The future is?

[Chelsae Anne | Photography]

TOP: Zara – more options here/MIDI SKIRT: Acne Studios (c/o) The Webster – more options here/SANDLES: (c/o) Vici Collection – more options here/TOTE: (c/o) Neiman Marcus/WATCH: more options here/BRACELET, EARRINGS: (c/o) BaubleBar

I’m back.

And it feels SO good! Between shoots, friends and Valentine’s Day madness, I barely found the time to breathe last week much less sit down at my computer and do what I truly love to do… blog! I missed it so much.

I used to get mad at myself for not blogging at least three times a week. Now I fully embrace these brief breaks. I take it as an opportunity to re-shift my focus onto other things like seeing friends, talking to you guys and dreaming up new concepts for the blog. (Stay tuned for some killer outfits in the coming weeks!)

Anyways. While hanging out with a techie friend last week (you know who you are!), I started thinking. What’s the future of blogging? Seriously, guys. What will happen to fashion bloggers a couple years from now? Having worked so hard to get to where I am today, I frequently think about this. And truth be told, fear that it will be gone in a couple years. Yes, #realtalk today. If you’re a blogger reading this, you know you’ve thought the same thing.

But for me, having a blog has always been something so much more than just sharing my daily outfits. It’s morphed into an online diary (sort of). I like to pride myself in writing a lot more than most fashion bloggers. Bringing up topics like life and love and fashion as a way to set myself apart from others. And well, because it feels natural to me. For like 10 years, I’ve been writing in a journal and as I’ve grown, have started to replace some of those journal entries with blog entries. But does that even matter anymore?

One girl at the Create + Cultivate conference in Ft. Lauderdale asked a question during my panel. She said, “I want to start a blog but I don’t know what to talk about? What do I share?” Of which, I replied “just do you.” Do you. Be you. And share that. Why? Because everyone else is doing the same thing. Blogging used to mean sharing one’s unique perspective on fashion covering things like clothing, accessories, beauty tips… AND one’s take on the world. But lately, it feels like it’s all about your followers. And trends. And sponsored posts. (Which, I get. That’s how I make a living. BUT I’m also VERY careful about who I work with and whether the brand feels like a natural fit for me. I turn down opportunities all the time. I like to keep it real on here.)

So I ask, are blogs losing their power? Does anyone out there still invest time and good ole’ hard work in creating intentional content?

I would like to think that blogs are not losing their power. That they’re still very much a powerful vessel for brands to share their products and have evolved into amazing #GirlBoss things like digital magazines (Manrepeller), capsule collections (The Blonde Salad, Shop Sincerely Jules), books (Song of Style), full on businesses with teams of 5 or 6 people (Chrisellelim) and so much more.

But at some point, will this change? Will being a fashion blogger mean something so much more than publishing a post three times a week?

I’m open to your thoughts! I’m ready to pick your brains. For some, you read my blog as soon as a post is published and you rock. For others, this may be your first time visiting my blog. Either way, I’m curious because I’m interested in expanding The Style Bungalow into something bigger. It’s something that’s been on mind a lot lately. But… before I do, I want your input. What do you expect from fashion bloggers, today? What’s your take fashion? Is it changing – perhaps, too quickly? And where do you see fashion bloggers 5 years from now?

Better yet, what do you want from me?

Ah, another rant. Another entry. I invite all feedback. The good, bad and ugly. Give it to me! And as always, thank you for reading. And supporting this. And being awesome. I could not do this without you. And I wake up every day thanking God for that.

(Oh! And today’s look is linked above. Just click the pink links!)

Ciao ciao my friends…

Xo, Stephanie

4 Comments

  • Hi Stephanie! I enjoyed reading this post. This is my first time visiting your blog (I follow on insta), and as soon as I saw your post I had to come read. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a fashion blog, just as a fun hobby and a creative outlet, but have reservations similar to what you talked about. Will it be relevant? Will it be successful? Will it connect with someone? Idk if I have the courage to start it, but it’s encouraging to know I’m not the only one thinking it. Thanks for the honesty!

  • I always think about what will happen with fashion blogging too. A lot of time and effort has been put into it that I hope it doesn’t go away. I really like how you are expanding more with your blog. Although, I really do love your outfits! They definitely give me inspo with my outfits! I guess I would love to learn more about personal stuff. What you did to get to where you are, etc.

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