Thoughts on Fashion Bloggers

[Squizree]

It's VERY easy to dismiss bloggers as "kids who don't know what they're talking about". BUT as Softgrey said earlier, it IS about Survival of the Fittest" I think. The useless blogs will eventually filter out and only the ones with talent will keep going; this is how it is with many things. "Natural Selection"

I'm a blogger myself but I REALLY hate things like street style, celeb style and shopping oriented content simply because it's so redundant. "Street Style" and shopping is available for anyone with a neighbourhood. Why do you need a blog to see what other people are wearing? Why do you need a blog to tell you where to shop? Go out and do your own research. It's very stupid to me.
I try to only put things in that are inaccessible to the general public like photography, runway, news, personal illustrations and some economic-based news.

 

[iluvjeisa]

It's VERY easy to dismiss bloggers as "kids who don't know what they're talking about". BUT as Softgrey said earlier, it IS about Survival of the Fittest" I think. The useless blogs will eventually filter out and only the ones with talent will keep going; this is how it is with many things. "Natural Selection"

I'm a blogger myself but I REALLY hate things like street style, celeb style and shopping oriented content simply because it's so redundant. "Street Style" and shopping is available for anyone with a neighbourhood. Why do you need a blog to see what other people are wearing? Why do you need a blog to tell you where to shop? Go out and do your own research. It's very stupid to me.
I try to only put things in that are inaccessible to the general public like photography, runway, news, personal illustrations and some economic-based news.

Yes, that's a common misconception about evolution. You will only get as fit a population as the selective pressures command. What are the selective pressures? None. Anyone can have a blog....so, hence, there is going to be neutral evolution not adaptive.

I also try to put things on my blog that I happen to have access to that I also think might inspire others. I don't mind streetstyle etc as long as it's an intuitively good photographer. Beauty is everywhere, you just have to find it, see it and capture it.

 

[Zazie]

Hmm..., sometimes I wonder if it's not more like "survival of the lowest common denominator"? I mean, ANTM is also the most popular reality tv of its kind, media darlings like Jessica Simpson have their own billions of fans, etc., they don't have to be of any particular quality except to attract huge quantities of admirers. A combination of being richer, more privileged, opportunistic and self-obsessed not to mention willing to put oneself out there to be photographed to death in as ridiculous outfits as possible would qualify for a shot at fame these days, so honestly, I don't even see these as creme de la creme of the beau monde. As for their protests that they only get $$ and not $$$$$ like the fashion editors, well, at least magazines are upfront about their advertising. Bloggers insist they are independent, authentic, original, etc., so it's fair to point out their own compromises. They do inspire hope amongst millions of impressionistic teens that similar fame, recognition and being feted by important people are within their grasp, if only they'd heed their once-obscure-geeky idols, splurge, play dress up and blog. That's where the problem lies - I don't care much for the bloggers, but a whole generation is being dumbed down and their learning years wasted on slavish following of mindless fashion blogs, worse, starting their own imitation "style" blogs, My Space, Facebook, Twitter and all manners of net trivia, in addition to long hours of gaming and TV. Ugh... so if you do blog, I hope you'd put up contents you feel will advance art or fashion knowledge, startling images or meaningful experiences that will make all that difference. Something above this relentless catablog of vacuous mindlessness.

 

[quimby]

When blogs first started coming around, they were fresh and exciting.
They were like zines--
an individual and very personal labor of love to share ideas and viewpoints among like-minded people.
I think blogging still has that potential.

And while I don't like criticizing anything that allows different perspectives to be heard and shared,
I feel like the rampant advertising that has infected so many of my favorite blogs has changed the overall feeling of blogging.
It seems more cynical.

I mean, I have no problem with anyone who talks about a brand that they like.
But when they profit off that discussion, I feel a little used in that transaction.

 

[tigerrouge]

Sometimes I see it mentioned, in articles that attempt to forecast the future, that eventually there will be people (or companies) doing the specific job of guiding others towards 'worthwhile' content on the internet. That sounds like the natural evolution of another layer on top of what we've already got - instead of people wasting their time sifting through a mass of content, they turn to these hubs which assess or promote sites (like blogs) on whatever criteria the future has decided is important, no doubt riddled with strongly commercial interests.

 

[ultramarine]

I'm a blogger myself but I REALLY hate things like street style, celeb style and shopping oriented content simply because it's so redundant. "Street Style" and shopping is available for anyone with a neighbourhood. Why do you need a blog to see what other people are wearing?

No, darling they are no redundant at all ... arent streestyle blogs from Spain completely different from the Tokyo style? And I can guarantee that what costaricans seem to wear mistakingly thinking of it as high fashion are so farfetched (i know this because yes, I run a blog and I post streetstyle pics).

And to answer the q and why do we need what do they wear ...

We all know nowadays fashion is born in the streets ... not like before with haute couture shows ...
and on top of that I like being ahead of the curve and appreciate the details and creativity on other people ... even I get inspired by them.

 

[chloehandbags]

me too...
but in general...
i would just like to see the streetstyle of many more stylish people...
not just teenagers and early 20's...
i mean...even when i was IN high school...
i was looking for style inspiration from people who were older, more experienced and had more money than i could ever hope to have from my part time job ...
and then i would be creative and try to put together some version of that for myself...
with my own style added in...

i can't imagine that if i was a teenager that i would really care about other teenagers all that much...i was always looking farther ahead..
but maybe that's just me???...
...

No, it's not just you and in fact, even before I was in high school (i.e. even when I was as young as 4 or 5 years old - but especially by the time I was 8 or 9) I used to look at glamourous 'older' women (30s/40s/50s normally) and admire their clothes.

I had a very glamourous next door neighbour and she wore a lot of, what I now know to be, Missoni and I'm sure I saw plenty of people in Chloe and I am now finding myself thinking of these women's dress sense, then, in terms of what I want to wear now!

 

[chloehandbags]

i think it's getting worse...
to be honest...
...

maybe the ones that aren't very good (most of them) will eventually fade away and die out...?
*survival of the fittest, cream rises to the top...choose your fave cliche...

but yeah...
i agree with everything that luluposh posted...

Yes but, like many things, it's often not so much about being the best, as a combination of luck, knowing the right people and self-promotion, is it?

Being controversial, in some way, probably helps too, I'm guessing?!

There are probably some excellent fashion blogs out there that practically no one knows about...

 

[chloehandbags]

As for their protests that they only get $$ and not $$$$$ like the fashion editors, well, at least magazines are upfront about their advertising.

Well, they are with their actual advertising, but they're often (in fact, usually!) paid to say they like certain things in articles; even though they don't readily admit to it!

I think you could say that they're on a par with bloggers, from that POV, because (if they're lucky!) bloggers have their banner ads, which are the equivalent of magazines' full, or half page, ads and bloggers have their posts, which may be (openly, or secretly) sponsored by a company and therefore, are the equivalent of most magazine articles.

 

[Luxx]

The idea of selling out in fashion is kind of ridiculous. How can you even sell out in an industry that doesn't exactly pride itself on legitimacy, the business model of most major magazines is all about ad sales so it is not as though they present some claim to authentic commentary. Everyone is in the pocket of everyone else...

As for bloggers, I agree that you can't lump them all together. Every blog is different, every blogger is different - some people come directly from the industry and speak with a degree of authority, some are just young people who are very excited about fashion and their perspective can be interesting too.

With regards to which blogs will last, it all depends on a variety of factors. I don't think it is survival of the fittest as much as it is simply a crap shoot. Personally, I think the bloggers with the most specific subject matter often survive given that their readers know exactly what to expect from them. There have also been some good blogs that die out simply because people don't have the time to update them. Given that blogging isn't always a "job" and might just be a hobby, I wouldn't apply the rules of survival of the fittest to this. Sometimes people just want a break from the online world and sometimes people who really have no business blogging are the ones who update every single day...

It all depends.

 

[luckyme]

well, i have my favorites i check every day sometimes even more. what they do provide, is current up to the minute images and content...not so unlike this board. its fun to see and read, i dont live by the sword but do enjoy them. magazines i refer to over the month or so i keep them because i love print and its longevity but there is a place for both. if its crap content neither will keep my attention but that goes for pretty much anything...i admire anyone who is successful at what they love to do and in the end the readers will decide who is worthy.

 

[luckyme]

would also like to add that even though they are not fashion bloggers per se, i am glad that quite a bit of online stores are now using blogs to update their inventory and sales as well as giving an ensemble lookbook of their stock.

 

[Susanna-Cole]

To those discussing if fashion bloggers can really "sell out", it is the fashion industry, after all, I think that yes they can indeed, to a certain extent. When I first began blogging (about a couple years ago) most blogs were personal fashion blogs that weren't attempting to sell their readers anything, that didn't have ads, or giveaways, or freebies, who mostly withheld from blatant self-promotion, and now all those things are everywhere and fame seems to be a more and more popular motive for starting a blog.

I suppose the difference is that when some began blogging, years ago, no one had really become or knew that you could become a celebrity of sorts through blogging alone, or that you could make money or be sent free stuff, etc... and therefore, I think most had much more pure intentions and were blogging for, dare I say, the right reasons.

 

[PonyShow]

I find the style blogs a little embarrasing--for them. If I come across somebody's blog where they are like, look at me, look at this outfit, all from forever21, I'm like..aww...sweetie..no one cares.

 

[quimby]

I get what others are saying about fashion bloggers not being able to sell out because the whole fashion industry is "sold out," so to speak (the cynicism I referred to).

But is there a difference between showing off something because you love it and showing off something because you're paid to do it? Maybe, maybe not. I'm inclined to think there is.

(or more properly, paid off in some other, piddly way than monetary, considering how much benefit the advertised company receives vs. the dress or whatever that the blogger gets in return)

There's a difference of intention. But the same time, the effect on the reader is largely the same, no matter what the intentions of the writer might be. That is, exposure, desire, and consumption.

So maybe, actually, others are right after all. Maybe when you write about fashion, you can't help setting off some spark of desire in others, which all too often turns into the desire to own and consume. Maybe my thinking that fashion blogs were like zines never really worked because zines were about creativity and ideas, not some product.

But I remember blogs that showed DIY projects and outfits composed entirely of secondhand items and old clothes hauled out of the closet, so that you couldn't just run out to the store to buy stuff you saw on the blog. What you could do was admire the creativity and expression that went into the posting. Maybe that's what I miss. There are blogs that still do that, but they're much more rare these days.

 

[Bonitaapplebum33]

I find most fashion blogs very overrated. I'm tired of seeing the same look at me, look at what I'm doing, look what I just bought over and over again. I think that fashion blogging now lacks inspiration and some people are blogging solely to be invited to exculsive events and get free products from stores.

That being said, I've also found some wonderful blogs that are full of D.I.Ys, objective critiques, and truly inspiring ideas. I just think that fashion blogging should go back to its roots instead of selling out.

And I agree with PonyShow it is really embarssing looking at someone's blog and they're trying extremly hard to be fashionable, and orginal

 

[MulletProof]

[random] thoughts on fashion bloggers: I don't visit fashion blogs, I might do it at times, mostly when boredom aches, in the same way I may end up watching old Britney Spears videos on youtube, but except for escapism, I don't think there's something that genuinely attracts me or that I have gained and imported into my life from them.

I find trends dangerous, you may think you will resist to something but after being in 15 blogs that parade something to be next season's 'must-have', the thought of possessing it yourself is already circling around your head. The brainwashing is contagious for a weak mind like mine.

For 'thoughts' or pseudo-journalist/pedantic ramblings, I have my own - I don't really follow fashion (or music) for reviews or to read what some kid thought about Preen's collection.. and I don't need to see the same collection on 10 different blogs when I can just go through style.com's slideshow.

Someone's personal Topshop collection, A. Wang/Miu Miu DIY projects or clever styling stunts are uninteresting to me as well, especially when it's the same face pretending to pose like a model entry after entry. There's something kind of vulgar about it for me, can't put it into words. Not to sound bitter but honestly, if these clothes were alone on a hanger, against some pretty light, without having to see the blogger's face, I would probably fall in love with that modest play of clothes right away.

The only fashion-related blog that has floored me completely and which is a recent discovery (credits to MMA for recommending it!) is a thing for.. , kept by a Parsons graduate. It seems to provide an intimate but still rather impersonal (if that's even possible) take on fashion inspiration.. 100% through the language of imagery.. and even though you feel like you know the person behind it just through these photos, there isn't really anything that you know about her daily life.. and I find that liberating, the effect of her collages reaches you immediately and it's up to you to process it.. it doesn't awake or feed any social complex or status craving such as 'this is what you should dress/buy/look/pose like'.. it's just pure, unadulterated inspiration. It probably doesn't even fit into the basic meaning of 'blog' but I find it to be a healthy and objective source of ideas.

Anyway, there was this other thread (where I tried to expand a bit more), it touches down on the effect of bloggers in the long-run (icon status). It might be a good read for some.

 

[Anditgoeson]

I find the style blogs a little embarrasing--for them. If I come across somebody's blog where they are like, look at me, look at this outfit, all from forever21, I'm like..aww...sweetie..no one cares.

Haha, your comment pretty much sums up 90% of the fashion blogs out there!

 

[tiffany]

^I suspect they'll keep going even if their viewing figures decline, like most blogs. But people will definitely pay them less attention. Most of them are just chatter or filler & only the ones which have something more substantial to offer seem to draw a real crowd

 

[Karoline0305]

Fashion bloggers -- they were a novelty at first but now are a dime a dozen. As with anything, there are good and bad bloggers...but a very select few are actually visionary and interesting to read. Personally, the only one blog I visit is The Sartorialist, which lets the pictures do all the talking.

In general, fashion blogs seem pretty boring and generic -- even the photos they snap of themselves all look the same: look sad and look down, or look sad and look down to the side....sigh. Blogger poses have become tired and cliche. Given a choice, I will always go for a good old-fashioned newsstand copy of W or Vogue.