With most fashion blogs these days run by teenaged girls taking photos of themselves in Urban Outfitters’ latest, it’s hard to weed out the wastes of time from the informative and engaging—everyone’s a fucking blogger.
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Even though, yes, blogs are largely to blame for the crumbling of the very medium you’re holding in your hands right now, they’re instant, very accessible and there’s something for everything out there.
Here’s a list of my favorite go-to fashion/beauty blogs by subject:
NAILS
All Lacquered Up
(alllacqueredup.com)
Runway shows not only dictate what you’ll be wearing years before you even know it, but they also often decree what’s to come for makeup and nail trends. While nail polish is usually just a blip on the radar for most fashion blogs, All Lacquered Up devotes its web pages to nothing but nails: what colors are in style, where to find affordable look-alikes, wearability tests, how-tos and tips.
P.S.: Kaiser Karl says powder-blue nail varnish is the next big thing for nails.
NEWS
Refinery29
(refinery29.com)
Though relatively new, Refinery29 is now right up there with New York Magazine’s celebrated the Cut. It covers everything from industry news and trends to new collections and DIYs. Its street-snaps section is usually one that won’t waste your time—while most street-fashion sites are riddled with mediocrity, Refinery29 cuts all the junk out for you.
MOST ENVY-ENGENDERING
Style Rookie
(thestylerookie.com)
A majority of amateur fashion blogs are written by gals who just so happen to be in the right station in life—the daughter, sister, granddaughter or girlfriend of so-and-so. But Tavi Gevinson of Style Rookie is just a Chicago teen . . . who happens to have gotten her start in fashion journalism, rubbing elbows with models and the world’s greatest designers, at the age of 12. She sat front row at Bryant Park; has been profiled by TheNew York Times, Interview and New York Magazine; consulted for Rodarte; and writes rants against photographer perv/“artist” Terry Richardson.
Did I also mention she has her own column for Harper’s Bazaar?
TIME-SAVING
NotCouture
(notcouture.com)
Usually updated twice a day, NotCouture is what you make it. The site accepts and moderates user-submitted links and images. It’s a no-fuss, non-time-consuming site, simply listing 250-by-250-pixel photographs and a brief description. Clicking on the image takes you to a longer site or article on the subject. I’ve found many new shopping sites and unique items via NotCouture—the page currently exhibits false eyelashes intricately cut out of paper, a profile on Miuccia Prada, a bracelet made of automobile oil filters and images from Lagerfeld’s co-branded Eres/Chanel web campaign. Take your pick!
vchang@ocweekly.com
This column appeared in print as "Blog On!"
