How to Blog: write a fashion blog / be a better fashion blogger (part 1)

I wrote a post a few months ago entitled “how to Blog: commenting”, I had intended to write a mini series of posts but holidays and life got in the way and a second post, let alone a third or fourth, failed to materialise. Now though, I feel it might be time to revisit the idea. This post should really be the first in the series, I suppose, as it is more of an introductory post, both to the series and as a guide for new bloggers.

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There are many different styles that a fashion blog might take and this post is by no means exhaustive – far from it. But this post does serve as a starting point for anyone out there who is hoping to start a fashion blog.

-          A love of all things fashionable and stylish is essential

-          A large over-draft limit is probably desirable!! But not to be recommended really!

-          A lot to say is useful

-          Decide what form or style your blog will take – will you choose a very specific niche (like, sleep.eat.denim) or will you create a daily outfit post (like, What Katie Wore) or will you choose beauty products as your topic (like, The Glossy Guide or Cult of Pretty) – whatever you decide you have to ensure that you have enough to write about and enough of an interest to keep you involved in the blog

-          For me, starting an “editorial calendar” was essential to keeping motivated – Jennine wrote about the importance of this over on IFB recently – it really helps to keep me focussed on the content I am producing each week

-          Make time to write – it might seem obvious but when your blog is new it will seem like a novelty and you will make time to write it but when that wears off, will you still be able to make the time in your schedule to write?

-          Writing is only half the battle – are you prepared to promote your blog?

-          You will need to have a camera and know how to use it and produce photos that are up to standard

-          Read other blogs – both fashion and non-fashion, but mainly fashion

-          Become a member of IFB as soon as possible – it is an invaluable source

I know that this list is very short and there are a million and one other things you need to know about writing a fashion blog but I think it is a good place to start. If you are already a (fashion) blogger, what would you add? What do you wish you’d known when you started writing your fashion blog?

I asked some lovely and fabulous fashion bloggers for their advice to new fashion bloggers and here are their top tips:

@mrsbossa: 1)keep writing 2)don't be afraid to try out different kinds of posts 3)carry a notebook with you when inspiration strikes!

@MJ_Beauty: My advice would be to write about what you like, not just because its the hottest trend at the moment

@fayemarieblogs: the biggest thing is to be yourself and let ur blog reflect your personality. Readers should get a sense of your personality

@leia12: Post original content only. Don't swipe photos from other sites. Be yourself. Be creative. Bring something new to the table

@citizenrosebudz: Here's my advice for any blogger: write original content, say it well, in YOUR own voice. Then engage !

@gritandglamour: Write properly, spellcheck and proofread, have fun, and BE YOU!

@FashionKilledMe: network! Visit other blogs, leave nice comments and don't force ppl to follow u ;)

@BeautifullyInv: Ditto to what Faye said - authentic voice (and original content) is KEY

Do you have any advice you would add? This will definitely be a part of an ongoing series, as I try to improve my own blog and help you to do the same with me, so make sure to check back for further posts soon. If there is anything you would like to see covered, let me know, either here in the comments or by email.

How to Blog: Commenting

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This was going to be just one post but it seems that I got a little carried away and think I'll have to extend it into a mini series which will attempt to tell you a little of how to blog. Hope you enjoy it - and find it useful.


A big part of being a blogger, for me, is visiting and reading other blogs and participating in the blogging community which, by virtue, means that commenting is an integral part of this process:



Last Autumn Amy of Wolf Whistle set herself the target of leaving 500 comments a month. At IFB Ashe Mischief took up the challenge too and called other bloggers to do the same. I decided to follow Grechen's lead and took the happy medium option and challenged myself to leave 10 comments a day.


I wrote about the subject of comments in a recent Friend Friday post, in which I referenced Chelsea's (of Dear Winnie) great post on the same topic in which she laid out her own 4-step plan to writing the perfect comment.


When taking up this challenge I was conscious that my 10 comments a day would not be two-word, "great post" comments that were effectively meaningless. It seemed I was not alone, Amy told Ashe:


"I promised myself when I started this that I wouldn’t leave comments such as  ‘Nice blog!!!’ as I generally feel that these type of comments are a bit of a let down."


While Ashe concluded that she would:


"leave 250 meaningful, thoughtful, useful comments."

Earlier this year, Ashe revisited the comment challenge at IFB and asked:

How did it go?  Was it more challenging than you expected?

Did you find many new blogs to visit? Build up any new friendships, find a lot of duds, or something in between?

Did you sustain the momentum and keep going? Have you built up new blogging habits from doing the comment challenge?  Are you more or less active at commenting now?

In response, I didn't find it challenging so much as time consuming - when I have a quiet week, it is easy to leave more than the target of 10 a day but when I have a busy week or two, it get difficult to leave even 10 comments a week.

I found straightaway that in order to leave enough comments I have had to go on the hunt for new blogs to read. It's been good to have a purpose to find good blogs that compel me to leave meaningful comments.

Like Ashe, I didn't do this to increase traffic, or to get more comments on my blog but that has been a rather pleasant side effect. However, despite it not being my principle reason for undertaking the challenge, if I have visited a blog and I have commented on posts for a month or two and not heard anything back from the blogger (a reply to a comment, a comment on my blog, or a tweet) I do still think twice about returning to said blog.

I'm not so strict as I was about 10 comments a day but I do still comment as much as possible and visit those blogs that I have discovered over the past six months.

Did you take up the comment challenge? How did you find it? If not, do you have any sort of a strategy for commenting on other blogs?

If you have any questions about blogging that you would like to see answered in this series, please let me know in the comments, or by email.