Feeling Stylish

Google just keep taking away features that we all seem to use. First it was Google Friend Connect for non-blogger blogs. No more of that and my following got me quite a lot of traffic, thanks.

Now they are pulling Google Reader. The RSS reader has been losing users and Google clearly want to focus their efforts on other projects.  On July 1st the reader will be retired and I know a lot of bloggers are wondering if they should stick with Google.

You might user Google Reader to keep up with your favourite fashion and beauty blogs. Or perhaps you see a lot of traffic coming from it.

Alternatives to Google Reader

I can’t recommend Bloglovin enough. I’ve spoken about it many a time on here but it really is the best place to read your favourite blogs… If they are signed up.

One of the biggest downsides to this reader is that you can’t just pull the RSS feed from any blog. You have to find your fave then follow them.

However, any blog who has any pride or business savvy is on Bloglovin’. You shouldn’t struggle to find the ones you want to follow. It’s also a good chance to discover new blogs.

They’ve made it easy to transfer your Google Reader blogs to Bloglovin’.

You should also take a look at this article from CNET, it gives great alternatives to Google Reader.

Give up on Google?

Now, I love Google. However, I don’t really get on with Blogger, I never have. A lot of bloggers are talking about moving away from Google now that they are taking away services. I wouldn’t recommend this. Although WordPress.org (the self-hosted version) is much, much better, you’ve got no reason to move away from Blogger just yet.

However, if they keep taking away services (I’ve heard rumours of Feed Burner and Google Friend Connect) then there’s not really any reason to stay as WordPress.org is much better as a blogging platform.

If you do want to make the change

WordPress.org is a little more complicated than WordPress.com and Blogger. Instead of just signing up and getting a blog you have to sort yourself out with hosting. I use TSOHost and to set up WordPress blog with them is very straight forward. If you want some advice on how to do this just email me jess(at)feelingstylish.co.uk.

I will be doing a full tutorial on this at a later date. However, for the time being, check out the WordPress.org documentation.

Benefits of WordPress.org

• You have more control over your SEO
• You’ll get your own domain name
• You have thousands of more choices when it comes to layout
• There are thousands of plugins that change the look/functionality of your blog
•  More control over documents, media files, bandwidth and email addresses

 Start now

If you do think you’ll eventually make the move, do it now. You can then use your old blog to slowly drive those followers to the new URL. You can also remind them that you can be followed over at Bloglovin’ or whichever other RSS aggregator you recommend. You can make sure everyone is following you somewhere by the time Google Reader is retired in July.

If you are lucky enough to have taken a step back from full-time work to focus on your blog then you’ll probably find that you’ll need to keep yourself organised and on top of the industry you blog about.

When working from home it’s very easy to lose track of what needs to be done. You might already be hugely organised but, even if you are, these apps can help you to work more efficiently.

I say apps for professional bloggers but I suppose what I really mean is full-time bloggers. Anyone that spends most of their time working on a blog of one kind or another.

Basecamp

Although I use the online version of the project management software, there’s an iPhone app too. It’s hugely useful if you manage a number of blogs or clients at any one time. I use it to juggle my blogging work as well as clients and agencies I work with.

There’s a 60-day free trial if you want to try it out but after that it starts at $20 per month. The basic package should be enough for most bloggers as you can manage up to 10 projects.

The mobile app is great if you want to get a quick update on where you are with different projects. You can look at to-do, progress updates, add comments and create new projects.

Another upside to Basecamp is that it’s brilliant for collaborating with others. This is especially important if you run a blog with multiple writers. You can assign tasks to your writers, comment on their work and get an update when the to-do is completed.

www.basecamp.com

Dropbox

This has been a lifesaver over the years. You essentially install a shared folder on all of your devices. Whenever you upload something to one of them, it automatically syncs with the others. This is really useful if you write an article on your iPad but want to access it when you get home to your computer. Similarly, if you store your writing work in your Dropbox folder then you can access it no matter whether you’re on a tablet, smartphone, PC or Mac.

You get 2GB of storage as standard but you can get more if you tweet about it or refer friends.

www.dropbox.com

Bloglovin’

A big part of what we do as blogger is interaction. Keeping up with other blogs not only gives us the chance to make friends and socialise but you can also get huge amounts of inspiration from reading other people’s blogs.

Bloglovin’ is a blog directory where you can follow your favourite blogs. You visit your Dashboard and you’ll see a post excerpt and an image. This is the best way to keep on top of new posts and it looks better than an RSS feed.

www.bloglovin.com

WordPress

The official WordPress app for iPad is really good. It allows you to create and edit posts and pages, look at stats, add images and mange multiple blogs. Very handy if you’re often blogging on-the-go. If you don’t have a WordPress blog, take a look at Blogsy.

If you need a smartphone or tablet take a look at these orange deals. Having devices and apps that sync together is a fantastic way to keep on top of everything you are working on at any one time.

London Fashion Week kicks off today and is sure to be one of the highlights of autumn. A mix of exhibitors and exciting runway shows and exhibitions, as well as a number of well known designers along with up-and-comers will be on full display up to Tuesday 18th.

The runway shows kick off bright and early at 9am on the 14th with London’s own Atoni & Alison. The brand specialises in men’s and women’s knitwear, including dresses and scarves perfect for autumn. Eudon Choi kicks off the afternoon with his “masculine yet feminine” women’s wear. The Korean-born designer’s lines can already be found in Selfridges in London, in addition to a growing list of international retailers.

Taking a fun twist on knitwear, UK trio SIBLING is sure to be one of the highlights of Saturday morning. Sponsored by TOPSHOP, the young label’s exciting and colorful designs have caught the eye of retailers in Japan and Hong Kong, and the designers are hoping to expand their presence here at the London Fashion week. A fixture of luxury stores the world over, Issa London helps cap off the evening with their signature belted jersey dresses, and other flowing glamorous garments.

The highlight of the Sunday the 16th will undoubtedly be Vivienne Westwood’s runway show for her Red Label. The British-born designer and philanthropist is a bonafide runway legend. The established designer is known for her daring garments inspired by her time in the 70s punk scene in London. Love or hate her style, it always gives the journos something to write about, and every year the Westwood collection is much anticipated. Her show kicks off at 14:00 and will be followed by Unique, Acne, Paul Smith and more.

Monday and Tuesday mark the final two days of London Fashion Week, and include a long list of up-and-coming UK-based designers along with more established brands and international newcomers. On Monday 17th, the eccentric and sculptural designs of Fred Butler will be on display. The label is well known for using fabrics and textures in interesting ways to create very structured and bright pieces. Fashion powerhouse Burberry’s show kicks off at 16:00. The iconic British brand helmed by Christopher Bailey is known for its sophisticated women’s wear with that iconic trademark check pattern.

On Tuesday, the Fashion Week festivities are rounded off by Fashion Fringe. Set up nine years ago, the show was established to exhibit young talent. This year’s event will showcase Haizhen Wang, Teija Eilola and Vita Gottleib.

Throughout the entire week, the historic Somerset House in central London will play host to the London Fashion Week exhibition, which will include a number of ready-made clothing and jewelry vendors. This year’s exhibition will have special focus on eco-friendly designers such as Charini, Junky Styling, Honest By and more.

London Fashion Week attracts buyers and journalists from over 25 countries around the world. As a major buying event, it is estimated that £100 million (~$1.5M) in orders are generated from this week alone. This year, the event will be bigger than ever, showcasing groundbreaking designs from established labels and new and up-coming brands that are sure to one day become household names.

Author Bio:

Guest post contributed by Zoe Plescia on for Damart.co.uk – see their slippers for women. Zoe is a freelance fashion writer. Extensively involved in clothes design, her articles appear on various fashion blogs.

Recently a post went up on IFB (Independent Fashion Bloggers) about bloggers and body image. The post has since been edited to be less offensive and an apology issued but I wanted to give my view on the whole thing.

The part of the post that annoyed a lot of people was that it said “top-tier” bloggers are popular because they have the best designed sites, consistent posting schedules and better photography. They also happen to conform with the fashion industry norms. I think it’s naive to think that these bloggers are popular just because of their blogs and it’s nothing to do with what the media says we should look like.

There are plenty of niche bloggers out there with beautiful blogs, gorgeous photography and a great writing style. Yet they haven’t been sky-rocketed to stardom.

I like aspirational blogs. I like looking at tall skinny women who wear clothes I could never afford. I understand why they are popular. However, I know “top-tier” bloggers who take rubbish photos and rarely ever post. They just have a good look and that’s what makes them BIG.

I wrote a post a while back on body image and why fat (reclaiming that word) girls didn’t get as much love on sites such as LookBook and Chictopia.

It spawned posts from amazing bloggers such as Love Brown Sugar, Grit and Glamour and A Little Bird Told Me.

I don’t think IFB meant to be offensive, I just think they’re being a little stupid. Yes, they’ve apologised and yes they’ve changed the post but the sentiment is still there.

Fat girls, black girls, plus size girls, Asian girls, etc. – your blogs aren’t good enough and that’s why you’re not popular. It has nothing to do with what the media says we should like looking at.

Other responses to “Bloggers and Body Image”

There have been some amazing responses to the IFB post. Take a look at some of them below.

• Breaking The Silence: A Response To “Bloggers & Body Image” – Love Brown Sugar
• Continuing the Conversation: Blogs & Beauty Standards – Nicolette Mason
• IFB Says Not Enough Women Who Aren’t Thin, Beautiful Have High Quality Blogs – Get Off My Internets
• Race, Body Image and the Conversation Bloggers Should Be Having - Those Graces
• Removing myself from IFB – Dreafashionista
• Sound Off: This Is Not How Apologies Work, IFB – Promiscuous Lola

There are so many other rebuttles out there, most of those posts go on to link to more on the topic.

Promiscuous Lola makes a good point:

If IFB is so concerned that there are no non-white/skinny/model-esque bloggers in the “top tier” (is that even a thing? I mean really…) then why don’t you FEATURE MORE OF THEM? Your blogger spotlights all feature the same type of woman. Your ads and promo images for IFB Con, and for articles are all slim, young, white women. You are actively contributing to the problem that you claim to be so concerned about.

 

And to insinuate that minority/niche bloggers are not featured because their blogs are not up to par? Really? That’s what you’re going to go with?