Focus On: Personal Style Blogs

Image courtesy of Flickr user floridamemory.

A few years ago, I read an essay by a young writer who claimed that posting photos of her outfits on her personal style blog had given her the confidence to write bolder, better fiction. “Ridiculous!” I thought, and clicked through to look at her blog. Then, I looked through all of her archives. Then, I checked out all the blogs in her blogroll. And I’ve been reading personal style blogs ever since.

I’m not sure why I find them so fascinating. I’m certainly no fashion plate. Perhaps it’s partly aspirational – I do sometimes wish I could dress better. Perhaps it’s because, like food blogs, they elevate an often tiresome daily necessity (getting dressed) into something noteworthy and fun.

If you’re interested in blogging about style, here are a few things you can try to make your posts stand out:

• Shoot in a variety of locations. Nobody wants to look at daily pictures of your mirror. Hit the streets , explore the parks. I read style blogs written by people who live all over the world, and I love discovering their cities through their daily outfit photos.
• Define your niche. Do you know how to dress for business? For comfort? For a pear-shaped figure? Are you a young trendsetter? A mature dresser who embraces the classics? A vintage hunter?
• Don’t hide the rest of your life. Personal style blogs are just that – personal! After looking at your mug for several months, your readers are going to wonder: what do you do for a living? Where do you live? Where’d you wear that gorgeous gown? Style blogs are great because they’re about real, knowable people – not just models on a page.
• Remix. Again, readers of personal style blogs are seeking real-life fashion, and real people wear their clothes more than once. Show us the ten different ways you’ve worn that floral blouse.
• Include details. How much was the sundress, where did you get it, and is it still available? Are you happy you bought it? Does it fit well? Has it held up with repeated washings?
• Include variety. Break up the daily outfit posts with a round-up of summer accessories, a tutorial on how to set your hair in pin curls, or an ode to pastels.

Do you like to read personal style blogs and if so, why do you like them? Would you ever blog about your own style, or are you strictly a jeans-and-T-shirts person like me?

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