When I first thought of fashion blogging, I was already older than most of the folks doing it. I'm older now, because that's what happens when time passes. Even though I'm not actually old. 42 isn't old. These days, it might not even be middle-aged. But whatever it is, in the world of fashion bloggers, it's definitely not young.
I'm not sure exactly when I first thought of doing this fashion blogging thing.
I know it wasn't much of a big deal when I did. I don't recall a moment where I felt a "revelation" and as the heavens opened up and light radiated on me, I shouted, "Hey! I could have a fashion blog!" Nothing like that happened.
More like, I tried having a blog on general topics a few times, every now and then felt like posting about fashion, and casually thought, "Oh. Fashion blog. Of course. I should do that."
And basically I didn't do it. Not really. I'd just throw a thought about fashion in the middle of a few other thoughts about politics, or whatever Sci-Fi show I was watching at the time, or Harry Potter, or whatever.
Whatever whatever, y'know?
Then about 2009 or 2010, I actually did try to start a blog based on fashion alone.
By that time, I was already in my late 30's.
And also, by that time, a million bazillion other people had fashion blogs. And they all seemed to be under 30. Not all really were, of course, but most were. And, some of the ones getting the biggest attention were teenagers.
There's definitely the idea in our culture that those in their teens and 20's are the coolest and those older are not as cool- and the older you get, the less cool you are- unless you are really, really old and doing something even most young people wouldn't do, like a 90 year old going skydiving.
Fashion is often thought of as being for the young.
You have articles about what NOT to wear past 30, past 40, etc.
A lot of celebrities are into fashion, and the youngest starlets get the most attention, usually.
Older people are frequently told fashion is too frivolous of a thing for them to be interested in. Many believe this. And people are entitled to think fashion is frivolous if they want. I personally think the attention given to some sports, especially American Football, is frivolous. [note: I meant the LEVEL of attention football gets in the U.S., not that it gets any at all. I do watch some football, and watch a bit more of other sports such as basketball and baseball. I am in the middle-ground between "it's all just sportsball and I know nothing about it" and "Sports is my LIFE!!!!"] The biggest fans do not agree. Some fans wish eveything were all-football all the time. And that's cool by me as long as they leave me alone to like what I like. But if people are not into fashion, I want it to be because they really, sincerely don't care about it, not because the media is shouting "You can't wear that! You're too OLD!"
Obviously not everyone in fashion is young. Most of the well-known designers are not particularly young. A lot are around my age. Some are senior citizens.
Models, though, are generally very young. In some cases they've been younger than the youngest fashion bloggers, but the industry has tried to make reforms so they are at least 16. (Some of those reform efforts are more sincere than others, but yeah, off-topic...) But there's also been a resurgence of the supermodels from back in the day, and some currently on the catwalk are even- gasp- older than me!
I think quite a few fashion bloggers do wish they themselves were models. (Or, at least wish they were famous, well-known models.) But either they aren't tall enough, or maybe even if they are young they still aren't quite young enough, or in many cases, even though they probably are thin, they aren't thin enough. So, if a lot are people who could think of aspiring to be models, even if they really probably wouldn't make it as models, really, yes, that probably makes sense many would be young. But that isn't all fashion bloggers.
Things have changed some for the better, in terms of diversity, since fashion blogging first became a thing. You are, at present, much more likely to be able to find a fashion blogger who is not a size zero, white, blond, and just turned 20 years old.
Not that any of those things in themselves are bad. I have been a size zero. I am pretty generally considered white. And though I've never been blond, I've known some very nice people who are. And why, yes dearie, I actually was a spry young 20-year old once! Oh, and I didn't even mention able-bodied, because, sadly it almost seems to go without saying in most contexts that disabled folks won't be represented... And, well, I am indeed less able than I used to be. But, not what most people would call disabled, either. At least not to look at me... but yeah, that's another topic...
But anyway, what I was basically saying is- even though things aren't quite a fashion utopia where everyone is considered equally deserving of being considered fashionable, things have improved.
I can tell things have improved even from cursory overviews of the field. I certainly have not been studying it in-depth lately. (What I have been studying in-depth lately is autism, and neurodiversity in general, but again... off-topic...)
And what was my point again? Oh, yeah. I'm old. Or at least old for fashion blogging.
Or, too young for senior fashion blogging, because yes I am aware there are some over 60's now.
Well, basically, here's hoping there will be more and more "old" folks like me, and also- more actual old folks!
