Not-So-Random Thought: Is it Too Late to Be a Style Blogger?


 

I began blogging some 7 years ago with the sole intention of getting friends’ feedbacks on whether a bag that I had liked was a better investment than a couch for my new home back then. I didn’t realize that the blog would end up the way it has 7 years later– The Bag Hag Diaries is my digital space to write about my bag reviews, my travels, food stories (oh how I miss writing these), the occasional advertorials, personal style posts (hah, when I feel confident enough), and other topics I find of interest at that particular time.

I try to be a fertile writer with the intention of engaging my readers as much as possible, although my readers know that isn’t always the case– I do struggle with writer’s block and well, laziness at times. Shame on me but as a result, you might notice the occasional “lazy” blog posts. So perhaps I shouldn’t be referring to myself as a “writer” as much, out of respect for the real prolific writers out there. It is however, safe to say that I am a fashion and lifestyle blogger. But I was never a style blogger.

I’ve often marveled in amazement at the highly successful international style bloggers. I shake my head in wonder at how they have always managed to look perfect, to be able to put together the most incredible outfits everyday without repeating a look again in the not-too-near future. I thought that maybe being a style blogger is not as hard as being a “writer”. And so for the past few months, I’ve been mulling over this thought (and please, don’t laugh too hard)– is it too late for me to cross over and become a style blogger? 😀

Ok, fine. Laugh all you want as you question my thought– if I was serious or not. I must be honest here so let this be a humiliating confession: at some point in my life online and off, I have been mocked and ridiculed for my style choices. But hey, also bear in mind that style is really personal and is a form of self- expression, and everyone makes different sartorial choices which may not necessarily be to the taste standards of others. So that means we shouldn’t mock those who don’t share our tastes (especially if they veer off to the unconventional or the extreme). Respect the style of others, please! For me though, I’ve always firmly believed in “wearing” your confidence above everything else. So I suppose having confidence gives me the go- ahead sign that I can be a style blogger, right?

Hah! Nooooo! It’s certainly not just about being a confident dresser (with the right accessories and oh, with the right “au naturel” makeup) that makes one a good style blogger. You need to know your right profile and body angles too. You need to know how you project yourself in front of the camera. It’s almost a science! And that’s where it gets extremely tricky. I kid you not.

Think about having a relationship with the camera lens. You need to be at ease and not stiff for those perfect shots. And it’s not just about taking one to three photographs (those money shots which you will post on the blog). Oh no, darling. It takes a lot more than 3 photographs to capture “near- perfection” (by your standards). Your poses cannot be “posed” or contrived, if you know what I mean. You can’t do the celebrity-with-one-hand-on-waist, shoulders-and-back-very-straight, beauty-pageant-one-leg-over-the-other-leg pose anymore. That’s just way too banal for a style post– you see this exact pose being overdone by celebrities and socialites who attend parties and red carpet events without fail each time (no offense, ladies). Good style blog posts have to look very natural.

How hard could “natural” look, right? And that, my dear readers, is the real challenge. To “look natural”. Because oftentimes behind those photos, the poses are actually anything but natural! Here is a possible permutation of poses to get those “natural” money shots: Snap head back! Click. Pout a little. Click. Flip hair! Click! Fake laugh and open mouth a little. Click. Look to the side! Click. Drop one shoulder. Click. Pretend to walk.

Roberto Cavalli jacket, Just Cavalli dress- as- top, Reiss trousers, Tod’s Miky bag, Gucci shoes, Giorgio Armani sunnies

Click. Touch your hair. Click. Dreamy faraway look! Click. Hold your arm and slouch a bit. Click. Both hands on waist and look down.

Mary Katrantzou dress, Phylea corset, Janina Nectara necklace, Stuart Weitzman boots, Giorgio Armani sunnies

Bend one knee.

Vintage Chanel dress, Vintage Alaia belt, Zara shoes, Tod’s Signature Collection Bag, Dolce & Gabbana sunnies

Click. Cross your legs. Click.

After almost an hour of shooting a variety of faux naturel poses and almost 100 photos that would flood your digital album with heaven forbid, mediocre- looking images later, you are sweating like a pig (unless perhaps it’s wintertime where you are at). You realize that you need to touch up your makeup and make sure you neither have a cake-y face nor have an oily-frying-pan forehead. You want more shots. You know, for “options”. But oh look, you have sweat pits! It is then that you realize you have no choice but to pick the money shots from the ones that were already taken. Unless you want to get dressed up again in a different outfit altogether and start over. But oh dear, the sun will set soon and the light won’t be as great… Oh to get those money shots!

I tell you, it is a massive production to get it right– at least it was from my experience! And I didn’t even impute the post- production time one will have to spend “cleaning up” the photos! I’m sure that it must be so much easier for the other style bloggers out there– especially if they’re young, have got naturally good looks, good skin, a great sense of style, and a very healthy confidence level– and oh it helps too if they have friends who can do the post- production work on their behalf.

So you can all sigh with relief– you won’t have to endure seeing my photographs daily on my blog. The posting of my style photos to accompany this story is an exception– it is only to allow you to better understand the experience and know in full what went on “behind the scenes”. I already know that it’s not written in my stars that I’ll cross over from being a fashion and lifestyle writer/ blogger to becoming a style blogger. But perhaps you’ll have an easier time putting up a personal style blog– and if you do put one up, let me know what your experience was like. If you have the patience for that kind of production, then it’s never too late for you to become a style blogger! 🙂

x
TheBagHag

11 Comments
  1. This is such an interesting article, makes you realise that style blogs are actually a massive production and not as natural as they look, I’ve tried it a few times as well and went back to writing straight after, which comes a lot more naturally! Nevertheless you look incredible in your photos, once in a while if not so regularly you should treat us to them 😉

    Natalie from lebonchic.com xx

    1. LOL it’s NOT as easy as it looks most of the time. I think too though I didn’t even consider the venue of the shoot– I believe good style bloggers even scout for good places to shoot 😉 But then again maybe I just overanalyzed lol

  2. trust me, i did style blogging eons ago and truth be told, it takes a village to do just one blog post. Some even have their husbands or boyfriends work for them cuz they also get the credit + the moolah once the style blogger gets invites to these fashionable events and what-nots.

  3. I alternated between howling with laughter and nodding my head in acknowledgement. I’ve only started to include outfit shots recently into my predominantly lifestyle blog.

    Suffice to say, I love being behind the lens more so than in front. How on earth can one take one outfit after another, day after day without wearing the same thing twice?? I wear a “uniform” and to be honest with you, I’d probably bore the entire blogosphere silly (and myself) posting the similar looking outfit all the time. As for the posing – I tried the pouting (I looked like a goldfish), the crossed leg (I looked like I had to rush to the loo), the walking (but ended up with mouth half open waiting to receive manna from heaven), hand on hip (I looked constipated from trying to hard)….. It’s not as easy as it looks.

  4. I followed Marlene’s link on twitter and found myself here and am very glad I did to find such an entertaining post. I totally hear you about looking natural and unposed whilst posing – I found just doing headless shots were better for me as it stopped the squint eyed, gormless look coming through. Chop head off – no weird face with tongue sticking out trying to get a focused shot whilst concentrating reeaaalllly hard. You still look lovely in all your shots – I appreciate the effort it took. I love the Zara shoes you have, I tried them on after thinking I needed some heels but I can’t walk in them and I have fat feet – I make it all sound so wonderful don’t I?

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