Fashion is a cult that takes on many forms. There are the hardcore, upper echelons of cutthroat design houses scattered throughout Europe and North America where ateliers and pattern makers help realise some of the dreams the industry’s biggest names dare dream. Then there are endless boutiques, home to many hopefuls, just as many wannabes and a select few who have an eye for what is and what will be. Then there are the countless magazines that actualise all this and deliver it to the masses.
But now fashion has a new sect: the blogger. These are those who are aspiring toward their goals and using whatever tools they can to reach them – namely some basic HTTP skills and an internet connection. And the bloggers are slowly taking over the fashion world, gaining a reputation all of their own.
There are those – like The Sartorialist’s Scott Shuman (www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com) – whose photographs of street style are so iconic they now have book deals. Or others – like 13 year old Tavi (http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com) – whose sense of fashion is so inherent they appear on magazine covers as style icons of the future. And then there are fewer still, such as The Uniform Project’s Sheena Matheiken (www.theuniformproject.com), who dare to push the boundaries – in this instance wearing the same dress a different way over 365 days, all in an attempt to raise money to revolutionize education in India.
‘What makes a good fashion blog? The ability of the author to edit, and by that I mean not posting everything they come across,’ says Carl Cato-Barnett, editor of The Fashionisto, a blog which showcases the absolute latest in menswear. ‘Not everything you stumble across and receive in your inbox is going to be of quality or interest to post. By only posting the best, you maintain a quality blog.
‘It is also important to know what you are posting about. Pictures are nice, but what’s the story? If you don’t know the story, do some research. Too many people out there are concerned with posting pictures and somehow making a living…not going to happen. Altogether, a great fashion blog includes a keen eye, knowledge and points of reference.’
A fashion blog – which you can start today using Blogspot or WordPress – can take on many different forms. It can be an update of the latest trends and collections or fashion gossip. It can be a survey of street style. It can also be inventive and push the parameters of fashion by exploring such notions as the economy of fashion and how it translates to the masses. Above all else though, a good fashion blog should have a clear, concise vision, one that it is willing to maintain yet push the boundary of fashion through maintaining a self-contained high standard of content.
‘Before you start a blog,’ added Cato-Barnett, ‘think am I filling a void, am I offering something unique? Or am I improving what is already there to be something better? If you cannot answer in the affirmative to either and/or are not willing to put in time, what’s the point?’
And of course, a fashion blog needs to be constantly updated since fashion itself is forever moving forward. ‘I think that for bloggers, especially in Australia, fresh content is hard to come by because we are still so small in comparison to overseas countries,’ explained Adam Muniz, director of Sydney based menswear blog and online store For-Tomorrow.
‘To keep a constant audience it is also hard to continually put out interesting posts that will intrigue people on a regular basis and make them wanting to come back for more. The best way to overcome these problems is to stay true to yourself beliefs, do regular research and speak to others who view your blog to get their opinion.’
From there it’s a matter of word of mouth. After all, good content can be hard to come by online, but once found, people relish it. Particularly members of the cult of fashion. And the opportunity it can generate can be amazing. Local Perth blogger Emma Bergmeier is a prime example.
Her blog, Dropstitch, started as an online postcard to those friends who had left Perth. The aim was for it to show them what they were missing out on, and in turn showcase exactly how stylish the inhabitants of this far-flung city can be.
‘I am still amazed at all the opportunities Dropstitch has provided,’ Bergmeier says of her humble blog, which lends itself to The Sartorialist school of blogging by showcasing street chic. ‘Since launching the site I’ve been approached and asked to contribute to Cracker Your Wardrobe, a South Korean street fashion magazine, Attitude, Khooligan a Russian publication, The Times in London, and many others.’
But of course, such success only comes if you have a clear passion in your fashion. After all, fashion is a relentless beast which charges on regardless. Blink, and you can miss the latest and greatest. So if you do plan on starting a fashion blog, perhaps keep in mind what Oscar Wilde said of the situation (a quote Cato-Barnett uses to sign off his emails… and to great effect) that ‘fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months’. And it’s hard work making the ugly seem so beautiful. Hard work… but oh so rewarding.
KEEPING IT CUTTING EDGE
‘My advice would be, stick to what you believe in. It took us a year to develop a readership and following.’ Adam Muniz, For-Tomorrow, www.f-t.com.au
‘The hardest hump to get over is the fact that I spend countless hours each day blogging and there are people out there who don’t consider the time and dedication when they swipe content without sourcing or plagiarize original commentary.’ Carl Cato-Barnett, The Fashionisto www.thefashionisto.com
‘Blogging software is really easy to use these days so starting a blog isn’t the slightest bit hard! Try to update as much as you can; contact other bloggers and ask them to link to your blog, and get some business cards printed to spread the word about your online escapades.’ Emma Bergmeier, Dropstitch, www.dropstitch.com.au
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