Introduction

The subject of fashion blogging refers to an evolution from simply posting what you wore today to a more complex piece on covering the latest fashion shows and events to highlighting the style trends of the season. Bloggers tend to take on the role of “journalists” in the fashion world.

By 2014 next year, blog audiences would account for over 70% of Internet usage (Segev, Villar, & Fiske, 2012). And this number is only getting higher.

Fashion bloggers have often started small with a simple concept and theme, and worked their way up to being featured in magazines and invited to elite fashion shows and events. Take a look at fashion blogger Aimee Song of songofstyle.com. According to this video, 3 years ago she was an Architecture student and working for an architectural firm. 

In that short span of time, she went from student style blogger to high fashion muse. She went from owning one Chanel bag, to countless posts wearing head to toe designer labels. It is clear that the blogging industry has taken off, giving countless opportunities to bloggers.

Aimee Song. (2013). [photography]. Retrieved from songofstyle.com

Here, in a more recent post, she wears leather Valentino shorts.

Audiences

Bloggers have seemed to capture the hearts of those consumer audiences by being consumers themselves (McQuarrie, Miller, & Phillips, 2012). When bloggers post outfits, they advertise brands and pieces that they enjoy, and almost always are “in trend” and “in season”. Bloggers depend on the size of their audience. Naturally, the larger the number of readers, the more popular a blog gets. However, the type of viewers a blog receives depends on the content of their posts (e.g. specific “style” of the blogger). This theory could then be summarized as “Fashion blogs would then draw their audience from among consumers pursuing related identity projects, and the clothing and accessories most likely to be displayed on the blog would be those that send a strong signal about the particular community and subculture to which the blogger belongs” (McQuarrie et al., 2012). On the other hand, some blogs tend to be a little more obvious when targeting their audience. For example: Bebe Zeva of ftbh.blogspot.ca features an all black background with white font on her blog. She features outfit posts of eccentric articles, as well as detailed descriptions above it or a summery of a little piece of her insight. 

Bebe Zeva. (2013). [photograph]. Retrieved from ftbh.blogspot.ca

A minimalist consumer, interested in classic clean-cut clothing would not likely stumble upon her posts. 

In this article by McQuarrie et al. (2012), it links this idea of audiences to sociologist Goffman’s theories (1959). It was stated “participants in social encounters could be parsed into actors and audience, with actors striving to put on a front and convey a certain persona, and audiences accepting successful actors seeming as they wish to be seen” (McQuarrie et al., 2012). This concept ties back into the specified audience of each blog. Bloggers tend to stick to one style of blogging in order to capture and keep audiences of the same interests. “…believable taste in clothing requires that the blog follower, an ordinary consumer, be able to see herself in the taste displays she encounters on the web” (McQuarrie et al., 2012). This would seem to be the key to building a large mass audience. Interests build as the reader sees that he/she has something in common (most of the time same sense of style) with the blogger, and uses that as a motive for inspiration in their own wardrobes. This then creates a small community of people who are linked through their interests, in this case the "type" of style the blogger has and the content of the posts, whether it is the specific designers they are covering or the brands that happened to stand out in their closet that day.

Blogging and Collaborations

Well-known fashion bloggers today go above and beyond outfit posts and pictures of their dinner the night before. Many participate in events and shows in order to blog about it. Companies and brands tend to reach out to bloggers to advertise in a more personal way. Blogger Julie Sarinana of SincerelyJules.com often participates in these types of posts. In a recent collaboration posted on her blog here, she writes about a company called TONI&GUY Hair Meet Wardrobe that did the looks for London Fashion Week. She brings up products used (and provides links to where they can be purchased) and pictures of how the hair was created. 

Julie Sarinana. (2013). [photograph]. Retrieved from SincerelyJules.com

This brings about the notion of paid blogging. According to Independent Fashion Bloggers (2013), a blogger’s income looks a little something like this: 

Grechen Reiter. (2013). [graph] Retrieved from heartifb.com

*This graph was based on the author's own income (blogger)

It shows that around 81.3% of earnings were from affiliations with other companies. Bloggers can make a healthy living from simply by focusing their post on a single brand. This traces back to the consumer behaviour of readers. Because they identify with a certain blogger in terms of interests, they may automatically assume that “just because this person enjoys this product, I might enjoy it as well”. According to Segev et al., (2012), 42% of bloggers admit to blogging about brands they love or hate. 

Journalism and Blogging

Although journalism and blogging seem to coexist hand in hand, some believe that “blogging has been portrayed as exposing journalism’s weak points” (Lowry, 2006). However, many have also counter-argued that both can actually complement each other. Bloggers tend to practice more accurate, honest, and socially relevant reporting (Lowry, 2006) compared to journalists’ objective qualities. Blogging has also made its way to occupational statuses. Classes on blogging have been implemented in Universities, as well as the granting of legal protection for bloggers (Lowry, 2006). The subject of paid blogging also adds to the argument that it can be a profession. Companies who are willing to participate in a collaborative project approach many bloggers. In this example, blogger Olivia Lopez of Lusttforlife.com collaborated with the brand Madison Harding in order to create a boot she designed.

Olivia Lopez. (2013). [photograph]. Retrieved from lusttforlife.com

The post can be seen here. In doing these collaborations, bloggers can expand their resume, as well as further build their network and get compensation from the brand. It is also beneficiary for the company involved because they allow the readers to purchase a little piece their favourite blogger. Companies can also see out this opportunity for personalized advertising and praise for their products from the blog posts. This goes back to the topic of audiences connecting with the fashion blogger, in terms of interest, and in this case the perfect boot. This is another reason why bloggers are able to make a healthy living and a successful career out of the comfort of their own computers.

Conclusion

The evolution of blogging in today’s world has come a long way from simply opinionated free flow writing. Bloggers today now have the ability to gain mass audiences and cater to their empirical needs. Each blogger now also has the chance to write about what they like, and have people to share it with. Also, a new blogging profession came to be. Companies and brands are now looking into collaborating with many bloggers, as the endless dedication and personality will not otherwise exist with a cookie cutter model. The rise of the fashion blogging industry has given many opportunities to individuals to follow their passion, as well as making an income to support their lifestyle. :)