Full Closets and Empty Pockets

An excellent article posted recently at Independent Fashion Bloggers titled “Finance & the Fashion Blogger: Ignore-ance“, recounts the financial troubles that some bloggers are currently going through (and keeping hush hush) in order to stay relevant to their readers (and perhaps themselves). Style bloggers parade their ever changing looks, and one has to wonder if they’re just working in high end paying jobs or are they breaking out the Gold Visa card in an ice block with a stiletto?

With all these articles on restraint, from being a “recessionista” (buying on a budget) to extreme experimentations like Six Items or Less, are style icons and fashion pioneers taking note? Interesting articles of people doing these things come and go, but those who wield the real power to influence fashion are not so inclined to bow down to shopping less. In fact, it wouldn’t make sense for them to stop shopping or writing about the latest trends and finds. It’s their job. They’re PAID to do this. Most fashion bloggers don’t get paid for what they write about, they survive on a day job or on their parents for financial support for their consuming endeavors. If bloggers can’t support fashion financially over time in order to stay relevant, is it simply a case of those who has the most money, endorsements, and freebies survive? This brings the bigger question: what will be the future of fashion bloggers? Let me go on a few more tangents on this.

Are fashion bloggers simply chasing the dream to be one of the elite bloggers who get to sit front row at Dolce & Gabbana? Like the movie industry where plenty of people try, but only a few become successful, and even fewer become superstars?

Or perhaps fashion bloggers are a different breed. They blog because they love to share their looks with their online public. It’s possible, but given the exponential growth of fashion blogs worldwide in the last couple of years, many do hope to cross their fingers that bigger media corporations will pick up on them and that fashion designers themselves will invite you to their show (for you to, what else, give them free publicity). Have you ever read a single blog review of a fashion show that was negative? Especially if they’ve been invited to a big fashion show? Or even from big media for that matter? Hardly ever. All the shows are fabulous, all the clothes are fabulous and all the people are fabulous. This is not a legitimate assessment of the industry. I mean really.

If we can read numerous reviews pummeling Apple’s iPhone 4 with its “death grip” there must be room somewhere for fashion bloggers to offer a less fluffy look at fashion. We can look toward innovation and new ideas, and praise the ones who are creatively unique, but let’s also give a balanced look when a collection has been less than stellar instead of staying hush about it.

It’s time to stop giving brands free publicity for collections they develop 6 times a year. A word to shareholders, fashion brands are not sustainable if you keep churning out so many collections, bridge collections and off shoots. You’re polluting the environment and the collective minds of those who love fashion. The world loves fashion, it just doesn’t need it in abundance.

To the bloggers, trim your closets, fill your pockets.