With the increase of technology and social networking changing the way we live our lives, whether it be reading a book on a Kindle or living vicariously through Second Life, it’s no wonder that the internet and such sites as Polyvore, YouTube and Blogspot are expanding the availability and immediacy of the fashion industry. What was once reserved for those living in cities, or for those who were willing to hunt in thrift stores and stockpile magazines, is now accessible with the click of a button. The advent of online shopping began this trend of internet fashion savvy, and now it is an explosive force with popular fashion bloggers gracing the front row of major runway shows.

Fashion blogs emerged around a decade ago, with amateur articles on fashion trends, the major Fashion Weeks or items they had recently purchased. This fledging fashion blogging took off quickly and has expanded with the bloggers’ creativity and the ways of representing their designer finds or thrift-store steals that the blogger creates.

Currently, some designers even give popular bloggers items for free as a way to get the attention and advertising that can be brought in by those who read the blog. This marketing tool has become so popular in the fashion industry that now the Federal Trade Commission is requiring all fashion bloggers to publicly disclose what items retailers and designers give to them as gifts.

The fact that blogs are easy to use and are free to the public has opened up the field for young fashion stars, such as Tavi Gevinson, a 14-year-old fashion blogger who through the exposure from her blog has partnered with famous designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Rodarte. Gavinson has also been present in the front row of several runway shows and was recently profiled by Katie Couric in Glamour magazine. This opportunity would normally not have been available to someone not already an insider of the fashion industry, especially a young teen living in the suburbs.

Now some sites are even going further than your average outfit posting and trend forecasting on a blog site. One YouTube channel, ClothesEncounters, is a video blog that is run by two Los Angeles college students, which profile their thrift store hauls, current season trends, as well as tips and actual outfit interpretations of each trend showcased. This instant gratification to satisfy the fashion cravings of the masses has proved to be extremely well received, with over 200,000 video views within the past eight months. This series of style videos falls in line with another YouTube trend that is a recent development, with several users making accounts exclusively to show makeup tutorials and how-tos for hairstyling.

Another outlet for the digital-age fashionista involves the creation of collages and fictitious outfit compiling on the sites Looklet and Polyvore, allowing site members to access the online databases of designer clothing on the market. This allows users to create full outfits and wardrobes without spending a dime; an important aspect for fashion fans during a recession. This use of creating fashion collages online has also proved to be a profitable marketing technique for designers and their pieces, as both sites enable the users to access the pricing and selling information of each piece, with Polyvore going so far as to allow you to purchase items through designers directly on their site.

With new advancements constantly made in the technology field, it is exciting to speculate on what will come next, and some things are certain: the internet has a bright future in the fashion industry and spreading trends to the masses will continue to grow.

By: Stephanie Tipple

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