Starting a fashion blog can be totally intimidating, especially when you have no idea what your readers will like. I know this because I just started one myself (you can check it out here!). So, in the name of research, I wanted to see how people really feel about fashion bloggers and what it is that makes them either love or hate them.
HATE: Bloggers who are all about the money
Sure, fashion bloggers have to make money just like the rest of us do, but it appears some of them, in a sense, have sold out. “I used to like reading fashion blogs several years ago,” explains David Bakke, editor of MoneyCrashers.com. “Now, it seems a large majority of them are simply a vehicle to generate revenue from fashion company advertising. Rather than giving their own unbiased advice, many bloggers are willing to write whatever complimentary content it is that their advertisers or sponsors are looking for.”
LOVE: Bloggers who share insight into their lives
Readers aren’t simply interested in checking out the clothes bloggers wear; they want to know the story behind them as well. “I love fashion bloggers who fill you in on the fashion and at the same time give you the experience of being at the show or exotic destination where they came across the trends they are featuring,” says Elise H. of Seattle, Washington. “My favorite fashion blogs are Into the Gloss (beauty from a fashion perspective) and Fashion Toast.”
HATE: Bloggers who can’t write
Turns out, great pictures will only get you so far with some of your readers. “Probably the most important thing for me in defining a good fashion blog is that it has to be intelligently written,” notes journalism student Nina R. “I really dislike when bloggers are bad writers. I don’t care how good you look or how fashionable your clothing is, if you can’t form a coherent and engaging sentence, I’m not going to read your blog.”
LOVE: Bloggers who aren’t afraid to be themselves
One thing Baltimore-based Internet Marketer and blogger Hannah Marr absolutely loves about fashion bloggers is that they let you see how real, everyday people dress and what inspires them. “It’s easy to pick up a magazine or turn on the television and be told what you should and shouldn’t wear, but fashion blogging lets people choose their own styles and be confident in what they like, despite what Vogue might tell them.”
HATE: Bloggers who only feature expensive things
Sure, every woman lusts after high-end labels and Prada purses. Can most of us afford them though? Probably not. “Something I’d love to see fashion bloggers do more of is to not be afraid to feature low-budget styles,” says Marr. “What I mean by this is that some blogs are so focused on highlighting only the most expensive and well-known brands that they don’t appeal to the masses. Many people today are struggling to make ends meet. That doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice their sense of style though.”
LOVE: Bloggers who take high quality photos
“In many types of writing, pictures aren’t as essential, but since fashion is such a visual thing, readers want to see the pieces the writer is talking about,” says Nina. “The pictures should look as professional as possible and show readers cute and fun new ways to pair clothing and accessories together. I think a lot of people turn to fashion blogs for fashion inspiration. I know I do.”
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