Introduction/Background I chose this topic because I
would like to see where readers & viewers alike, like to get their fashion influence from.
The significance of my topic is that in recent years fashion blogging has become very popular within the fashion industry – So where is it heading?
Research Questions
Will blogs eventually replace magazines?
How is the influence of social media on the Internet going to affect magazines?
Will fashion blogging take over the fashion industry?
Literature Review Fashionistas are looking for fashion influence
through fashion portals, live streaming, & social media.
“Social media has fundamentally changed the way people show and discover fashion. Consumers have greater access to brands and expect, open, authentic dialogue.”
“Letting consumers play fashion designer for their favorite brands not only gives consumers a real voice, but also provides brands with a visual, interactive and predictive way to find out what consumers want to buy before anything hits stores” (Grinberg, 2012, para. 25-27).
Some people think that fashion bloggers are more of an influence towards fashion brands, rather than the fashion industry as a whole.
Literature Review (cont…) According to Erin Griffith of Adweek, she
believes that bloggers are more behind marketing.
Bloggers are different, they are being honest by stating & sticking behind their opinions.
Blogs they are the future in how we are going to communicate & connect to the fashion world.
Due to the respect that fashion bloggers have gained they are now taking over the roles in the fashion industry.
Literature Review (cont…) The main components that will balance the
success of blogs over magazines are…1) The relationship between the blogger &
the publicized brand.2) The writer’s credibility due to that readers
perceive the blogger as a “friend,” it would seem likely that blog would be evaluated differently than a magazine (Colliander & Dahlén, 2012, pg. 315).
Magazines will try to accommodate to these changes, but they will most likely conflict with their past identity.
There needs to be clarity between fashion blogs & social media to magazines.
Methodology
Quantitative Research – Surveys conducted within the Mount Ida College community (80 participants).
Qualitative Research – Interview with a local Fashion Blogger named Kristen Uekermann, of The Boston Fashionista.
Which sources do you rely on for your fashion influence? Select all
that apply.
Personal style blogs
Street style blogs
Celebrity blogs
Fashion magazines from a store
Online or tablet fashion magazines
A retailer's magazine
Free magazines from a store
None
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Do you believe that fashion blogging is the future of the
fashion industry?
Strongly disagree6% Disagree
5%Somewhat disagree
19%
Neither agree or disagree
28%
Somewhat agree21%
Agree8%
Strongly agree14%
Do you believe fashion blogs are more reliable in keeping you up-to-date with the latest trends?
Strongly disagree4% Disagree
8%Some-what
disagree14%
Neither agree or disagree
14%Somewhat agree26%
Agree23%
Strongly agree13%
Do you prefer getting fashion influence/information from
fashion magazines?
Strongly disagree6% Disagree
7%Somewhat disagree
15%
Neither agree or disagree
23%
Somewhat agree23%
Agree19%
Strongly agree8%
Do you prefer getting fashion influence/information from
fashion blogs?
Strongly disagree9%
Disagree18%
Somewhat disagree
20%Neither agree or disagree
20%
Somewhat agree16%
Agree10%
Strongly agree8%
Do you believe that fashion magazines have influence on your
lifestyle?
Strongly disagree9%
Disagree11%
Somewhat disagree
14%
Neither agree or disagree
30%
Somewhat agree18%
Agree13%
Strongly agree6%
Do you believe that fashion blogs have influence on your lifestyle?
Strongly disagree
14%
Disagree18%
Somewhat disagree
14%Neither
agree or disagree
25%
Somewhat agree16%
Agree9%
Strongly agree5%
In your opinion, do you enjoy reading magazines more? Or viewing blogs through the
Internet? Explain.
19%
70%
6% 5%Blogs - Easy accessMagazines - Touch physicallyBothNeither
Informational Interview Questions1. Do you believe that fashion blogging is affecting the
fashion industry? In what ways?
2. What do you believe will happen to fashion magazines due to fashion blogs?
3. From the research I have conducted, many say that fashion blogging is more influential on fashion branding than fashion magazines. Do you agree or disagree, if so, why?
4. Do you think this change of looking for fashion influence through blogs is more influential because you are able to be more hands-on by reblogging or “sharing” certain pictures or articles, etc? Why?
5. Do you PERSONALLY believe blogs will be the future of the fashion industry, rather than magazines? Explain.
Results/Discussion Fashion magazine still has more of an
impact on readers for their fashion influence.
Fashion blogging allows their viewers to be more up-to-date with the latest trends.
Fashion blogging will eventually be more accepting, even if it evolves in the future of fashion magazines.
Conclusion/Summary
Go online & check out the latest and most popular fashion blogs, you won’t be disappointed
Magazines are going to be around for a while, they will just expand onto online resources – Having their own blog(s).
Fashion Bloggers are very important for setting trends to a mass market at the click of their finger.
References Used Al-Amin, Sakina (Writer). (2013). Top Five Detroit Blogs [Photograph], Retrieved May 4, 2014,
from: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-detroit-fashion-blogs/
Catino, Shelby. (2010) Fashion Blogs: a new cut in the fashion industry pattern. Les Cahiers Fashion Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.lescahiersfm.com/en/fashion-blogs- articles/45-fashion-blog-.html
Chamberlin, Corbin. (2012). Q. & A. With Valentine Uhovski, Tumblr’s Fashion Evangelist. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/q-a- with-valentine-uhovski-tumblrs-fashion-evangelist/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=1
Colliander, J., & Dahlén, M. (2011). Following the Fashionable Friend: The Power of Social Media-weighing publicity effectiveness of blogs versus online magazines. Journal Of Advertising Research, 51(1), 313-320.
Corcoran, Cate T. (2006, February). The Blogs That Took Over The Tents. Women’s Wear Daily, pp. 30.
Elkady, Menna (Fashion Writer). (2014). Design is more important than content, or content is more important than design [Photograph], Retrieved May 4, 2014, from: http://scoopempire.com/10-misconceptions-fashion-bloggers/#.U2aUxl64lFJ
Grinberg, Emanuella. (2012). Social media bring fashion to the masses. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/09/living/fashion-week-social-media-technology/
Griffith, Erin. (2011). Bloggers Mean Business. Adweek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/bloggers-mean-business-134757
References Used (cont…) Ferla, R. L. (2009, August 5). An Everywoman as Beauty Queen. The New York
Times.
Lorentzen, Renee. (2013). Is Fashion Blogging Dead? Refinery29. Retrieved from http://www.refinery29.com/2013/12/59713/future-of-fashion- blogging
Neild, Robyn (Illustrator). (2012). Fashion Blogging 101 [Illustration], Retrieved May 4, 2014, from: http://fashion-opolis.blogspot.com/2012/02/fashion- blogging-101.html.
Osborne, Louise (Fashion Blogger). (2013). Our Top Five Fashion Blogs [Photograph], Retrieved May 4, 2014, from: http://www.stylensound.co.uk/our-top-five-fashion-blogs/.
Rickman, T. A., & Cosenza, R. M. (2007). The changing digital dynamics of multichannel marketing – The feasibility of the weblog: text mining approach for fast fashion trending. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 11(4), 604-621.
Scaraboto, D., & Fischer, E. (2013). Frustrated Fatshionistas: An Institutional Theory Perspective on Consumer Quests for Greater Choice in Mainstream Markets. Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. 39(6), 1234-1257.
Uekermann, Kristen (Fashion Blogger). (2014). About [Photograph], Retrieved May 4, 2014, from: http://www.thebostonfashionista.com/p/about.html
WIlson, E. (2009, December 24). Bloggers Crash Fashion's Row. The New York Times.