Are Bloggers The New Black?

I wasn't around this Fashion Week. My brother-in-law, the Blond's little brother, got married last week, so we were away for the entire time. I missed all the shows, parties and events, not to mention FNO festivities. I was a little disappointed, but in the grand scheme of things it didn't really matter. I saw the photos on WWD, skimmed some articles and took a couple of notes for future reference. I admit to not reading 95% of the PR emails giving detailed breakdowns of hair and makeup looks from the shows. I don't post this stuff, after all, and I doubt most of my readers are losing sleep trying to figure out how to recreate this:

Or this:

Something that has become very clear in recent years, though, is that bloggers (fashion, beauty, hair or nail) are now an integral part of the scene. It makes sense, after all. Why should we wait for the magazines (and incestuous relationship with various corporations) to tell us what's going on? I'm not sure why Abe Gurko of I Mean... What?!?, a fashion/pop culture bloggers who is even crankier than me, was surprised:

Leading up to fashion week I was inundated with news about fashion bloggers. New ones, old ones, newly famous ones, bloggers photographed by Anna Wintour, a blogger that actually hired a publicist, others touting their front row-ness, bloggers who were cast in ad campaigns, bloggers sponsored by major fashion brands, bloggers with capsule collections, bloggers hosting events…and then I realized…that fashion bloggers are the new black. And that’s not necessarily a good thing.


The phenomenon of fashion bloggers rising to power has surprised me as much as it has magazine publishers. Who would have thunk that in many cases bloggers would be deemed more relevant than established fashion editors; replacing them in the front row and dressed up as the new guard?

Abe is worried this might be a passing fad. I'm not sure why, really. The world and the media have shifted in a very fundamental way. It will take years until we will be able to fully assess the change and the depth of its impact. I don't know where we go from here, but definitely not away. Black is black, no matter who brings you the commentary on how to wear it, and I plan to stay around and tell you which lipstick goes best with it.

Top photo: myvintagevogue.com
Fashion Week photos: WWD