Can we chat about fashion Instagrammers/influencers..

[Cherrypie32]

..because I don’t have anyone in real life to carp about it to. So, I follow a few, am addicted to the stories/feeds of some but don’t always know why. The ‘high end’ ones, The Frugality, Dress Like A Mum, Emma Hill etc pop up but quite designer and high end for me. I like the ramblings of Does My Bum but I’m nothing like her body shape so don’t wear her clothes. There are a few more ‘high street’ ones I follow, Steal My Style, What Kathy Did, Forty not Frumpy and more but they tend to be repetitive. Is this because they are so heavily sponsored to flog something? At the moment they are all banging on bout All Saints leather bikers and maxi skirts. And they all copy each other so there’s not much new to look at. There are a few I follow with nowhere near the amount of followers that seem more creative and have different body shapes so I presume that they have more liberty to do this as aren’t under afflilate deals.
I don’t need advice to ‘unfollow’, I enjoy looking at it all, just interested in how it all works really.

They very briely touched on Instagram adverts this morning when discussing Victoria Beckham's daughter having a facial. The whole panel commented on the dubious ethics of using your childrens image to make money, regarding pinning their self worth on their image.

I know this wasn't about Instagrammers directly, but I wonder if it's seen as worse to sell your child's image if you're an established celebrity than a middle class London based mum, or if they'd also frown on this for Instagrammers.

I mean they briefly touched on this on the Jeremy Vine show, forgot to add that.

Yep, some of the influencers with integrity are quite guarded about allowing their children's images to be plastered all over social media but there are still those more than happy to serve up their children for a fast buck. "But I asked their permission" really does smack of the worst form of justifying the unjustifiable. Thankfully the tide does seem to be turning albeit super slowly.

I saw this in the Fail this morning and instantly thought of this thread

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6625237/Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley-Millie-Mackintosh-plugging-products-without-saying-theyd-paid.html

It’s a shame that they bang in so much about famous people, it’s a problem with the ‘not so famous’ too!

That's what I've just been thinking @finks100 Interesting that it says £750 for a post for mid-level bloggers.

In other news did you see the M&S shoe collections from the mummy gang yesterday. Do you think the ones who didn't get asked to design a shoe are jealous??!

In other news did you see the M&S shoe collections from the mummy gang yesterday. Do you think the ones who didn't get asked to design a shoe are jealous??!

Oh, I did realise it was a whole gang that did it. I saw SMS's post (and quite like the shoes actually!) and assumed it was just her, I musnt follow the others. Who else was it?

I came here to comment on the M&S shoe collaboration.

Whoever thought that's a good idea ought to be made to wear those shoes.

They look like an 8year old's idea of what a Princess Stripper might wear, covered with a sprinkling of vomited up glitter stones for good measure. Even Per Una never quite reached those designing heights.

WTF M&S?

I need more picks, I think I will probably quite like them

Oh hang on I can see SMS has tagged the others in her post. Will have to go and have a look....

Sorry, Nipples, I'm sure there are some nice looking shoes in those collaborations, maybe I haven't seen them all yet.

I like the shoes that DMB40 & Fashion Lift designed. I’ll try on Fashion Lift’s ones when they come out with the potential of buying.

The only pair I really don’t like are those designed by DLAM but that’s because they’re not my kind of style at all.

There's a flat pink pair I like. And ones with Pom poms I like but wouldn't buy.

I guarantee they will all be a sell out. The Fashion Lifts are £49.99 - pretty savvy by M&S.

I think this is a bit of a misstep by M&S. Most people I know are just so bored of influencers with all their endless freebies living their best lives. So this feels like a little bit of a self-indulgent 'look at me' 'pinch me moment' ego trip. I didn't actually like any of them (some were hideous!) with the exception of the pink bow ones.

Do you think they will be sell out because of the design or because of influencer's name?

Presumably because of the name - why else bother? They're all going to be pushing them for weeks now.

It’s a bit sad though.

Having said that, the pompon ones would have been my dogs’ favourites when they were puppies.

OK, have seen them all, here's my verdict (not that anyone cares really! 😂)

Style Me Sunday: really like them, love the style, would go with a lot of stuff, hell I might actually buy them! They could do with being slightly higher in the heel, but I can see she doesn't want to make them in accessibly high (memories of sending back the most beautiful Steve Madden platform heels because they were just too high!) Also I like that there is no straight across the ankle strap like with a lot of platform shows, as these totally cut me off and make my cankles look even bigger.

Danielle Vanier: I like that she has made these accessible to a wider range of women, the toggle is a great idea. Not keen on the clear plastic bit, makes it a bit tacky and reminiscent of Kim K spilling out of those shoes when she was pregnant.

The Fashion Lift: yes, I do quite like these. Not keen on the ankle strap though and the photos she has put on don't properly show the shoes at all.

Dress Like a Mum: too try hard, too 'oooh look how quirky I am'. I thought pom pom/furry sliders had already been and gone anyway?

Emily Johnston: they are OK and will probably sell quite well actually, but they are not my style at all. Not sure of the significance of the lobster, are they the new mermaid/unicorn?

Does My Bum Look 40: quite nice but look the same as anything you would get off any shoe shop, not very original.

Erica Davies: my first impression was 'absolutely hideous' but the more I look at them the more I quite like them. I think these would have to be seen in real life to check for quality/tackiness with all those stones.

Ah, that feels better!

So from a design point of view, I can guess they were asked to show a designer their favourite shoes and go from there. DMBL and The Fashion Lifts look similar to shoes they already own. So none of it is ground breaking.

Some are quite nice, most are hideous. A few are laugh out loud!

Is it a good idea? Who knows?

Does it make me want to shop in Marks and Spencer’s? No more than usual. The stores are awful but I might buy one or two things a year there.

I do feel with a comment up thread that influencers tend to be failing shops last ditch attempt at survival. House of Fraser and Debenhams have both used them. M&S have been struggling for years and are now heavily invested in the influencer’s market.

So, it just feels like they are going off the boil? It feels a bit past it, and old fashioned. The shops are playing catch up and so it feels a bit like it’s all past it’s prime. Certainly the bloggers and Instagrammers are becoming dull and repetitive.

However, brands such as Hush and Wyse London were pretty savvy to use them when they were newish brands. It’ll be interesting how they move with the times.

And no, I won’t be buying and of the Marks and Spencer’s Summer shoe collection!

I don’t like any of the shoes, they look cheap and badly designed.
I want MandS to create beautiful classics designs that are simple and classic, that wear well and are well made.
I hate that they have found a bunch of influencers and flattered their egos!

I hate that they have found a bunch of influencers and flattered their egos!

Oh god this! No I don't want to wear a minging polyester pleated skirt just because Hampshire mummy/ Surrey mummy/ Irish mummy whoever mummy is wearing it and getting lots of fake "aww beautiful Hun" on their Instagram!

I don't like any of them, I'm sure they'll all be on the sale rail at the end of the summer. I was in m&s this morning looking through the dregs of the sale, it was all the jumpsuits and dresses they'd have you believe they couldn't get for love nor money last year. 'The' holly willoughby pink dress was there in mosh sizes and was £13!

Yes!! The mustard silk dress - there were LOADS of them reduced in it local M&S!!!

Sooner that influencer becomes a by word for salesperson, the better. They really do all trot out the same old crap, lamely claiming that, absolutely, they turn down so many projects because they really, honestly, only promote the things they really, honestly love! Bollocks! How come you all end up looking practically identical and promoting the same old crap? And then they string these ads together with vacuous #fillers so we, stupid as we are, don't realise we are being sold to. Do like Kat's shoes though - don't think this cart horse would able to carry them off.