We are in the middle of Fall shopping season. And if you, like me, have turned your attention to some online fashion influencers for guidance, there are a few things to keep in mind. While I love watching their videos and seeing what they are wearing this season, I have to remind myself of their reality vs. mine.
Show me the incentive and I’ll show you the outcome.
Charlie Munger
Disclaimer upfront: I would be quite content to be a fashion influencer! So I am not slamming these folks for following incentives provided. If Mejuri is going to give me some money to pimp their jewelry, I’d happily take it and start wearing and promoting all sorts of earrings, bracelets and necklaces! But alas, it does not seem to be in the cards for these two part-time 50-something blogging sisters. (apart from some laughably small affiliate payments from amazon! Don’t ask :))
So, for the time being, as someone being influenced rather than doing the influencing, I am keeping a few truths close at hand while I watch them do their thing.
Read the fine print
All reputable influencers are going to mention when they are receiving payment for promoting an item or brand. It could be “sponsored content”. Maybe they get a % of the purchase price of items you buy when you use their link. It could be items that are given to them by a brand. But they have to mention this somewhere (it’s the law.) Two California Sisters has to do this too- “This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for Amy and Kate” appears on the bottom of all our posts with amazon affiliate links.
Start here, to understand what your favorite influencers are incentivized to sell you.
Recognize that what you are seeing is not their reality
I was marveling recently that all my fashion influencers seem to have acquired brand new wardrobes at the beginning of each season. Seriously, did none of them have those old jeans, sweaters, tee shirts from 3, 4, even 10 years ago like a normal person would?
Ah! Of course! Why would an influencer waste previous time and bandwidth mentioning old shoes or a preloved dress that they cannot sell to followers? No one is giving them affiliate dollars for touting how wonderful these discontinued jeans from 2019 are. So, absolutely no incentives to show anything old, that isn’t available to be sold today.
And a lot of things they “buy” are actually gifted by brands. OR they buy them, wear them/review them online, and return them. Listen carefully and you’ll hear them mention that they “might not keep it.” It must be exhausting to have to procure new items constantly- to feed the content machine. You won’t be much of a fashion influencer if you only bought 2 sweaters and a pair of shoes all season!
Take all “reviews” with a grain of salt
It’s the rare fashion influencer that says something negative about a brand or an item. More likely- they just don’t promote it or they keep their mouths shut on what they really like. Occasionally, you’ll hear a new influencer mention a con of an item (angora! I am also not a fan!) While I personally think hearing an honest opinion makes me respect the influencer more, I suppose they are trending on dangerous ground. A brand could take offense and cut off those sweet dollars. Better to not say anything at all!
Buyer/watcher beware
Listen, I appreciate that these influencers have found a way to make a living. And they can be very helpful to those of us who aren’t experts at styling or what to upgrade our looks. But we should all be mindful of what’s going on behind the scenes- or our wallets will suffer.
This all means that I lose more closet space and a place to hang out cold wash. Being a fashion influencer has its practical drawbacks!