Last Updated on December 26, 2011
2011 was an exciting and fruitful year for me as a fashion blogger.
In February I attended my first major runway show, Emporio Armani F/W 11/12 at Milan Fashion Week. Envisioning myself working in fashion before I started blogging, I thought I would have to spend years interning and assisting at magazines before my boss granted me a privilege to attend shows and write about them. I am my own boss at Dressful so nobody showers me with benefits, but thanks to the "democratization of fashion" we bloggers have become regulars at fashion weeks, be it catching street style photographers' attention with eccentric outfits or reporting from shows.
Concept Korea Spring 2012 presentation at New York Fashion Week.
In September I attended New York Fashion Week, which turned out to be a much bigger deal than I had expected. It's the collections shown in Paris and Milan that get the most international attention, but New York is the most blogger-friendly fashion week (Reuters claims that 40% of the press at NYFW are bloggers) and a great place for networking. As opposed to Milan and Paris, all shows take place under one roof in New York, which means you can hang out with people in-between events instead of wasting your time getting stuck in insane traffic jams.
When I started going to fashion weeks, I quickly realized there would be no way back, i.e. if I attend, I have to return next season to see more shows, meet more people and do better work. Due to unexpected health problems I didn't create as much content as I wanted to at NYFW in September. I will be attending NYFW again in February and I'm tickled pink to have a chance to improve. I haven't seen wintry New York in three years.
Invitation to the Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2012 show
Celebrating Halloween with a Chanel pumpkin carved by my dad
Dressful has gained many new readers in 2011. I receive charming, encouraging emails from those of you who find it inspiring and I wish such perceptive and intelligent readers will accompany me in 2012 too. Constantly working on ways to reach more fashion enthusiasts, I'm satisfied with the direction Dressful is developing in. I've discovered that in my case, sharing original and quality content is the way to go. People like words and images they won't find elsewhere and I feel good expressing myself in different creative ways.
In 2011 I rejected various proposals that would have brought me money but didn't align with Dressful. I've been hesitant with monetization because I find some methods largely inefficient and because this blog is my personal space where I only recommend what I absolutely love and know well.
I have seen bloggers rush into monetization without thinking it through; in the end, they were not compensated fairly, the brand or product they promoted didn't fit their blog, the banner ads looked out of place … If done wrong, such deals can do more harm than good to the blogger, despite the money they earned. That being said, there are several types of collaborations I am interested in; I will soon create a separate page to outline them more precisely.
Sens(n)ation Maison Martin Margiela exhibition in Ljubljana.
I would like to thank everyone who takes time to comment on my posts; your comments are not of the "nice shoes check out my blog" variety; rather, they contribute valuably to the post and discussion. I truly appreciate it when you share my posts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms – this is the easiest way to help me reach more people. Next to providing quality content, expanding my audience is my number one goal for 2012.
Though the world is far from perfect, the opportunities I've had in 2011 make me grateful to live here and now. Five years ago it would have been impossible to jumpstart my fashion career with a blog.
The blog is just the beginning.
I wish you happy holidays and lots of health, love, creativity and success in 2012.
To je nekaj najboljšega, biti vesel, da živiš tukaj in zdaj! Veliko uspehov in stanja sreče v 2012 ti želim!
I really enjoy reading your posts, insightful as always. Best of luck on your goals for 2012 and happy holidays!
Dressful is definitely one of a kind blog with a personal note unlike all other blogs! I really enjoy the content that you share with us (your readers), though I learned about your blog not long ago. I would like to thank you for answering my e-mail. Can't wait for more interesting, one-of-a-kind stories in the following year!
Happy Holidays!
J.
I am not sure if you'll ever read this comment, but i really hope you do.
I won't say that i am jealous of you attending such a fab fashion week since u deserve it a lot! i'll just state something i need your help about.
I started blogging a while ago (actually a month, i previously had a blog which i did only to get in touch with technology and blogging a bit but it didn't work out), i have a blog which has a certain theme i come up after struggling to choose a theme to blog about. At first i wanted to blog about everything that involves fashion but then i wanted to specifically blog about a certain theme, i am no good at shooting outfits of myself since i am not the type of a girl that will stand in front of a cam and pose so i decided to blog about fashion without outfit posting.
then i decided to create a blog that involves fashion photography but only what i find seductive, sexy, alluring, tempting to look at.
so i feature editorials and i love doing so. not only i have appreciated fashion photography a lot more and have learnt lots of stuff about models, photographers, campaigns while searching for my next post but i have also met amazing bloggers which i consider friends since they always leave me the best comments.
after so much talking what i want to say is that:
i am not sure if a blog like mine can make it into blogsphere, i do love what i am blogging about and i don't claim to want to become the next sartorialist but recognision is always nice and of course i would like to get invited to fashion shows and get oppurtunities through blogging especially when it is so hard to find them in real life outside blogging.
i want you to check out my blog and tell me what you think about it.
i never asked this before and i am ashamed of doing so but i value your opinion and i know that u will be honest with me and tell me what works and what doesn't work.
i usually post an editorial with a few words or no words accompaning it.
should i talk more about the editorial and let people know that i can blog about fashion or should i keep it simple and focus on the image-editorial itself which i am trying to do.
is it even worth reading?
please just spent two minutes of your life to check it out, i am not asking you to follow me or anything i just want your honest opinion.
it would mean the world to me, it would teach me so many things and help me get better at blogging.
thank you and sorry for bothering you.
i am really sorry for bothering you, but since i have no one else to turn to, i wanted someone who inspires me to tell me how to get better at what i am doing.
please feel free to critisize my blog in any way, constructive critisicm is crucial for me.
i am struggling a lot with my love for fashion and i need someone to tell me if what i am doing is nice or not, worth to read or not.
not that i would stop blogging if someone told me that i suck, i don't give up that easily.
Wow, you post some seriously well written and helpful stuff. I'm impressed. I just read through 3 of your articles through and through. I never do that! It takes a lot for my interest to stay engaged. I especially loved your post with the 10 tips for fashion blogging but the exact title has ran from my memory. Anyway, you gave me some glimmer of hope in this sea of fellow fashion bloggers hoping to make it in the industry. It so damn hard starting out with nothing! I've only been at this blogging thing for a month or so and the most I can get is a lot of views but no comments or followers. Psh I feel pathetic. And now here I am complaining and sounding lame. Poor little me ha. I could always use some fellow fashion femme fatale advice. I'm all ears! Email me anytime at alaxandra
...woops...alaxandra912@yahoo.com. I will be following you. Thanks for your lovely brain juices.
Ta-ta!