Commentary: Fashion {Mags + Blogs}

Since I have been a champion of Elle Accessories, I thought a proper goodbye was in order. A friend of mines says it's shuttered and another says it's on suspension for one year. I haven't bothered to confirm the latter, because I actually thought it would serve better as a website than a magazine. Although I'm still a fan {accessories girl to the hilt!} I did notice after a few issues the redundancies. Hey it happens, yes even to magazines. Luckily for me I saved all the issues that I received for free {hehe} and look forward to seeing what they do with it in the future. Below is one of the editorials I liked from the Fall 08 issue. Styled by Anna Levak. ---->{Click below to read more}

  

 

As it's been going magazines have to find new footing. With so many closing + so many trying to keep up with the blogosphere, it was only a matter of time things would shift. Everyone is looking for content and {to me} the only difference is the quality of content and the speed in which people can receive it now.

But with saying all of that, I have never felt that blogs would replace magazines, and I still don't feel that way. To be quite honest blogs rely on magazines {I know I have and still do to some degree} for content and I believe magazines have started to take ques from some blogs. There is a definite level of sharing going on and that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact I think it's good for all involved. Because isn't the ultimate point getting the designer or things you deem "beautiful" etc exposure?

So while I think magazines have painted themselves into a corner, they have to remember "nobody puts Baby in a corner"! But just like magazines need to revamp and reinvent, so do blogs.

I think it's extremely important to have your "own" voice and not regurgitate the same ole' same. I see so many blogs falling into the same traps as magazines. From being redundant to several all reporting the SAME exact story, in the same EXACT way. This is deeply annoying when it happens to blogs you like and I truly hope it ends.

I guess I don't see the point in doing what others do, because I have an arsenal of "discoveries" still not shared. I've always had a blackbook of designers + boutiques. I have a large networking pool that I sometimes call upon. Every time I think I've shared everything I realise I haven't, and in the process new stuff comes my way, which gets added and so it continues.

I could be more critical, but that's not me or why I blog. If I don't like it, it doesn't get blogged about. There are plenty of blogs that are critical and do a fine job of it. This doesn't mean that one day I won't turn-on the critical eye, it's just not my focus right now. What I do now works for me. Find what works for you.

I think quality over quantity should always be the focus. There was a time I couldn't post but once or twice a week, and that was because of time, not content. Now I try to post at least twice a day, but sometimes even that doesn't work. I do however try to remain consistent. But it will always be about the quality for me and never about quantity.

So before the blogosphere gets complacent, let's remember what's happening to magazines. Stop blogging about the same thing everyone else is. Find your voice and or niche. Stop following what someone else is doing and create your own path, because I assure you there will be trails and errors, and that's perfectly OK. As the old saying goes "Rome wasn't built in a day" and you don't have to feel like you're in a competition.

To the PR people: I think there should be an unwritten rule, like the one freelance journalist follow:

In the world of freelance writing you're not suppose to query more than one editor at a time about a story idea, etc. Why? Well it's simple, what if all of them bite? See the issue. If you get caught it's looked down upon. Another thing to remember in fashion it's the editor who controls the story, as in what to write about, etc so the magazine is cohesive. How odd would it be for me to send a story about trainers + tracksuits if the magazine never writes about them? Or in this case I've never blogged about them? Do a bit a research before sending-out your client's media kits/lookbooks etc. Because it's always nice to know that you spent more than a millisecond on my blog. It shows you did your homework and this gets me to actually explore your clients work.

To my fellow bloggers: Before you blog about a designer/product etc solicited to you via a PR firm, ask yourself how many will blog about this? Do I do really believe in the designer and or product? If you're interested, do you own research. Don't be afraid to ask them how many other bloggers they've reached-out too. The answer to that question could challenge you to take a different approach in how you might present the designer/product. Just a few ideas that I think need to be given a bit of thought.

FIN.

{Fotos Elle Accessories Mag/Anna Levak}.

Beijos e amor.