OPINION: Vogue VS Fashion Bloggers.....this is still happening...

I was interested to read the incredible slating I woke up to this morning.

Vogue came for fashion bloggers attending fashion weeks yesterday and it was just plain nasty.

In 2011, I was finishing my masters in Journalism in Dublin. I knew that bloggers were a bit frowned upon and distrusted. I didn't really mind though because the brands knew that bloggers were a force to be reckoned with. I based my thesis on it with a chapter on the ongoing self obsessed element of blogging. I mentioned that I saw a lot of bloggers who only cared about being snapped and demanding free things at shows begging to be photographed.

Vogue was one of the worst publications for coming for bloggers. I remember when Tavi wore an ill advised (possibly Dolce and Gabbana?) hat to a show and sat front row blocking a stream of annoyed journalists from viewing the clothes. They CAME for her and the debate raged on. 

It was constant. There was distrust from both sides. The fashion press have had a nice life with free events, free clothes, free make up and nice food for a long time and did not appreciate the new breed of degree free writers coming in. On the other note, bloggers longed to join the party and be taken seriously. A lot of us blogged about clothes because we loved them but couldn't afford them. I remember staying up nights to write about fashion weeks in the office space I was squatting in (I rented a space in an office to sleep in in Dublin to finish my MA without the landlord knowing which I believe is subletting. I was so broke I couldn't afford proper dinners so would eat rice cakes with salsa on them for dinner instead of pizza) and I would have great fun doing it. Enough to keep me going through a two year masters that nearly broke me financially and mentally.

So fast forward to 2016 and you would expect the days of the fashion blogger vs fashion journalist to be over. I also note that 2016 has seen a dramatic increase in the self obsessed element as many bloggers have now moved to Instagram only where they spend hours just posing. Still, that's no loss to those of us who still make consistent content.

Now the weird thing is, as someone who has a terrible thing about her photo being taken, I almost agree with Vogue. However, there is still something about the commentary on this that gets my back up. I think its because Vogue are forgetting about their own online communities OR the fact that they openly court bloggers outside fashion weeks for content. Seriously, they have an online style section for that.

But read the comments and see what you think:

Sally Singer, Vogue Creative Digital Director: "It's a schizophrenic moment, and that just can't be good. (Note to bloggers who change head-to-toe, paid-to-wear outfits every hour: Please stop. Find another business. You are heralding the death of style.)"

Sarah Mower, Vogue.com Chief Critic: "So yes, Sally, the professional blogger bit, with the added aggression of the street photographer swarm who attend them, is horrible, but most of all, pathetic for these girls, when you watch how many times the desperate troll up and down outside shows, in traffic, risking accidents even, in hopes of being snapped."

Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway: "Which brings me back around to Sally and Sarah’s points about the street style mess. It's not just sad for the women who preen for the cameras in borrowed clothes, it's distressing, as well, to watch so many brands participate."

Alessandra Codinha, Vogue.com Fashion News Editor: "Am I allowed to admit that I did a little fist pump when Sally broached the blogger paradox? There’s not much I can add here beyond how funny it is that we even still call them 'bloggers,' as so few of them even do that anymore. Rather than a celebration of any actual style, it seems to be all about turning up, looking ridiculous, posing, twitching in your seat as you check your social-media feeds, fleeing, changing, repeating ... It's all pretty embarrassing — even more so when you consider what else is going on in the world. (Have you registered to vote yet? Don’t forget the debate on Monday!) 
Loving fashion is tremendous, and enthusiasts of all stripes are important to the industry — after all, people buy clothing because of desire, not any real need — but I have to think that soon people will wise up to how particularly gross the whole practice of paid appearances and borrowed outfits looks. Looking for style among a bought-and-paid-for ('blogged out?') front row is like going to a strip club looking for romance. Sure, it's all kind of in the same ballpark, but it's not even close to the real thing."

I honestly can't even.

While Suzie Bubble and Bryan Boy have responded to this, not a lot of other bloggers have.

So I'm going to.

I don't go to fashion weeks and stand around outside in borrowed mental clothing looking to be photographed. I don't beg designers to dress me and then put together insane looks so I can be included in the photos. I understand that can be annoying.

The majority of us take fashion weeks seriously. I wear normal clothing that I can move in as I am often moving quite quickly from place to place and flats for the same reason. I don't like being photographed. My job is to go in, review, look, photograph, try things on, drink a little wine and meet designers. I do this and I move on. If I get given free stuff then awesome. If not? I move on.

However, I  also do not buy Vogue. I don't buy Vogue because I am not the type of girl who worships Kate Middleton or wants to read a load of adverts pretending to be editorial. I prefer to read blogs, google style and see what's happening on the runways for myself. I have no interest in the content of Vogue because I think its boring and not my thing. I want to experience real fashion which I believe is better done online or in person rather then a magazine which is outdated by the time its released.

That might sound harsh but read over the comments made by Vogue again! This debate isn't going away clearly but to be fair, I thought it was over already! Everyone needs to find a way to play nice and accept that the other isn't going away.