This week, we were given the reading “Digital dressing up: modelling female teen identity in the discursive spaces of the fashion blogosphere” by Tara Chittenden. This reading fits perfectly with the theme of my blog, as it touches on both fashion and blogging. Some of the things touched on in the study were also mentioned in my first blog post, My Fashion Journey. If you want to learn more about me, my previous experiences with fashion, and how that relates to this study – make sure to check it out! Getting on with the reading, I have a lot to say.
Coming from a business background in my degree, we are always taught to have an extremely professional online presence. Last semester, I took a course that was all about business writing – learning how to remove your own voice from writing to make it sound as professional and succinct as possible. Grammarly was my best friend last semester. As a result of taking PUB101 this semester, I’m basically doing the exact opposite (storing away what I’ve learned from last semester, as well as leaving Grammarly on the backburner for now) and trying to project my personal voice in writing. Evidently, this blog isn’t meant for employers or colleagues to see in a professional setting, so I know my audience – however, I am aware that this is a blog that anyone in the public can access. In that sense, I am writing for differing audiences when it comes to business emails and memos versus this fashion blog.
With this blog, my intended audience would be other fashion bloggers and fashion enthusiasts. Reaching these audiences would be quite remarkable with where I am right now since I just started this blog a few weeks ago. Eventually, I think it would be cool. In the study, they mention that comments from other fashion bloggers are extremely valued and I would have to agree. Although I haven’t gotten any yet, I can relate it to other social media platforms. On my personal Instagram, comments are an elevated sign of engagement that goes beyond double-tapping to like a photo. Considering my targeted audience for my posts on my personal account is my friends, I value when they comment.
In the case of this blog, I am scared of what my acquaintances and friends will say about me. This is because it may seem like I am trying to portray an identity that I am not (or a different side of myself that they don’t know). This has stopped me from sharing the blog from anyone that knows me in real life. As mentioned in the study, this blog feels like a safe space for me to try new outfits without compromising the social capital that I have garnered through encounters with people in real life. It’s a place that I’m not sure whether I’m comfortable sharing with other people right now. Slowly, I think I am accumulating more confidence in myself as I post more on this blog.
Progress.
(Featured image from Lisa Fotios on Pexels)
