Random Fashion Thoughts (Part 3: Style farmer strikes back) - our general discussion thread

[gardenvariety]

Exactly, which is why I'm avoiding it but also understand why it's incredibly crucial in any creative endeavor nowadays.

Ehh, 'incredibly crucial' to creating something? I strongly disagree. You can create something and enjoy the creation of that thing regardless of whether it gains any widespread or even minor appeal.

This is one of the things that I miss about the 00s, when it seemed like everyone had a blog. People were just putting stuff out there regardless of whether or not they had much of a following. And sure, people were probably trying to get a following at that time as well, but it wasn't so blatant as IG is nowadays.

I say, if you have an idea, just get started, put it out there in a low-key way. Then get a feel for reactions by sending it to some friends/acquaintances/online-acquaintances, and worry about mainstream social media later (or, never).

Focusing on social media in order to make great content is like trying to play great soccer by running after the ball no matter what. The game is bigger than that.

 

[cb200]

Regarding social media. There was something I read from an interview with the artist Tom Sachs that has stuck with me. His feeling around creativity was that there are two jobs. One was doing the work. The other was letting people know when the work was done.

 

[cyc wid it]

Regarding social media. There was something I read from an interview with the artist Tom Sachs that has stuck with me. His feeling around creativity was that there are two jobs. One was doing the work. The other was letting people know when the work was done.

Isn't this all jobs?

 

[d4nimal]

Exactly, which is why I'm avoiding it but also understand why it's incredibly crucial in any creative endeavor nowadays.

I'll also echo what @gardenvariety already said in that I would advise you just write what you want to write about. You can share it on whatever platform you already use in a non-spammy way as long as it's appropriate and people shouldn't mind. I find that the blogs I like to follow are the ones that have a personality, and not just content machines. When I started blogging myself, for a bit I tried to make a push to get it more visible until I realized that I hated that part of it and I just really enjoyed the process of creating something myself. But I wouldn't call what I am doing successful in any sense aside from personal satisfaction and making some friends along the way.

 

[double00]

i've been in the midst of publishing a pretty involved work for the past 8 or 9 months, before that was years-long development of what you could call an industrial art process... they are def distinct endeavors but indispensable as a project.

fwiw i like the internet/socials as a means of marketing and even publishing directly but i also feel no need to engage on anything other than my terms. i'll add that for me hard publication is ultimately important so the other stuff is not the end-all be-all, just another avenue of reaching folks.

 

[cb200]

Isn't this all jobs?

I'd agree to that. I wish everyone saw it that way.

 

[gardenvariety]

I find that the blogs I like to follow are the ones that have a personality, and not just content machines. When I started blogging myself, for a bit I tried to make a push to get it more visible until I realized that I hated that part of it and I just really enjoyed the process of creating something myself. But I wouldn't call what I am doing successful in any sense aside from personal satisfaction and making some friends along the way.

@d4nimal your blog is a great example of this. I'd stumbled upon it a couple years ago, separately from SF, while googling some brand or another and was excited when I recently realized you're a member here. In fact, what makes me like your blog is that it's not trying to be 'conventionally successful' -- I mean this in the best possible way. It doesn't feel commercial. You clearly just care and have an interest in sharing what you're interested in, and that shows. I'd actually meant to shoot you a message and let you know how much I liked your blog specifically, but forgot -- i'm glad it came up organically

This discussion highlights a glaring flaw of social media: it turns what was theoretically a playground for a person's interests and personality into an obligatory competition to conform and acquire more and more followers (for the extremely vague promise of 'success'). Focusing primarily on 'success' compromises content. I think to really be good, you have to care about what you're doing as much as or more as you care about being successful. You have to be willing to do it, with or without any conventional reward.

In any case, I feel like conventional popularity/success is more of a side effect of doing a great job. Here that might entail either writing about what you feel and putting it out there, or else identifying a set of needs that some specific group has and creating content that offers a solution. PTO and @dieworkwear , Tim Dessaint (whose videos are really nicely done!), Permanent Style, and other strong voices in the space all have slightly different (overlapping) audiences with slightly different problems they want solved. Each of these channels has grown and become conventionally successful because they provide solutions to the problems felt by their audiences. But first and foremost their content is good.

 

[dieworkwear]

You could pay someone to do it for you, if it affects you negatively. I know a couple companies (shops, tailoring houses) that do that, but not too many “individual” accounts.

Hack: Hire someone to do the writing for you, hire a model to take fake outfit of the day photos, and only manage the social media account.

 

[d4nimal]

@d4nimal your blog is a great example of this. I'd stumbled upon it a couple years ago, separately from SF, while googling some brand or another and was excited when I recently realized you're a member here. In fact, what makes me like your blog is that it's not trying to be 'conventionally successful' -- I mean this in the best possible way. It doesn't feel commercial. You clearly just care and have an interest in sharing what you're interested in, and that shows. I'd actually meant to shoot you a message and let you know how much I liked your blog specifically, but forgot -- i'm glad it came up organically

Yooo this is so nice to hear. Every once in a while someone will send me a message or email letting me know they liked something I wrote, which is a great feeling and very fulfilling. If I had to be pushing sponsored posts all the time and concerned with growing my influence, it would suck all the joy out of it. Anyways, thanks again!

 

[UrbanComposition]

Hack: Hire someone to do the writing for you, hire a model to take fake outfit of the day photos, and only manage the social media account.

 

[shirtandty]

Yooo this is so nice to hear. Every once in a while someone will send me a message or email letting me know they liked something I wrote, which is a great feeling and very fulfilling. If I had to be pushing sponsored posts all the time and concerned with growing my influence, it would suck all the joy out of it. Anyways, thanks again!

Random, but is the dress form you use from The Shop Company? I've been looking at one of theirs and was wondering how they are.

 

[d4nimal]

Random, but is the dress form you use from The Shop Company? I've been looking at one of theirs and was wondering how they are.

Weird, I can't actually find a receipt for it in my email. It definitely looks like that same form, but if it is, they either changed the measurements for the sizes or they're wrong in the chart. My 36 fits more like a tagged 38 around the chest with broad shoulders as well. I actually collapse them to make them more my size, but the chest is slightly too big.

 

[DubbyThaFerrgamoCZAR]

The shoes make all these women look like they wear size 12 mens

 

[DubbyThaFerrgamoCZAR]

I suffer from these.. badly.

Sometimes I memorize things I wish I didn’t. I understand that everything is finite, but forgetting takes forever. The intrusive thoughts don’t stop. It’s irritating lol.

 

[DubbyThaFerrgamoCZAR]

The most archive of archive.