Fashion Blog: The New Power Tool

Blogs have gained an ever-increasing presence on the web over the past decade, with topics ranging from exercise, food and photography, to more personal angles such as traveling or lifestyle. Blogging is taking the internet by storm and becoming a new social phenomenon, no more so than fashion blogging. Creating and maintaining a fashion blog has become a passion for many internet users as it gives them the chance to express their creative ideas about the world of fashion in a way personal to them. You’ve probably found yourself stumbling upon numerous fashion blogs in the past, enticed by what the person has to say about a current trend or outfit they have worn – take The Sartorialist, who has more than 161, 635 followers – but did it ever occur to you how creating your own blog could be a great way to join a community of fellow-minded bloggers and potentially help you in establish a future career in the fashion industry? Read on to discover why and how a fashion blog is becoming a much needed asset for your resumé.

First question: why create a fashion blog?

In her article, “5 Steps to Turning Your Blogging Hobby Into a Job,” Angeline Evans writes, “Blogging can be a hobby, a way to build your brand, or a line on your resume than can help you land a job.” Creating your own fashion blog is not just about posting ideas concerning fashion and hoping that people like your posts. It shows that you have attentiveness and initiative toward the subject and can be used to show future employers that you are passionate about what you want to work for. Additionally, creating a fashion blog gives you the ability to network and instantly connect to an online community of fashion bloggers who, like you, have a deep-set interest in fashion, too. This can help you discover people and grow as a blogger. However, don’t be selfish with citing other people’s fashion blogs on your page – it can actually open doors and they may return the favor, too. Cosmopolitan got together with Debbie Djordjevic to give aspiring bloggers advice on what not to do when entering the blogging world: “Don’t be mean with linking to other sites – it’s good for your blog and makes you a valuable member of the blogger community. Use other networks to promote your blog and it will flourish.”

How to make a fashion blog

The great thing about creating a blog is how easy – and free – it is to set up. Blogger.com and wordpress.com are the two most used websites, both offering slick ready-made templates that make the process much simpler and less daunting – no need to worry about HTML jargon. When deciding on a name, be creative and pick one that will stand out; “My fashion blog” unfortunately won’t cut it. Read through magazines, browse websites and check out Pinterest for inspiration for names. Examples of blogs that have memorable names are The Sartorialist (which has made it to number one on Signature9.com’s “99 Most Influential Fashion and Beauty Blogs” list), Liberty London Girl, Cupcakes and Cashmere, and The Blonde Salad. After choosing your blog name, register it to every social media service before anyone else picks the name, so make sure to hit up Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and so on. Although it may be intimidating publishing your first post and networking your blog, remember that every one of the fashion blogs that you love started out just like yours. Additionally, enjoy writing your posts and express yourself – show your creative side and don’t be another blog’s shadow.

Blogging fever

Fashion blogging really is on the uptake, so take the opportunity to be in on the phenomenon. Use trial and error with the template for your first few posts, and don’t worry if you can’t post something every single day as there is no point writing something if you have nothing to say. Remember that future employers could be viewing your posts, so keep your grammar and language in check, and emanate the originality that could help land you that job or internship. Angeline Evans offers similar advice: “make sure your blog demonstrates your creativity, passion, and writing ability. After all, that’s exactly what your future employers are after.” So why not create one?

Useful sites

Check out these links for inspiration and advice:

– The 99 Most Influential Fashion and Beauty Blogs list
– Cosmopolitan’s Blogging Do’s and Don’ts
– Cosmopolitan’s Hottest Blog Topics
– Independent Fashion Bloggers (an online community of advice and inspiration for fashion blogging) Bookmark this one!
– Independent Fashion Bloggers ‘5 Things Every Blog Should Have’ list

Keep in mind the doors that a fashion blog could open for you. Instead of concentrating solely on getting a huge following, make sure that the work you produce oozes originality and prowess. Most of all, remember to have fun. Happy blogging!