Social media, especially Instagram, is completely unavoidable in this day and age - so why not use it to your advantage? Not only is it a way for us to express ourselves and allow others to take a look into our personal lives, but it is also a platform where fashion meets business. Those lucky enough to make a living online, and a significant one at that, are leading models in the fashion industry. Bloggers are the new It-Girls. With their own original looks and styles, they share their lives with us - educating and inspiring one generation at a time. Here at Bagista we thought we'd give you a list of our personal favourite bloggers and social media influencers, some that have impacted way more than just fashion.
Chiara Ferragni
The OG fashion blogger, so naturally, Chiara is one of our all-time favourites. The Blonde Salad launched in 2009, at the very beginning of the social media era and way before the blogger generation. Inheriting her love of fashion and photography from her mother, Chiara started TBS as a form of self-expression. Nine years later, the Italian influencer hit 11 million Instagram followers, designed a shoe line, was featured on Forbes 30 Under 30, got her own Barbie doll, became a case study at Harvard, and has a net worth of $12 million. Not only is she insanely successful, with good reason, she is also a mother and wife to be. With a modern, fashion forward sense of style and literally an endless, maybe excessive, amount of handbags and shoes, it was very difficult for us to pick our favourite looks. All of Chiara's outfits are luxurious, unique, and original, not to mention her handbag collection (obsession?) is pretty much perfect. Find our faves below:
Courtney Trop
One of the coolest girls on Instagram. With an effortlessly edgy and original sense of fashion, Courtney Trop is more than just a style muse - she's a creative. Playing with colour, fabric, time periods, and societal norms, Courtney never fails to inspire us to express ourselves and to not take fashion too seriously. Always Judging launched in January 2013, created out of inspiration from other blogs and online publications. "My blog is the perfect platform to share my knowledge," said Courtney in an interview. Not solely fashion based, Always Judging is a look inside Courtney's world of music, design, travel, food, and street culture. With a closet full of vintage pieces, loose-fitting garments, colour, and "understated statements," Courtney embodies the ultimate cool-girl vibe. Combining modern edge and laid back elegance, she has fun in whatever she wears and somehow never fails to make anything look effortlessly fashionable. Her handbag collection is just as intriguing as her wardrobe. By mixing it up between high-end luxury pieces and unique, underground designers, Courtney always manages to put her own touch on everything. Find our faves below:
Danielle Bernstein
So...pretty much goals. Danielle Bernstein is a New York City native with a style, bank account, and life to prove it. WeWoreWhat launched when Danielle was just 18 years old when she wanted to provide a daily source of fashion inspiration for her friends. She bought her first camera, taught herself how to use it, and began photographing street style on her campus at Fashion Institute of Technology. A year later, WeWoreWhat started making money when it became focussed on Danielle's own personal style. Now, with a seven-figure salary and on Forbes 30 Under 30 list, Danielle is the Queen of Fashion Business. From running to meetings, attending fashion shows, being a brand ambassador, and collaborating with different companies, Danielle is always on the go. Oh, she also has her own shoe line called "The Archive Shoes" and a clothing line called "Second Skin Overalls," which made her $70k in just three hours. No big deal. With an affordable wardrobe, its her bags and shoes that are her real investment pieces. With a love of luxury handbags and a flare for vintage Chanel, a large majority of her bags are from What Goes Around, Comes Around, the NYC based consignment shop. Find our faves below:
Arielle Charnas
Also one of the first bloggers out there, Arielle Charnas of Something Navy exudes nothing but elegance, sophistication, and class - plus her life seems pretty much perfect. Created with somewhat vengeful intentions, Something Navy was born when Arielle wanted to prove she had a passion of her own after the end of a two-year relationship. Little did she know, SN would become one of the most important and influential blogs of our generation. The now wife and mother of soon-to-be two, Arielle has a simple, stylish sense of fashion and a wardrobe filled with luxury pieces. Not only featured in Glamour, Cosmopolitan, BRIDES, and The Coveteur, Arielle has also collaborated with a number of different brands including TRESemmé, Rag & Bone, Neiman Marcus, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, and most recently; Nordstrom, which is said to have driven over $1 million in sales in less than 24 hours. Arielle might have an understated and simple style, but her handbag collection is out of this world. From Chanel, to Hermès, to Saint Laurent, to Céline, to Mansur Gavriel - Arielle has it all. Find our faves below:
Up Close and Stylish
www.instagram.com/upcloseandstylish
Not exactly a blogger, but a social media influencer with a following of 2 million, Up Close and Stylish is one of the most fashionable women on Instagram. Although she never reveals her face on social media, she is rumoured to be Malin Bergfors, a Swedish socialite. Although we don't know much about her life other than the fact that she is married, has a young daughter she refers to as "Little Miss Sunshine," and is obviously extremely wealthy. With impeccable taste and a true love for luxury fashion, Up Close and Stylish has the biggest and best handbag collection. Let's just say she has pretty much every luxury bag...like ever. No, but really. She has a Chanel Flap and Lady Dior in pretty much every colour invented. Not to mention countless different Birkins and Kelly ranging in different colours, sizes and materials, including the Himalaya Birkin - the most expensive bag in the world. It doesn't end there, from Louis Vuitton, to Céline, to Valentino - it would be impossible to list all the bags in her wardrobe. With an additional, excessive collection of Louboutin shoes, UC&S never fails to create the perfect look and always manages to look glamorous. Find our faves below:
By: Isabel de Carteret
