A little over two months ago, I had a few very important conversations with people I highly respect in the blogging world. These individuals are reputable and have quite a bit more blogging history than I do, so when they smacked me with the question, “You realize you graduate college in less than a year?” I knew I had to listen. You see, I’ve always considered myself a college lifestyle blogger because that is what I know. I write about my experiences as a twentysomething college student because I am one , and all that college life encompasses such as work, school, fashion, travel, eating, and more. For a blog to continue to gain and maintain a strong following, they said, you must choose a more specific vein to focus on. They were right: I do only have a year left of college, but definitely see myself blogging for years to come. What do I do?
Although I was hesitant initially, my first instinct was to adopt a major fashion component on my blog. I had friends telling me I’m “stylish enough to do that” and my “clothes are super cute,” still I never really saw myself as a blogger trying to show off my clothes. When I considered the other alternatives to making my blog more specific, I knew fashion was the way to go. I love to cook, but photographing (and making!) attractive food is HARD! DIY is awesome, but you have to actually make all the things you blog about, and they have to look good. Way to much work (time and money!) for this busy girl. I thought, “I wear clothes every day, this should be easy enough.”
While I don’t intend this to be a tell-all of my process, I wanted to give a glimpse into the challenging life of a wannabe fashion blogger. It’s more work that you would ever imagine…
1. Finding people to take pictures for you is a constant battle.
While your roommates love you dearly, they don’t appreciate you dragging them out of bed before work because “the lighting is best and you’re feeling your outfit.” Family and friends are great too, but sometimes they just don’t *get* what you are after to capture the look you want. And Heaven forbid you ask a significant other to take your pictures — while they might enjoy looking at you everyday, behind the lens of your point and shoot camera before every date night, movie, dinner, etc. does get exhausting. Fortunately, I have an awesome partnership with DR Productions and kind friends who help me out regularly, thus making my blog possible! Sure, you can hire a full time photographer, but when you’re trying to post daily, the invoices start to add up.
2. There is pressure to look good ALL THE TIME.
Forget rolling out of bed to go to work or running to the grocery in pajama pants. You can also scratch off class in yoga flares or your hair in a day-old pony tail. There is a certain expectation of you, I’m finding, when you introduce yourself as a fashion blogger. And heck to no shopping for new pieces makeup-less in your gym clothes (unless it’s online!). Opportunities are everywhere and you must be looking your best to impress. When I hang out with my friends, the first comment is often, “Hey, you’re not wearing your #ootd (Outfit of the day) from your Instagram.” I’m not?! Shocker. Maybe I didn’t have 15 minutes, the perfect lighting, or even clean jeans to pair with this top this morning before coming to see your beautiful face. In reality, I take all my outfit pictures a week-2 weeks in advance so I have a “photo arsenal” ready to go for when real life gets in the way. It saves me time, and ensures I always have something to post.
3. Friends want your opinion on EVERYTHING.
“So, now that you’re a fashion blogger, I’m going to text you every outfit before I go to work, school, job interview, first date, the bathroom…”
Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but yes, friends want advice. No, I did not go to sleep one night, decide to be a fashion blogger in a dream, and wake up as Kate Spade. Fortunately, I do believe I have a good sense of style that others seem to appreciate, so I decided to share it. Does that mean my style is right for everyone? NO! My style is unique to me, and I hope people don’t love every single outfit or piece I post – that is unrealistic. If my blog helps a person find a new bag or pair of wedges or holiday appropriate outfit, I’ve accomplished my goal. I still enjoy helping friends decide what to wear, helping them shop for bargains, and dressing them up for events because this blog is still a hobby. When, or if, it ever becomes my primary source of income, I can’t say I’ll love or have time to do this FO FREE.
4. What is sleep?
This is the face of a no sleep, 90-degree heat, “Are we done yet?” photo shoot. Yes, that happens. Blogging is work, do not let anyone tell you differently. Whether it is staying up late writing and scheduling posts for the upcoming week when you work 40 hours and have 3 exams, or it is setting your alarm for 6:30 AM on your day off to catch East Coast followers on Instagram during their morning commute, you do what you gotta do to hustle. There is a specific science to posting on a blog and social media, and I am far from a master. I’ve learned quite a bit from other knowledgeable bloggers and a conference I attended, but I cannot say these tips simplify the experience. Often, they bring more work into your life such as pinning a minimum of 23 pins per day to stay engaged with your followers that may or may not happen in rush hour traffic on my way home from work to let my dog out. If your’e trying to grow your following and build a reputable brand, these are necessary steps that will have big pay out in the end.
5. I’m not a model so…
Becoming a fashion blogger means loving your body, having self-confidence, and totally owning every outfit you wear. I am far from a model, but you kind of have to be at least camera-friendly to get content for your blog AKA photos. I don’t *love* putting my face, body, etc. on the Internet daily, but blogging in itself is a confidence booster because you are almost guaranteed a blogger or reader like you has a similar body type and LOVES what you are doing/wearing. You can’t be afraid to have fun with photos, content, and outfit choices — and be prepared to defend them. Sometimes there are less than kind individuals that will boldly state/comment/gossip about you and your closet. If you like the outfit, wear it like it is the only thing you own. Be proud of yourself and your style — it’s unique to you!
6. Yes, I have a real job.
A real job that pays for the real clothes in my closet and on my Instagram daily. While I am sometimes fortunate enough to have clothes gifted or loaned to me by brands to feature, 90% of the content you see comes straight from my closet. That isn’t to say a dress you saw three months ago on Instagram is still in my closet. Being a fashion blogger on a college budget means constantly upgrading your wardrobe but recycling/trading/selling clothes – whatever you need to do to score new items for little to no expense. I am always a fan of splurging on staple pieces that can be worn many ways, but I am a profound lover of Clothes Mentor and resale stores/webpages that let you get gently used clothing for very cheap! A very bold pattern might be less versatile and is less likely to make it even a whole year in my closet. Essentially, blogging takes up a lot of my time as a major hobby, but it doesn’t pay all my bills just yet. I have a real job x2, am a full time college student, and care for a sweet pup named Winston when I’m not creating new content. Have realistic goals, but have a back up plan too!
Despite all of the challenges that come with re-centering my blog towards a fashion focus, I love blogging, and plan to continue do so for quite a long time. I am always looking forward to expanding my closet and style, and taking on new challenges in this fast-paced community!
Photography: DR Production and Eric Santos
