Bryanboy, Tavi Gevinson, Rumi Neely, Jane Aldridge – probably not names you are familiar with.
What if I tell you Marc Jacobs named a bag after one of them while another was custom fitted by Rodarte (the label responsible for Black Swan’s costumes) for a magazine editorial.
These people I mentioned above are indeed all fashion bloggers. And if you still don’t realize what I am getting at, let me make myself clear – FASHION BLOGGING is HUGE right now.
For those of you who have never heard of fashion blogs, let me give you a little idea of what they are about: A fashion blog is a blog about everything fashion related. Almost all of them come with loads of pictures, usually shots of outfits wore by the blogger, scanned magazine editorials, inspiration/ mood boards or pictures of the latest It items.
Fashion blogs first appeared in the blogosphere in 2002, primarily focusing on how to dress in style on a budget. Since then, the number of fashion blogs has been ever increasing and they are no longer just covering affordable merchandise, but also shifting to higher end markets.
Gradually becoming part of the mainstream fashion press, fashion bloggers are invited to launch parties and seated in the front rows of fashion shows next to Anna Wintour (aka Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada); big fashion houses and publications start their own fashion blogs; retailers like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 pair up with fashion bloggers to create capsule collections.
For every popular fashion blog, there must be a mastermind with a strong sense of style behind it all. When you run out of outfit ideas, or simply when you feel like it, these blogs are definitely worth checking out:
Bryanboy
Website: http://www.bryanboy.com
About: Marc Jacobs named a bag “BB Bag” after Bryanboy, the Filipino male fashion blogger with a strong avant garde taste in clothes. His blog features quite a number of coveted It pieces. Unless you are a male who thinks walking around in 4 inches plus heels, big mink coats and Lady Gaga inspired shades is something you’d do on a daily basis, Bryanboy’s blog is more artistic than practical.
Fashiontoast
Website: http://www.fashiontoast.com
About: Besties with fellow blogger Bryanboy, Rumi Neely of Fashiontoast is a half Japanese blogger/model known for her bohemian and boyish style. Represented by NEXT modeling agency, Neely modeled for a Forever 21 campaign late April 2010 and billboard ads featuring her were seen everywhere in New York. She is also considered a fashion icon in Asia, especially Japan. Out of all the blogs mentioned in this article, Fashiontoast probably features the most wearable looks.
Sea of Shoes
Website: http://www.seaofshoes.typepad.com
About: Jane Aldridge, debutante in “Le Bal” and blogger behind Sea Of Shoes, started her blog on all things fashion at the age of 15 as a hobby while preparing for her SAT. As her blog’s name suggests, Aldridge is a shoe lover. Being borne in a rather privileged family with mom Judy, a former model who shares the same passion for fashion with her daughter, you ought to expect all sorts of nice things appearing in her blog. Aldridge describes herself as “anti-fashion” and often mixes expensive designer shoes and accessories with thrifted pieces.
Style Rookie
Website: http://www.thestylerookie.com
About: One big reason why Style Rookie has such a big name is undeniably because of its creator’s young age. Tavi Gevinson created her blog at 11 years old and her site is done with
such professionalism that people doubt its authenticity. Gevinson’s unique aesthetic has scored her front row seats in major fashion shows and magazine covers (like New York Times). Rodarte, the same fashion label that is responsible for costumes of the movie Black Swan, is apparently so impressed with Gevinson’s work the designers custom made garments for her magazine photo shoot. In short, when it comes to fashion blogging, you have to know Tavi Gevinson.
Lookbook.nu
Website: http://lookbook.nu
About: Unlike the blogs I’ve mentioned above, lookbook.nu is not created by just one blogger. Instead, it’s a community where fashion enthusiasts all over the world post pictures of their own to showcase their styles. The growing popularity of the site attracted fashion labels like H&M and Mango to collaborate with them. Currently, an ongoing contest is held where the winner will get a chance to style MTV’s “Skins.” Because of its large number of users, lookbook.nu is probably the site with the quickest updates, so if you are constantly looking for outfit inspiration, lookbook.nu is your go-to site.
Considering what these bloggers have to do and what perks they are enjoying, you may think starting a fashion blog is an easy task. What you don’t know is that it’s indeed very high maintenance.
Without intriguing (and in most cases, is equivalent to exclusive and pricey) items, perhaps only your mom will bother to check out your blog. Try MIA for a few days, readers think you’re abandoning the site and they don’t revisit.
One thing is for sure, a successful fashion blog can open countless doors. The only thing you’ve got to figure out is how to start one.