7.52pm: Beyonce just walked in

I am certain at one stage in your meaningless blog trawling, you have come across an example of a live blog.

Shrinidhi Hande describes himself as a business analyst by profession, blogger by passion. His blog Enidhi India has an assortment of blogs containing themes of travel, business, reviews and more. Below is an extract from one of his posts on what live blogging is.

“Those familiar with traditional journalism would know the significance of reporting the news at the earliest. Journalists all over strive to deliver latest news into your TV room, as soon as they occur, braving all odds in the process. With high end communication technologies at their disposal, journalists of today have relatively easy job, compared to their seniors who had to depend on traditional medium of communication.”

Shrinidhi also wrote a piece on live blogging for IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India). In this post he lists the four main advantages of live blogging. View the article here.

This method of constantly updating and adding new information each minute is more often used in an unveiling of a new product (Apple Iphone 4S), sport matches as well as disasters. But it’s commonly used amongst the fashion and celebrity bloggers for events such as the Oscars red carpet, New York Fashion Week and even our own Australia Brownlow Medal red carpet.

Below is a very short list of just some of the more recent live blog posts I found on fashion. I particularly like the commentary from both MTV blogs as the comments were more engaging by being slightly cheeky and fun.

MTV – Kanye West’s Paris Fashion Week Debut

http://style.mtv.com/2011/10/01/kanye-west-dw-fashion-show/

MTV – VMA’s 2011 Red Carpet Fashion

http://style.mtv.com/2011/08/28/vma-red-carpet-live-blog/

VOGUE UK – Fashion’s Night In

http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashions-night-in/live-blog/

kindest regards, xoxo

I was reading an interesting article on Mia Freedman’s blog mamamia about the politics of the work ‘kiss’. Written by the Deputy Editor of Sunday Life, Natalie Reilly explores the problems faced by female workers in the office environment in regards to unprofessional sign offs. I’m talking about the fated XXXX at the end of an email.

I found Natalie’s article to be not only witty and interesting, but hugely relevant and true.
As a journalism and public relations student the industry I wish to work in, involves a lot of ‘gloss’. Air kisses, make up tips and tricks swapping and yes buttermilk sweet emails are all elements that are involved in this female dominated, fashion work force. But it was enlightening to hear her opinion on the topic in a satirical tone.

“For those of us who work in an ultra-girlie or deeply superficial environment full of fragile egos (such as publishing), the X is a normalised mode of communication and – not unlike a vicious strand of the H1N1 virus – can, without proper vigilance, multiply into XOXOXOXO and spread throughout inboxes.”

If I’m asking a co-worker to do something, it changes the tone from “Please do this for the company” to “Pretty please, will you do this widdle favour for me?” - Natalie

I understand why she brings up these points on the XXXX and it totally makes sense. When I was an intern for a few months in one of Australia’s top women’s fashion magazines, I quickly learned the ropes on email etiquette.

Although I knew straight away never to go over the “xx” tally, I could see how it could easily snowball into xxxx...xxoxox....xoxoxoxoxoxox over the course of an entire year email-relationship.

I agree with Natalie in that’s important to maintain professional communication methods when dealing with co-workers, managers, clients and competitors. But I have a feeling that when I get a job in the future I will still indulge myself in the occasional “xx”.

View the full article here

Ipads in bed and marshmallows for breakfast

When I was little I used to run into my parent’s room and dive onto their bed where they would be reading the Sunday paper. It was a Sunday ritual that would consist of me lying on the top of their bed reading the comic section, whilst mum read the headlines and dad read the sports section. It’s a pretty cute little memory and one that I would love to pass on and recreate for my own child one day. But like many things, it won’t happen. I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic.

I know there’s that whole debate that rages between journalists across the world. The idea that newspapers are the dinosaurs, that some deem are destined for extinction. I am a believer in that idea.

It’s 2011 and by the time I give in to the idea of having a soul-sucker (aka a child), I pray that it will be AT LEAST 2021 and by that time we would have seen at least 9 new updates to the Apple Ipad and of course a few other tablets and notebooks released by competitors. These new technological devices are already able to download fashion, lifestyle, sport magazines each month, as well as of course news and books. They are easily portable, sleek and a lot easier to scroll through.

In 2021 I envision myself to be lying in bed on a Sunday morning finger scrolling through the latest headlines on my Ipad 9.3. But I’m still unsure as to how I am going to be able to recreate my childhood Sunday morning memories with my own little soul-sucker.

and I went off topic... again

There’s been a recent revival in the topic of the ‘hardships of models’ in articles lately. My Facebook newsfeed brought it to my attention - thank you Facebook. And as I was doing my usual procrastination I decided I may as well read them.

The first was an online article written by Emma Ciufo for fashion magazine Grazia. Before I go into any detail about the article let’s just assume this is not written by an expert. I have a good, hard feeling this was written by an intern. How do I know this? I have done some work for Grazia myself and this sort of “quick? We need some fluff piece story now!” is definitely something an intern would qualify for.

So the article is titled- Aussie Model Spills: I lose half my hair during fashion week

And it starts like this –

“If you ever thought that being model was all about hanging out with Terry
Richardson, wearing designer clothes and doing your best Zoolander, then listen
up to rising ustralian model Chrystal Copland, who tells it how it is…hair loss
and all.”

Yep, so we can now all agree this was most definitely written by an intern, or the editor’s 12 year old daughter (I’m just being mean now sorry).

Although I do love online journalism, there is a strong sense of urgency when you’re writing it. A submit it now or die sort of feeling (slightly too dramatic?). You type your article in your Word document and paste it into your blog or website and it can be done in less than fifteen minutes. But with the advantages of a quick upload and instant potential global audience comes the disadvantages.

And in poor Emma’s case this is spelling... and grammar.

The most critical thing with online journalism is editing. Rereading your typed words and making sure they are coherent and spelt correctly. In Emma’s case I’m sure she was under a lot of pressure to have this story uploaded promptly and had a whole fashion cupboard full of returns waiting for her as well. And I am not perfect either (so close though, wouldn’t you agree?). I am sure there are numerous spelling and grammar errors throughout many of my posts. But the other great advantage of online journalism is I can change, fix, edit and update my posts as often as I like.

So this post was meant to be on the hardships models face in the industry, but quickly turned into a small scope on SOME of the advantages and disadvantages of online journalism.

So I’ll leave you with some cool photos of models facing those ‘hardships’ and the relevant articles, Facebook links etc.

Emma Ciufo's Grazia article

The Huffington Post article on model Chrystal Copland (which Emma clearly used for her 'research')

Model Struggles Walking In High Heels - Watch MoreFunny Videos

psst... pass it along

It seriously doesn’t take much for word to spread. Especially, when those words are being typed and forwarded to ‘all contacts’, mentioned in a Facebook status, posted on someone’s wall or simply tweeted into the twitter-sphere.

Online Journalism is accessible to all those globally who have internet. But the key to having your article read, story told, or message heard is to use social media sites to help generate momentum and ‘buzz’.

Take the new ‘it’ boutique Molten Store, Jessy Cameron’s baby. Having only opened 2 months ago this online store has catapulted into the must hit-list of fashion Magazine Shop Til You Drop (STYD) and become a favourite amongst some of Australia’s most followed bloggers. And who is to thank for Moltens success (aside from the amazing designer neck pieces and of course Jessy herself) but social media and online journalism.

Check out all the e-love being sent towards Molten Store through their twitter account, Facebook page, blogs and articles from STYD’s homepage through to a more recent review by Brisbane Times.

Basically, if you want to generate interest and get yourself noticed the best advice is to hyperlink that shit now.



Blog Loving

Follow the Fashion

Il etait une fois

Harper and Harley

We Killed Couture

Sweet Aurora

Articles

The Thousands

Frankie

The Urban List

Twitter

mentioning Molten Store

MS Twitter page

(an instagram by blogger Style Muse taken from Twitter)

another guilty pleasure

One of my ultimate favourite shows of all time (being the last 3 years) is Australia’s Next Top Model, otherwise known as ANTM to all the cool cats out there. The name pretty much says it all. It’s about a show where girls aged 16-23 fight for the title of becoming the most genetically blessed girl that can position herself to perfection infront of a camera. So the chances of me winning are..... zero to none.

Not only do I love/adore/worship this show for its thinspiration, photoshoots and all round hilarious comments by the girls (their dream is to be a model, not a scientist, therefore all is forgiven) but for the online recap afterwards by Jo Blogs.

This girl is (‘scuse my french) fricking hilarious. Each week she writes a blog recapping the entire episode in a tone that has me bent over my $25 ikea desk chair laughing in hysterics. Some of her followers are people who don’t even watch the show- that’s when you know you’re a decent blogger.

Read her latest recap at http://jo-joblogs.blogspot.com/

Risky fashion move for Rawsthorne

As the retail industry suffers, retailers and designers are making calculated risks when deciding to open up a new store, with many opting for the pop-up alternative.

Despite the economic slump in the retail industry, Australian designer Therese Rawsthorne recently launched her first ever pop-up boutique in Surry Hills, Sydney.

In what many retailers are calling a ‘troubling time’, Rawsthorne made a conscious decision for her “Twin Peaks” store to be open via a two-month residency which will see it close its doors on November 17.

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) released retail figures that show a decrease by 6.6% compared to last year’s result in the clothing, footwear and personal accessory category.

This comes following a devastating slump in retail sales following the last four years.

With many retail stores and brands closing down and/or filing for bankruptcy it would seem that opening a store would be the last thing on a designer’s mind.

However pop-up stores are fast becoming a retail phenomenon with many designers opting for a short lease over a flag-ship store as there is less financial risk.

Pop-up stores provide designers and retailers the opportunity to test their product, the location as well as the market, without making a long-term investment.

Executive Director for ARA, Russell Zimmerman said “there is definitely less risk involved when signing a short lease... it allows the retailer to ‘test-the-waters’ so to speak”.

“It all comes down to their finite lifespan. It’s a here now, gone tomorrow attitude that compels consumers to seize the moment before it vanishes for good”.

The ARA website says that “unlike clearance sales, pop-up stores rarely reduce their prices and instead operate on the premise of exclusivity or use their ‘novelty factor’ as a draw card”.

Therese Rawsthorne said of her decision to open despite the financial risk “nothing ventured, nothing gained. I know it sounds clichéd but you really have to make a decision and go for it”.

Rawsthorne said she would love to open a flagship store in the future but for now she is happy with her Twin Peaks two month lease.

Rawsthorne’s decision to open her boutique despite the slump in retail sales was due to an opportunity of an ‘amazing’ space in the suburb of Surry Hills that she simply “couldn’t pass up”.

“I wanted an opportunity to get to know my customers in a more personal space and Surry Hills is the perfect spot for such a venture”.

Other designers and labels to have opened a temporary store include; 7 for all Mankind, T-bar, Ellery, Willow, Kirrily Johnston, Chronicles of Never and many more.

Store opening hours for the Therese Rawsthorne “Twin Peaks” pop-up boutique are between 11am and 6pm Tuesday-Saturday and midday-5pm on Sundays.

Images courtesy of Ashley Mar.

pass me the megaphone please

I love online journalism.

It enables the writer to project their own thoughts into the ‘big, wide net’. You know the deep, dark, dare-we-say-them-out-loud thoughts and opinions, the ones that we wish we had the courage to vent loud and proud in public. Maybe some of us do have that courage – to speak our minds without fear or hesitation of what the public may retaliate back. But most of us either have some editor breathing down the back of our necks about ‘that’s too opinionated’ or ‘that’s not what this newspaper is about’. Online journalism not only gives us a megaphone, it gives us an audience far greater than any publishing newspaper or magazine could hope to reach.


It’s a tool not only useful in venting pent up frustration, but a tool designed also for social media. I’m not too sure if you are a ‘follower’ of someone’s blog, tumblr, twitter or facebook. But chances are you are a part of one of these social media sites, and chances are someone you are following you have never actually met. But the reason you sent out that inevitably embarrassing ‘friendship request’ (good, god what if they don’t accept?!) was because a) you think they are a cool person b) they have similar interests and points of view as yourself or c) you needed to increase your popularity reputation. In most cases it will either be answer a or b.


Same goes for other bloggers. Take for example blogger Mia Freedman and her blog Mamamia. Mia has got quite successful blogs on her hand, wait I’m being too modest, Mia is the author of a VERY well known blog. But instead of just writing posts about her opinions, she includes opinions stated by fellow blogger Patty Huntington of [frockwriter]. These women are constantly backing up each other’s thoughts on the subject. .


MAMAMIA: “Patty Huntington has a detailed post about it on her Frockwriter blog"


The latest blog posts from these two women were on the subject of a young 16 year old model called Hailey Clauson. Basically she was 14 years old when she had photos taken by a photographer and now her parents are suing because the photo was printed onto shirts sold on urbanoutfitters.com. (It’s a long story and I just did a horrible short, retelling of it. Pardon moi).


In this case Patty didn’t give quite a huge opinion on the issue, but more stated the facts where as Mia went to town on the issue of the underage model. I think that because Mia Freedman is also a mother she went for a different angle than Patty and focused more on the repercussions a child can face when pushed into the fashion industry at such a young age.

MAMAMIA: “If you do not want your daughter to be judged on how she looks and what she weighs, do not let her become a model....
If you do not want your daughter to be photographed looking sexy and made to look much much older than she is, do not let her become a model.
If you don’t not want your daughter’s self-esteem to be DIRECTLY and inextricably linked to her weight and appearance, do not let her become a model.”


Some tough words from Mia yes, but that’s why she is so popular (especially with mums).


Below are links to both posts on the Hailey Clauson case from [frockwriter] and Mamamia.
http://frockwriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/hailey-clauson-was-14-when-she-posed.html
http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/she-was-15-when-she-posed-for-this-shot-now-shes-suing/


As well as a link to another online journalism article, this time from the Telegraph.co.uk.
http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/olivia-bergin/TMG8719935/Hailey-Clausons-T-shirt-war.html

Please note the lack of opinion and clear ‘fence-sitting’. I can feel the editors hot breath on the back of my neck right about... now.

In my ideal world...

Isn't it funny how the Editor in Chief of your daily newspaper dictates which news is worthy enough to be put on the front cover?

Sure peoples deaths, natural disasters and the occasional slip of the tongue of our prime minister is interesting to say the least, but it's rarely the stories I read first sentence to last sentence.
Imagine a newspaper where you decided what stories you wanted to see on the front of your paper. Whatever you wanted. From a huge image of Jamie Oliver declaring his breakthrough risotto technique to images of models strutting down runways in the latest Spring collections from Paris.

Online Journalism allows the reader to pick what articles he or she finds most interesting and relevant to their personalities. No more having to flick through pages upon pages of 'boring' articles. Online gives you the option of selecting whatever article you wish to read and then intelligently reccomends to you what articles are similar. Hey presto, genius. Thankyou.com

David Jones S/S11

So the other week was the annual David Jones Spring/Summer fashion parade held at the iconic Royal Hall of Industries.

The parade is a must attend event for fashion enthusiasts, celebrities, models and of course our sweetheart darling Miranda Kerr (she’s no doubt getting paid the big bucks to be there). But joining the front row of Australia’s fashion elite, sitting Louboutin next to Louboutin are the new techno savvy fashion bloggers. With Ipads, blackberries, and Iphones at the ready, these new set of online journalists are allowing followers to have the latest runway images, gossip, and news instantly in their laps in the comfort of their own home.

And it’s not just bloggers and media commentators like Melissa Hoyer, Patty Huntington that are leading the way in Twitter updates #djsfashion. Models like April Rose, designers like Alex Perry and makeup artist Napoleon Perdis were all on their phones updating their twitter accounts filling in their followers with 140 characters or less updates and sneaky backstage, front row (if you’re that lucky) images.

The David Jones facebook page was also in over drive – uploading images direct from their red carpet. All it took was a few seconds and all Facebook fans of David Jones knew exactly what Lara Bingle, Kristy Hinze and Megan Gale were wearing, while the whole time the ladies hadn’t even moved positions. Now that’s quick journalism for you.


Social media sites like Facebook and twitter are perfect for organisations and companies to establish, build and maintain relationships with their customers. By giving them sneaky images and instant news straight from the event, customers that live in other states and aren’t sleeping with the guy working the ticket website, can still feel like that are in some form or another a part of the event.

I mean no one likes waiting till 10pm for Sandra Sully to come on for the late news, where she gives you a shitty 1 minute rundown of what went down at the show. Heads up Sandra, I’m on twitter. That shit is old news.

the blame game.

There has been a war brewing in the Australian Fashion Retailers Industry for some time. Although there have been no reports of stiletto stabbings (yet) it seems there is a rivalry between standalone retailers versus online stores.

Australia is in the midst of a 50 year retail slump. Retailers are feeling the pressure of poor sales and are pointing the finger to international online stores that offer low prices, current styles and have the added benefit of being ‘open’ 24/7. In an industry where the colour wheel extends beyond several shades of beige, it can be assumed that this rift in the fashion industry is a story told not just in black & white.

1233 ABC Newcastle reports that although the retail industry is blaming its recent woes on the rise in offshore online shopping they are partly to blame as they are not adapting to the new technologies and the embracing the fact that online shopping is here to stay.
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said that "the large retailers in particular have been put on notice by this draft report that some of the prices they're setting are very high and the profits they're seeking are very high”.

I found that Tim Lohmans online article from News Computer World to be particularly interesting and more in-depth than the abc.net.au report. Lohmans article also supports the ideas of Shorten but goes in to a lot more detail about other queries and problems larger retailers have/face when deciding to start their own online store. In particular I found the below statement to be accurate in understanding the current mind frame and thought process of retailers Myers and David Jones, because it brought up memories of myself as a prepubescent thirteen year old girl browsing through the David Jones website.

Longham says “An attitude among larger retailers that the purpose of websites was to [promote retail sales rather than facilitate online sales was also an issue.
“While department stores such as Myer and David Jones and large retailers such as Harvey Norman have had an online presence for some time, their websites appeared designed more to provide information on the range and specifications of goods they sell rather than to aggressively pursue online sales,” the report reads.

Both these articles were a great source into understanding the problems faced by standalone store retailers, but I found that the ComputerWorld article gave far more examples and a deeper level of research and understanding into the reasons and retailer psyche.

It can be noted that perhaps the reason for the short but direct online article from the abc.net.au website was because the main quotes were coming from Bill Shorten, a member of the commission.

Both these articles were up to date.
To view the whole article please visit

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-05/shorten-tells-retailers-to-pick-up-their-act/2825262/?site=newcastle
5th August 2011

and

http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=51AEDCEE-1A64-6A71-CE2EA8E1DAACED71
7th August 2011