This might have to be a ramble, of sorts, around my constantly swirling brain on the subject of blogging and my own identity within the blogging ‘world’. Inevitably, because of mutual interests in the vintage arena and just a general love of clothes, I end up following modern-weighted fashion blogs and vice versa. There are still some very interesting vintage blogs on the go, but more and more I’m noticing them moving into talking about ‘fashion’ rather than their vintage origins.
Sometimes I feel like something of a throwback, or that I might be stuck in a blogging rut because
a) I don’t post pictures of myself in all my gear. Mainly because I hate photos of myself, but also because it’s a degree of intimacy with the unknown readers I’m not quite sure I’m comfortable with yet (especially given that this can crossover into one’s personal life, and makes it easy to stalk someone). It also assumes that anyone is interested in what I’m wearing. I’m very interested in seeing what certain other bloggers wear, but can’t understand any reciprocation.
b) I don’t seem to look at (let alone, shop at) net-a-porter….or any of those types of sites. I’m still determinedly buying vintage and, if I can’t find it vintage, I refuse to pay designer prices for things. Perhaps this might make me ‘inspirational’, except I can’t get over my fear of a) and post photos of myself in my ensembles so no one knows what the hell I’m wearing from day to day.
c) Part of my motivation is still to promote my vintage clothes. And to be geeky about vintage designers and style icons.
Watching The September Issue the other day, I was captivated by Grace Coddington. But then, who wasn’t? I noted with pleasure that she never seemed to use the words ‘trend’ or ‘season’, at least not in relation to her own work. She was just about the creative vision for her editorials and inspired by locations, photographs and beautiful clothes, regardless of who made them. I realised it was important to never lose that aspect of my own personality, although I am no Grace Coddington clearly, despite the lure of ‘fitting in’ by styling my blog in a more bloggy kind of way.
I suppose it’s more of a daily inspiration notepad, than me trying to make any huge statement about fashion or the world. The less I think about fashion, trends, seasons….the more inspired and prolific I am. It’s been a very tough few months for me, personally and professionally. Both knocking into the other and making each side worse. I should be grateful that I have managed to relaunch the site, with instant great response, and that I manage to update my blog almost daily. Even if it is just a picture of some gorgeous lady in a gorgeous dress, from forty-odd years ago.
It comes back to teenage years, I guess. I never fitted in then, I don’t know why sometimes I feel like I ought to be part of the mainstream now. I also find it peculiar how ‘independent’ blogging has become as mainstream as a weekly column in Grazia or wherever. The recent fuss about advertising on blogs, accepting freebies or sponsorship, has been interesting for me. How else are you going to make money by writing, uncommissioned, for yourself? But it also removes the ‘independent’ tag, in one swift movement.
I recently signed up to Project Wonderful, and added an Amazon associates box. I thought long and hard about even signing up for these, because I worried how I would be judged. I suppose I needn’t have worried about any of it, because I don’t think my daily hit rate really warrants either box. Ultimately, my income comes from my vintage site, my dressing work and the occasional illustration commission. A few pence here and there, via advertising, isn’t going to change my life. I don’t know how other people do it. I’m fascinated in an envious and nosy kind of way, and it’s one of those great unmentionables.
I almost wish I could look at other blogs without the inevitable trap of comparison. Just enjoy them for what they are. Perhaps I might have done, once upon a time when I was doing work experience on New Woman magazine and aspiring to be very ‘now’ rather than very ‘forty years ago’. But even that was mainly because I was more ambitious in that direction, and had momentarily lost the plot post-graduation. The pull of independence, pig-headed independence you might say, was always too strong.
Maybe I’ll start experimenting with different blogging styles. Maybe I’ll start posting pictures of myself in some weird attempt to access that exhibitionist part of my psyche, because it must be there somewhere. But ultimately, I don’t think I can change who I am. I am a vintage geek, not a fashion icon. I dress nicely, I think I choose interesting clothes, but that’s just innate. I’m doing it for myself, not for my readers. I love interacting with my readers, and I would be nothing without them, but ultimately my mantra will have to continue to be that I’m doing this blog for myself. If someone else ‘gets it’ and enjoys it, then that’s just perfection.
Liz Eggleston 
"I'm doing this blog for myself. If someone else 'gets it' and enjoys it, then that's just perfection."You nailed it with that last sentence. That's how you have to do this. The "right" people will understand and that's who you want, anyway.Do what you love; money will follow (I'm still waiting for the second part!)
Don't change a thing, I love your blog!
This is a very interesting post, and one I think I can relate to. From my perspective, many vintage sellers have started to chase fashion – offering vintage equivalents of what's current this season – and I'm not knocking that at all. They are cultivating buyers who might never have considered buying vintage before. But I got into vintage because we had to wear a lot of second-hand clothing in our family because we weren't that well off (the term 'vintage' hadn't been coined yet, relating to clothing at least). And I started getting interested in the history of clothing because some of it looked kind of strange to me, as a child in the 70s. That was my start in 'vintage.'Zipping right back to now, the internet has provided a platform for people to share whatever they want with the world. And I love some of those types of blogs you mention, and I admire their authors' confidence in sharing themselves. Oh dear, this is far too long! Anyway, I totally understand your reservations, and I don't see any need for you to 'expose' yourself on what is a thoroughly enjoyable blog already. If I can be presumptuous, I think your blog is more about style (your own personal style particularly) than fashion, which is what engages me. Because I am more interested in style than fashion too!
Oooh, fascinating!Sometimes I feel kind of stuck in the middle I suppose. I love vintage styles and vintage clothes, but I also find myself inspired by fashion and trends, but I don't think it "rules" me.I don't know why I have to choose, I buy what I LIKE regardless of age or provenance. I feel the same with my blog, I kind of fell into it and now all of a sudden I'm in the middle of rows about accepting freebies from people, but it never occured to me that I would a) say no if someone offered me something I like for free, or b)lie on my blog about something being nice if it wasn't!It's a complicated Brave New World is blogging :DLets all just keep doing what we're doing and hope people like it!
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What a great post! I've struggled with the whole posting pictures of myself and what I'm wearing thing. I'd really love to show people what I'm wearing but I'm really into photography and don't think I'm very photogenic and then there's the whole possible stalker thing. I've only had my blog for 7 months and I'm still kind of struggling to find my niche, to figure out what I enjoy and what will set me apart from the bajillion other blogs out there. I started it as just a way to collect my thoughts and let people know what I love and don't love about fashion, especially vintage fashion. Time will only tell I guess as to what direction I go in.
I love you, I love your style, I love your taste in clothes and I love your blog.That's why Charley and I would seriously love a little "Vintage-a-Peel" tag sewn in to the vintage we buy off you because we're fans of your style. If Diana Warren could do it, so can you. Of course you think it fashion sacrilage, but we see it as style heritage that the piece has passed through your expert hands.I've only started straying into modern fashion because some of it as actually beginning to look quite decent. Some of it is still pants, but there's lots of lovely things out there. And it's always important to realise where things come from, the influences and straight rip offs *cough*Kate Moss*cough* from vintage pieces. It also makes you appreciate it when a truly unique element or combination is introduced. So we need you there to evaluate the past and continuously drag all the best bits forward for us too ooh and ahhh at.Keep being you honey. That's what we love the best.
I vote for pix of you.
Hi there-I remember before I started blogging, I used to visit your site and drool over it and then lurk your blog too-you are very inspirational, both in the way you present your website, blog and after meeting you, your fabulous style of dressing. I agree with point b, I can't see myself buying designer clothes at retail price either, it seems such an alien concept for me too!! Carry on as you are and I like PremierLudwigs idea of having the handwoven vintage a peel tag in your pieces, thats a fab idea indeed!!
I love your blog for it's uniqueness, you don't need to blend in. I love old pictures, illustrations and magazine articles and often by reading your blog am reminded of long-forgotten labels I can search for.I've always loved beautifully made clothes (as opposed to fashionable clothes)and I love the thrill of finding an old piece at a jumble sale, car boot or charity shop. I rarely buy from vintage dealers as I like to think the thrill of unearthing a treasure for pennies makes my item even more special.I don't wear vintage to the exclusion of everything else and love to mix it up with pieces I've picked up from Indian street markets or common old TopShop.Keep up the good work!Vixxxx
Why fix what isn't broken, but is indeed a blog of wonder, delight and constant inspiration?
my favourite "fashion" blog is yours. don't change a thing darling, i get it and i love it.