We were able to brunch amongst some ridiculously cool fashion and tech players this past Sunday during SXSW Interactive at the Fidoo Fashion & Techevent. Shortly after finishing our power breakfast-lunch and listening to some pretty amazing leaders in the industry, it became ridiculously clear to us that fashion bloggers have made a massive impact on the fashion industry.
The long and short of it is that fashion bloggers have carved a new path in the industry and after countless hours – day and night – spent hunched in front of our computer screens, we’re seeing major results. Below, we’ve listed 10 ways that fashion bloggers have changed the fashion industry forever. Tweet us @nubry with the ways you have aided in this new fashion path!
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10 Ways Fashion Bloggers Have Forever Changed The Fashion Industry:
1. Shopping – It’s no surprise to hear that fashion evolves quickly, but now shopping has too! Why? Women on-the-go are now shopping from tablets…and smartphones are now mainstream for purchasing the latest fashions. Blogger-fueled apps like Poshmark and Stylebook have enabled us to easily shop and organize our closets from virtually anywhere (well, anywhere we can get a good signal!).
2. Magazines – Most women are finding personal wardrobe inspiration from fashion bloggers and street style photographers. Fashion blogs are truly becoming the “new magazine” because they’re artistic, unique, up-to-date, and personal. It’s more realistic and easier to relate to something that a regular woman is wearing compared to a stick thin, glossy model who looks like she’s dreaming of a Big Mac while grasping on to a Celine “mini luggage” tote…
3. PR – Fashion bloggers have spent years on Facebook and Twitter inspiring their readers and promoting their blogs through constant social media updates. So it only makes sense then that major stores and brands are now catching on and guess who they’re calling upon for guidance? Oh yah, they’re calling upon none other than us fashion bloggers to lead their PR strategies.
4. Advice – Most bloggers know that there are alternative sources to gain fashion advice and feedback. Apps like Pose, Go Try It On, and Instagram enable bloggers to post their style looks quick and receive instant feedback on their new Alexander Wang bag, sequin leggings, and Karen Walker cat eye sunglasses. Not only are these apps great sources for fashion feedback, they’re amazing sources of press!
5. $$$ – Fashion bloggers profit from sales of fashion products and clothes that they style. Believe it or not! So as it turns out, fashion brands now want a piece of these stylish bloggers to help in promoting their products to their customers. It’s true, we fashion bloggers got the looks. And now, we the new models!
6. Icons – It’s common for bloggers to share everything. We especially enjoy sharing who our favorite celebrities and style icons are. Celebrities like Rachel Bilson and the Olsen twins to celebrity stylist Nicole Chavez are style stars that us fashion bloggers just love to follow…and we’re not the only ones. The Mint brands (you know, Jewelmint, Stylemint, Beautymint, and Shoemint?) have made our favorite celebrity style icons the faces to their brand in order to attract none other than OUR attention. And well, it’s working!
7. Inspiration – Whether we fashion bloggers are liking images on our Instagram feeds or pinning and repinning images on Pinterest like addicts, we’re showing our readers what is currently, at this moment, inspiring to us. And our readers can’t get enough of it! As of recent, every company and their mother has joined Pinterest in the hopes of determining what all the pinning fuss is all about. So now fashion bloggers, brands, mothers, and daughters are all obsessed with Pinterest. It’s a mutual and happy relationship…and bloggers built it!
8. Friendship – It used to be about going to school, meeting new kids, playing with the ones you like after school, and maybe doing sleepovers on the weekends (if you were lucky!). Now, it’s about getting a Twitter account, tweeting with people you’ve never met in your industry, 140 character sentences with an individual or with the entire twitterverse about what you’re feeling about life or business, and having tweetups a few times a year and meeting your twitter friends in real life (if you’re really super lucky!!!)
9. Trendsetting – Never mind which celebrities are carrying the “it” bag, everyone now wants to know which “it” bag the bloggers are carrying. Fashion bloggers are the new generation of style icons!
10. Style – Each fashion blogger has their individual style or “look”. Stores are looking to tailor their e-commerce sites to their shoppers’ tastes by determining their favorite bloggers. Can you imagine, shopping on Saks.com under the section “W.W.M.R.W” (What Would Man Repeller Wear)?!
Stephanie (Take-Hart.com)
Loving this article. I’m proud to be a Style Blogger and I’m ecstatic that there’s an alternative source out there to the unrelateable magazine models. I find all of my inspiration in my favorite bloggers and love being a part of the blogging community.
Gretchen Hackmann
Love your comment! Thanks for reading 😉
Theresa
Great article! It’s amazing how fashion blogging has evolved over the years…
xxT
The Habit
Gretchen Hackmann
Thx Theresa! We’re amazed everyday by how far bloggers push the fashion @livinggoldie:twitter