Fashion blogging's "not real" anymore.
Everyone's fake.
Everyone's stupid.
And incredibly shallow.
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| source |
We know, we know we know.
Self-reflection about the cliche that fashion bloggers have become has become a cliche in itself.
So what's a clichely un-cliche girl like me to do?
Give up all notion of personality and become a "brand ambassador"/ model?
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| gary pepper, weworewhat, trop rouge, fashion toast |
"Embrace" personality and become a sassy "anti"-model?
or....
Shirk responsibility in favor of selfish rambling and ceaseless idiotic photos?
#3 for me!
But seriously.
"Fashion" blogs are weird.
Blog "shoots" are not shoots. They are awkward paces back and forth in front of (oftentimes) amateur photographers confused by your choice of free time activities and awkward angle-legged poses.
The often inclement weather and strange public circumstances
result in roughly one "effortless" pretty shot captured for every 45 mortifyingly embarrassing (and uncomfortable) outtakes.
They lack all forms of elegance.
They are not smooth.
Blog "meet ups" are not meetings. They are sugar-free caramel coffee whine-sessions about how stupid-yet-addicting blogging actually is.
Blog "collaborations" are not collaborations. They are free things sent in the mail sans meaningful conversation and hyped-up in order to sound important.
Unless you're super famous, in which case they're underwhelming collections made by pseudo-celebs.
Which we're expected to covet out of idolization for their inherent coolness.
Not for the product itself.
And your blog "readers" are not readers.
They're probably just casual social-media glancers weirded out by your ceaselessly narcissistic hobby.
They are also in no way "yours".
Blog "friends" are not friends.
They are people you stalk.
Blogger "celebs" are not celebs. They are niche popular individuals with (usually) inflated egos and senses of self-importance, convinced that their every move is chronicled and cared about by the majority of "their" mindlessly following "readership".
But see,
I'm your readership. I'm also a human. I don't solely exist as a statistic on your Google Analytics weekly update. I'm not a Facebook like. I'm not a "@___ [who] is now following you on Twitter." I'm not an Instagram double-click.
So the second that I start feeling unworthy,
the whole everyman purpose of blogs is defeated.
Because, really? Is that really what's "in your bag"?
Does your apartment really include impeccable displays of nail polish?
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| all from Teen Vogue's "My Room" series on fashion bloggers |
Was your apple-picking trip really all that glamorous?
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| trop rouge vs. not trop rouge |
Does the wind really aid your photo"shoots" instead of sabotaging them repeatedly?
I mean, c'mon, folks. I think it's time we stop idolizing impractical perfection and start the next round of grassroots fashion coverage. If it's not blogging, fine - but I do think that we need a little switch up - a little overturn of the norm.
When jeans became mainstream, jean-wearers wore plaid. When plaid became cool, plaid-wearers ... well, they're probably still wearing plaid, because they're still fully unaware that it's even remotely "cool",
but you can bet that the second they learn that what they're wearing is "trendy", they'll skip right along onto nudity - or some other equally unacceptable form of (non?)clothing.
So what's a fashion-minded youth's metaphorical nudity?
If I, as an average human, no longer have any fashion-related media outlets that I can relate to, where do I turn?
Cheers.
ugh right on point. i swing between extremes of my opinion on what I'm doing here and even the point of all of this, often many times within a single day.
ReplyDeletesometimes you see an outfit so interesting and liveable you weep at it's brilliance, i can only hope to make or live my life as close to that as possible, however superficial that may be.
YES.
DeleteThose moments of complete inspiration and clarity are what keep me going. It's so viscerally perfect it can't be wrong.
Then there's every other moment.
agreed. and exactly to the point of it all....or lack of a point of it all.
ReplyDeletelately i've been questioning myself, too. like where am i really going with this? who actually cares what i think? or don't think....or ramble on about. i've come to the conclusion that i don't really have a point to make with my blog, but that it's merely a scrapbook of images and outfits and experiences that i catalog (probably mostly for myself, but oh well). it enables me to 'connect' with some people, like you, and i like that, too.
by the way, looking forward to our 'blogger meet up' next summer in which we can discuss all things 'collab' etc. haha!
xo
n
lack of a point of it all.
Deletei.e. my blog's should-be tagline.
Can't wait to see you either! Erin raves about you )
these outtakes pretty much sum up every time i've tried to shoot pictures for my blog just with more me yelling, "but are you getting my bracelets?!" this is literally the greatest blog post i've ever read in my entire life. i have nothing intelligent to contribute to the conversation and i have no answers but i just have to say this is perfection. love it, love you more, never stop dropping truth bombs all over the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteabigail
www.farandwildjewelry.com
You always make me feel much cooler than I am
DeleteThen I scroll up through the pictures and realize,
nope.
I'm definitely a freak.
The thing that gets under my skin the most about fashion blogging these days is that is has done a 180 from where it started. The whole reason I fell in love with fashion blogs was because of how accessible it made being fashionable seem, these girls seemed like they could be my friends, they seemed like they could be ME. But now, they all seem to come from at least a little bit of money, they're pseudo-celebs parading around in their designer clothes. The whole reason I didn't look to celebrities for fashion inspiration in the first place was because they were on a level I could never achieve and now fashion bloggers are the same way. Wearing Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Saint Laurent, and that stupid (ok, it's not stupid) Chanel "boy" bag that everyone has, they're just as unaccessible as celebrities. I followed Rumi from fashiontoast from the first months of her blog and she is still my favorite, and while none of her outfits are accessible anymore I like knowing her beginning. When her outfit creds would read something like: Forever21 Top, Forever21 Shorts, Vintage Cardigan, Aldo shoes. It would be interesting to see if she would have made it in the blogging industry starting today as she had 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's tough. I feel the exact same way. to answer your question: No, I don't think that they'd be famous today. I think that getting in the game early was key.
DeleteThat's why it's interesting to think about what the "getting in the game early" is NOW. It's happening. There are folks out there doing the next big thing in fashion - and they'll be able to say they started now, when we were all dilly-dallying writing our blogs.
frustrating
WHERE DO YOU TURN? TURN TO YOURSELF AND WEAR AND BE INSPIRED BY YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE...CRAZY CONCEPT.
ReplyDeleteSHEREE
www.itsnotthatdeep.com
Hey Sheree - thanks for the comment.
DeleteHonestly, you're right. And if all I sought wash happiness and peace with myself and my style, I'd totally agree.
The reason I ask the question, though, is because I'm wondering about "where to turn" from an industrial standpoint. What's next in "Fashion" not style. I feel like it always has to do with "sticking it to the man" - so if bloggers are becoming "the man", who is going to take the place bloggers?
But from a contentedness standpoint, you're right. Being inspired and happy is key.
I just read blogs to remind myself that there are still some intelligent people out there. My day job can be pretty depressing, forced to work with people who are - honestly - idiots. I like to come home on the weekends and read what others have written on their blogs, and it makes me feel more normal to know that there are others out there. Also I read a lot of blogs about people sewing their own clothes (not 'fashion' really) and it is inspiring to see what others can do that is way beyond what I am able to.
ReplyDeleteThat out take of you in that wool/mexican/poncho/pompom thing is basically my favorite photograph ever. Suck it, Avedon.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post. I find myself asking.....myself...these same questions. However, since I am not overly "fashiony" and I'm more into vintage I don't think I'll ever really have the opportunity to become a brand whore.
But you nailed it all on the head. The selling out, the man repeller being an anit-model (I'm actually getting a little tired of it, and I love her) the nail polish, the inside of handbags...seeeeriously when you think about it, WHEN did we come so enthralled with how nail polish is displayed??
xo
ashley
www.thephotogramps.blogspot.com