A HIT OF SARAH

The blogging industry has changed and as a result I've decided that so will A Hit of Sarah. Let me explain:

I started A Hit of Sarah in 2007 when I was just sixteen years old. Then it went by the name "Fashion Smashion" and was initially derived out of a strong desire to express my opinions on fashion and my ardor for the creativity that keeps it going. I wrote regularly, receiving comments from other bloggers around the world who had opinions of their own. From doing this I found an online community that made me feel like I was a part of something special. Every day after school, where "fashion" was a term used to describe ugg boots and juicy couture track suits, I went home to my laptop to discuss the real fashion going on across the globe. From discussing the work of seasoned couturiers to sharing excitement over low end collaborations (they weren't yet a popular thing back than), I had this seemingly immediate network of writers to share my passion with. It was something I really cherished.

Then out of the blogosphere bred a new type of blog, the personal style blog. These individuals took pictures of their daily outfits sharing them with their cultivated readerships. At that time the only two types of style bloggers that existed were those who held a really distinct personal style or those who were fortunate enough to afford the clothes found on runways each season. Many of these style blogs I came to fall in love with, yet as they grew in popularity so did the focus of their content. When a few style bloggers started receiving readerships as large as some publications and began influencing the personal style of thousands, some even millions, the industry of fashion blogging altered in a major way. Now on the rise, others saw that fame can now be found on the internet, that people online can tell you how pretty you look and how nice your outfit is. In time millions of people were suddenly "style bloggers." Looking in on the growing industry, brands took note of the blogging craze and started to take advantage of it. Soon enough it seemed that every personal style photo on the web featured a girl with ombre colored hair, a beanie, and a leather jacket, which presumably were all being fed to them through free clothing and sponsorships from all of the same brands.

It was around that time that I found myself changing my perception on the blogging industry. I developed this sort of inner twitch when I introduced myself to others as a "blogger." That statement, as of lately, was always received with a response I wasn't very comfortable with: an overlook at my current outfit and a facial expression that suggested that I may just be jumping on the fashion blog bandwagon. It often upset me and I wasn't sure how to properly express what it is I do without associating myself with that specific movement.  And sadly, as I rummaged through the web for new blogs I came to find that it was no longer the community I initially fell in love with, but a way for some to make a quick buck or display their narcissism on the internet. Now that the industry was being flooded with bloggers who seemed to all be wearing the same thing and covering all of the same designers, I struggled to find what set me apart from the others. I never was a personal style blogger, nor will I ever believe that people are actually interested in what I wear in my daily life, but still- what made my blog special and different from all of the others? It took me a while to discover my specific niche, but thanks to some inspiring influences in my professional life, finally, after 6 years of blogging, I have discovered it.

As it's quickly being replaced with short form blogging, I really want to keep journalism alive and continue to keep writing pieces in length, but in addition to all that I want to veer away from what's popular and what's trendy. As an example, this will mean that I will probably limit my constant Givenchy coverage. Although, I can't deny my love for Riccardo Tischi's work and I will never cease to sing his praises, I will refrain from doing so on my blog. Brands like Givenchy, Chanel, and Prada, have their collections celebrated everywhere from the covers of major fashion publications to the gorgeous celebrities adorning them on red carpets around the world. I do not need to recap the Givenchy show that I didn't even attend, when there are already bigger publications with larger audiences doing it with better access to the event. I certainly do not need to tell you how amazing Tischi's gowns are when Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, and Madonna are wearing them to highly publicized events. It would just be a waste of digital space for me to add to the Givenchy craze and although I absolutely love the brand, there is absolutely no need for me to do so.

What I do want to focus on are the creatives I admire more than anything; those who empower, those who struggle, those who fight and those who stop at nothing to produce their version of ultimate perfection. The under dogs, the under mined, the new and the up and coming and even those that work behind the scenes. The publicists and writers who can make or break anything in this industry. The artists and photographers whose work inspires many. Those are the people who seem to intrigue and inspire me the most and those are the ones I seem to always find myself looking for more information on and never really finding it. When I meet these types of people, I always conduct a sort of impromptu interview with them in conversation, for my own professional reference. I know I'm not the only one interested and so I promise to find those people and share their stories with my readership. I'm looking forward to the next chapter of A Hit of Sarah. We'll call it the post graduate chapter. I hope you'll continue to follow me through it and I promise there are a lot of exciting things to come! Thank you for continuing to believe in my work, my vision and a special thank you to all of you for unknowingly inspiring me and guiding me in the right direction.