363. FFW and new directions
September 14th, 2010 § 12 Comments
Hey, all of you lovely readers. I’d like to start right off by acknowledging a big shift in my life, which has been impacting my presence on FFW — namely, that I’ve started working at the fabulous company ModCloth as a Fashion Writer. My hours, when I have them, are spent writing in the ModCloth offices; I’ve actually ducked into a break room during my lunch hour to handwrite this post on a piece of notebook paper, and I’m planning on typing it out when I get home. Other things I’ve been doing include flying across the country, reading loads of books, taking two e-courses, working on my big ol’ novel, maintaining friendships, and making dinner with Chris. It’s a full life.
Jenny, as you all know, has been doing a fantastic job as co-blogger in my absence. She makes me (and, hopefully, you) think about things I probably wouldn’t spend a lot of time thinking about otherwise. In the last month we’ve heard from her about protests, heteronormativity in fashion blogging, criticism of the IFB conference, and, of course, the infamous Dior post. Thank you, Jenny, for being so awesome both online and off.
For my part, I can’t really tell anymore how I see my role as a “fashion blogger.” It seems ironic that I would have this miniature crisis of blogger identity right as our blog has started to help me get NYFW invites and a job doing something I really love. But I no longer — as you’ve probably figured out — enjoy taking photographs of myself in different outfits. First off, I don’t have a tripod anymore, and second of all, I don’t enjoy the vanity that it arouses in me. I don’t like sorting through Aperture for my most flattering photos. I don’t like trying to stand so that my belly, which I am constantly trying to accept, doesn’t show.
Does this mean that I’m not interested in fashion anymore? No. Not at all. Actually, I’d say that I’m more genuinely interested in what I consider to be the role of style in my life than I’ve ever been before. I made a 2010/2011 style guide for myself recently, which was incredibly relaxing. I think a lot harder about my aesthetic — in fact, it’s only been since I turned 27 that I’ve felt secure in that aesthetic. I stopped buying fashion magazines. I’ve become increasingly less interested in the high street. Etc.
Jenny is, to be frank, the more astute social critic of the two of us. I believe she’s mentioned her college major here before (mine was psychology). I am fascinated by what she writes about the politics of fashion. In conclusion (this roundabout conclusion, as I have seven minutes left before I have to go back to work), I’m going to start reviving my role at FFW not by taking photographs of myself (although I can’t swear you’ll never see my face again), but by writing about clothing and how it impacts my personal experience. The red wedding dress I wear of my mother’s. The fear I have of wearing anything “Chinese,” including the gorgeous linen qipao I found in a vintage store in New Orleans. A childhood of uncomfortable tights. A narrative about Chris’s fear of buttons. My love of red lipstick.
I think that that’s what will happen here, from my end. I love this blog, and I love what we’ve done with it. And I love you for reading.
xo, mw
I found your blog through the BYW ecourse and have only been reading a short time but I’ve been enjoying it a lot! The posts are well written and it’s nice to see some analyzations/critique of the fashion industry by two women who obviously do love fashion. I don’t really like most fashion blogs because well, I think they’re boring & vain and would rather just go dress myself and go out. But it’s been really refreshing seeing pictures accompanied by the posts you two write – maybe if all fashion blogs were like this I’d like them more! This is getting kind of long, I guess I just wanted to say hi, the blog is awesome and I’m excited for the new direction you’re going in with your posts
Yes do keep writing! I love your blog very much.
Congratulations on the job, Meggy! I’ll have to give ModCloth another look after hearing that they’ve hired you to write for them.
I’m also looking forward to the posts you’ve described above, and I love FFW too!
Meggy, I know how you feel. Fashion magazines are so boring and mundane, I don’t read them anymore, I dont think I’ve read one for 2 or 3 years. I love aesthetics of fashion and I enjoy looking at fashion photography and I admire people’s fashionable styles, but I’m not so terribly concerned with buying clothes, which is kind of weird… I think.
although- I’ll miss seeing those fantastic self-portraits of you in fashionable outfits ;-(
I really like it when you guys make posts on the politics of fashion, now that’s much more interesting.
keep it real
I love reading what you write, so write away, and I’ll be reading
. Lately I too have been thinking about this thing of posting pictures on fashion blogs…at its worst, it can feel so contrived, like trying to show this fake ideal life to make others jealous or something. Often I end up feeling less-than after reading certain blogs rather than inspired and I don’t want to do this on my own blog. I put pics up of myself when it’s relevant (after raving about a new pair of jeans, for example) and put up pictures of flowers when they are relevant. All of this is to say…good on you for following your gut and coming back to the blog on your terms.
Can’t wait to read on your new (or revived) adventures here.
I’ve recently gone through the same mental process as you in terms of giving up on taking outfit photos and focusing on another perspective of fashion (blogging) instead.
In fact, I found myself wanting to learn more about fashion theory, industry and other “behind the scenes” topics, and dedicating my time to them means I don’t have time for taking outfit photos any more. I’m not too sad about it because I think this new path will be more fulfilling to me in the long run.
I discovered your blog a few days ago, subscribed and I’m currently in the middle of reading older posts. Your commentary is intelligent, in-depth and far from frivolous, your new plans for this blog sound stellar. Best of luck to you!
Congratulations Meggy! I’m looking forward to your Modcloth posts.
I feel the same way about posting photos of myself. It was fun for a while, but the process of finding a time when my husband could photograph me was more stressful than I’d expected and I didn’t like my indoor photos. And then my concerns started to revolve around how comfortable I felt going through photo after photo and marking off the ones that I felt exacerbated my weak points. I felt that ultimately I was taking a passive part in my own blog by putting photos out there of myself, hoping people would respond positively. I’m focusing more on show off things I’ve made or photographed, or articles where I hope for comments more honest and diverse than the ones I could have coped with on my fashion photos, where, frankly, all I wanted to hear were good things because otherwise I felt so vulnerable.
This is rambling, but I hope I make sense! Congratulations again!!!
While I’ve always enjoyed the photos you both take I visit FFW primarily for the writing. I love the way both of you write – how much of yourselves you share on the blog – and the things you force me to confront and think about in terms of my own consumerism and style sensibilities.
Congratulations on your new position – I cannot wait to see what new directions the blog takes.
Also excited about the new direction and looking forward to reading your words. And, um, personal 2010/2011 style guide? Really? Is it secret? Can we see it?
I definitely feel you on many of these points. My feeble attempt at a fashion blog during my semester in Paris fizzled out shortly before I returned home, and I haven’t revived it since. I get these great post ideas every day, but between that, writing an undergraduate thesis, and staring at the ceiling just to clear my head, I can’t be bothered.
I feel super guilty about not posting because, as you’ve demonstrated, it could help me land a career in fashion. At least, it wouldn’t hurt to have a stable online presence to refer to in job interviews. Nevertheless, just hearing that a fellow blogger is wading through these issues as well is encouraging.
Congrats on the job! I’m looking forward to reading your posts about the experience of dress. I’ll be curious to see if you feel differently about writing about outfits when they are not pictured digitally and in what ways.