Tuesday, June 19, 2018

💻To blog or not to blog? {Fashion Talk}


Fashion Journalism: to blog or not to blog? 

Blogging has influenced the fashion industry by giving a voice to fashion hopefuls and bringing more awareness to the industry, period.

Lakia Fashae, Fashion Designer/Fashion Marketer
5/14/18

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash


     Fashion journalism has been around for quite a while.  Virginia Pope of the New York Times (1925-1955) is credited for making fashion the topic at serious newspapers.  Fashion in those times represented the high-class, reporting on fashion designers and Paris shows.  Today, society on all levels are partaking in the culture of fashion. Next to music, fashion has snowballed into a demanded industry; from consumer to career.  That’s where blogging comes to play.  Today fashion journalism is impacted by the Digital Age, in a game changing way.  More opportunities are here for fashion bloggers, like myself.  It gets tricky sifting through people who blog or write because that is their career versus blogging being a hobby.
  


Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash
     Today people are getting majority of their information via the Internet.  This impacts newspapers, magazines and television.  Magazines were the go-to fashion guide for consumers, especially for beauty products and fashion trends.  Thanks to the Internet and technology, new peer groups called influencers, bloggers and vloggers have new found platforms that are changing the fashion world.  It’s creating a more competitive narrative for fashion journalist.  Social media is the new magazine.  Bloggers are the new editors and creative directors. Vloggers are the new T.V host. Influencers are the new marketers and public relations.  It’s interesting how times changed.  Some pros include: new platforms, new career opportunities, new lifestyle and income.  Some cons include: brands cutting budgets on advertisements, labor cost and overhead, due to new competition cornering the market. The future of fashion journalism looks like it will continue to be impacted by the Internet.  Companies like Amazon are making it easy for entrepreneurs to produce books and sell products.  Blogger and YouTube are popular for starting blogs and vlogging. If a person has an honest opinion, fact checks their topics and builds a following-fashion journalism is anybody’s game.  Though, this can be a trend until things even out, and true talent balances the medium.


Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash
   
     These new-found peer groups social media produced i.e. bloggers and influencers can back their opinions and work, by obtaining a college degree. 


Career           
Degree Level
Degree Field
Job Outlook
Median Salary (2015)
Fashion writer
Associate or bachelor’s degree
English, communications, or journalism
2% growth
$60,250
Fashion Editor
Associate or bachelor’s degree
English, communications or journalism
5% decline
$56,010
Fashion Photographer
Certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree
Photography or related field
3% growth
$31, 710
Art director
Bachelor’s degree (master’s degree)
Art or graphic design
2% growth
$89,760

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via Study.com

An education backs any career expertise.





     My name is Lakia Fashae, owner and creative director of That Fashion Chick, LLC and blog www.thatfashionchick.com; started 7 years ago December 2011.  My first blog “What’s on the Gals’ Mind…” was with my first company, The Fashion Go 2 Gals, LLC (a partnership 2009 -2012).  This partnership was created right after graduating from American Intercontinental University, in 2009 with our Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing.   Around this time, MySpace was the new thing and soon after came Facebook.  Blogging was not big at the time.  Through me researching new ways to promote our brand, it was clear blogging was on the rise.  We started a Facebook page for promotion, which helped us get noticed.  When creating TFC, I continued with a new improved formula of blogging and doing social media.  It’s working great.  Advice I would share with new bloggers is keep learning and updating their craft, focus on their vision and don’t take no for an answer.  All the hard work is worth the climb.  My future in fashion journalism will be creating online magazines and new ways to report products to consumers. 


Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash


     In conclusion, blogging has brought more awareness to the fashion industry.  Fashion is more affordable.  The Internet has helped small business and new fashion hopefuls, tremendously. It’s now cool on all fronts to be fashionable.  Fashion went from what to wear, now to fashion style and how it’s being spread i.e. Influencers, bloggers and vloggers.  Authentic journalist is here to stay.  The future of fashion journalism will continue to evolve into new opportunities.  That’s what art does for the world.



 Sources:
1.      “Fashion Journalism,” Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, The Gale Group, INC., 2005. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3427500224/fashion-journalism.html, 10 May 2018.

2.      Rachel Strugatz, “Bloggers and digital influencers are reshaping the fashion and beauty landscape,” Women’s Wear Daily, Article (2016).  Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-bloggers-20160809-snap-story.html, 10 May 2018.

3.      “Careers in Fashion Journalism: Job Options and Requirements,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015). Retrieved from https://study.com/articles/Careers_in_Fashion_Journalism_Job_Options_and_Requirements.html, 10 May 2018.


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