He’s a designer that works with Emily Henderson occasionally, and he’s hilarious. @mrorlandosoria
Akilah Hughes (@akilahh)! She’s a YouTube-er who does comedy and political commentary and I always save her Instagram Stories for last! She was just in Cannes and her captures were both gorgeous and hilarious. Love her!
sgardnerstyle (Shavonda Gardner) has my heart. She is kind, energetic and funny. Very original. And the way I see it, yes, the stories people do appear all about themselves– that’s somehow the point/format– but, then, the flip side is that they can be my friend with no effort on my part! Haha. No worries- It’s just an escape. Not that big a deal. Great post idea Joanna!
Shavonda is great!
The Home Edit instastories are funny, and I found them by following Living With Landyn. I love her instastories – real, funny …. I’m addicted!
I love Eva Chen’s! Her kids are so funny and I always trust her recommendations.
I do postsometimes but not regularly. I’m more of a watcher, I guess.
Emily Henderson (of course!) and Brooke White @realbrookewhite. She is hilarious, sweet, and genuine!
I love love love Brooke White’s instagram stories! She is so down-to-earth and hilarious and I love her dance parties. I also love @houselarsbuilt – she and her brother both learned how to play the recorder as kids and sometimes she busts it out and takes requests for 80s songs or top 40 hits. AMAZING and I die laughing every time.
Ha! Laughing as I’m reading this while nursing my 3 month old and loving all the comments about how everyone watches IG stories while breastfeeding/pumping. I was never really into IG Stories…until March, when I had a baby. Now, I’m addicted. How did anyone do middle of the night feedings before Instagram?
Before Instagram, I found this blog when I was up breastfeeding my first baby!
Before Instagram, I found this blog while I was up doing late night breastfeedings with my first newborn. :)
@chelseabaken has such a personality! She is obsessed with TV. If you look at her stories today, she goes on a giddy tour of the church they used in The OC. She also travels a ton and has a knack for finding absurd places. She is hysterical!
I’m also really liking @studiodiy’s instagram lately. I find it to be the perfect mix of personal stories (adoption, infertility) while also showcasing her brand. Plus, the past week or so she’s been obsessed with finding out what stores sold those weird seashell soap sets (remember those?!?! The ones in the baskets with raffia and starfish soap that everyone’s grandma had) in the 90s. It’s a full-on investigation.
Jen Gotch aka my fav person on the internet!!
It’s funny because awhile ago you said you philosophically don’t understand Snapchat but it’s basically the same exact thing as Instagram Stories (i.e. they got the idea from Snapchat.) Sounds like you’d actually love Snapchat!:) (I love both. I’m way more selective about Snapchat followers so post more personal stuff there.)
I could not figure out Snapchat. I wanted cool face filters. Was it more apps? I just wanted to be sparkly!
I thought the same thing!! :)
Yes, Jen Gotch is the best. You should follow her immediately if you aren’t already!
I literally have not turned on my TV in 3 days because I spend all my TV-watching time watching InstaStories!!! I never expected to be so addicted. A well known blog that I won’t name here had an employee fired and she’s been talking about the fall-out for 6 full days on InstaStories and I really feel like I’m watching a reality TV show. I think I will now “change the channel” to Busy Phillips and The Home Edit… glad to hear these suggestions AND to hear I’m not the only one addicted to this new form of social media!
I know! I was even taking screenshots of her stories just to be able to read them and keep up!!
Umm me too, talk about InstaStories being like reality TV!!
Tip: if you press and hold the screen during a story, the frame won’t change (video or picture), so you can read the entire thing without having to screenshot.
Life changing, Kara!!!
Love Insta-Story! My latest obsession is following cast members of various Hamilton productions across the country. It’s so cool seeing the behind the scenes life!
oh wow, that’s an awesome idea, katy!
My sister (a busy physician’s assistant and mom of 3 kids 4 and under) once called reality TV a “jacuzzi for your brain.” Instagram Stories are that for me, but with less of a time commitment!
Also obsessed. Emily Henderson and Orlando Soria 100%!!!! I know everyone keeps saying that. They’re my favorite! But adamscarpenters might take the cake–no one has mentioned him yet. Other favorites are kittenxlady, amberfillerup, adamjk, and mintkarla (her daughters kill me). I always wish I could share stories with friends (the way that snapchat does).
Joanna, I always wish you posted more! I watch your stories but I want moooooooooore!
you are so sweet, zoe! i’ll try to post more! :)
Kittenxlady, yesss! Obsessed.
Love Love Love The Home Edit’s instagram stories. Also adore Orlando Soria’s crazy stories, with his crazy variety of found-object microphones.
Mrorlandosorio
He is so freaking funny and self deprecating. Can’t get enough of him!
Busy Phillips, Living with Landyn and Emily Henderson are my faves!
I loved them and watched my friends stories as well as strangers and…I loved stalking people who I don’t follow (exes and their new partners, fascinating women I admire from afar, people from high school, hot dudes) until someone told me that people can see who has watched them! I basically died on the spot and have yet to come back to life. The mortification. Can anyone attest to this? I don’t do Stories so I don’t know what the interface looks like. Please tell me it’s not true.
This is true! But you have to look at every story which I never do (but I’m sure people do). But it’s not like a notification like IG photos.
belle dean, haha, great q! if more than three people watch the story, you’ll only see two names on your story. so unless they’re really combing through their analytics, they’ll probably never know! (still, i avoid ex-boyfriends’ instastories for this reason haha)
Apparently I comb through my analytics, because you can click on the little eye ball (where it lists who watched) and you can see a list of people that have watched…. so uh, be careful lol!
You can see everyone who has viewed your story (aka they can see if you’ve viewed there story)!!! Swipe up while viewing your own story and everyone who has seen it is listed. Yikes!
Busy Phillips is my fave (perfect combo of humor and realness), but I have to say that I ended up following one of husband’s exes and I cannot NOT watch her stories when they pop up. it’s the weirdest little window into someone’s life!
These women are my friends IN REAL LIFE and they’re just as funny as you think. I’m so proud of these ladies! I’m so lucky to call them pals.
that is awesome, lauren!! we met them at a conference in dallas this spring when we luckily sat down next to them at lunch and we were laughing hysterically the whole time :) they are so funny and frank. you guys are lucky to be friends!
BUSY PHILLIPS! She is hilarious!
I’m on maternity leave (I get a year here in Australia) and Instagram stories has been one of the most oddly enjoyable parts of being on leave. I make the funniest insta stories! The pressure is off because they disappear after a day so I can let loose and let my funny fly. I have a private account so it’s only family and friends that see it but gee it’s great making little funny stories about things that have happened in the day and odd things I see at the shops, or has really helped to break down the isolation that you can sometimes feel as a new mum at home with a baby! #Instastories4lyf.
I can’t seem to get onboard with IG stories! I still love Snapchat’s, and it may be a reflection of the people I follow, but Snapchat’s still feel much more authentic than IG’s. IG stories seem more “curated.” Also, I hate IG’s newer algorithm feed and wish I could switch it back to chronological. I dislike how IG and Facebook are becoming more similar with every update. (I barely use Facebook as it is), and it annoys me how IG is copying all the best features on Snapchat. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the basic picture feed on IG, but I wish every platform would stick to their lane haha.
I don’t think i’m addicted per se but I do like to watch it from time to time.. although I get bored quite easily as well haha! I do publish mine and mine always revolves around my food adventure lol.
Jessica Seinfeld! She’s hysterical and so gorgeous that I want to be her when I grow up. ;)
She’s the best!!
I love watching the Bachelorette and making insta stories as the show goes on (and on, and on!), but I also love watching other insta stories posted – my favourite’s are Eva Chens! (evachen212)
Never heard of these and I can’t seem to find them on the sites you linked to….do you have to have an Instagram account and/or be using a phone?
Oh – just found the answer embedded in the comments. Thanks!
I do tend to watch all the stories on Instagram!
xx, Miss Harwell
Oh man, yes. I’ve never recorded one (it’s so far out of my wheelhouse it’s not even funny), but watching them is such a guilty pleasure.
I love Yoga Girl (her baby is the cutest), Everyday Reading, Merrick’s Art, Shutthekaleup, and EliseJoy.
I love Jenny Komenda’s insta and think she’s ridiculously talented, but her stories are too frenetic for me. I think she talks too fast for me to keep up.
Totally!!! Love Emily Henderson. Also embarrassingly watch a lot of fave dogs on stories – it’s fun cute videos rather than staged photos. I also get really into posting them though mine are terrible- but it’s so much less pressure than finding the perfect pic to post permanently!
I hated and avoided Instagram Stories for the longest time, but within the last month, I’ve been totally converted. My approach to my Instagram photo posts is to show polished, beautiful findings in my daily life, but my Instagram Stories gives me a place to share the not so perfect, funny, weird things I encounter. I especially loved using them to live-share my travels and have “someone” to share things with when I’m alone.
I, too, watch these in bed every night before going to sleep (not sure this is the best way to consume, but hey). I can’t get enough of Busy Philipps or Oh Joy. Busy cracks me up and is so relatable. I like the behind-the-scenes stories from the Oh Joy studio and LOVE her interviews with her daughters.
I was just coming to say that I am obsessed with Busy’s Insta stories! It’s become a favourite ritual of mine to watch her stories before bed. I’m now slowly finding myself buying things or wearing things that are influenced by her…
yay, i can’t wait to check hers out!
Another one for team Orlando :)
Same! He makes me cry-laugh!
I’m obsessed with Dean the Basset’s stories. Check him out if you’re a dog person. He delights me on the daily.
I love doing my own but also watching others. Have to say making your own is also quite addictive and creative.
I could start and realize that an hour has gone by! It’s crazy lol
Cannot agree more on Orlando Soria, Busy Phillips and Emily Henderson!
My three favorites! TBH :)
Those are my favorite too!
thank you!!! -chad J
I like them, but I have no clue how to work them! Can you rewind them? 1/2 the time I miss the dialogue!
If you tap on the left side of the screen, it will go back to the previous “snap” (to borrow language from Snapchat). Also, if you tap and hold the screen, that snap will stay until you let go. A good thing to know if there’s a lot of text on the screen!
Yes you can! Touch the screen on the left side and it goes back to the previous story. You can also hold down with your finger to pause anything that has long text.
They are totally my guilty pleasure too. I watch all of mine like a reel every night before bed! Some favorites:
Orlando Soria
Symmetry Breakfast
jooleeloren
I am also looking for my iced coffee pantone right now.
Orlando Soria’s stories are the BEST! I usually skip past most stories to get to his right away. I cry-laugh the whole time.
100% on Busy Phillips
Also, Emily Henderson and Ann Street Studio for sure
and then I love the mundane ones that are my real friends lives. I love getting to see little bits of their days.
I also love making them. :)
Busy Phillips for the WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my god I was just thinking this the other day. I am nursing my 3 week old son non stop and I am OBSESSED with instagram stories. Like I have no social life right now…except instagram stories?! You MUST follow Orlando Soria. He is HYSTERICAL.
Oh and I am also addicted to posting them!! I love finding the perfect photos and pieces of moments to string together, in their non-permanent, perfect little way.
I love watching Instagram stories while I pump at work. They also play from each person continuously so if you’re massaging (always trying to increase that supply!) you don’t need to click each new story
HAHAHA this is my life. I can only do passive technology things due to the massaging.
I became entranced by Instagram Stories while pumping (and massaging) at work, too! I’m done pumping but still enjoy watching them.
I admit whole heartidely that I am also addicted to Instagram stories! Great post!
I love IG stories. And now love this post about IG stories. I find myself watching several minutes too and then feel so stupid for feeling like I “know” these people, but sometimes I do comment and almost always, they comment back! There’s this lifestyle blogger out of Chicago who is hilarious – thedailytay – mostly just stuff about her dog, apt. or clothes, but her delivery cracks me up. A DC lifestyle blogger – megbiram – gives great product updates, but also just keeps it very real, commenting on whatever happens to be going on in her life that day. Also really love this fitness person out of NYC – bethanycmyers – she posts lots of examples of killer pilates-esque moves, but also just posts hilarious bits of her dancing around, posing, product recs and her cute dog. Thanks for posting this today!
JEN GOTCH!! (@jengotch) She’s HBIC at ban.do. She’s absolutely hysterical and at times heart-breakingly honest about her experiences with anxiety and depression. <3
Someone else mentioned Busy Philips, so I'll second that and also mention Eva Chen (@evachen212) whom I found through Busy when Busy visited Instagram. Eva is Instagram's Director of Fashion Partnerships (thx google) and has two adorable young kiddos. Maybe it's part of her job since she works at Instagram, but I also think she's kind of an ambassador for all the latest features you can use in InstaStories (stickers, backgrounds, type options, filters, etc.). She's fun and her content is fresh!
Jen Gotch, yes! I love her so much!
I’m so surprised by everyone’s love of Instagram stories.
I find them to be a means for people to post crappy narcissistic (even more than normal) content since it won’t stay on their Instagram page…
i totally agree. whenever i watch them i feel like i’ve wasted precious seconds of my life.
Yes! I am surprised so many people like stories. I don’t get the appeal.
Totally agree on Busy Phillips IG stories! Hilarious
Haha! I love Joanna and Clea, too! It’s my nightly ritual to watch their daily stories…that way I get a good laugh in before bed :)
So it’s not just me? In the past month or so, I’d say almost 90% of my social media consumption has turned into watching Instagram stories. There really is something so addictive about them. I want to call it “realist escapism.”
My favorites these days? @jeannedamas for vicarious parissienne living
Obviously I am missing out, as I watch most Instagram stories without sound. Ha! Although I will say, a lot of times the thoughts running through my head are along the lines of, “Who has this much time and energy to dedicate to filming their lives?” and “Don’t they want to put the camera down and like… enjoy that vacation?” Or the people who post 100 stories in a row and they’re all identical snippets of their baby watching a movie or something.
I post a few (the ones on organising people seem to enjoy) and do enjoy some. My favourite is becky higgins and I’m enjoying classy clutter these days too. She did a gorgeous walk through of her house the other day!
Watch @fivemarysfarms! I think you’ll LOVE her stories!
fivemarysfarms (Five Marys Farms) is my hand-down favorite. Mary, her husband, and four daughters are ranchers in northern California. She has great task and shows the beautiful side of their work, but she also does Stories about birthing animals and moving water pivots. It is a window into their ranching world – for someone who lives in Brooklyn and works in an office in Manhattan!
We watch Mary so much that my 3 year old son recognizes her voice and comes running, yelling, “Is dat Mary?” or “Are you watching Mary?”
I’m definitely on my way to Insta-story addiction. I tried posting my first one last week and felt so awkward and self-conscious about it that I took it down after 5 minutes (I think…can you actually delete them?). I will try again but I think I might leave it up to the pros!
I have to second Orlando Soria (mrorlandosoria)! He’s compelling, interesting, and honest about his recent professional and personal struggles while being absolutely hilarious at the same time. My boyfriend follows him despite no interest in interior design or the typical beautiful Insta-shots his profile also comes with. Someone give that man a TV show!
This was going to be my comment. I LOVE Orlando. I even pronounce his name correctly now ;)
Yes!! I am also addicted to them. Its my favorite thing to do after work. And FYI there is a chrome extension that allows you to view the stories in a browser! It’s not as user friendly, but gets the job done.
Oooh thanks!
I haven’t checked out IG stories because I don’t have an IG account.. I just look up pics of the ones I follow on a browser. Now I can check IG stories too!
India Hicks – fascinating, nice gear and tropical!
Get OUT. The Home Edit is hands down my favorite Insta story stalk too! They are hillarious! Also, dream job!
I always end the day by watching Instagram and Snapchat stories! My boyfriend always thinks it’s weird that I’m “watching strangers,” but you’re so right that it’s like reality tv. I also always tune into Jenney Komenda and Emily Henderson, and love when you post on your stories too!
I have mixed feelings on instagram stories, but Sarah Carey is my fave. I love her IG feed and I LOVE when she does stories showing her cooking her family’s meal for the day.
I LOVE Instastories, but for the life of me I can not figure out how to make them!! I don’t get how people can have 37 snips, each with different text and pictures and decorations…some are videos, some are photos…it’s definitely one of those “I’m only 31 but clearly too old for this” things.
As a soon to be 31 year old this comment made me feel so much better. I used to feel like I was a technology whiz (even that makes me sound dusty) but now I’m not as cutting edge as say, my 8 year old cousin.
YES! I am so addicted to them. I am a 26-year-old granny and got into snapchat way late. I could never figure it out and it added stress rather than relieved it.
Insta Stories is thankfully so different. It’s such a beautiful yet relatable platform! It’s a great creative outlet for me and is helping me to notice (and celebrate!) the little things.
I love to watch my friend’s instagram stories but I’m not huge on any celebrity ones. EXCEPT for Ludacris. He is so funny and seems like such a regular dad for being a famous dude. And all his daughters are so cute!
I personally get so tired of IG stories- People walking and talking to the screen drives me insane. I feel there is some level of self importance people posting have around constantly talking at their phone and how they capture every little mundane thing around them. I mostly just pick and choose and tap forward fairly quickly…
I agree! It’s all about Me! Me! Me! I’m afraid it’s teaching the younger generation to be completely self-absorbed. Big Brother in reverse!
My absolute FAVORITE is ParisInFourMonths. Carin is a photographer who is Sweedish and lives in Paris. She takes you along on her travels throughout Paris and around the world. She has such a beautiful way of capturing images and telling a story through Instagram. She’ll give you major wanderlust but also lots of inspiration on finding the beauty in your surroundings wherever you may be. :)
One of my favourites, too!!
Jenny Komenda and Emily Henderson make my favorite stories. I love their design aesthetic and think they have cute and funny personalities.
Some of my favorites:
Emily Henderson – design and life with toddlers
JuniperFoxx – rescued fox life (now with baby fox!)
kcstauffer (not just stories) – her toddler’s dramatic storytelling is amazing
Looking forward to more recommendations!
You HAVE to watch Orlando Soria’s Instagram stories. In case you don’t know (although I’m sure you do!) he was Emily Henderson’s right-hand-man for a long time and is now writing a book of his own. His stories recently have been detailing his life living with his parents in Sonoma county, while he tries to focus on finishing the book. HE IS HILARIOUS and you can’t miss it!
Yes!!! I’ll second Orlando. He is SO funny!
I post mostly street art, but also: my cat chilling in the bathtub, my daughter’s drawing of her new superhero Cat Womon (not to be confused with Cat Woman), and dog walkers walking three or more (preferably more) dogs.
I love CatandNat – two moms from Toronto that are best friends with 7 kids between the two of them.
Love them! Jami Nato is the funniest!
I love Jami Nato’s narrated trips to Target! “Get in my cart.”
In the evening, I wind down by watching Instagram stories on my iPad! It’s totally so much more relaxing than you might think. Thanks for the recommendations!
Busy Phillips is the absolute best as instagram stories. She posts funny kid stories, workout selfies, her and Michelle Williams drunk in the bathroom at awards shows, talks about her anxiety and depression, and basically live-streamed her family going on a Disney cruise. I catch up every night and it’s my favorite part of the day.
I agree! Busy is the best.
I second this!
totally agree, she’s my favorite!
I love Busy’s Instagram Stories! My husband teases me at the end of the day and asks “Are you catching up with Busy?” and 99% of the time that’s exactly what I’m doing.
yes! Busy! I was coming here to say that. I’ve been pretend friends with her since I watched Freaks and Geeks (when it was actually broadcast on tv in the 90s!) and love that I can pretend to be friends with her still. Also she wears a ton of madewell and that’s so normal and makes me happy.
YES! Her’s are the best.
Guyyyyyys????
“Guysssss….” Love her.
i actually joined lekfit online because of busy.
BUSY PHILIPPS!!! My husband now teases me, saying “guuyys”.
Going to check them out! The coffee color is actually kind of a great concept!