This is a guest post by Ceri Heathcote of Style Eyes Fashion Blog. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

In the past, fashion has been perceived as elitist and inaccessible by many people. However, since the birth of social media that is definitely no longer the case! Social media now allows anyone and everyone to have their say about the fashion industry, and more importantly, the industry is really listening.

Influencing the trends

Traditionally, the fashions and trends for the seasons ahead have been set out for us based on the predictions of a small group of people. The Shopping Forecast, a new fashion democracy, offers an alternative where the trends are decided by the public voting for and rating items for the coming season. The website acts as a link between the public and retail buyers allowing them to actually have a say on what clothes they want to see in the shops.

Creative input

For some, putting together an outfit is just not enough, they want to have a say in the design process of the clothes that they wear. There are now a number of new websites–Beta Fashions, Usabrand and t-shirt site Threadless, to name a few–which allow budding fashion designers to upload their own designs. The designs are then voted on and those with the most votes will actually be made.

Feedback

Facebook and Twitter have become key methods of two-way communication between customers and fashion brands. Some brands are setting up their own social sites and forums to make sure they get the chance to hear what their customers are saying. Even Marc Jacob’s plus sized collection was a result of feedback by the public on Twitter.

Fan funded collections

Who would have thought that you average shopping-obsessed fashionista would actually be able to fund a designer collection? It’s happening! Fashion enthusiasts can support designers they love by buying shares in a collection through Catwalk Genius. Social media plays a key part in spreading the word about the designers, and knowing that you have a stake in a collection will make you really want to share it with your virtual friends.

…And of course, fashion blogging

Anyone can set up a fashion blog, it is really easy. Fashion bloggers are becoming an increasingly important force in the fashion industry, with bloggers occupying front row seats at designer shows and even collaborating with brands to design new collections.

This is a guest post by Christina Jones. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

Growing your blog’s traffic is probably your number one priority in the beginning stages. The best way to gain exposure and increase your blog’s traffic is through networking. Get to know as many people in your niche as possible, and exchange links.

Interview!

An effective method of networking and increasing traffic to your blog is interviewing. That is, reaching out to someone who has expertise in an area relative to your blog (like a fellow blogger, fashion editor, stylist, etc.) and ask them a few questions. Choose a minimum of five and maximum of ten (depending on who it is) insightful questions to send to them. Once they send you back their answers, post them to your blog for your readers.

Most of the time, the person you are interviewing will advertise the interview on their site or post the link to their social network. This not only allows you to make a new friend in the industry, it also boosts your credibility. Remember, the goal should be to:

• Educate your readers
• Make new friends in your niche.

If you don’t already have connections with fashion editors or the hottest new designers, look for editors of the popular blogs in your niche that you read regularly and connect with them via email. Begin the e-mail referencing a recent post or endeavor they blogged about, or your favorite feature on their blog. Make a connection by referencing something they have done that has inspired you, or connect what they do with something you do similarly.

When reaching out to prospective interviewees keep the following in mind:

Remain professional at all times.

If you are reaching out to a big name editor or blogger who is accustomed to interview requests, you do not want to seem like a newbie—even if you are. Keep it simple, however, do not treat them like a buddy—yet. They could be your contact for a cool internship or opportunity with their blog.

Edify the interviewee from start to finish.

Do some research outside of what is on their blog, and include the details in your introduction paragraph. Highlight all of the cool things they are currently doing, and how they have inspired you. Flatter them, and they will most likely want to work with you again!

Proofread and proofread again.

Sending an e-mail with a lot of contractions and typos will turn the reader off, and diminish your credibility. Remember to proofread both when you send the initial e-mail, and when you post the interview to your blog.

Ask questions that will elicit insightful and useful answers.

Remember, the purpose is to help educate your readers, not just to show them you can get a great interview.

Think outside the box.

You don’t necessarily have to e-mail your interview questions. The interviewee may want to meet with you in person or chat over the phone. Be flexible with their preference. If you can meet them in person, that is even better!

Have fun!

The purpose of interviewing is to move your blog forward, however, have fun in the process.  Soon enough, there will be an email in your inbox from a blogger who wants to interview you.

This is a guest post by Josephine of Basic Expressions. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

When it comes to blogging, especially about fashion, there are three blogging networks that bloggers turn to: Blogger, WordPress and Tumblr. But which one should you use?

I have used all three platforms, and am here to tell you the pros and cons of each so you can decide for yourself:

Blogger

Pros:

• Blogger is the most popular blogging network. Putting anything on this website is very simple because most other websites and applications consider Blogger and make it possible to connect.

• Since it’s owned by Google, there are many features you can add to enhance and promote your page like Google Reader, Google Friend Connect, and Google Adsense.

• Blogger is easy. If you’re new to blogging, Blogger lays out everything for you.

Cons:

• There are a few technical issues with Blogger, like the clock or even uploading photos to your page. Different blogs experience different difficulties using this platform.

• Template choice is limited. You can change the backgrounds and colors, but it comes down to pretty much the same thing using the standard templates.

• Blogger has the right to delete your blog without any warning if they don’t like your content or think it is spam.

WordPress.com

Pros:

WordPress is a bit more advanced, and includes integrated blog statistics (so you know how many people are visiting, and when), as well as built-in spam protection for comments.

Plenty of attractive themes available.

Tech support in the form of helpful user forums–if you have a problem, there’s probably someone out there  with a solution!

Cons:

• Some bloggers find it difficult to use at first, but with time you will learn it and enjoy the benefits!

• Customizing your template requires a small yearly fee and some knowledge of CSS.

• Looking for publicity? Find it somewhere else. WordPress is a popular site but unlike Blogger, you will have to publicize your blog on your own.

*Ed. Note: There is a difference between WordPress.com and the blogging software available for free at WordPress.org (self-installed WordPress).

Tumblr

Pros:

• Easiest place to share tons of pictures of your outfit–and you can get reblogged on the site easily!

• Large variety of free templates.

• Easy-as-pie posting.

Cons:

• A place mostly for just pictures, videos, quotes or short pieces of inspiration, not long-form writing.

• A picture that you posted today could be posted by someone else the next day, and you may not be credited as the original poster.

• It can be repetitive. Most of the supposed new and original art, photos and etc on Tumblr are often re-blogged.

• Comment boxes are not automatically a given. You have to create your own through Disqus or another third-party application, then add it to your Tumblog.

I don’t use any of the major blogging networks anymore (though I refer to Blogger for other needs). I have switched to the OnSugar network, which was created for fashion blogging. It has served me as a good blogging platform just as Blogger and WordPress would. I do have my complaints, but what site doesn’t have its pros and cons?

It’s up to you to check out these blogging networks to determine the best place for you and your ideas. It’s your blog!

This is a guest post by Michelle Chai of Daisybutter. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

“Oh, don’t be silly. Everyone wants this. Everyone wants to be ‘us’.”

With the lines between fashion and journalism becoming increasingly blurred in one of the fastest growing industries today, fashion internships have become the ‘job a million girls would kill for’. An internship is one of the only ways to get noticed at the moment–crucial to getting your foot in the door of the fashion world. Finding an internship can be a scary and daunting experience, and so many people are simply terrified of being in a Devil Wears Prada-esque situation.

My first interning experience was with more! magazine, a fast-growing, young women’s fashion weekly, and it was just as rewarding, hectic and exhausting as I had expected, if not more. There aren’t words to describe the whole experience as it really is something you have to try first-hand, but I learnt quickly about being independent, fast-thinking, organised and innovative in the industry.

Embrace every task with enthusiasm, even post collections and return duty; some interns that I worked with would outspokenly refuse to do these! Not cool. Although nothing is as glamorous as they make it look in movies, no two days are the same, and it is definitely not a typical 9-to-5 job. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Finding an Internship

Perfect your resume/CV.

Sending your CV online can be tricky. Convert it to PDF format so it can be easily read–many editors won’t bother struggling to open a CV when others are readily available. Put a sharp profile statement at the top under your personal details to catch the employer’s attention.

Prepare for initial disappointment.

Not every magazine or company you apply to will take you on. Many companies are booked up about six months in advance.

Be determined.

Think of ways that you stand out from all the hundreds of other people looking for the same thing as you. Write specific cover letters to each publication, perhaps congratulating them on features in recent issues.

Think outside the box.

So what if your dream career is to be Anna Wintour’s assistant? Think outside the box and apply to smaller publications, or even your local newspaper! Newspapers are an excellent way to gain experience, and you are much more likely to be taken out on a ‘job’ – perfect for your CV!

Address it to the right person.

Nothing puts off a potential employer like having emails addressed or spelled incorrectly. Take the time to check the magazine’s masthead (the page with all the names on!) and look for the appropriate recipient; if none is readily available, address your communication to the Managing Editor.

If you’re in the market for a fashion magazine internship, make sure you check out the following resources:

• Ed2010
• Free Fashion Internships.com
• Daily Fashion Jobs.com
• The Fashion Intern.com
• US Fashion Internships on Facebook
• Fashionista.com internships
• Global Experiences International Fashion Internships

Have you ever interned at a fashion magazine? Share your experience!

This is a guest post by Kristen of Style Wax Poetic. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

I had the opportunity to speak with the lovely Valerie, aka the genius right-side conversationalist of BLEACHBLACK.  I stumbled upon the great BLEACHBLACK.com through a coworker and I remember being captivated by the concept of a conversation online between two fashion designers, best friends and most importantly, two seemingly very cool girls!

Anticipating my meeting with Valerie, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew she had a love for 60′s and 70′s-era style (she counts Jane Birkin as her ultimate muse), that she had amazing style (product features off the hizzy), and of course, she was talented (Who else knows how to paint on a pair of shorts without making them look like a kindergartner got their hands on them?) What I came to find after speaking with her was that she is nothing short of lovely to work with and had the sweetest, kindest nature about her.

What is your history with fashion?
I’ve been sewing for years, starting with matching navy blue wrap dresses for my Barbies. I’ve also always been tearing my clothes apart, buying vintage, and trying to personalize it. My day job is in men’s apparel design, in the skateboard industry, which I completely love.

How do you manage the time between blogging, your professional life and personal life?
It’s hard, I don’t have much downtime. Actually, I have no downtime! I try to make time for friends a few nights a week, but otherwise I’m always working on a project, reading, sewing, making something, blogging, etc. I recently bought my first (fixer-upper) condo, which is the ultimate do-it-yourself project. It’s been a ton of work, but I love it!

Name three things that you can’t live without this summer:

1. Evian Brumisateur Spray (www.shopevian.com) — It’s the BEST at the beach and only $8.00!
2. Missoni Beach Pants — Obnoxious? Maybe, but believe it or not, they are ridiculously versatile! I wear mine with a grey vintage tee, or pile on a ton of necklaces for dinner with friends.
3. Clarins SPF40 UV – Mandatory.

Tell us about some of your favorite trends this season:
Sheer, flowy kaftans and turbans and anything white macramé/crochet.

Shopbop via BLEACHBLACK, American Archive via BLEACHBLACK

Where did the success of BLEACHBLACK come from?
We really have no idea, but we do work really hard to find our own unique content every day.

What advice would you give a fashion blogger just getting started?
Original content, clean imagery, frequent updates. Also, use a name that everyone can say and spell.

Do you and Kristin actually speak now that you have a daily conversation through email?
Haha, yes! We talk every day, sometimes twice! She’s the best.

This is a guest post by Precilla of FashionArtExpression. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample.com, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

When I started blogging, I came across a lot of confusing things. I didn’t know what to expect or how to best use my resources, so I thought I’d help other new bloggers by sharing some important tips I wish I’d known.

Growing your readership

Once you’ve started your blog, you’ve probably realized the readers don’t come to visit all by themselves. You have to put forth some effort to make them come back again and again! Here are a few things you can try:

Choose your content with care

I’ve seen a lot of blogs do 5-7 posts a week, but the content might be average to not compelling at all. That’s not going to get you more readers, so you need to change your game. Choose quality above quantity! Combining your own opinion with researched facts gives you more credibility and makes it interesting to read. Honesty is the best policy, so don’t lie. Don’t say you like something if you really hate it. People appreciate honesty more than you think.

Here are 10 tips I use that guarantee growth for your blog:

1. Write something newsworthy
2. Write something insightful
3. Write something that elicits an emotional response
4. Write something inspirational
5. Write something that tells a story
6. Write something that gets a laugh
7. Write something opinionated
8. Write something about something cool
9. Write something controversial
10. Write something unique

Develop your unique writing style

The best tip I can give you is to write as if you’re talking to someone. Express your true opinions and don’t try to write like someone else – find your own voice. Find topics that keep your readers interested and take risks! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different subjects.

Learn accurate punctuation and check your spelling and grammar. This is very important because you want the readers to understand what you mean and to avoid miss communication. Use quotation marks when you’re writing something that is not your own words, and remember to link to those who inspire your ideas.

Make your blog search-friendly

SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. It helps search engines direct people interested in what you talk about to your blog. SEO requires a lot of work, but there are a lot of websites that can teach you how to use SEO to your advantage. The two sites that are the best in the field are Problogger and SEObook.

Participate in communities and social networks

Participating in different communities and social media is also a great way to increase your readership and establish new friendships and business opportunities. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help! I’ve spoken to a lot of bloggers to see how they’re doing and mutually broaden our knowledge by sharing information.
Some popular communities include:

• Independent Fashion Bloggers
• Delance Fashion Community
• Lookbook.nu
• Chictopia

If you’re leaving comments on other blogs, try to make them more worthwhile. Instead of just saying “cute dress!”, try writing something more in depth, describing why you like something, or what you thought was unique about the post.

Send newsletters

I’ve recently discovered something cool: newsletters. There are loads of benefits to starting a newsletter for your blog, including traffic building, monetization and building a rapport with your readers. As I’m working on my own newsletter, I’m thinking about what makes a good newsletter and what makes me mark the sender as spam!

I advise keeping your newsletter small and personal–people love blogs because they have an individual touch. Campaign Monitor offers 30 free email templates, or you can use Feedburner to automatically send RSS newsletters to every subscriber.