reLYME

The Elements of Style

Edited by Retro Chick

Whether it’s Winter or Summer, relentless rain or an unceasing heatwave where you are, this weeks Links a la Mode is packed with entertainment to keep you out of the sun/rain/wind.

If you plan to travel to escape your current weather conditions then Hi Fashion has some great travel tips and Idiosyncratic Style has some ideas for easy fashion DIY projects you can take with you.
Other highlights this week include a hilarious mans view on some Celebrity Fashion choices from Unfunded, Our Ocean’s coverage of Vivienne Westwood’s appearance on Jonathan Ross and Style Amor’s refusal to buy a wedding dress, as well as some insightful interviews and gorgeous give-aways.

Choosing just 20 links from the number of fantastic submissions is a challenging task and this week I found it particularly hard to whittle down the numbers so be sure to go and check out the rest of the links in the full Links a la Mode thread.

Links à la Mode : July 30th

• Breakfast at Saks – Aschobi: Sierra Leone Couture
• Brick My Lane – Interview with Christian Joy, the genius behind the costumes worn by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• by Hillary – Deciding if you really need to dry clean that dress that says “dry clean”
• Culturistas – The Culturistas find a ‘Lust vs Must’ profile of the Romper Trend!
• Fashion Cents – Can you wear the romper trend? Fashion Cents helps you decide if and how to romp around
• Fashion Hippo – Fashion Hippo is having a fantastic giveaway: Mary Frances “Mercury Rising” wristlet bag.
• Fashion in my eyes – Interview: Fashion editor at 17
• HiFashion – Tips for fashionable travellers
• Idiosyncratic Style – A round up of 5 cool projects that are perfect for summer vacation, because they are light on supplies and low maintenance.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers – Rhythm is Gonna Getcha: Maintaining Consistency in Your Blog
• iStyle – The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Looking Fab: A real-life 5 minute make-up guide with unedited photos
• Mademoiselle Robot – An interview with headwear designer Jennifer Loiselle about films, motherhood and independent designers.
• Only Style Remains the Same – Offer an outfit idea to win a pair of Current/Elliott jeans from only style remains the same and chickdowntown.
• Our Ocean – An insanely inspiring interview with Vivienne Westwood on Jonathan Ross
• Pursed Lips – Lara Stone, size 4, heralded as bringing “curvy” back. But isn’t the bigger difference her C cup bra, and not her weight?
• Rags to Reverie – A look at the Stella McCartney Fall 2009 ad campaign + a couple of deals from the eponymous label
• reLYME – It’s Beka’s birthday, and in the spirit of birthday giving, reLYME is giving away SIX China Glaze nail lacquers from the Kicks collection!
• Retro Chick – Can I wear it? Yes, I can! Retro Chick gives Harem Pants a try with surprising results.
• Style Amor – Check out why I have given up buying a wedding gown from a traditional bridal boutique.
• Sweet Fuzz – Score one of a kind fashion treasures at your local thrift store and check out the insanely cheap items I snapped up at mine.
• The Coveted – Amsterdam Fashion Week bridges the gap between fashion students and industry at Lichting 2009
• Unfunded – Unfunded collaborates with J. Money from Budgets are Sexy to learn what guys really think of the things we wear.

Just thought I'd share the latest piece I wrote for Independent Fashion Bloggers about the importance of establishing a consistent rhythm with your blog posting. (reLYME is living proof!!!)

Once upon a time, I used to help bloggers expand their brand online. I watched tiny blogs grow to very big blogs, and very big blogs grow to take over the Web. All the while, I preached the gospel of consistency.

I would tell my clients that you must find your rhythm (frequency of posts, time posts occur, regular features, etc.) so that readers learn to trust you as a respected resource. Little did I know that my advice would come to bite me in the behind, so to speak.

Fast forward a few months, and I was living in a spacious studio apartment in Manhattan. My fashion blog, reLYME, had opened a lot of doors for me. However, in trying to get used to my busy New York life, I’d ended up closing the door on my blog.

I went from humble-and-not-ultra-impressive traffic (about 3,000 MUV, give or take), to having less than 200 monthly unique views. That’s nearly a 93% decrease in traffic for my math people. And how did this happen, you ask?

If you’re one of my fashion blogging buddies, you already know the answer: I disappeared! I wasn’t active in social media, I hadn’t posted on my blog in months, and I simply didn’t care.

These days, I’m burning the midnight oil, trying to post more regularly in hopes that I can, once again, rebuild my readership–and all of this with the realization that I won’t be attending this season’s NYFW

So, my point, fellow fashion bloggers, is this. You MUST find your rhythm! And here’s how:

• You’ve heard people mention editorial calendars. Make one! Stick to it. Decide what you’re going to write about and when. If you’ve committed topics to paper, you’re more likely to stick to deadlines. They’re not written in stone, so if a more pressing piece comes up (or you’re pitched by an amazing brand because you’re getting more traffic) you can just pull an ol’ switch-a-roo. You’re a journalist, so you should act the part.
• If you’d like to include regular features (link love posts, look of the day, must-have item of the week), choose a particular day you’ll include these features, and stay consistent.
• Plan a time of day people can expect to see your latest offerings. Do you want to reveal your masterpieces in the morning, in the afternoon? (This is why the automatic post feature that is inherent to most blogging platforms is magical!)
• Make sure you know how often you plan to write. For some, posting once or twice a day is a lofty goal. So, if you can only squeeze out a few posts a week, by all means, bust a move! But, try to consistently post around the same time every week.

Finding your rhythm and maintaining your consistency, helps your readers to know that you respect them, and that sharing your knowledge or insider scoop with them is important to you.

It can also open up a lot of doors as far as sponsorships and advertisers are concerned–they will be more likely to invest in a professional blog that maintains consistency.

And again, the more you post, the better your chances are of welcoming many new readers, and building a community!

So, even though it’s tough, and you might have to sacrifice a girls’ night out (or boys’ night out, as the case may be) every once in a while, it’s worth it. Trust me, I know first hand.

image by lanuiop

When the darling, Yuli Ziv of MyItThings and Inside The Tents fame asked me to participate in a video project for Style Coalition last month, I was more than flattered. I would get to spend an evening with many of my friends and fellow fashion bloggers to film a video in support of the fashion industry.

Unfortunately, I was unable to participate as I was stuck on a layover flight at the time. However, I'm oh-so-pleased to share the Don't Shop video (inspired by the Don't Vote campaign) with you now. A perfect example of reverse psychology at its finest!:

Many of these darling beauties have become very near and dear to me during my short-lived life in New York City:

So, please join me in spreading the word about this video and please don't shop! (Again, I really want you to!)

Rebecca Minkoff has cleverly found a way to extend the conversation with her customers. (I am a huge fan, and not just because we share the same first name!)

Now, Rebecca Minkoff enthusiasts can log into Minkette.com, and get the latest in fashion, celebrity gossip, and even music.

Currently in Beta version, Minkette offers Rebecca Minkoff’s blog, giving loyalists even more access, as well as the opportunity to create a profile and participate in forums--a relatively “cool” concept from a well-known brand.

Log on to Minkette.com to check it out for yourself.

Last week, Jones New York hosted an event in their showroom to celebrate the latest episode of JNY Style Miles. And they brought in none other than JNY Style Guy, Lloyd Boston.

The showroom floor was filled with my favorite fellow fashion bloggers, as we received a tour through the latest in JNY style.

The best part?

Hearing Lloyd offer his expert style tips firsthand.

1) Belts - Lloyd stressed the importance of one of the sometimes overlooked accessories, the belt. You can wear belts to emphasize your waist, or even worn over a blazer. According to Lloyd, a belt can even take an outfit from day to night.

2) Keep it simple - Lloyd believes that sometimes we have the tendency to over-accessorize. Rather than pairing a brown dress with tons of baubles, he suggests simply carrying a bag with a shot of color like orange.

3) Duets to the rescue - JNY offers duets, dress shirts attached to sweaters and dresses. These looks give a sophisicated, layered look without any of the extra bulk.

4) From your "desk to dinner" - Especially for the New York woman, it's often difficult to find the time to change before meeting your friends for an after-work dinner. Lloyd suggests simple transitions. swap out your dress pants for a pair of skinny jeans paired with the blazer you were already wearing for a chic, evening look.

And what are some huge trends for fall?

1) It's all about jewel tones - Jones New York offers several black and white cardigans, tops, and pants that are perfectly paired with bowled colors. Switch up a black cami with a bright one, or add a bold scarf to an all-to-corporate pants suit.

2) A little bit o' shine - Whether it's through metallics, faux-leather, or sequins, adding just a tad of shiny will add life to your fall wardrobe.

For more tips from the expert, check out Lloyd Boston on JNY Style Miles.

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If you haven't yet heard of Style Sample Magazine, let me be the first to tell you that you must check it out!

Not only is it leading the eco-friendly way for other fashion magazines by offering all-digital issues, but it's filled with all of the content that fashion bloggers want to see.

reLYME was flattered to be featured in the June/July issue of out now! Check us out on pages 10-11!

In case you missed the @Rachel_Roy Twitter press conference today, I'll let you in a little secret: it was incredible! (Go to Twitter.com/Rachel_Roy or just do a Twitter search to get caught up!) More designers definitely need to take a cue from that stunning, creative force!

There were so many amazing questions, and I feel as though she answered them brilliantly. One of my favorite quotes of the press conference was when Rachel was asked about her biggest influences. Her response was inspiring: "My biggest influences are strong creative women that chart their own path, lead their own lives and drive the course of history."

And there was, of course, her response to my question:

I'm beginning to feel very encouraged these days when big name designers embrace social media, especially in the name of Twitter. When I learned that Rachel Roy, has started Tweeting as well, I couldn't click the "Follow" button fast enough.

And now, she is giving her @Rachel_Roy Twitter followers the opportunity to get to know her behind-the-scenes.

On April 29th, Rachel will be guest Tweeting on @Coutorture LIVE (6 PM - 8 PM EST) from the Rachel Rachel Roy launch event. (Follow @Coutorture for more info!)

If that's not enough, the talented and inspiring designer will give her fans and followers the opportunity to ask her questions about her designs, including her new diffusion line, Rachel Rachel Roy: on April 30th at 3 PM EST, Rachel will be participating in her first ever LIVE Twitter press conference!

The Twitter press conference is available to all who tag questions with #RachelRoy!

For even more Rachel Roy, check out her Facebook and YouTube pages:
Become a Fan of Rachel Roy on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Roy/66287349227?ref=ts

Subscribe to Rachel Roy videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/rachelrachelroy

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to be invited to a fabulous party for the new T-Mobile Sidekick LX at the Sidekick Social Club. (Just FYI - The new Sidekick looks amazing! It even has built in social networking!)

Aside from the great atmosphere and delicious spread, one of the highlights was chatting it up with some of my favorite fashion bloggers: Wendy of Nitro:licious, Dina of Eye4Style, Sarah of StyleIT, Jordana of Clutch 22, Caroline of The Daily Obsession, and Julia of Fashion Pulse Daily.

Check out this video that Wendy posted on Nitro:licious, featuring yours truly, among many others! -