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.

I have realised I do follow a group of IG’s who all know each other and therefore seem to copy each other’s style so going to look up some of the other suggestions on here.

Cherry pie I believe that Zara are one of the only big high street brands that doesn't court influencers at all. No gifting and no affiliate programme. One of the only swipe ups that I ever swipe and that's the reason you don't see Zara mentioned very often. Nothing in it for them!

Monikh and hannahcrosskey just went on a sponsored trip by Zara so they are doing more.

Sophie Shohet is my fave, absolute goddess. I love her YouTube.

pagwatch. I feel mean but I think we all have at least one woman on our instal list who does that.

Yeah , we do.
Sometimes it’s probably me

(We can sit here on our mean bench.)

Can never resist having a moan about insta!

I used to work in fashion & was an early adopter if it & loved the diversity it offered, street style & normality of the looks. I stopped using it about 3 years ago, too many adverts & everything is so samey (but I guess that’s inevitable). As other posters have mentioned I find it hard to relate to now in terms of cost & practicality. Without sounding offensive if it’s aspiration I’m looking for I actually prefer the whole magazine concept of a model in a beautiful location as opposed to normal person in front of a wall!

Pagwatch that made me laugh but I guess that’s how some of them must have started.

I’ve just followed a bunch of these but am forewarned that I might be frustrated / annoyed with them quickly enough. My NYEs resolution is to minimise my fat woman jeans T-shirt and trainers weekend look... keep looking at DH when we leave the house and realising he’s better put together than I am It probably doesn’t help i hate spending money on clothing since I’m a five foot size 20 budget conscious midget so rarely find anything I like that doesn’t have a £150 price tag attached to it.

I got annoyed with Instagram when they changed the chronological timeline and still haven’t forgiven them.

I love Dana and the Red Shoes even though her style is the opposite of my —boring, monochrome— look. She works (I think in Law, but perhaps I made that up?) too. Otherwise yes I agree that they’re all getting v samey now, and I will never buy a bloody All Saints leather jacket as I’m sick of the sight of them!

Strikeout fail. Oh well

I got annoyed with Instagram when they changed the chronological timeline and still haven’t forgiven them. Final nail & I can’t get over it.

I follow hashtags rather than influencers and it introduces the same random inspiration into the user experience that Pinterest and Insta used to have in the days before the algorithm echo chamber.

I know some Insta celebs in real life and their internet persona is a marketing device - they’re in costume and they’re acting.

pagwatch
Ach now, I’ve started looking at Instagram again on the back of this thread. I see a load of them are doing a love-in and referring all their friends to us.

Sad/annoying to hear Zara has given into the Instagram corridor.

Anyone else idly wonder where some of them store all their clothes and shoes?

I really like Erica Davies as a person - funny and sweet and seems genuine.

I work with a well followed instagrammer (she still has a day job). She is very self-absorbed and spend most of her work time on her SM accounts. I feel a bit sorry for her as she can only ever speak about herself. She is young and single and very attractive on the outside. I think her managers are flattered to have her in their presence!

I stopped following her as she was putting me off some of the labels I like!

Instagrammers are the reason I will never buy a Daniel Wellington watch. They are give out like sweets at Halloween to all the pushers!

The overgramming and endless gift put me off the brands who send out freebies. It cheapens their image when the gifting's done en masse and it also puts me off a product when I see it on the account of an instagrammer I don't like. I prefer professional models, they are more of a blank canvas which helps concentrate on the product.

The raft of "My 2018 in Insta" yesterday was the worst. How narcissistic!!

I follow a load but mostly watch stories. I had to unfollow the blonde with the big fringe and red lips as she was so up herself.
Also motherpukka as she was very faux I felt.

Once it goes from being a hobby to an attempt to generate income it changes the whole dynamic. I follow blossoming birds and she's given up job to go freelance and for a while it was just a lot of promotions.

MOD and FOD have pedalled back on the constant flogging stuff / trying to get free stuff I think though.

I think for some of them eg WIT maintaining that level of perfection must be exhausting.

I would find that level of effort just for the school run exhausting but seemingly this is their lives. None of them make me feel bad or inferior though.

Ha I was going to say the same about Daniel Wellington watches - I’ve only ever seen them as freebies on IG. So cheap.

I actively avoid stuff brands flog on IG

I have had to stop looking at MOD/FOD as they are so relentless in flogging their kids and preaching about #ethical Christmas when they are so determinedly sell, sell, selling non stop. I guess I am after the impossible - an altruistic instagrammer who is doing it because they like it, as a hobby, and not to make money. I know it is naive but maybe, just maybe........

I have found that I am going back to Pinterest for outfit inspiration as I find I get much more out of it.

In a weird twist I find I follow actual brands - Vogue, Matches, Chanel etc and avoid third party freebie takers

Yes, I have been using Pinterest more - more originality, less selling. Seems easier to find inspiration.

MarshaBradyo - good idea. Going to give that a whirl - anything that moves away from the vomit-inducing "influencer" label has to be a good idea!