Fashion blogs then and now - take your notebooks out, my dear classmates, and let’s look into the history of fashion blogging! Now, I know fashion blogs are still technically a novelty but if you’ve been following them from the start, you’ll definitely notice some major differences between fashion blogs then and now. I have been thinking about it lately and here’s what I’ve noticed:
One of the major differences between fashion blogs then and now is, of course, the style itself! Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed, too! I mean, come on, I love dressing up too, but you won’t see me running errands looking like a Hollywood star all done up for a major red carpet appearance! Outfit posts used to be more laid back a few years ago, they used to make me think, “Wow, I could do this, too.” I don’t get that feeling as often nowadays because even the most casual-looking outfits look like they took hours to put together.
Great, professional-looking photos used to be desirable but not a must before. In today’s blogosphere, however, good-quality photographs aren’t consider a luxury but something a blogger should be able to provide in order to have a chance of running a successful blog. Thumbs up! It’s good to know that know great outfits will remain unnoticed due to bad photography.
Gone are the days of happy thrifting, hope you’re ready for the popularity contest! What has changed, if I may ask? Why do I have this strange feeling that being a fashion blogger now means you must own a Michael Kors watch and at least a few top notch designer bags? It’s silly and discourages a lot of girls, making them believe that having a talent for matching clothes means very little if you can’t afford a few big brand names to mix and match.
Having a natural talent for fashion is finally paying out! How cool is that? Blogging has gotten so popular and common that you no longer have to wait for your big break. Websites are offering all kinds of benefits, finding sponsors has been made much easier and let’s not forget that a blogger gets invited to (or can request a pass for) a lot of cool events. Gifts sweeten the deal even further and you can definitely expect them even if you’re not Chiara Ferragni!
The history of fashion blogging may not be long, but it sure is rather rich and not always in a great way. And while I always tend to look on the bright side, I can’t ignore this new “let’s wear it because it’s trendy” attitude. Being creative and doing your own thing is, unfortunately, not as hot as it has been and we now have this huge army of bloggers who, although styled to perfection, look alike a little too much for my taste.
Being a blogger and having a lot of fellow fashionistas to share ideas with is so blissfully easy nowadays! Blogs are popular, bloggers have a lot of opportunities to get together and no one gives you the “oh, so you’re wasting your time for a living” look when you say that you run a fashion blog. Isn’t that great? I’m sure some of the first bloggers did feel a bit lonely for not having the same treatment, the same support or the same chance to easily find kindred spirits.
Whatever happened to that bold, influential side of fashion blogging? I mean, fashion bloggers used to set trends rather than just follow them! Remember how they managed to resurrect a long forgotten Moschino belt? I’m seeing less and less of that influential styles nowadays and I can’t say it’s a good feeling. Have bloggers become too busy racing to be the first ones to copy-paste a runway look?
What are your thoughts about the history of fashion blogging? Any other differences, pros or cons you’ve noticed and feel like sharing?