Is Fashion Blogging the New Fashion Magazine?

Jessica Hohenleitner9 May 2014

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?

Thesis StatementThe potential impact that fashion

blogging will have on fashion magazines.

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.

Any Questions?