It is 2015. The Internet has come of age and, with it, so has social media. Interactive digital platforms hold more sway than (possibly censored) traditional media such as TV and print, especially in the fields of fashion and lifestyle, where trends change on a whim and the concepts of unlimited space and easy editing make it possible to keep up. Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Tumbler, Instagram, Pinterest are all a click away when one wants to access news and reviews of what’s in, what’s out, what’s new and what’s not.
The world over, people are placing more and more trust in their favourite style blogs. For loyal users, these sites are nothing less than style-bibles. But Internet audiences are not the only ones at play here: the industry has also recognised that this is a force to be reckoned with. Bloggers get the front row seats at fashion events. And although local acceptance of the trend has been gradual, it is very much there.
After countless hours online, we’ve picked out our three favourite fashion and lifestyle blogs (in no particular order of preference).
Fashion and lifestyle blogging isn't a "side business or social climbing exercise, please"
It was during a graduation trip to Paris that Amna Salman discovered her passion for style. A distinction holder in business management from the University of Manchester, Amna realized that the corporate world was not for her. Paris opened up new doors and one thing led to another before she set up her blog stylestripped.pk in 2008.
Stylestripped on what to wear and what to eat
Now seen as Pakistan’s premier fashion and lifestyle portal, this space serves not only fashion, but also celebrates beauty and wellness, art and travel, retail and launch parties, all the while aiming for a “higher, cleaner, chicer sense of style through [the editor’s] personal experiences.”
“When I first shared a picture of my yellow Celine mini-bag on Instagram, it didn’t take long before it popped up all over Lahore in different shapes, sizes and shades of yellow,” she says. But for this fashionista, placing a product on the must-have seasonal list is simply not enough. The blog thus covers all aspects of fashion – hair, shoes, bags, makeup and accessories – to complement the wearer’s overall look. “One must understand the context in which [a product] exists,” Amna explains.
A one-woman show, the editor shies away from sharing this labour of love with others who make careers and contacts through style-blogging. “I am my own team. So much so, that I handle stylestripped.pk’s entire social media outreach myself. I do so because I treat my work with the utmost respect and love, and cannot compromise on the standard of writing and content material.” With such minute attention to detail, it is no wonder she advises young entrants not to use it as a “side business or social climbing exercise, please…”
This may be one of the primary reasons Amna’s blog seems to have established itself as a credible source on style and fashion. Leading fashion designers have placed ad banners on her website. “Blogging has added leaps and bounds to brand awareness, which adds up for them in a quantifiable manner. This exposure boost certainly helps them generate greater revenue. It also prevents plagiarism because trade members are well aware of the chances of online expose and the subsequent humiliation,” she points out.
Amna Salman
Faiza Lakhani
Sadaf Zarrar
Fashion and lifestyle blogging isn't a "side business or social climbing exercise, please"
The pace and timeliness of reporting events, launch ceremonies and exhibitions is also an essential element of the website’s appeal. Since Amna handles all aspects of the project herself, it limits her ability to be physically present at all events nationwide. But this doesn’t deter her in obtaining content material. “Fashion designers and related authorities get in touch directly,” she says, adding, “When I started this venture, there were no PR companies. All content was sourced solely by myself.”
This effort has not gone unnoticed. Amna has been offered editorial positions in local and international magazine franchises. Her response? “I am happy where I am right now. Tomorrow I might feel differently.” But as Scarlett O’ Hara would say, “Tomorrow is another day.”
In my Secret Closet...
The Zen of fashion and lifestyle blogging, siddysays.com is therapeutic in terms of look, style and content. A clear reflection of founder and editor-in-chief Sadaf Zarrar’s personality, it is not restricted to fashion, but also embodies prime elements of style, culture, beauty and wellness. During a career break, what started in 2011 as a way of “cataloguing anything that caught my fancy” has now become a source of everything from “Musings” to “Playlists”, art reviews to travelogues, food diaries to guides to beauty and wellness. “Still,” she says, “the posts closest to my heart are the ones I write narrating my personal experiences.”
This personal touch shines through. “Blogs are mostly fairly personal and casual. For me, that is what differentiates an online magazine from a blog. Essentially, bloggers will share their perspective and people who like it will follow.” Her blog’s followers have grown exponentially over the years and siddysays.com is now managed by “a wonderful team. We’re all very similar [in style and taste, thoughts and ideas]… we understand what we like and what we don’t... Everyone in the team takes such great ownership that they see the world through the blog’s perspective.”
Each news item, review or interview is a celebration of beauty – whether worldly or otherwise. Despite her career as a professional marketer, the content on siddysays.com is devoid of all commercial trappings. It is no mean feat, but Sadaf has managed to carry forward her joie de vivre onto a two-dimensional screen.
Although Pakistan’s fashion scene was initially wary of this new breed of content providers, their dedication has resulted in a large fan following and siddysays.com is now a respected authority in the world of fashion. “The industry’s acceptance is rooted in public acceptance,” which, she says, has been so overwhelming in the last couple of years “that no one can ignore the group as a collective” or “some individuals who stand out.”
This blog’s opinion matters not only to the public at large, but also as a result to industry insiders. There was a time that “people almost condescendingly asked me where I came from,” she recalls, but today, attitudes have changed. “The industry isn’t too difficult to break into, provided you don’t get swayed by it. It has gaps waiting to be filled by people with the right perspective – those who can see beyond cliques and clichés,” explains this savvy editor.
Fashion blogging has not only injected new life into the industry, but this instant streaming of content has also kept everyone on their toes. “I remember a friend quoting how she had been caught rolling her eyes at some designer by a blogger, who then tweeted the picture. I guess bloggers put everyone on their best behaviour…” she grins.
As siddysays.com prepares itself for the next phase – SiddyTV – v-logs are sure to bring more to the table. The sheer magnitude of their impact as bloggers and the scope for international outreach has widened horizons beyond expectations. Bloggers’ reach “as individuals is mind boggling,” Sadaf adds, beaming.
www.SiddySays - fashion, yes, but there's more to it too
One of the few fashion blogs offering an e-store, a picture gallery and an events calendar, www.secretcloset.pk is a progressive, solely style-based blog – the brainchild of Faiza Lakhani. A graduate of the London School of Economics, the ex-banker switched careers and launched SecretCloset.pk in June 2012.
Yearning for a creative outlet amid punching numbers inspired her to pursue her passion: “I was always interested in fashion. In my spare time, I would religiously browse through international websites and read articles on the latest styles, trends and accessories.” But, she says, she never really found “similar well-curated content on our local fashion industry in online publications emerging from Pakistan.”
Unlike most other blogs that carry elements of style and fashion, SecretCloset.pk remains firmly focused. “I love the ‘sky’s-the-limit’ imagination and individual freedom that fashion offers as an expression of the mind, be it outrageous new trends and the social influences they thrive under or the increasing blur between east and west, giving rise to a new universal age of fashion. It is intriguing to observe the contrast between different geographical designers’ approaches to a similar technique. The cyclical nature of it all through the ages never seizes to amaze,” explains this bona fide fashionista.
With so much digital material at hand, Faiza is very choosy about the content that is broadcast on the blog. “We respect pluralism in taste and style,” she says, and a large spectrum of designers and activity is presented in the most organized manner possible. “Our philosophy is to keep the interface classy and user-friendly. We deliberate over the use of colours and visuals carefully as we want our audience to consider SecretCloset.pk their ‘happy place’ – one they can visit for a few minutes each day away from their routine lives.”
This unrestricted exposure to all forms and norms of fashion and style has led to much progression in the two fields. Designers are careful not to get carried away with “inspiration” because someone out there is bound to notice uncanny similarities. Audiences are coming into their own, “dressing more confidently and creating signature looks with a greater awareness of quality and trends. It has also led to the emergence of an effective and real interactive connect between designer and consumer,” declares Faiza proudly.
Designers are now extremely aware of how their brands are perceived in the digital realm and “consider popular opinions and trending sentiments on various social media platforms as relevant feedback on their work,” Faiza points out. The success of SecretCloset.pk has raised the bar for high-quality content and instant access to fashion events. As the team grows, so, too, does its power to influence.
Advancements in technology have played a vital role in the triumph of the blogger. With content easily accessible through mobile phones, the impact is direct and reactions instant. However, as siddysays (pun intended), “there is still a long way to go… before blogs can be monetized.” Until then, here’s wishing them luck and a keen sense of responsibility, for they are now the new brigade of opinion makers.
