Laqroki Aline Skin, Brunette Beauty

There have been a lot of discussions on the do's and dont's for SL fashion bloggers lately. I've been blogging without a rule book for 2 years now and so far I think I'm doing OK. So here's MY own list of things you should keep in mind, not necessarily have to do, but it will be helpful:

Helpful hints for fashion bloggers:

1. Blog what you love

It's ok to blog just items that you love and gush about them. Even if your taste is not the same as everybody else, if YOU love it, it shows and somebody out there might have been looking for that exact item.

2. Be honest but not mean

Point out flaws but don't go out of your way to criticize. Whenever I see seams or other flaws, I will point them out. Now, if a designer was newer and their seams don't quite line up but the design is cute and was worth the $, I would let it slide! Does that make me a terrible blogger? I always consider the item overall, but there are some things that are unforgivable (like seams on a skin!).

3. Learn to take good pictures

A picture says a thousand words… bad lighting and a bad pose will
discourage others from buying the items you want to showcase. And you
do want people to buy it right? That's why you're blogging it in the
first place? So read tutorials, ask others for tips, and figure out how
to take nice photos! You don't have to be a Photoshop genius (I'm not),
I just take pictures in-world and crop them using Picnik (the online photo editing service).

4. Don't start a blog for the "free stuff"

Whatever you do, don't start a blog because you think it will get you
"free stuff", that won't happen. Designers have a sea of bloggers to
choose from, they will most likely send review copies to bloggers they
know will do a good job featuring their products, not just someone who
wants the "free stuff" and disappears in a month or two.

5. Consider a blogging budget

Even though bloggers are known to receive "review copies", we still have to purchase a lot of items. Many designers do not send out review copies at all, and if you love something and want to feature it, you have to buy it. Consider making a blogging budget (anywhere between $5,000 and $20,000 weekly) and stick to it! Don't feel pressured to buy all the latest, and also make use of good freebies if you want to blog daily but not go into debt! 😛

6. Be ready for criticism

People who don't blog themselves will tell you that you're not blogging right or how to blog. In most cases, I would say ignore them, but I think that anybody who publishes anything on the internet should be ready to accept both positive and negative feedback. Some of it might be valid, even if it's negative. I find that most of the comments on my website are positive but there are negative comments and I consider them without letting it ruin my day.

7. Blog for yourself

I can't think of anything else right now but I will end with this really important tip. When you blog for yourself, you'll be a lot happier than keeping up with all the latest trends or letting others dictate how you should blog.

That's all for now! These tips are just basic ones for newer bloggers but they're not set in stone or anything.