Blog Consumption: How Females Engage with Fashion in the Digital Age

Independent fashion bloggers are changing the fashion industry in a dynamic way, introducing spaces for women who have not traditionally been represented in mainstream fashion media. This exploratory study investigates how young adult female consumers are engaging with images on fashion blogs, compared with fashion print magazine images that have been found to lower women’s self-esteem. A literature review provides a thematic foundation for the study, examining 1) how fashion has changed in the digital age; 2) what motivates fashion bloggers to blog and how they have become effective marketing tools and trend forecasters; 3) how print magazine images portray women; and 4) how female consumers engage with these images. A content analysis examines 17 of the most popular North American fashion bloggers, as rated by Signature9.com. Ten posts from each blogger reveal whether the images conform to idealized fashion print magazine images. Five bloggers serve as interview stimuli for 12 female participants, who explain their fashion media habits while examining and discussing the visual stimuli. The findings reveal factors that influence young females’ engagement with fashion media and highlight what they desire when it comes to fashion images