Fashion Blog v/s Magazine
- Shristi Moda
- Jun 15, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 1, 2020
In this fast-evolving world, the fashion media industry is a growing segment that focuses on content creation and influence consumers with the help of different media.
And the onset of growth has started a battle between Fashion Blogs v/s Magazines. What is your opinion?
What is Fashion Journalism? A subset of fashion media that focuses on writing and photography in the field of fashion? This evolution opens up fields’ like- blogging, journalist, social media specialist, marketing writer, etc.
The magazine has been a leader for a long time but now digital media are evolving and it is chased by many.
Fashion magazine is vehicles for luxury fantasies trapped between some glossy papers and advertisements. It can tell us a lot more besides what’s trending this season. Magazines dedicated exclusively to fashion grew out of the more traditional so-called women’s magazines.
By 2001, the world blog had entered Internet vernacular, both as a noun and a verb. Mena Trott was one of these bloggers. Her site, A Dollar Short, went up in April of 2001. With the launch of her site, Trott aimed big. She loved blogging, and she aspired to be one of the best. So she set her sights on winning the SXSW weblog award and, at the end of 2002, she did just that. Which, incidentally, was right around the time that she was changing the blogging world forever. Later, fashion blogs were born in 2007 and it was just a simple speaking online community. Although it gave rise to some of today’s most recognizable fashion voices and figures. Though its glory days spanned only four years, the community played witness to the creation of the blogger Bryanboy, Hari Nef’s transition from super-user to model and actress, and Jeffree Star’s pivot from singing to cosmetics. It paved the way for the fast-fashion news cycle, creating an appetite for trade sites. With a gentle push of Digitalization. Blogs became a super hit.
ARE BLOGS AND MAGAZINES SAME?
Blogs and Magazines both are a prominent part of the Fashion industry as -
· They generate content on different niche
· They have their own reader base
And they both have emerged with the same objective to influence and create awareness amongst the people.
Blog vs. Magazine
You can't make lemonade without lemon and water, likewise, Blogs and Magazines both have their own plus points. It depends on the user how they want to portray their thoughts and who are their target audience.
On one hand, we established that print tends to be more trustworthy and a little less expensive, while being less reachable, convenient, and doesn’t allow users to further dig for more information. On the other hand, we have digital magazines, who excel at flexibility, convenience, accessibility, and information sources, but lack a little at trust and budget.
PAST. PRESENT. FUTURE.
If we were to designate a certain era to each of them we would probably pick the past for the print and the present for the digital blogs. That is because they each had their finest moments during those times. But what about the future? What do you think is going to happen next when we talk about blog v/s magazines? How are things going to evolve?
ARE BLOGS THE NEW MAGAZINE?
According to a study conducted by Freeport Press, back in 2016, over 40% of people still read 1 or 2 print magazines and only under 30% admitting to reading digital blogs. Having said this, another study conducted by the UK Bureau of Circulation is informing us that print circulation has been going down with 4% every year.
Soon enough, the fashion brands and designers realized that it was cheaper to do this in-house. Creating their own content gave them more creative control and greater transparency of their marketing ROI. They built their own fashion blogs and curated social media feeds. Which gave rise to fashion blogs like WeWoreWhat a fashion blog, Danielle Bernstein created to provide a daily dose of outfit inspiration from every corner of NYC. What started as a street style blog is now a personal style blog and her fashion diary. A native New Yorker, Bernstein started her career 10 years ago – leading the influencer industry into what it is today. She was placed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list before the age of 25 and since then has started and invested in many new business ventures including her own line of swim and overalls.
Vogue magazine has been described by many as being the world’s most influential fashion publication. Produced in 18 countries and with a history of over 120 years, Vogue has earned its place in fashion history. Vogue symbolizing the name of fashion started as an American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine. It started with its first publication in New York and as of today, there are 23 international editions. And gradually, magazine sales dropped and some reduced their editions. Some, like Teen Vogue, topped their print editions altogether in 2017.
As per the current pandemic-magazines have to deal with reality. Magazines have large readership base- printed about 2 months before- have no content about COVID-19(that shows magazine lack updated news at times).
INSTYLE editor Laura Brown didn’t want to wait for 2 months to address COVID-19, so she published a digital copy online.
LET`S LOOK INTO THIS FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES-
1. ME BEING A READER ( READER’S CHOICE)
Magazines come with a physical feel and visual element. For the older generation- the magazine is what they grew up with. The focus which comes in a magazine is hard to develop on a blog. I guess no one stays on one site for more than 15 min but surely digital blogs are easily accessible and are available at a minimal cost.
2. ME BEING A FASHION BRAND (BRAND PREFERENCE)
A brand will focus on the advantage and ways to cut investment and gain more benefits. A printed magazine provides visibility & aesthetics. It delivers impact. Whereas on the other hand blogs for the brand help with potential reach, interactivity. And also the investment in digital blogs can be traced and as a result, the impact can also be tracked. Most advertisers are shifting budgets from magazines to blogs and social media. A lot of that advertising money goes to promotional activities on social networks (Facebook, Google, Youtube) and content production, leaving only a fraction of the original advertising budget for just advertising.
WAR OR CO-EXISTENCE
With all the evolution and digitalization, bloggers have become a new face of the fashion industry. They are constantly featured in blogs during fashion weeks, collaborate with brand names on clothing lines, and have millions of loyal followers on their personal blogs.
Is it possible that blogs have become more influential than fashion magazines?
After all, fashion blogs are easily accessible and their content is free to those with internet access. Fashion blogs not only represent the content of the writer but also their personality which makes the reader feel connected. Generally, blogs are on fashion styling tips, which one can take from the magazine as well but bloggers manage to relate their personal experiences to their style.
Emily Schuman of Cupcake and Cashmeres, constantly shares photos of her personal style, while reflecting on her day’s events including her meals.
Most people read blogs because they feel they can trust their reviews.
Magazines are very selective when it comes to featuring clothing and trends in their publication and often do not tell readers how they should be worn.
For the time being, Fashion blogs offer a personal perspective which gives them an edge over magazines. But will they survive in times of development and evolution? Only time will tell us.
Good work raa 🤟🤟