I recently read a Tweet from someone who had apparently been doing a lot of research on fashion blogs.
TWEET: Researching “fashion” blogs for way too long, so #ff @1 and @2 for posting content instead of pictures of their outfits
I quickly responded to the Tweet and said “Thanks for the tip.” I was intrigued by this statement. In my own research of other blogs, I have certainly found many fashionistas who have got GREAT style, but I would have to agree that the content is lacking. Content being words, sentences and even paragraphs! OH MY!
However, and this is a big HOWEVER, I think there is something to be said about having your own fashion voice and what it means to voice your personal style. Are words necessary? In the fashion industry, are words enough to make the sell of interest and intrigue? Enough to grab your readers’ attention and hold them until the very last word? Moving even further past the fashion industry in general into the fashion bloggers of the world – maybe we really can say it all with pictures alone. Maybe the ability to express ourselves in photos is giving a new generation of non-writers the opportunity to share their voice. In a way, aren’t they photojournalists?
Or are we all just being lazy?
In my previous life (pre-real job, pre-baby, pre-marriage, pre-responsibilities) I thought I wanted to be a full-time journalist. The art of writing was, and still is, an amazing process. To be able to put together thoughts and words and facts and statistics to create a piece of work that tells a story and creates imagery takes talent. I often go back to read pieces I’ve written in the past, only to be amazed by the way I told the story. It’s easy to take for granted the artistic value of a newspaper or magazine. The time and thought that goes into every word is unbelievable and something only fellow journalists can understand.
This blog is my first go at the fashion industry, aside from being a consumer of products (which I would like to think counts for something). I’d also like to think that my experience in the eCommercing of dog food gives me some kind of idea of how retail in the fashion industry works, but I have a feeling it is much more complex – and way more fun!
My Tweeter’s point above is that you don’t need any experience in journalism or the fashion industry to be a fashion blogger these days – because all it takes is being a consumer of products and knowing how to put together an outfit that some group of people may appreciate. Oh, and you have to know how to use a camera and a computer. The problem is – it’s working. These photo-bloggers are successful, and maybe its because some/many fashion lovers don’t care for journalistic value in a blog. At the end of the day, it’s all about the pieces and the sale, and what does it better than a picture of a product being rocked in all the right ways. SOLD!
But, I think the power of “color” (aka. imagery in writing) is being de-valued by pictures. Yes – we are being lazy. I’m guilty of it myself. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” isn’t that what they say? To me, a thousand words can tell the whole story and not just capture one moment in time.
Take a picture of a model walking down the runway. One picture shows the color of the dress, the texture of the material, the style of the shoe. But, “color” tells the story of the walk down the runway. How each step the model took flowed perfectly with the sound of the blaring music. How you could hear the tap of the metal heel against the runway – a sound that often is said to be erotic. With each step the model takes, the dress flows like the waves in the sea, adding an exotic tone to the outfit. The long peach tunic held tight to her body, elongating her torso while illuminating her curves. A perfect pick for a summer night in Cancun, where the sunset has turned the sky pink and purple, and the breeze is blowing lightly off the ocean as you walk across the sandy beaches, dipping your toes in the water.
There’s something to be said for words and storytelling. I can’t say that pictures alone or words alone are enough. The beauty of blogging is that you have enough space to say anything and everything you want to – you set your own limits. I’m convinced that it will take a combination of both words and pictures to make a fashion blog a true success. And, who knows, maybe you will earn the ears of fashion journalists along the way.
THE VOICE OF FASHION BLOGGERS is their personal style – presented in pictures or words.
It’s up to the blogger to make that choice.
Let your style be your guide.
——————————-
I agree with your point. I guess it also comes down to time management, unless you’re a full-time fashion blogger and mega successful, then you are probably busy with your ‘real-life’. I think also, that fashion bloggers might take their que from fashion magazines, aside from a few long articles, most of the magazines are filled with tons of images and little-to-no text.
Alternating content is key. Outfit posts one day, locations posts another, articles on a different day. Increasing influence comes from a combination of content, both written and visual.
In my opinion “style blogs” have more success because you don’t need to spend a lot of time on it, reading and concentrating on contents. People are so lazy! But I opened my own blog to share with other people what I ike and what I don’t, but by words. It takes a lot of time for me to write and a few minutes for my readers (my articles are never that long) but I hope that people stop to read what I have to say and enjoy my contents!
On the other hand, sometimes is nice to post only great pictures
Have a wonderfu Sunday!
Very interesting post on a really broad matter. I am trying to have both content and pictures but I noticed that my “readers” are actually mostly “viewers” as most of them don’t bother to read the content, especially if it’s longer than one paragraph, and just look at the pictures and comment on them. And taking this into consideration I am just wondering … maybe words are now out of style and pictures are in
XoXo
Plami
http://fashion-thrill.blogspot.com/
I think it really depends on the kind of readers you want to attract and what your goals are. I personally like to read the content on most blogs. I must admit, however, that sometimes I really appreciate just being to look at pictures and not really read anything. In fact, one of my favorite fashion bloggers has absolutely no writing besides stating where her pieces came from. At other times, I want to know the story behind a post and really dig my teeth into a blog.
If you are a pure “outfit post” blogger, I really don’t think you need to write much on your posts. People are there to see what you are wearing and that’s usually about it. With so many blogs on the internet, average visit length per page is rather small and maybe those bloggers are focusing on the photos are where they want their readers to focus.
Especially with the way people view the internet and blogging these days, most people (sadly) find an entire post of words daunting. I took a communications class that basically said that people look at picturse and then start to tune out. I guess the easiest way for me to relate to it is a textbook with no pictures at all.
People really have gotten lazy with reading content. It’s all about skimming and not really delving into anything, which is a real shame. Most bloggers tend to have a really great wit and a nice voice, which can really only be shown by none other than writing. A picture will never explain someone’s personality and style of voice like writing can.
Anyways, thanks for the friend request on IFB! Sorry such a long comment.
Lauren
bangbylo.tumblr.com
Top post. I look forward to reading more. Cheers
i’m the tweeter *heyyy*, and, to me, this is a post of value so rare in the nouveau niche of fashion blogs. when i tweeted that, i was researching blogs for a feature i’m working on about blogs and bloggers and what it all means, etc. as a writer, i find it extremely irritating to uncover a “fresh, new blog” that is only images of your outfits. person style is great, lovely, yadda yadda, but the sartorialist and facehunter and all your fave style snappers are what they are and you love them because they have an eye for style and access to fly around the world to capture it. what i came across in my research is much of the same: post after post, shot after shot, day after day of some style ingenue on his/her front driveway trying to stand out. yes, you may stand out in your own city or school or community, but that doesn’t translate much if you aren’t surveying what’s also out there, to challenge yourself to grow and develop and “do it better” if you want people to read you and follow you and to show your readers you have critical merit and value beyond throwing clothing together. that’s what lookbook.nu is so great for. so link to that?
and i hate to say it, but tavi is a strong example of how’s it’s done well, with balance, regardless of her age. i don’t read writers who don’t read, and i read other writers for tips and love of the craft and style and substance. i can only hope bloggers approach their work in the same way.
the sites i also mentioned in my tweet are not only friends, but style-interested citizens who have opinions and thoughts beyond ‘look at this pretty skirt.’ (@geekigirl, @imtheitgirl) this may all just be unsolicited advice to you, and it’s not directed at anyone, but as an outsider on the other side of the same coin…well, you get it.
anyway, what i’m essentially saying is “yay! original post!” your thoughts and insights are extremely important as we start looking at blogs seriously as good vs. bad. magazines that are shit don’t last, the blogger world is no different.”
BUT, i will say this to anyone reading, please don’t call yourself a photojournalist if you’re, well, not. it does a real disservice to people who are actually photojournalists (uncovering new tribe habits in national geographic or in Iraq, for example) – if you’re taking pictures of your outfits, well, you’re just taking pictures of your outfits.
Thanks Paul for the inspiring Tweet and your comments. There certainly is a fine line between journalists/photojournalists and bloggers/picture-takers. Some are both and others may just be trying to get there. We all need to remember how powerful and influential our voice can be if we use it in the right ways! Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
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Awesome post! For me personally, I’m always a writer first, so my focus is on the content and then use the imagery to compliment it. The blogs that I like are a mixture of those who have great editorial content that I enjoy and then those who simply post gorgeous photos of their outfits. At think at this point in the game it’s cool to go either way but I feeling that with the popularity of blogging and the access to better pictures, cameras, software, etc. it won’t be long until everyone has pretty pictures and then there has to be another way for a blogger to stand out (i.e their content).
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This really blew me away! I do agree with you, however I don’t think the majority of readers have the patience or interest to delve deeper into a fashion blog by reading it. Even where there are a few sentences and mostly pictures, I wonder how many people skip the words altogether…(honestly, I’m often guilty of this myself!)
I think part of the problem is that many fashion bloggers aren’t talented writers. I read a mix of both, photo heavy and text heavy blogs and each type of blog is captivating because he blogger has talent. I love reading BUT I hate reading garbage.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened a fashion blog and wanted to like it but after a few posts it’s evident the blogger is not a writer. I’m not going to waste my time sifting through poorly worded crap. I love reading blogs, but only if the blogger has talent.
Wonderful post! At times, I find that it is too easy to post pictures without including colorful commentary about them, but good writing makes a blog stand out.
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I have to agree that in this overwhelming world of fashion blogging it is incredibly difficult to stand out, especially if you are doing so (or hoping to do so) for a specific type of career. I began my “fashion” blog as a place for future employers to access my writing, and I find it more important – as a writer and NOT a model or photographer AT ALL – to use plenty of text throughout my blog. It also just so happens to be mostly about fashion because that is what I am interested in and where my creativity seems to flow most naturally. I’m struggling at this time to stand out, though, especially since this is a serious undertaking for me and not just an outlet I’m using to display daily outfits. It is very very hard, especially in the beginning, to not fall under the radar.
Anyone interested, especially the original tweeter, in checking out my blog *for content of every type, NOT just the images* and bestowing feedback please feel welcome to do so. I am INCREDIBLY interested (needy!) of feedback:)
http://www.chicheroine.com
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“The beauty of blogging is that you have enough space to say anything and everything you want to – you set your own limits.”
I completely agree with that statement. Some bloggers post photos and little words; others post lots of words with only a photo here or there. I appreciate a combination of the two in my blog-reading, but it’s really up to the blogger to decide what he/she wants to publish, and if I don’t like it I can move along & find something else. I really don’t respect people who complain about other bloggers’ choices, because there are so many blogs out there, that we can all find something we like!
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