BLOGGER SHMOGGER: LET’S TALK VERSACE…
It’s no secret that I love a good blogger debate. This morning I was up unnaturally early (6am?! I blame it on the McDonalds at midnight) and saw that a post had gone up on Fashion Editor at Large entitled, Will You Wear the ‘Blogger’ Trend? What the freak-a-stink is the ‘blogger’ trend, I wondered. Thirty minutes later and I had left a semi-monumental comment roughly outlining my thoughts and reaction. For the rest of the day I couldn’t quite get the topic out of my head. Something about the concept just doesn’t well with me. The ‘blogger look’ is described as: ‘piled high with as many designer pieces - preferably borrowed from the catwalk collection - as is physically possible.’
‘…now it’s all about being high maintenance, blatant and unashamedly fashion mad.’
As I understand it, the idea presented in Melanie’s post is that being a blogger isn’t trendy enough in itself anymore. After all, just about everyone has a blog these days. Now if you want to be trendy you need to snatch up that ‘blogger’ look. This is all described alongside photos of Susie and Bryan. Anna dello Russo is referenced in relation to her upcoming collaboration with H&M. It’s the more-is-more mentality. As far as I’m concerned though this isn’t down to bloggers per say, rather, it’s the result of a few key individuals and street style photography.
Take the ‘arm party’ megalopolis trend for example. As you likely already know, Man Repeller coined the term and it quickly became one of the trendiest looks to rock the blogosphere. Why shoot an empty vessel of a wrist when you can snap one covered in multicolored friendship bracelets, bright jewels, ropes and metal galore? Simply put, it’s more visually appealing. Offset that wrist with some double clutch goodness (double clutching – that’s right), throw in some clashing prints, a Prada flaming heel, something furry and a stark geometric print and your good to go baby.
But, I’m not sure why this look is being coined ‘blogger’. Street style photographers shoot show goers (editors, buyers, fashion personalities and yes – increasingly bloggers). The real meat of the blogging world aren’t those people though. They can’t afford designer clothes and statements pieces. By far most bloggers are real people who have normal lives and average budgets. I’m all for being unashamedly fashion mad but that needn’t mean subscribing to a set look or copying what other bloggers are wearing. The beauty and worth in a ‘blogger’ look is in its individuality not in replicating the same thing on hundreds of blogs – that is already becoming too prevalent and it makes the content, and in effect the blogger, null and void.
Anything that exalts senseless excess and, at the same time, claims it to be ‘blogger’ in nature is missing the point of what blogging is about.
p.s. the story of these Versace sunglasses is now lost in the length of this post. They belong to Charlie and I love them. I love them on her, I love them on myself and I love them on Frances too. Three bloggers in the same sunglasses… oops, wasn’t I preaching the merits of individuality?
Hear hear, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. All bloggers are different. Sure trends can spread quickly through the magic of the internet (cough Litas) and it’s easier to see similarities, but each blogger is individual in the way they operate and approach fashion. We are open to experimentation but that could be with a number of different trends; I’m loving pastels but haven’t really embraced scarf prints as they’re not my cup of tea. I like to buy pieces that can be worn all year round and will wear fit and flare dresses regardless of trend. It really annoys me how the media forgets that we are normal people that just happen to share our outlook of fashion online and come up with all of these assumptions. It can be really patronising at times and I have to try and remember all of the positive things it has brought about.
Haha, I lurve those sunnies on all of us!
I have to say that I think it’s just as current trend; more is more. Which is then evened out by the whole minimal aesthetic.
There are just people seeing how far they can take it. I don’t think it’s a ‘blogger trend’ at all.
Totally agree. More interesting than the blogger aspect is the economic one… in times of depressions skirt lengths get shorter – life is serious enough as it is, people want a bit of fun. Instead of it being linked with hemlines this time it’s connected with being gaudy.
It’s fun to see things that are extreme, elaborate and surreal. Most of us can’t/don’t wear that in our normal so seeing it on a blog/photo is fun/inspiring. I love that you once said about loving blogs that take you to another world (something like that)… and I think it’s so true. Blogs are awesome at that and this more-is-more thing is one aspect is that.
The flip side of that is blogs like yours, Ivania’s, Jane’s. Paired down, well considered, sparse but at the same time massively inspiring and beautiful. It feels different and authentic. xx
Umm, Jane has a giant striped House of Holland fur coat… <3
Why is that relevant Duck? xx
That’s hardly pared down
Fair enough. xx
Couldn’t agree more – the bar has to be constantly raised, probably as the ‘big’ bloggers (you know, the ones with agents and friends on the F-row) need to separate themselves from the masses of bloggers (as we all know – anyone can blog) in order to feel a little special… Others then copy… Vicious circle. Lovely glasses btw! xx
South Molton St Style
Please observe my WTF face: “blogger” style being described as: ‘piled high with as many designer pieces - preferably borrowed from the catwalk collection - as is physically possible.’ ‘…now it’s all about being high maintenance, blatant and unashamedly fashion mad.’.
How very dare she! I almost feel that what she’s written sounds offensive, as it almost sounds as if after years of blogging experience, the best we “bloggers” can come up with is generic designer wear, shamlessley “borrowed” and “piled up” meaninglessly until we’re staggering under the sheer weight of how high maintenance we all are. The rest of her article admittedly doesn’t really back up these original thoughts at all (would probably have been better to leave the first bit out altogether!) but thats the image those words conjure up for me! Not sure how I feel about her putting Susie in there as her first picture… Is she trying to say that Susie is a walking, talking pile of borrowed designer clothing? Charming.
There is such huge variety between bloggers that it is impossible to categorise us as representing a certain “style” anyway. Perhaps a blogger may wear an array of designer items but the MAIN point – and the point she has missed – is that a blogger will wear it in their own fresh and unique way (mostly).
I remember seeing that Vogue article she mentions and thinking that it wasn’t representative of blogging at all – if the model wasn’t holding that self-shoot button, it would just be a regular editorial!
On a positive note, I love the look of the ADR x H&M collection! Turquoise yesssss.
Great post, Jen
xxx
Totally sympathize with the outrage. I think (and hope) the problem is that people who are not themselves part of the blogging world fail to realize the complexities and the differences between blogs and the people behind them. This applies to PRs, brands, editors… whatever.
The fact that some bloggers are getting face time and recognition on platforms and circles OUTSIDE the fashion/blogging world and have the ability to influence consumers means that obviously brands want a piece of the action. This part of the article is on point – the ADR collaboration is an interesting example.
But, ADR doesn’t go around introducing herself to people as a ‘blogger’. She is something else first and foremost – the blog was an afterthought and an extension of what she had already created. The H&M collaboration would be just as valid even if she wasn’t a blogger at all.
By contrast, some people have made their blogs into their career. Being able to do that while still maintaining an authentic voice is rare and challenging. I think these are the bloggers that might be most tempted into ‘selling out’ – either because financially it’s beneficial and they don’t have a day job or because their blog is ‘big enough’ that the opportunities come knocking and surely beautiful free clothes/accessories aren’t easy to resist – whether they are on loan or to keep.
I suppose with great power comes great responsibility…? I’m imagining the power is a room full of incredible clothes (designer or otherwise) and the struggle is not to whore yourself out like a billboard to whoever comes knocking.
p.s. TOTALLY agree that putting photos of bloggers next to the description gives the wrong impression.
xx
I was kinda confused reading that post as well – even to the point that I thought she was bashing Susie and Bryan? Because to say that bloggers borrow stuff straight from the catwalk, doesn’t that really apply to Susie-grade bloggers with unexceptional relationship with the PR/brand? None of the bloggers I know (normal-kids) deck themselves up in designer gear and pile on designer stuff unless we’re talking about those who actually can afford the stuff then that’s not really ‘blogger style’…
Plus, Jen you’re so right about how the Streetstyle bloggers do make the scene happen – but most of the times editors, buyers and industry members get photographed and bloggers make quite the minority.
Ah anyway, it’s all pretty cringetastic as far as I’m concerned.
Love the sunglasses, by the way!
OK, here’s how I see things – people should put more PERSONALITY in their looks! Instead, I see somebody wearing things only because they saw it already on 10 blogs and it suppose to be trendy OR people looking like circus clowns just to be different and recognizable :/ Not cool.
Or the opposite: if you buy something first, someone sees it on a ‘famous’ blogger, and accuses you of being a copycat. Regardless of the fact that your post came first. Oh the politics of blogging.
SIDEWALKCATWALKS.com
GIVEAWAY: Neon Metal
It’s true that bloggers sometimes (SOME bloggers) tend to follow a blogger trend wave (the mint cardi, the floral Zara blouse, the black Zara pumps, the long pleated skirt etc etc… This blog is reeeeally explicative of what I mean: http://www.blueisinfashionthisyear.com/ have a look at this post: http://www.blueisinfashionthisyear.com/2012/02/how-to-wear-mint.html)
But IMHO the “blogger look” issue they talk about on Fashion Editor at Large is so last season XD You pointed out a much more new and present issue that is the “street style look”: it can be summarized with, as you say on your comment on Fashion Editor at Large, “‘If this doesn’t get me on Jak & Jil nothing will’”.
Let aside people like Susie Lau and Elisa Nalin, that are born with the mix and match of prints and colors in their DNA, there is all this rush to the more is more (especially during times of fashion week) just to get on the pages of a street style blog: head to toe mixes of crazy prints, double clutches, double bags, double (very)statement necklaces, double jackets (I wouldn’t be surprised of seeing double sunglasses or double hats popping out one day…), pink hair, shoes that look like the Hot Wheels cars…
I would really love to know how much the people that wear this stuff do it for the sake of what they actually like, if they’re really following their style (and not just to be photographed)
And this is something that kinda drives me crazy because the more all the street-style blogs photograph always the same over-the-top stuff and the more I’m left here wanting more inspiration that it’s starting to be very difficult to find. Thank God The Sartorialist has found his sanity back again and started to photograph more often real people with interesting style (just wrote a post about this actually) otherwise we would only be drowning in a sea of friendship bracelets and bling bling.
Anyway, just to conclude my usual sea of nonsense words, I’m kinda pissed about all these critical posts and articles about “bloggers” that talk in a way like bloggers are all the same and put shame (and very often mean, acid, fruitless critic) on the “category”. Sometimes you feel the poison coming out of the words. And most of the times they know 2-3 blogs out of 200000 do don’t even know what they’re talking about.
Not only offensive, but they’re also starting to become annoyingly boring. Don’t they have more interesting stuff to write or complain about? Like, I don’t know, the weather for example?
Kiss (love your debate posts, but Jen, 6 AM??? Was that beef still alive and running around your stomach??)
Al
-The Red Dot-
I love this comment. that is all.
Al, the beef is ALWAYS alive in my stomach. It roams around like a little gnome keeping me up to the wee hours of the morning.
Totally agree regarding your take on street style bloggers.
p.s. your words are not nonsense. Big time agree with Shini, I LOVE your comments. kiss kiss. xx
How are you always so on point and articulate with these things.
I couldn’t agree more. Sure, being the crazy-looking cat woman with a thousand feathers on her head may be interesting, but she shouldn’t denote what the rest of the blogosphere is defined by. I own nothing above $300 and yet I’d still like to think that I have some form or another of style. And even if it isn’t what others would see as pure style, I’m happy with what I wear!
Mind you, I wouldn’t mind a pair of flaming Prada heels (what girl wouldn’t?!)
SIDEWALKCATWALKS.com
GIVEAWAY: Neon Metal
Reading these comments has been almost as interesting as reading your post, and 100 times more informative/insightful than reading the original article. Minimal or maximal, people should just wear what they want. If people really are only dressing to get papped by streetstyle bloggers then that’s a bit pathetic, but then lots of people in other walks of life are a bit pathetic too and we all have to put up with the general crappitude of the human race. It’s just annoying that we all get lumped together as if the 1000s of blogs out there are all to achieve the same goal. I totally agree with the comment above that the photos on that post were unnecessary, confusing, and downright offensive to people like Susie.
As for the “bloggers trend” at shops like River Island, I’m sure you can imagine what I think of that… I wonder what the male version of layering on the statement jewellery, dip-dye, print, clutches, wedge trainers and spikes would be? An oversized afro?
xx
Michael, I was thinking exactly the same. I think most people have missed the point in talking about how this reflects badly on them and how bloggers dress, but surely Melanie’s post has just gone and questioned ‘individual style’ in it’s entirity? Maybe it’s just me but it seemed like it was saying, ‘Any outfit that is ever so slightly OTT, is now the ‘blogger’ style. Huh?
People should just ignore this non-existent blogger category and dress however the they want to. I think this is just yet another dig at bloggers, scrutinising and analysing their every single move only conclude to some non-sensical unfounded ‘trend’. I don’t see anyone posting about ridic ‘Editor/Buyer’ trends because I guess bloggers don’t want to offend the publications/companies. Oh but it’s ok mock bloggers?!?
Anyway I wouldn’t be surprised
And as for River Island, totes gonna rock an oversized afro to the next party.
Sorrry forgot to add:
Anyway i wouldn’t be surprised if Grazia ran a ‘Blogger’ style photoshoot or ‘People on the street who have ‘blogger’ style’…
First, a confession. I have also donned Charlie’s Versace sunnies. Just for fun. Just to see what they looked like (much, much, much better on her). There’s a photo on a blog somewhere, but I’m loathe to dig it up.
Anyway, so what? We try on each others clothes and accessories, and then come up with a style all of our own. This is not blogger behaviour. This is friend behaviour. I know because I’ve been doing it since before the internet hit the big time.
The only difference now is that we’ve got a platform to share – to expand the experience. It’s fun and creative and inspiring. Long may it last.
The blogger style thing? Well, that’s just the industry capitalising on the superstars – commercialising the fringe. Yes, it’s pathetic, but it’s nothing new.
Great post. Great comments.
xo
Hear hear. Thanks for your support Kate. xx
I wouldn’t say the ‘blogger’ look is about designer labels at all. There are big-name bloggers out there who have got the mega-bucks wardrobes, sure, but in my experience most bloggers are just people who enjoy the process of getting dressed. Their outfits might be designer-inspired, but most of the blogs I follow are run by girls who wear high-street.
You do see micro-trends appearing within bloggers; like the Peter Pan collar obsession that went round a little while ago, but I don’t think there is a definable blogger look.
Bloggers have suddenly become a buzz-word for trendy fashion. I work in Arts Marketing, and the venues and promoters I work with are falling all over themselves to up their social media and digital presence. Who’s ahead of the game with that? Bloggers. I blog, and found myself very confused when about a fortnight ago my boss started raving about Pinterest as though it was brand new and the best thing since sliced bread. I’d been seeing it all over the blogs for months. It’s been an eye-opener to see bloggers from a marketing perspective. They are usually young females who are ahead of the game when it comes to gadgets and what’s happening online. That’s attractive to a brand. Maybe that’s why we’re apparently the new style.
I absolutely love your unique insight. I couldn’t agree more. xx
I’m still pondering about this. Maybe it depends what sort of blogs you look at. There are so many blogs now and style-blogging has split into loads of sub-categories. Perhaps one sub-category is those blogs that look more like editorial where the girls are piled in the designer gear, but there is so much more to bloggers than that one sub-set.
I think maybe those of us who are into blogging have more awareness of the other blogs. The rest of the world is still catching up, and while they might know the names of people like Susie, Bryan and Tavi from the fashion press, the bloggers who aren’t on the F-Row constantly, like Carrie, Gem or Lucy, haven’t quite crossed their radar yet.
I think the look of someone like Susie is very specialist. Most of us don’t have that amazing ability to mix colours, prints and textures the way Susie does without just looking like we did a forward roll through a jumble sale while covered in glue. For me, a blogger like Susie represents more of an inspirational aesthetic. I don’t see outfits I can replicate myself, but I get ideas about colours or something like that. Whereas on other blogs, I can see clothes I can grab on the high-street in my small town and mix up with my own wardrobe, in a similar way to how these bloggers do. Does that make sense?
I COMPLETELY agree that it’s only us that are part of the blogging world that are aware of these things. No one else gives a crap – why should they? It’s like methodological banter… totally inward looking. Most people aren’t aware of these ‘complexities’ and why should they care about them.
It’s also quite funny how we refer to bloggers by just their first name… Gem/Lucy (?)… I’m not sure who you’re referring to. Which also just goes to show that different people have totally different bloggers on their radar.
Love the vision of doing a ‘forward role through a jumble sale while covered in glue.’ I find the way Susie puts together a look totally aspirational, couldn’t agree more. I find it so interesting how she puts together looks but I also view her blog as a sort of source of information. Follow it and you’ll always be on top of what’s new and exciting in terms of emerging designers – it’s like a trove of knowledge.
Completely makes sense that you go to different blogs for different reasons. Photography, outfit inspiration, shopping advice, wisdom, lifestyle… whatever else. Makes total sense. xx
Interesting piece! From looking at the blogs I follow, I’m not seeing a lot of this supposed ‘blogger trend’. That’s cause I’m mainly a high-street girl, and the blogs I follow – although some are more designer led – and my own blog focus on affordable gear. I thought the whole point of blogging is to express your individual style. Such a shame if people start wanting to conform to a certain image just because that’s what other bloggers are doing. Luckily I’m not seeing too much of that yet
http://girlinthelens.com/
Great post, very interesting and some great comments. I have however, taken off most of my bracelets are reading this!
Oh no! I’m sorry! I love a good wrist piled up with bracelets! Put them back on! Put them back on!!! xx
wow. so many comments. And I wrote a big one too, but then I realized, what ever I say it won’t change the fact that (global) bloggosphere has become one pretty ugly place, and people are just being mean to each other. And its very hard to resist of being pissed sometimes but I am going to put on my great happy face and won’t care about all the negativity in the sphere. I think there are some pretty great ladies that are doing a great job in being a fabulous bloggers (one of them is you) and these kind of articles can “bip bip” … !! Live and let live
<3
I love reading fashion blogs of all sorts. I have many different ones on my favourite list. Of course the magazines feel threatened by the fashion bloggers. To be honest I have stopped buying magazines and regularly check in to my favourites list to see what is fashioable, inspired or currently making the radar. I think that you should chill out and just be flattered that they bother to mention you at all. If they didn’t feel threatened there is no way they would make an unprovoked attack. Please keep up the good work…..I have saved a fortune the last few years (an also a tree or two) by discovering the world of blogging.
Hi Nicole! I definitely don’t buy as many magazines as I used to either. There’s a few I still buy on occasion though – I like being able to look at something that’s beautiful/inspiring and not on a computer screen. Especially useful in the summer… I wouldn’t want to drag my laptop/iPad to the park or beach but I’d gladly bring a print magazine.
I don’t think it has to be one or the other. It’s just that the dialogue between the to worlds isn’t very open…. it’s not always that open between bloggers and brands either which I think is what the problem can be sometimes. Anyway, this is all getting a bit off topic now. xx
I think you have a valid point.
I also think there’s two leagues of ‘blogger trends’ if such a thing even exists.
THE supposed ‘blogger’ trend as conceptualised in the FE@L piece defines show-goers, bloggers or non bloggers. And like you said this is more aptly alluded to street style subjects for which the likes of Stockholm Streetstyle, Jak and Jill and Facehunter have been doing for years. I’m bemused as to why Melanie thinks this is a new trend and to use River Island of all things to (excuse the pretentiousness) illustrate this… SRSLY!? It beats me that she posits street style / blogger to be trends within themselves. To define street style as a trend is somewhat of an oxymoron to me.
Then there’s the high street ‘blogger trend’ which is not so much a trend per se but the common denominator between SO many bloggers – the schools of cloned copy cats photographing the same outfits.
Take http://www.llymlrs.com for example – she is the pinnacle of high street blogger and her may thousand followers aspire to be as ‘famous’ as her one day. For these sorts it is not so much their style which is trend- that just happens to be part of the ‘cool’ fashion blogger hype.
Helen, x
Totally agree with your break down of the ‘blogger trend’ into two separate categories.
What you said about street style is so funny. In Zurich if someone says ‘street style’ they mean it to refer to a sort of ‘street’ look – or an anti-banker/designer aesthetic. ‘Street style’ is different in every city and on every street. The people who put together blogs that involve street style show looks from the street that THEY like (unless they are working for someone else) in which case it’s not necessarily representative on the actual streets as a whole.
Hah. The funny thing about the ‘cool’ or ‘famous’ fashion blogger image is that one person’s cool is another person’s lame.
Hmmm. The high street point is so tricky… I guess the issue is really that it’s quite boring and misguided for new/young bloggers to aspire to be exactly like someone that already has a successful following. You need to find your own voice rather than try to recreate what someone else has already achieved.
xx
interesting conversation.
I don’t like how bloggers are said to have all the same style be high-street labels.
like said before, each blogger has their individual style
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