Just another cheesy blog?

I experienced a strong bout of blushing when I scrambled to read the latest issue of Purple Fashion as soon as I got my hands on it, tearing away the plastic and flicking ferociously.  No, it wasn't the copious amounts of tits, genitalia and bush.  That's basically a given with Purple and in any case, it's all highly 'artistic'.  It was the latter half of the interview with Benjamin Cho conducted by the great Olivier Zahm where Zahm probes Cho about what he thinsk about trends in general and Cho then says...

"Something happens and everyone joins the trend.  I think it's because there are so many cheesy blogs.  It's the blind leading the blind.  People think they're experts because they research things ont heir computers at home, where they're safe.  Now people can see everything, but maybe that will create a little more individualism.  I hope so."

When asked whether the New York 'scene' is getting more interesting again, Cho says...

"Now a girl who wants to be stylish goes online to see what other people are doing, instead of just walking around.  She come across a Nikki-like thing (a reference to model Nikki Uberti) and go, "Wow!  That girl's got killer style!"  And then try and imitate it."

It's very strange to read someone that you admire be so cynical about what you do and for some reason whilst I was reading it, I got very flushed, as if someone random just came up to me and said 'You have a spot on your face!'.  So here lies a 'cheesy blog' that potentially could be contributing to this dilution of style.  What I saw as a healthy globalisation and sharing of fashion through the dialogue of blogs, websites, communities etc is viewed by others as an unexciting, unoriginal style homogenisation.  The odd thing is I sort of agree in a way even if I am guilty of what he accuses of blogs doing.  It ties in a little with what Style Salvage Steve observed about 'global hipsterisation'.  Whilst people are seeking for individuality and watching style 'happen' online, the result is that being inspired en masse can lead to something uniform or 'exactitudinal'.  Just as I was about to write a very long post about the fact that things are no longer 'in' or 'out' and that trends can be interpreted in whatever way you want, with the internet being a contributing factor, a positive uplifting message I think in fashion, comes this reminder from Cho, that the very dialogue that I love so much; the weird and wonderful world of online is bit of a sham and not 'real'. 

On a case by case basis, I'm not, contrary to popular belief chained to my laptop, due to the city that I live in and what it throws up in terms of inspiration but then are other people heavily reliant on peering online and treating it as an authority?  I've always maintained that blogs like mine cannot possibly be authorities.  It is just little me, doing a lot of browsing, Google work without the resources of a team of staff.  I don't feel I have the capabilities to inform but rather I'd hope that people take what they see here with a pinch of salt.  Let whatever drivel I'm spouting off wash over people's heads in a light hazy way but let it not dictate.  I certainly look at my Bloglines in that way because a blog by nature is so vert throwaway, swift and available.  A harsh statement perhaps but in a world where there's less time, it is precisely that throwaway quality that makes it easier to consume, hence it's popularity.

This I guess all leads up to whether blogs are in fact sustainable and whether more people from the 'been there done that' generation are rolling their eyes and labelling blogs as 'just another fad.'  If and when that time comes, I do hope I'm not around. 

FYI, Despite the blushing paragraphs, I did still agree with most of what Cho had to say in the interview and it does make me look forward to how this New York 'scene' veteran develops... a move to Paris perhaps?

Comments

[nebmoreobloka]

I agree with Cho. Maybe we all develop a similar style through blogging and reading blogs, and maybe in future there will remain only a few really individual looking people who are "resistant" against all trends. It has become too easy to just adapt a style, everything "goes" (?) and there is almost nothing left to shock, which doesn't have to be an omen of armageddon ^_^.

But-
To me this development only implies, that today style or outfit doesn't say anything about a person's thoughts or personality (perhaps rather about his/her wallet or priorities). You just have to take a closer look at people. Which isn't bad, too. Perhaps Cho is that pessimistic, because fashion is all he's living for?

[Daiane]

well, he definitely makes an interesting point, but i insist on still seeing blogs as a way of sharing fashion. it's such a variety out there, basicaly with every blog, a different style. No way it can be uniformisation. and it never will be. we develop ourselves.
and now off the record susie, your just little you is inspiring me so much! you are one important factor in my trying to work on my writing, to evolve and to, well yes, learn about the fashion world. your input is very valuable. thanks so much! xo

[jimmy]

im assuming he didn't refer to a particular blog, don't take it too personally bubs. media, and communication in general, is a narrative, nothing is real or everything is real from differing perspectives. and he's responding to his environment so it might not apply in another city/country. from the quotes he sounded a bit bitter.

you seemed disappointed that he didn't see the web-media as enthusiastically as you do...

[WendyB]

I wouldn't take this kind of thing too personally. There ARE a lot of cheesy -- though I would say craptastic -- blogs. Doesn't mean yours is one of them. As for the question of whether blogs are sustainable: as an overall concept, of course. But as for whether personal blogs are capable of replacing or even lasting as long as corporate media -- obviously not, unless they go corporate themselves. I've seen so many blogs come and go in a year. There's no reliability, no history -- a lot of them are what kids do when they're bored and when school gets busy, the blog is gone. I don't think someone's six-month hobby poses any threat to real press.

[missmilki]

That's really interesting, and maybe he's right to a certain degree, but I would never have thought of blogs like that at all. There have always been trends - "the blind leading the blind" - but maybe they used to be more localised- to a certain city, music scene or even a particular school - because that's all that people were exposed to before. I think that the internet now means that those trends have become less localised and more accessible. We can now see what people are doing on the other side of the world and can be inspired by that. Its still the same people who will copy a trend literally or who will have their own interpretation - or just enjoy seeing what other people are wearing.

I would certainly see blogs in the category of inspiration and also entertainment. Beautiful interesting things to read and look at but I would never 'copy' a look from another blogger just as I would never lift a complete look from a magazine. It just wouldn't be me! And thats what I enjoy most about blogs - seeing different people's style and interpretations of fashion. I really think the thing about the internet is that there is so much out there it really depends on how you use it. Some people may just copy a trend blindly but you'll have that anywhere.

[Janavi]

I wouldn't put too much into what he says, it's only his opinion,and I don't think what he said really applies to what you are doing.Just keep on doing what feels right to you. I think you are doing a marvelous job!

[Denise]

First reaction, it's not hard to see where he's coming from (though Daphne Guinness certainly takes a more positive view, of the bloggers' role in moving fashion forward rather than killing it).

Yet for those like me, who live on the coast in the north east (UK), there's not a lot to experience on 'the street'. Not all of us live in New York or London where we can feed off live fashion beings upon walking out our front doors. When not travelling, I rely on the window my computer provides to the world, as well as magazines and to a lesser extent, TV.

Having said that, we are certainly not, as you say, Susie 'chained to the computer' - we do still observe in our own environment, whatever it may be. I have a friend who inspires without fail. Consistent, effortless style on a budget with brilliant accessorising, never overdone and always 'her'. This influences my own style progression more than anything I find online.

At this point I don't know if this is a rebuttal or validation of Cho's comments. But in the end, the individual shall remain the individual and the 'Single White Female' copycat will likely stay stuck where she is. And let's not forget the role of trends (not a coincidence that designers are doing the same thing at the same time) and how every mainstream fashion magazine groups them neatly after the collections and convinces us we're not 'hot' if we aren't wearing them - is this promoting individualism? Broadly speaking, we're not the guilty party when it comes to ripping off each other's style and homogenising fashion. Susie Bubble and others like her are what make fashion exciting, transcending the trends by using them in their own way to express themselves. To copy you? I couldn't pull it off if I tried. Regarding 'the cheesy' - they will never be significant (I will eat my words if Jordan's clothing range for horses takes off).

Maybe Cho should re-direct his frustrations at his peers rather than those who support his passion.

[DJM]

Mr Cho just sounds bitter that fashion is no longer as exclusive as it once was.
"It's the blind leading the blind" - I think he likes the idea of there being a definite division, where there are people who 'know' and people who 'don't know'. Silly man.

[roxanne]

i can see where cho is coming from, but i don't think blogs are necessarily a problem. for me, it's more of a leveling of the playing field than anything. after years of reading fashion magazines fixated on featuring clothes and accessories with a very specific price point, it's been such a refreshing and eye-opening experience to see girls, more like myself than anna wintour will ever be, approaching fashion in their own way. 'the blind leading the blind' may be taking it a bit too far, since i don't consider blogs an authority but rather an inspiration, but i do believe that bloggers have a bit of common ground that the so-called expert would be hard-pressed to duplicate.

that said you, agathe of stylebytes, underbara clara and others, in my opinion have really raised the bar in terms of personal style and blogging. you've definitely contributed to my renewed determination to break into the industry.

[faith]

I mean he makes some valid points in that people do follow what they constantly see. However I think style blogs are more about sharing what you like and showing what your own style is. It's kind of like virtual street fashion because you can see what other people are doing and how they are experimenting with fashion and you can take something from it and be encouraged to try new things with your own wardrobe. And I don't think it's fair to blame fashion blogs because magazines also have something to do with it. I'm part of the younger generation where people take inspiration from teen magazines that have the same photo of so-and-so and says that miley cyrus is some style icon. It can't all be blamed on said "cheesy blogs" because a small part of the industry itself becomes somewhat repetitive with magazines pointing to the same person for style suggestions. I mean how many times have you seen a magazine basically say "LOOKY! Agyness Deyn is wonderful look at her style!" I think when people start looking to various sources for inspiration the look should not exactly be copied or imitated but turned into their own interpretation of the outfit. I think that yes it's true that some do turn to imitating some of their favorite looks online but the fact that some look to these blogs for the sole purpose of seeking the urge to try something new with their own clothes and to think outside of the box when it comes to what they wear seems to be overlooked.

[uppergeorgetowner]

I do not entirely agree with Cho; it has always been true that trends trickle down to masses (the so-called blind) from designers and trickle up to designers from the masses. Blogs give masses a way to attach to new ideas, but also to REJECT those ideas in favor of something more original. In this sense, blogs and bloggers are not "the blind" , in fact they have a greater connection to broader fashion consciousness, and in that way are able to recognize what is truly unique.

[Aline Bear]

Cheesy or non-cheesy...blogs are just supposed to be fun firstly to the owner, and possibly to readers around the globe.

Despite blogging may achieve real heights, most of them will continue to exist without a unique and brilliant perspective and originality. Blogging is personal, naive and fun in its core.

[Judith]

I disagree with Cho entirely, maybe because I shamefully just wear tshirts and jeans everyday, and just read this blog out of love of the writing, ideas and images.

This Cho person seems to just assume that everyone is surfing blogs for the same reasons, that people's true personalities and tastes don't influence anything. That as soon as I see shiny silver tights on the net, I'm going to throw away my own clothes and become someone else.

Susie Bubble and other blogs act as inspiration not guidelines. This Cho obviously underestimates the human mind, if she thinks people are such sheep.

[susie_bubble]

Oh yes, the most important point that a lot of you have brought up is the fact that Cho doesn't give blog readers a whole lot of credit! I think I've said this before which is that I'd like to think readers take things with a pinch of salt. Reading is one thing. The decision is still entirely their's... the presumption that people follow others in a sheep like manner is far too harsh... though of course, ppl like that exist as well otherwise it'd be impossible to observe 'trends' as it were...

[fashionherald]

i must dredge up a well-used cliche for this: As much as things change they remain the same. Blogging is just a newer and faster way for trends to saturate the community. It's not as if trends didn't spread like wildfire before blogging. Most people will dress the same, and the few stand out, just as they have probably since humans put the needle to cloth. And I couldn't imitate your style if I tried, but it broadens my eye/perspective. His comment is rather narrow-minded.

[steph Mertes]

i guess i disagree with benjamin cho. i believe that in order to create a personal style, people imitate others and through that find what they like and dislike, thus creating their own distinct style. it's a creative process. or at least in most cases it is.

[Doni W.]

I think people in the mainstream media are just getting a little ticked off that we are not looking to them for all the answers anymore, instead we look to each other. And as far as turning to the internet and not searching for style on the streets...not everyone has access to the most stylish environments or inspiring people, so we take advantage of the main purpose of the internet which is to bring us all closer together and allow us to see things we physically would never be able to see.

Power to the bloggers! lol

-Doni W.

[lady coveted]

hmm... he does sound bitter.

that said, there are a lot of cheesy magazines out there, there are a lot of cheesy designers out there, there are a lot of cheesy stylists, a lot of cheesy bloggers yeah...

there has always been a lot of crap out there, and there is always alot of beauty too.

blogging is just a tool, a means of communicating. it doesn't make things better or worse it just is.

[bb]

a move to paris..like Rick Owens?

i think i-D with mariah carey on the cover is as camembert as one get.

bises

[Make Do & Mend]

I would have agreed with him a year ago but after being drawn into the blogosphere - I've found the opposite. It is quite liberting and makes you challenge yourself. Equally if you live in Wells (I chose Wells because it is a sweet town and I'm doing a shoot there this week!) then you don't have a wide option of people to see yourself on a daily basis. Magazines, blogs, the internet and Bristol is your nearest option.

I have to research lots of things and blogs have helped me enormously to gather more info as does online mags etc.

It actually bores me when people berate things. I spent an hour and a half picking blackberries today loving the differnt colours and textures. I was occupied but able to think at the same time. I love nature for giving great colour palettes and I love bloggers for their visuals and words.

[lisa]

Those comments come off as cynical and elitist in my view. There is a lot of cheesy crap out there because blogs are about self-publishing, so there's no filter; anyone who is reasonably computer-literate can start up a blog. That being said, I think his "blind leading the blind" comment went a bit too far. I've NEVER thought of myself as a fashion and style expert...there's too much that I don't know about to give myself that title. Rather, I feel like I'm more of a fashion and style enthusiast and I just want to share that enthusiasm with others. Cheesy? Perhaps, but I'll keep on doing it so he can like it or lump it. :P

[farren]

I do see where he is right in a sense because when I first started reading fashion blogs I was pulled into this whole 'these girls are cool I need to dress with them.' Thankfully that ended quickly because these same girls you can find 20 other blogs where they are all dressing alike and it's exactly what he is saying. In another sense though I don't think he should pass it off as so bad. I've never seen a blogger try to pass off their "knowledge" as their expertise. I know I didn't join this community just to stalk other girl's style. i joined because I don't have any friends who are into fashion and this is kind of a substitue for that. Altogether I think he just came off as way too cynical. he probably never even reads fashion blogs.

[Poppy]

In response to your 'are other people heavily reliant on peering online and treating it as an authority'?

I live in one of the most dull (style-wise, at least) cities in the world, Auckland, New Zealand. I have, perhaps twice, seen someone I thought looked amazing. Even the hipsters are boring and samey. I don't look to the internet as an authority and I certainly don't copy what another person wears, but if I see a photo of someone wearing something interesting or different, I'll save it to maybe use as inspiration. I guess a lot of people do that, but for me it's my only choice considering the city I live in. (I get stares constantly and people commenting on the street when I wear yellow gumboots, and I don't think that's too radical...)

[jean]

Well, I must say, his ensemble certainly looks original...NOT!

I believe Mr. Cho generalizes a tad bit, as well.

His comments are legitimate to a certain extent, but, honey, you are doing a great job and I for one--and I do consider myself a fairly intelligent person with a sense of style to boot!--find your blog very articulate and informed and definitely individualized. So, carry on and you go girl! Jean

[Hineahi Anderson]

Sorry, but finding style is far more than just looking at 'cheesy blogs'. We look at celebrities in movies, we look at models in magazines, we look at stores and people on the street. In blogs we are reading about one or many people's styles and how we relate to them, or how we understand that persons fashion viewpoint. And the reason why everyone follows a trend nowadays? Because designers have been tweaking the same items for years (how many years have I seen gladiator sandals in some shape and form for summer?)until we accept them.
Maybe if the fashion world was not so snobby people would feel free to express their individual style.

[eliza]

that seems a little too all encompassing of a comment to me. i understand what he's getting at, but i don't think that every blog reader takes what's seen/said in a blog to be 100 % true or worthy of copying...i get what he's saying, i do...but even with the negative that may be blog induced, there's nothing like this kind of platform to make everyone feel like they have a voice, and can take part in the discussion.

[j]

Well Bubble, we all know the internet has it's pluses and minuses. Nobody is going to stop going to the internet to be inspired about fashion and everything always evolves, so we'll see what happens.

[clover]

well, there werent really a time of individualism and not everyone is born to stand out from the crowd. humans naturally move with a crowd.
obviously i dont think he means every single fashion blog on the net, he probably cant amass all of them and go through them. but i know of the kind of blogs that he is talking about.
i can get pretty cynical about street style and not finding it inspirational anymore. like some posters up there say, the 'wow she's so cool i wanna dress like her' tends to be a phase. of course some never grow out of the phase but im sure the ones who are seriously interested in style do evolve.
before i went to london, i thought it a sort of easy place which of course i found out was not.
commets on the 'global hipster'. funnily, i never really knew what american appreal was but i heard all these people talk of it so fondly as the 'it' store. so i went into one last year and was maddly dissapointed because i was expecting it to be a sort of really outstanding store.
honestly susie, i think your blog is a great blog and definitely dont fall into the cheesy blind lead blind blog. i can always depend on you to find something interesting and new instead of another peaches geldof rip off.

[enc]

There certainly is a lot of cheese out there, but like all good dairy products, it has a shelf life, and goes moldy, then people lose interest and wander away.

Quality endures.

[Sara]

That's just pretty cynical. Before blogs we still had Vogue and every other fashion magazine to tell us how to dress...if that is how one wants to do it. I think it's refreshing that there is so much media available now that is not coming from a fashion 'expert.' And it crosses over...hello the stuff we see in high fashion is totally influenced by the streets (now internet) and that's not a bad thing at all! Sometimes change scares people way too much!!

[Stylist Stuff]

Blogging is still a very new idea and it’s changing – there are some fantastic blogs written by young fashionists and there are blogs that are more like magazines with lots of funding behind them. Blogging is still changing and becoming more recognized – I still think there are lots of people who are afraid of the blogger – you can actually say what you think – lots of individual don’t have this opportunity in their work environment – so it can be quite a powerful tool. There is a safety in an anonymous blog – think Liberty London Girl – one of my favourite blogs - she wasn’t able to continue her blog once she took on a new job. Perhaps there is some truth is what Benjamin Cho is saying. Just remember that one of the idea behind blogging is there are lots of voices!

[vintage clothes]

blogs arent cheesy and i think they inspire people but not into like clones of yourself atall!

[lopi]

I think it's just that some people are feeling threatened by blogs, especially fashion blogs. Magazine sales are the lowest they have been, because bloggers are out there offering eye-candy for free. And it looks that some people are going to lose their jobs for that. But it's not the bloggers' fault.
About trends and their globalization, I also just read this:
www.adbusters.org/magazine/79/hipster.html
If you have the time, read it, it's quite interesting.

[Allure]

I live in a small village where most people have no interest whatsoever in fashion. So, my inspiration comes from the net/ magazines. What's wrong with that?

Besides, I've never seen any writer saying his/her blog is the fucking Bible. People follow them, just because they want to.

[may]

I have to agree that i've been having thoughts about this "globalisation" of fashion, but i think that blogs are an inspiration, same as paper magazines and everyday observation, not a guideline as someone wrote up there in the comments.
I also think that blogs help people get more confidence in their style, seing people as crazy and inspiring as you. Yet, doesnt mean that we all are going to dress up exactly the same as you, the choices, the inspirations are multiple, and the extra thing about blogging are the comments, the fact that you can communicate with a lot of different people from all around the world.

[arline Jernigan]

I appreciate your blog, and a few others. The ones I enjoy the most are the ones who inspire creativity and individuality.

Your blog, and I think you know this is very well developed, not even close to cheesy.

You have a strong sense of personal style, and you are not afraid to experiment.

I could never dress like you, nor would I try. I would not try to dress like anyone. I use what I see as inspiration, and then follow my own tune, which usually veers away from any trend.

Thank you! : )

[Lisa D]

Well, I'm not really a 'fashiony' type person but I enjoy reading your blog, I think it makes fashion (and the related topics that you discuss) more accessible (and fun) than the major magazines etc.

[Penny]

i do think it is quite closed-minded of him to think that people who write blogs ONLY get inspiration from things online, surely he must realise that us folk (especially us lucky ones living in london) are out and about every day taking in everything around us!

[Dollface]

Okay, I understand Cho's argument about blogs...but at the same time, we are an internet-addicted generation. We have facebook, blogs, AIM, etc. To me, blogging is the most natural thing. We all have lives, we go to school/college/work. I think blogs are inspirational & a great way of connecting with people in different countries & continents. I read about your viewpoint, and you can read mine.

I think Cho is missing the point. All those girls who just copy trends are going to do so whether they read blogs or not. It's in their nature. People with true innovation & creativity will continue to be trendsetters...and some let us enjoy a few outfit-of-the-day pictures on the way.

[juliet]

I hate "bad blogs" but even more I hate it when people in the bussiness hate them in public.

juliet xxx

[Shay Wilson]

this all depends where you live. I can't walk around my pokey little town and find the same inspiration on the street as you can in London or New York. I read magazines, I'm sure all bloggers do, but it's nice to have a fresh perspective on what people are doing in other cities too and that's one of the reasons I read blogs. Also, I think most of us can recognize blogs that are cheesy, boring or uninspiring. There is so much out there that I only have time to read the ones that inspire and there are a lot that do, including yours.

[jenna]

i also began reading style blogs because the city i was living in provided me with minimal inspiration fashion wise. I believe that everything just comes around in circles. perhaps we are at a 'the end of history' point in terms of fashion. yet, i don't believe that fashion blogs will eventually cause style homogenisation. i believe top shop will cause that.

[Tara]

Wow! That's a pretty harsh comment on his part! Unfortunately, many of us do not live in London or NYC, so going out and walking around to find fashion inspiration can be a dead-end endeavor most of the time (with a few exceptions). I am so grateful for the internet and blogs like yours because they actually give me creative inspiration and help me feel like I have a community. So...please keep it up:)

[Jennifer]

I've become quite disenchanted these days with blogs. The only ones I need to check are yours and Kingdom of Style. At point last week, I thought if I read 'bandage skirt' or 'plaid' one more time, I would throw my laptop out the window!

It is the blind leading the blind in some way. It's become the new cool thing to have a blog and whereas some bloggers have interesting and informative information, others use it as a tool to make themselves feel better about themselves. In fact, the seemingly new trend of vblogging has made me realise how superficial, and actually quite dull, most of the blogs really are.

I love reading about clothes, I love wearing clothes but in no way would I ever think myself interesting enough to start a blog about it! Maybe other bloggers should realise that also...

[foolfashion]

WOW! Really touching post. It all sounds very unfair. I live in Madrid, for instance, and here the streetstyle is crap. Things are getting much beter thanks to the Internet and now people don't look at you in the strees as if you wear a total freak just because you're a bit original and enjoy fashion. I think infomation and diversity of opinions help freedom. And I personally thank your conrtibution all this time to fashion lovers.
Some people are just scared of the new things the cannot control.

[chrissy]

I think it's more in reference to blogs with hipster style (by hipster I mean people that look at magazines/models and copy their style) who worship Erin Wasson, Alexander Wang, MK + A, Kate Moss, Freja, etc.. (ie childhoodflames, fashiontoast). Those blogs are "pretty" but uninspiring, and they all feel like they're trying to sell me their things (used "vintage" things). Style Bubble, Moohoop, the now defunct Fops & Dandies are full of things that aren't available in mass media or even really high fashion/low fashion/middle fashion.

I wish there were a fashion dictator of the internet that could banish certain blogs that just encourage sameness instead of..personal fashion exploration (that's how I have dubbed it as cheesy as that sounds). Love your blog and your interesting insights on fashion.

[Stefania]

this is so cliché but your blog is other than the rest.
keep doing what you do.
it's inspiring.

cheers,
Stefania

[Emily]

I can sense a little disparagement in your writing at the moment Susie, is this the beginning of the end for style bubble? I hope not

emily x

[Jael]

If I start dressing like a bunch of Swedish teens I saw pictures of, it's only "not real" if it doesn't fit with who I am.

Is copying a street style that different from wearing a direct from the runway look?

Should magazines be lumped together the way blogs are? Like mags, every blog has different content, angles and audience. You write about you personal experiments. I try to keep the gamut of my friends' style in mind. You write about fashion magazines. I write for an audience who can't get those mags and don't really care to read them. You work in fashion. I just read fashion histories.

becca and I didn't start doing this just because we like shopping. She started as a reaction to the NY fashion mags who wouldn't hire her because they didn't know her daddy. We've worked hard, and we've done a damn good job.

[Thom Wong]

cof cof...ASSHOLE...cof cof