So You Want to Start a Style Blog: Tips and Tricks

Sharing your fashion fancies with the world doesn’t have to involve a big-name publication and a long list of credentials. In today’s internet age, anyone can offer their trend expertise or just plain show their love for clothes and accessories through their own style blog. If you’ve been thinking about joining the personal style blogger ranks, here are a few tips to help you get started.

• Choose an angle that’s flexible enough for change down the road. Although you may start out wanting to make only outfit posts or DIYs, your interests will grow over time.

• Offer a unique perspective. There are a million copycat style blogs out there with practically identical styles of writing, content and photography. Don’t try to run with the herd. Be yourself, and make your blog stand out.

• Take great pictures, and embed at least one in each post. Blurry, low-quality photos are fashion blog kryptonite, especially if you are posting your own outfits. You don’t have to be a professional photographer, but it is helpful to know a little about framing, shooting and editing.

• Spend as much time commenting on other blogs as you do posting on your own. The personal style blog arena functions like a community, and bloggers often visit the blogs of their regular commenters.

• Develop a thick skin. This is especially important if you are posting pictures of yourself. Some people use the internet as an opportunity to offend, and you may come across malicious or uncomfortably objectifying comments on your posts. You can screen to avoid letting things get out of hand, if necessary.

• Don’t rely on Lookbook or Chictopia to get the word out to potential readers. These sites are set up to promote long-term users that already have a large fan following, and new members often get left in the dust.

• Maintain relationships with other bloggers, so that you are not only in the thick of what’s trending, but will have future options for cross-promotion. IFB is a great place to meet other fashion bloggers and get a feel for the community as a whole.

• Utilize social media to get your blog out there. These days, readers don’t just want to scroll through their feed to find your style blog posts, they want to feel like they have the inside track on your comings and goings. In addition to tweeting, tumbling and Facebook posting your blog updates, alert readers to interesting personal and fashion-related occurences in your everyday life.

Photo Credit: Paul Stein