Fashion trends come and go but one thing is constant…fashion! Working in a fashion store I have embraced clothes that I normally wouldn’t. Last year’s shoulder padded LBD, thanks to some scissors, has now become this year’s non padded LBD. Trying to cram in all of my clothes into my tiny student sized wardrobe is now becoming difficult…especially as the new spring season hits stores.
The next trend I have noticed, as it always comes back, is colour! I love colour, and these colours take us back to the eighties, minus the large fluffy hair. Below are some dresses from the new Australian Spring Season from where I work Seduce.
Yesterday was my first festival ever… Park Life. As an amateur I had no idea what to wear. Obviously something comfortable and closed shoes (I had my foot trodden on heaps).
As rain follows me everywhere, of course, it turned up. Dancing away in the wet I realised that maybe gumboots and a poncho would have come in handy.
And gumboots come in heaps of awesome patterns and colours…
I also realised that sunscreen is extremely essential, as I came back rather tomato like in complexion.
Other than the lack of gumboots and sunscreen I was pretty successful in my outfit. I chose a baggy tie died stussy t-shirt.
Sienna Miller has the ultimate festival look..along with a hat to ensure she doesn’t get burnt to a crisp like me.
So lessons for next festival: gumboots, sunscreen and maybe a hat. Sensible.
As a 23 year old I never got to experience the shoulder pad sensation of the 80′s. But luckily for me shoulder pads came back this winter…woo…at first I wasn’t sure…but I am a convert. Thanks Lady Gaga and Rihanna!
Shoulder pads give that extra edge to an outfit. Although I will admit that the other night I was out and a guy said to me, “Are you a rugby player?” Obviously he did not have an appreciation for fashion.
The Blazer has been around for a long long time and most will associate it with their work outfit. But now there is a way to make that Blazer a multi-purpose jacket. Yes that means wearing it with jeans, dresses, and anything else that comes to mind. Even denim shorts!
I think in the last year Gwyneth Paltrow’s style has improved so much. I’ve been copying heaps of her looks and the frilly dress with the blazer is one of them.
It’s really cold in Sydney…well not really cold but it’s colder than the usual 30 degrees. So I love pairing my blazer with jeans or tights.
Yes a black blazer is your best friend. My one’s from Blue Juice because that’s where I work and I get really good discounts. But you can find them everywhere, especially with shoulder pads. So a must have for winter Sydney I would say…a black blazer.
I found the photo below of a homeless man in Sydney on Ted Szukalski’s digital photography blog. This may sound strange, however my first thought was that this is a hot look….
Apparently so did the fashion world. The homeless look can now be found on the runway. As seen in the Marc by Marc Jacobs and Diesel Black Gold fall lines.
The homeless look has been labelled ‘Hobo Chic.’ This oxymoron has translated down under, as shoppers are searching for a more relaxed look.
But what is Hobo Chic? My definition is baggy tops, ripped jeans, cut off denim and an attitude that is taken from the street.
Every Aussie girl this summer was strutting her stuff in some ripped cut off shorts. And yes that includes me.
The main challenge for fashion blogs is the lack of quality. There are so many fashion blogs out there and it can be hard to find reliable and accurate blogs. Blogging will become more regulated as seen in the case with the model Liskula Cohen.
There are many opportunities for fashion blogs as they are immediate, personal and interactive. Fashion blogs give ordinary people the opportunity to voice their opinions, allow fashion professionals to break away from the way society perceives fashion and give exposure to models, new fashion brands and products. The mobile phone is becoming an important tool for fashion bloggers as it converges digital media onto the singular device.
Consumers want to engage with their media and traditional media does not give us that chance. Now we can create a fashion blog and write about our personal fashion interests. Those with the same interests can comment on whether they agree or disagree. In the years to come there will be a further rise in the consumption of fashion blogs as traditional media is usurped by digital media. Rickman and Cosenza state that “blogs are the storehouse of the content and data necessary for future connection and communicating.” Fashion blogs are definitely here to stay.
Enjoy the photographs and fashion blog links below.
Earlier in my blog I talked about how Fashion blogs give individuals the opportunity to have a voice. However, this creates a challenge as there are many fashion blogs that are lacking in quality. We all know that if we buy a fashion magazine such as Vogue or Marie Claire we will be reading creditable, accurate information (most of the time.) Many fashion blogs do not live up to the same standards as professional magazines. As there are no rules to fashion blogging, a blogger can remain anonymous and they have the freedom to criticise freely. Patrick McCarthy the chairman of Fairchild Publications says “there’s not really any thought going into the blog, it’s just a stream of consciousness and most of it is worthless.”
Whether you love or hate Perez Hilton, no one can deny that his celebrity/fashion blog, perezhilton.com has given Hilton the opportunity to create a successful career. Although Hilton does not consider himself a fashion expert, his blog has become famous due to his bawdy criticisms of celebrity styles in LA. He says, “I’m just someone with really strong opinions and an outlet to express them.” Due to his blog Hilton has become famous in his own right.
Above is a photo of the Black Eyed Peas that was posted on Perezhilton.com‘s fashion blog. Hilton says, “Oh, Fugly! Why?????? The usually sometimes fashionably dressed singer.” Comments like this have given Hilton gain a questionable reputation. Perez Hilton was punched in the face by WILL.I.AM from the Black Eyed Peas due to his comments made about Fergie’s fashion.
Okay so a punch in the face is not the only way a fashion blogger may find repercussions for comments on their blog. Liskula Cohen sued Google over comments made about her on a fashion blog called ‘Skanks in NYC.’ Cohen wanted to find out the identity of the anonymous blogger who blogged ‘nasty’ comments about her. The blogger wrote, “I would have to say the first-place award for ‘Skankiest in NYC’ would have to go to Liskula Gentile Cohen.” Judge Joan Madden decided that Google must give Cohen the blogger’s details. The blog was shutdown in March 2009. An article for smh.com.au on the subject insinuates that this incident has caused monitoring on blogs.
Is this an opportunity or a challenge for fashion blogging? Many bloggers would argue that it is a challenge as it may compromise the blogger’s freedom to express themselves. But as humans can we ever have the freedom without crossing over that invisible ‘moral’ line? The problem is we do not live in a ‘Utopian’ society. People can be mean. Policing of blogs can be seen as an opportunity as it will lead to some of the ‘cruel’ and uninformed blogs to be shut down. Also bloggers may think twice before blogging ‘nasty’ comments about people.
Liskula Cohen: photoes of Cohen out partying were displayed on the blog
Fashion blogging can be both a career and a hobby. As fashion bloggers are making names for themselves in the fashion industry many careers are booming. Most people that make money from their blogs also have a job in the fashion industry. There are only a limited number of fashion bloggers that have the viewership necessary to attract advertising on their blog. This can be seen as an opportunity for fashion blogs as only people that are truly interested in fashion will be blogging about fashion. It can also be a challenge as many fashion professionals are unwilling to spend a lot of time on their blog unpaid.
The video below shows many fashion bloggers and their opinions on blogging and its future. The bloggers interviewed say that there is an increase in bloggers turning their hobby into a career. This is through their advertising, affiliated links, selling content, consulting, donations, selling products and selling your blog.
The way we access our media is changing. The increasing use of the Internet on the mobile phone has encouraged professionals in the fashion world to create their own fashion blog. The mobile phone which converges technology onto the one device, allows people in the fashion world to be connected to their blog whilst travelling and working.
According to Rickman and Cosenza (2007) “future convergence, using the cell-phone, will also impact the diffusion/proliferation of weblog information, especially in the less than 25 age group.” In other words the mobile phone is becoming an important tool for future generations.
Anina a model who uses her mobile to communicate with the world through her blog Anina.net found that her mobile became “a mobile office in her hand.” Many people in the fashion world need a mobile device that has the same functions as a laptop. Anina believes that the more people in the fashion industry that are blogging the higher the accuracy and quality. Anina states, “I think a lot of my success came because of my connectivity.” The mobile phone gives fashion professionals the opportunity to fit fashion blogging into their busy schedules.
Below is a video from You Tube which focuses on Anina and her use of technology on her mobile phone.
Fashion blogs are free and accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Fashion blogs have given fashion professionals and everyday people the opportunity to branch out and have a voice. Fashion is no longer limited to the opinions of fashion ‘experts.’ The boundaries of what fashion is and who controls it have been broken.
Fashion blogs give small niche fashion companies the opportunity to become recognised. For example JUZD ‘The Bamboo Street Wear Clothing Company’an eco-conscious fashion label from America. All their clothes are made from organic bamboo fabric. Through their blog JUZD fashion blog the company is expanding and sales have increased.
One of JUZD's organic tshirts
Fashion blogs allow professionals in the fashion world to break away from conventions holding them back. Scott Schuman who was working in marketing for company’s such as Valentino was tired of the narrow way in which fashion is depicted in mainstream society. Schuman created the fashion blog ‘The Sartorialist’ where he posts photographs onto his blog of everyday people on the street. The photos capture fashion in its natural element. Schuman states, “I felt there was a disconnect between people in the showroom and what people were wearing in real life.”
Photo from 
