Instagram fashion blogs are taking over.
Fashion blogging culture started in the mid 2000s with some very influential bloggers like BryanBoy and Tavi Gevinson.
The BryanBoy personality was started out by Bryan Grey Yambao, who at the time was a 24-year-old web developer. He shaped his blog around lifestyle information, featuring his shopping trips and social outings.
Yambao launched BryanBoy in 2004 at his parent’s home in Manila, Philippines and became the first to generate a public space for personal fashion expression.
His status grew internationally when he posted a video about the designer Marc Jacobs. It eventually amassed an immense number of views and even the designer’s attention. Later that year, Jacobs honored Yambao by naming a handbag after him, the “BB,” earning him front-row seats at his fashion shows including Dolce & Gabbana.
Being a “flamboyant fashion aficionado,” as Business of Fashion describes him, has still made Yambao relevant in the fashion industry today.
Four years after the success of BryanBoy. Tavi Gevinson stepped into the fashion blogging scene.
The Chicago native started her blog, Style Rookie, as an 11-year-old in 2008. Style Rookie was a compilation of self-reflections, photos of her daily outfits and runway reviews, similar to blogs today.
What set her apart and gained her worldwide attention was her dead-on style observations and fearless fashion sense — mixing thrift store finds with elevated pieces from Comme des Garçons and Rodarte.
Aside from her well-constructed insights and unique sense of style, her reviews were honest and passionate critiques that gained popularity from the fashion industry. Industry leaders were interested in what this young girl had to say, and she earned jobs with fashion magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar and POP.
Currently her blog, Rookie Mag, is no longer being updated, but you can find both of these blogging pioneers on Instagram.
These days, fashion blogging’s new platform is photo-sharing application Instagram. Different accounts have their own style so there is something for everyone out there.
You might know them as influencers who add the words “fashion blogger” to their bios and have a full feed of trendy outfits on view. If one scrolls through these pages it’s noticeable how fashion blogging’s essence is gone because people no longer read long paragraphs of information about how to dress, they simply scroll through images and click through the tagged brands.
Elizabeth Erwin, third-year fashion student said, “Social media accelerates the speed of fashion every single day. As a startup fashion designer myself, I believe it’s most important to constantly remind the world that you are present. Posting consistently is a great way to share your growth and personality. Don’t take the ability to post unlimitedly for granted and don’t let your audience forget you exist.”
