How to Start a Fashion Blog

HOW TO START A FASHION BLOG

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about how to start a fashion blog, and I helped a friend get her fashion blog up and running, so I figured it was time to write this post.

Since switching my focus solely to fashion, I’ve had significant growth both in blog traffic and revenue, which tells me that there is clearly a market for more fashion bloggers — especially for those focusing on wearable, affordable fashion for women over 35. If this is something you’ve considered, or even if you have thought about starting a blog on another topic, this post will teach you how to set up a blog on the WordPress platform, and at the end I will briefly cover some of the basic tools you need and the primary ways to monetize your fashion blog. If there is interest, I can certainly write a few more in-depth posts over the next few weeks.

It might seem like a new fashion blog is born every minute, but only a select few will last more than a year. That isn’t to say there isn’t a market for another one, but it does take a considerable amount of time, dedication, and consistency – as well as the willingness to be authentic and vulnerable – to be successful.

How to Start a Fashion Blog: Mirror Selfie

In a saturated market, it is challenging to stand out above the rest, but it can be done, and it can be incredibly rewarding. It might seem like all I do all day is shop and play dress-up, then call it a job, but there is a LOT going on behind the scenes. I’m happy to share some of that with you today.

In this post, we will cover the following:

The links above will take you to each section so you can find them easily if you decide to come back and consult this post, so let’s get started!!

What’s In A Name?

Pretty much everything. The first two things to decide when starting a fashion blog, or any blog, is what you’re going to write about, and what you’re going to call it.

My fashion blog is focused on wearable fashion for women in the 35-55 age range.

How to Start a Fashion Blog: Street Style

Perhaps you have a passion for eco-friendly fashion or luxury fashion, or maybe you are petite or plus-sized or a woman over 50. Women are looking for fashion bloggers they can relate to, so consider focusing on a specific niche. These types of blogs do particularly well.

When you know what you’re going to focus on, it’s time to think about a blog name.

Sometimes choosing a name is the hardest part of launching a new business! After being Musings of a Housewife for many years, I finally ditched it and went with my own name. It helped that my name is unique, but using your own name, or maybe your nickname, is always a good option for a fashion blog since you will likely be the face of your blog. (Of course, you may not plan to be the face of your fashion blog. If you think you will hire contributors, you probably do not want to use your name in your blog title.)

Make sure to do your homework and be sure no one else is already using the name you want. I have known people that have had to change their blog or business name because someone else claimed to be using it first, so do a Google search. You also may want to check the various social media platforms you will want to use — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. and be sure you can get the matching name on those platforms.

How to Start a Fashion Blog
If you’re serious about monetizing your blog and making it a business, I highly recommend starting out on a self-hosted WordPress blog. That is not to say that you can’t be successful on free platforms such as Blogger, but hosting a blog on Blogger is like renting a house on the internet, whereas a blog on WordPress is your property and you have complete control over it.

It might seem intimidating to set up a blog on WordPress, but I’m going to hold your hand and walk you through it using Bluehost. I promise it’s easy. By the way, I am using my Bluehost referral link in this post, which helps me offer all of this information for free. Bluehost is a great hosting company to start out on because they have excellent customer support, and they’re very affordable.

Hosting your own site on Bluehost will only cost you $42-$60 per year when you’re starting out. If you are planning on making money from your blog, your hosting costs will be tax deductible, so it is really a very small investment.

Set Up Domain Hosting with Bluehost

#1. Go to Bluehost and click that big green Get Started Now button.

How To Start A Fashion Blog on WordPress: Bluehost Home Landing Page

#2. Select a plan and follow the instructions.

The Basic plan is fine for starting out. As your blog grows, you will need to increase your website space, but you will have the option to do that down the road.

How To Start A Fashion Blog on WordPress: Bluehost Shared Hosting Plans

#3. Select a domain name.

It is best to match the domain address to your blog name, so if you haven’t already decided on a name for your blog, do it now. (Your domain name is the address for your blog. Mine is jolynnedev.wpenginepowered.com.) To check if your domain is available, type it in the left-hand box, and Bluehost will let you know.

How To Start A Fashion Blog on WordPress: Domain Name

#4. Fill out your account information.

How To Start A Fashion Blog on WordPress: Account Info

Under that, you will see Package Information. I highly recommend choosing the 36-month account plan. This signals to Google that you are in this for the long haul. Longevity helps your site appear more legit, and it may help it rank higher in search queries as you start creating content. You will also see that Bluehost rewards you for your commitment with a lower monthly rate. But if you prefer, the 12-month plan is just fine.

I also highly recommend paying the extra for Domain Privacy Protection. This protects your personal information so no one can google your domain and see your private address.

Paying for automatic online backups is also a good idea. This way, if your blog is ever hacked, or you mess it up, Bluehost can recover your files. If you don’t pay for the Bluehost site backup, you will want to arrange for your own site backup protection.

I can’t speak to the necessity of the Search Engine Jumpstart or the SiteLock Security. You’re on your own there!

How to Start a Fashion Blog: Bluehost Package Info

Next, select any add-ons you may want and complete the transaction! (I do have a few variations on my domain name to protect it, but that’s probably not necessary when you’re starting out.)

How To Start A Fashion Blog: Bluehost Addons

Congratulations! You have a domain!

How to Start a Fashion Blog on WordPress with Bluehost

#5. Set up your Bluehost account with a secure password and log in.

How to Start a Fashion Blog

9-Bluehost loginIf you prefer, you can choose to have the Bluehost team take it from here. Just click “Do It For Me” and follow the prompts.

If you want to continue with my tutorial, click the “I Can Do It” button, and let’s party!

How to Start a Fashion Blog: Bluehost cPanel

Now it’s time to install WordPress. Don’t worry! Bluehost makes it super easy!!

Install WordPress

#1. Select WordPress from Website Builders.

How to Start a Fashion Blog on WordPress with Bluehost

#2. Click the green Start button.

How to Start a Fashion Blog

#3. Select the domain you’d like to install to and click “Check Domain.”

How to Start a Fashion Blog

You will see that it is installing.

Installation

#4. For the final step, select the drop down for “Show advanced options.”

Here you fill in your blog title (you can always update this later) and choose your WordPress login and password. Check the box to create a new database and then hit “Install Now.”

WordPress Login

#5. When the install is complete, click on View Credentials.

Be sure to save this information in a safe place. I recommend using LastPass for all your passwords. (If you use my referral link, we both get a free month of LastPass Premium.) My husband is a security expert by trade (when he’s not moonlighting as my Instagram Husband, haha!) and LastPass is what he recommends for everyone.

16-Install Complete

Just like that, YOU HAVE A BLOG!

17-Mojo Email

Start Creating!

At this point, you have a blog, and you can start creating blog posts. I recommend doing that right away, before you worry about design or monetization or any of that. Start writing, taking pictures, and generally getting comfortable with putting yourself out there. You don’t even have to tell anyone about it yet. This way you also build up some archives so when you do go public with your fashion blog, there is some content already there, and people can see what you’re about right away.

If you haven’t been blogging or writing, it may take some time to find your writer’s voice, but the best way to do that is to write regularly. If you’re not used to taking pictures of yourself, it will take some time to get used to that too. I’ll discuss tools of the trade a bit more below, but for now, just play around with your blog and get comfortable with it. Here’s how to start.

To get into your new site, go to yourdomain.com/wp-login.php (or follow the link from your credentials.) You’ll see this page where you can log in to the backend of your site.

WordPress Login

This is your Dashboard. Click on the “1 Post” link and edit that post to make it your own first post. In the future, you can start new posts by clicking the +New button at the very top. Select Post to start a post and Page to create a page for your site — like an About Page or a Contact Page. Or you can go into the Posts link on the left sidebar. That is where you will see all of your posts listed — drafts, published, and scheduled posts. Poke around and get to know the interface.

WordPress Dashboard

Customize Your Blog Settings

There are a few blog settings you will want to customize.

#1. Update your blog name and tagline.

You can do this under Settings –> General on your WordPress Dashboard. Here is what mine looks like.

WordPress General Settings

In this section, you can also update your time zone and your date and time settings.

#2. Customize comment settings.

Under Settings –> Discussion, you can customize your comment settings. Blog comments are the MOST fun part of blogging!! I recommend making it as easy on your readers as possible to comment, so I have NOT checked “

By the way, the email addresses you fill out in a blog comment are NEVER public, nor are they ever shared with a third party or added to an email list.

You can also customize your avatars on this page.

#3. Change your permalink structure.

You should change your permalinks (that is the URL to each post) to the Post Name structure. It’s better for SEO purposes and looks much cleaner than the Plain. (Do not choose Day and name or Month and name — you don’t want dates in your permalinks. Just trust me on this one.)

WordPress Permalink Settings

Design Your Site

You’re probably eager to put your own stamp on your website and make it pretty. You basically have two choices. You can DIY it or hire someone.

If you are sure you’re sticking with this for the long haul, you may want to invest in a professional design. Nicole at Techmomogy Designs is affordable, and she does great work. You can also look at fashion blogs that you think are pretty and see who designed their sites. Usually there is a link in the footer.

If you want to design your site yourself, here are the steps.

#1. Choose and install a theme.

I highly recommend using the Genesis framework along with one of their child themes. My child theme is Foodie Pro (but it has a lot of modifications.) I’m actually considering a change. Glam Pro is a nice choice for fashion blogging, and I also like Pretty Chic.

Glam Theme by Restored 316

Take some time to peruse the StudioPress website and see some of their themes and the customization capabilities. Truly, the sky is the limit.

Two other great places to look for feminine Genesis Child Themes are Restored 316 and Pretty Darn Cute DesignsStudioPress, Restored 316, and Pretty Darn Cute Designs all give good instructions on installing and customizing their themes.

#2. Customize your theme. 

The themes I’ve recommended all have a wide variety of customizations you can make on your own, and they come with great tutorials. Of course, you can hire someone to make more advanced customizations, but there’s a lot you can do on your own. One of the quickest and easiest ways to make it your own is to create your own logo that you can upload into your blog’s header area. Which brings me to #3.

#3. Create a masthead or logo.

Whether or not you upgrade your WordPress theme, I definitely recommend creating a custom masthead (or logo) to upload into the header area of your blog. You can hire a designer to do this, or it is SUPER easy to design a text-based header graphic with PicMonkey, a free online design program.

How to Start a Fashion Blog: Make a masthead with PicMonkey

Then you can upload it into whatever theme you are using. (The size of your masthead will depend on your theme. You should be able to find those dimensions in your theme settings.)

This is a fluid process, and you will likely want to go back in and make some tweaks along the way, but once you get up and running, you’ll know better what you want to add or change.

WHEW!!! Are you still with me???

Feel free to bookmark this post for future reference. It is a lot of info, I know. Let’s move on to some topics specific to fashion blogging. I am going to try to keep these brief. If you have questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Tools You Need for Fashion Blogging

tools for fashion blogging

There really aren’t a ton of tools you need, but a computer and a smartphone are a must. I also recommend investing in some decent camera equipment. The quality of your photos will make a huge difference in how your blog is perceived by both potential readers as well as brands who may want to work with you down the road. Whether you prefer Nikon, Canon, or Sony is entirely up to you.

We shoot most of our pictures with a Nikon D750 and an 85mm lens, but we used a much less expensive Nikon camera before this. The lens is far more important than the camera body. A kit lens is almost worthless, so we always buy the camera body and then purchase the lenses separately.

It is helpful to have Photoshop, but PicMonkey is a free online photo editing software that works great. They even have a wrinkle remover tool, just sayin’. (I highly recommend the Pro version. I use it every day, and it’s only $33 a year.)

There is a lot I could say about fashion blogging photography, but that’s a post for another time. In fact, I’ve got a post on photography tips in the works!!

9 Tips for Successful Fashion Blogging

#1. Know your WHO and your WHY.

Why are you starting a fashion blog? Who is your audience going to be? If you want to stand out, it’s best to have a unique angle or a niche within the fashion blogging space. Is that eco-friendly fashion, luxury fashion, budget fashion, plus size fashion, fashion for professional working women, over 50 fashion, teen fashion?

Be sure you know why you are blogging and who you are writing to. Imagine that person and write like you are talking to her over a cup of coffee.

#2. Be true to yourself.

If you’re following a lot of fashion bloggers, it’s easy to get caught up in what they’re doing. Be sure to do a gut check and stay true to yourself — your personal style, your budget, your lifestyle.

How to Start a Fashion Blog

#3. Content is King.

This is true for any blog, but it bears repeating. Don’t post just because it’s been a few days and you feel like you need to put something up. Focus on creating amazing content 100% of the time, and you will notice your audience and opportunities starting to grow.

#4. Post consistently.

This may seem to contradict #3, but you have to find a balance that works for you. I post daily, but that may not be practical for you. Spend the first few months finding your rhythm, and then create a posting schedule and stick to it. Whether you are starting your blog as a money-making endeavor, or you just want a fun, creative outlet, if you want to see it grow, I am a HUGE believer in creating a schedule that works for you and your audience and sticking to it. I’ve given this advice to bloggers time and time again over the years, and they always come back and thank me and tell me it worked.

#5. Engage with the blogging community.

While fashion blogging is a new endeavor for me, I’ve been blogging professionally for 5-7 years. (I’ve been blogging for 10 years total.) Blogging may seem like a solitary activity, but there is a huge community out there. Find other fashion bloggers and engage with them. As you build your blog, reach out to bloggers who are at about the same place in their journey and invite them to collaborate with you. Comment on their Instagram posts, subscribe to their blogs, leave thoughtful comments, and I promise, what goes around comes around.

Cyndi & Jo-Lynne

#6 Respond to your comments. 

This goes hand-in-hand with #5, but it deserves its own number in this list. For me, this is the easy part. I thrive on comments, and I love the conversations that develop in the comment sections of my blog and Instagram account. Over time, the comments may start to get overwhelming, but don’t forget to respond and engage. When your audience senses that you value them, they will keep coming back.

#7 Treat your blog like a job. 

This goes back to #4. If you want your blog to be a job, then you must treat it like a job. It may sound obvious, but I think there is a misconception that this blogging gig is all fun and games. It is fun, but it is a lot of work to make it successful. I am tougher on myself than any boss I ever had. Be professional, be kind, and be committed, and you will be a pro-blogger in no time! Okay, well, maybe 6-12 months. Let’s not get carried away here.

#8. Know when to unplug.

unplugging

Social media never sleeps, and when you have a blog, there is ALWAYS something you could be doing. It’s easy to get caught up on the hamster wheel, but just like any job, you need time away from your blog and from social media. It is imperative that you set aside some time each week (maybe each day . . . I’m not there yet, ha!) to unplug, especially if you have a family. Be present with them for a while, or take some time to yourself and read a book. The blog will be there when you get back.

#9. Don’t play the comparison game.

As women especially, it is sooooo easy to get caught up in the comparison game. There will always be someone prettier, thinner, and richer with more Instagram followers. Remember that the reality is rarely what it appears to be, even when we are being authentic. And so what if it is? Be the best YOU you can be, but don’t try to be anyone else, and don’t let anyone else make you feel inferior. Run your own race, and you’ll be sure to win.

In Conclusion

I know this post is ridiculously long. I considered doing it in parts, but I don’t know how many of you are interested in starting a blog, so I decided to compile it all into one gigantic post, and you can bookmark it and come back to it at your leisure. Use the “jump links” in the outline at the top of this post to find each section easily.

You may be wondering why I didn’t discuss making money on your fashion blog. Since this post is about how to get started blogging, I decided to leave the monetizing to a separate post.

I highly recommend devoting the first six months to developing your brand and finding your voice and your blogging rhythm. The earning potential is there, but first you have to establish yourself. Once you have built an audience and a brand, you can start thinking about monetization. I’m working on a followup post, where I will discuss ads, affiliate programs, and brand partnerships.

I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments. 

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This post contains affiliate links. For more information on what that means, see my About Page: Blog Monetization and Disclosure.

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101 Responses

  1. THANK YOU for this post — I am printing this out for my “blog notebook”. I’ve been wanting to start a blog for sometime now but it just seems overwhelming. Your post is spot on and a great reference tool. I am stuck on my blog name — once I come up with something I am ready to start. I truly appreciate your time in putting this post together for us that are just starting or thinking of starting.

    1. The name is the hardest part. You want something unique and catchy but that tells what/who you are…it took me over a year to come up with a name. I had a list of over 30 possibilities and finally chose the one I felt fit me the most.

      Good luck!! and GO FOR IT!!!! I started in January and I’m loving it. It can be overwhelming and make you feel panicked. I just have to remember the blogs I read have been up and running for years…it didn’t happen over night.

      We are lucky to have people like Jo Lynne who are willing to share their wisdom and what they’ve learned along the way while holding our hand in our own journey. THANK YOU JO LYNNE!!! I feel sure I’ll be contacting you with questions. (Cyndi Spivey told me about this post)

      1. Thanks, Lisa. So glad it was helpful. And I agree about the name – however, I also caution people not to get so caught up in finding the right one that they don’t start. It can always be changed. 🙂

  2. Hi Jo Lynne!
    Did you read my mind??? I have been thinking about emailing you to ask you how I can get started with my very own fashion blog! I have always loved fashion and I love to write too, so fashion blogging sounds perfect for me, right? We’ll see…. Anyway, I guess one would consider me somewhat pear shaped or curvy (I prefer hourglass, as curvy to me sounds like a nice way of saying overweight!) I am 40+ yrs old and just under 5’4″ and about 140 – 145 lbs. depending on the season. I have the hardest time finding clothes that fit me right. Having said that, I feel like there are many women out there that have the same problem so I have been thinking of starting of fashion blog to fill that niche. What do you think??? Also, my daughter who is 8 LOVES clothes! When I explained all of this to her she said, “Can I help too?” So, I’m thinking I might include her on a few posts here and there like you do on occasion. So, thank you sooo much for sharing all of this incredible info. I am very interested in hearing more about how to monetize. Take care! (oh, and BTW I am in the Philly suburbs too!)

  3. I just signed up for PicMonkey while reading your post and I already love it! I know that Photoshop isn’t in the budget right now but I can afford $33 in a month! Thank you for sharing the useful information. I would love some follow up posts to this, pointing us newbies in the right direction. I love reading your blog everyday and Cyndie’s. I have learned a lot of useful information and found many designers that I hadn’t heard of before. Thanks again! Brenda Reyna from http://www.fromplaidtopearls.blogspot.com

  4. Great post Jo-Lynne. I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a blog and this post is awesome! Great info and appreciate you taking the time to put this post together.

  5. Thank you very much for sharing this very clear instruction of how to get started!! Of course I am interested to read your next post of how to monetize blog.

  6. What a great post! This post is quite informative and inspiring; it breaks it down in easy-to follow steps. I do not follow many blogs, but I absolutely love yours and how well balanced it is. I wish you all the best!

  7. Loved all the advice and your blog .. I consider myself a baby blogger .. My blog page is Sassy over Forty with Sharrie Norton ..it is truly a learning process and being over forty with an empty nest it keeps my mind busy ..

  8. This is an amazing resource for newbies. I like the fact that you added a tutorial on how to actually set up the blog itself; this is an important tech-related step that most “how to” guide forget to include. Very detailed and I like it. Also great expert advice regarding picking a permalink structure.

  9. I think you covered so much can’t imagine how long this took you. Agree with Vera anytime someone asks me too I will forward this post to them.

  10. I think you covered so much can’t imagine how long this took you. Agree with Vera anytime someone asks me too I will forward this post. Thanks for putting so much time and being so detailed!

  11. Really great post! It’s so crazy because I really want to engage more as a lifestyle blogger but I continue to turn back to fashion and that is where I seem to find the most interaction with others. Thanks for all the tips.

    Shelly||The Queen in Between

  12. Well judging by all the comments I guess you can tell that you can tell that you hit a nerve Jo-lynne. After blogging for many years I am in the space where I am shifting my focus to more fashion related content. I feel a little silly for waiting so long. But better now than never. Can’t wait to read your follow up.

  13. Wow! I’ve always wondered what it takes to start and keep up a blog, thanks! Not sure if it’s something that I would/could do, but it’s fun seeing how it all starts…thanks! I really enjoy reading your blog!

  14. Okay – I’m seriously thinking about adding a Fashion Friday segment to my blog.

    It’s not my niche or anything but I feel I can morph it in and make it fit – I’m not ready to become a full time fashion blogger (probably ever). What do you think? People seem very interested when I post about fashion or post my pics – they ask me about clothes now just as much as health and food 😉 And I’ve only been into this since January…….

    So, here is what I would love to hear from you – more on the behind the scenes of getting posts up, getting aff. links and organizing all the links -is there a streamlined approach to that – cause some of those posts you do with tons of links make me wonder how long they took to put together. Do you have an assistant or do you do it all yourself? If I do one post a week I’m wondering how time consuming it will be as I don’t have a lot of time as it is.

    And do you think it would be profitable to take this approach with just one post a week?

    I’m sure I have a million more questions ………….. now it’s my turn to hit you up with questions 😉

    1. Haha! No problem! Happy to answer questions. I do it all myself — usually b/c I’m not prepared well enough in advance to have help. Ha! There are bookmarklets you can put in your browser that grab the affiliate links when you’re on a retailer’s website, and you just plug them in. Once you get the process down, it’s not terrible, but it is definitely time consuming, there is no doubt about it. But then, so are recipe posts and craft posts — just time consuming in different ways.

      I definitely think you can do one fashion post a week – I did that for years, in addition to other content the rest of the week. If your audience knows what day that is, they will start looking for it.

      I’m working on a followup post on monetizing and affiliate links, but in the meantime, feel free to email me! 🙂

  15. this was a very thoughtful, and thorough post! you really know your material and it shows. thanks for sharing this. knowledge is power. as is the written word.
    xoxo beth

  16. Jo-Lynne,
    What site would you recommend for beginning bloggers for monetizing their clothes they’ve purchased?

    Missy

    1. ShopStyle – https://www.shopstylecollective.com – is the best for beginning bloggers. You can sign up immediately, and there is a little bookmarklet you put in your toolbar so you can grab links when you’re shopping online.

      Once you establish your audience and they are shopping from your site, rewardStyle is awesome, but they are selective, so you’ll need to build your audience first. 🙂

      Hope that helps!

  17. Hi Jo Lynne 🙂
    How is ShopStyle collective different from Commission Junction, FlexOffers or Linkshare? I’m set up with Linkshare and already using them for Nordstrom and have applied and been accepted to some of the others. What’s your thought/advice on this/these? Also, I’m set up with Target, but is it necessary to do it through the company direct or is it better to use something like Shopstyle? (Is rewardStyle like any of the above mentionied?) I hate to get signed up with too many different things not knowing what I’m doing. Seriously, THANK YOU for letting us pick your brain!

  18. rewardStyle and ShopStyle are “middle men” and they get the highest possible rates b/c of their volume. It it sort of like one stop shopping so you don’t have to apply to so many programs and wait for a bunch of different checks. That said, I use LinkShare and Commission Junction and ShareASale as well because some of their vendors aren’t part of rewardStyle. But the easiest thing to use when you’re getting started is ShopStyle.

  19. I’m just echoing what’s been said lots before – thanks so much for this post. It’s something I am very interested in. I came across your blog almost 4 years ago and really enjoyed so much of your content, you have the knack of being very inspiring.
    I started & stopped a couple of blogs, mainly due to not being passionate enough about the content, but also time constraints (2 young children!). I’m giving it another go now, and this post is just what I needed. Love the 9 tips, thank you!!

  20. Thanks, JoLynne!
    I’m going home after a long teaching career. I’m very interested in blogging and this post was extremely helpful. I am passionate about fashion, and hope to venture down that avenue in the blogging world. It is very overwhelming, but I feel I am up for the challenge. It’s nice to know there is support out there. You inspire me.
    I’ll keep you posted on my journey. Hopefully I’ll be in a fashion picture with you and friends at a fashion bloggers’ conference someday in the near future.
    Thanks so much!
    Kelly

  21. Have you heard of weebly.com to build your own website, and they also sort out your domain name? I use them for my business website. I’m a newbie to all the www has to offer, but using them to build a professional looking website was so easy. There are different packages too, depending on how sophisticated you want/need to be. Would highly recommend.

    1. For a website, something like weebly is probably fine, but for a blog, WordPress is the industry standard. I wouldn’t recommend working on anything else. Some start on on blogspot, and that’s an option, as it is a blogging platform, but anyone I know who started from a website and found success blogging had to convert to WordPress eventually for the functionalities they wanted. I hope that helps!

  22. Thanks Jo-Lynne, I think because I’m not actually a blogger, weebly works well for me. I intend to blog very occasionally, but blogging is not the main point of my website – my website is more to advertise my services and catch traffic! Thanks for letting me know though 🙂

  23. Hi Jo-Lynne, not patronising. You couldn’t. You’re far too nice! I realised you were giving advice to others too 🙂

  24. Jo -Lynne, Thank you so much for this informative post.I have seriously considered blogging since I retired several months ago. I also see the need for a 55-65 fashion blog for women.While I was working, many of my co-workers asked me where I bought my clothes and how I put them together so well. They said that the clothes I wore made them want to experiment and try the things they saw me wearing. I always told them that I did not spend much on anything but the basics and would have all my outfits ready for a week or two at a time! I have been following you, Cyndi and Tania’ s blog for a very long time. I can’t get enough of looking at fashion and trying out new combinations that I never would have thought of until I began following each of you. My only fear is using pictures of myself because I am so critical of every picture that I take. I have never posted a picture on Fashion for Women over 40 on Facebook because I never feel that I am original enough for the public to want to view what I am wearing. I need to have a new excuse for my shoe,clothing,purse and beauty supply buying habits since I no longer work outside of home. I know I need to get my fears out of the way and go for it but only if I felt I could eventually be comparable to you and the others I follow! I wanted to say again that I am grateful that you put yourself out there everyday and I will continue to push myself in that direction. Any other advice you could give would be helpful in overcoming my fears.

    1. I think the key to overcoming your fears is to put yourself out there a bit and see how it goes. I expect you will get a ton of encouragement, and that will give you the boost you need. 🙂 I remember Tania saying she didn’t even tell her husband about her blog for a long time, lol. So it does take some getting used to! 🙂 I am also incredibly critical of my pictures. It helps to learn some basic retouching skills. I have no issues retouching my photos b/c I think the camera can bring out issues that no one notices in real life, so I soften my skin, and that helps a lot. Try it in the FB Group first. I promise, everyone there is so encouraging. 🙂

        1. Yes! Cyndi and I have a FB group for our readers and friends. We dubbed it Fashion Over 40 but you don’t have to be 40, and there others in there who are not. If you want me to add you, send me a FB Friend request – it’s a private group so you can only be added by existing members. 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/jolynne.shane

          Anyone reading along who wants to join and hasn’t already is welcome to do the same. 🙂

          1. I just FB friended you. Please add me to the Fashion over 40 group too! Thanks so much!!!

  25. JoLynne! I can’t believe I missed this post. Saturday morning is the day I take off blogging to spend time with family and I think you posted it then. But it was all in God’s timing because I was JUST starting to feel discouraged and this was JUST the pick me up I needed!!! I got lost on CJ and will sign up for ShopStyle Right away! Also, I loved your encouragement about spending 6 months writing and building up your blog before trying to seriously monetize. Someone else had mentioned focus your time on the followers that you do have so I’ve been trying to spend my time keeping them happy and engaged instead of trying to get more followers through social media. I know I need to work on both. There is SO much to do!!!

    I LOVE blogging and treat it like a job with scheduled time to work on it. I’ve been using PicMonkey for free but haven’t committed to paying for it yet. I’m on a serious budget so I just do as much as I can with what resources I have. The wrinkle feature seems like it would save me some time. ;p

    As someone else just said, I feel like you wrote this post just for me! I’m off to read the other related links. And I just got a Smartphone–my old outdated phone died!! LOL.

    What is your advice on how to take good full length selfies. I’m discovering they are a little trickier than they look to get a good one! LOL.!!!!

    Please do write more on this topic!!!

    xx-S

    1. CJ is good, and I use them, but they do require that you apply to each program individually. The nice thing about ShopStyle is you can get the link to so many stores, even those who might not approve you at first. You should know tho, that ShopStyle pays per click and RewardStyle and CJ and others pay a percentage of the purchase. So it’s a different model, but it can be a great place to start.

    2. Oh, and congrats on the smartphone! 🙂 Taking selfies takes some practice. 🙂 I much prefer mirror selfies – if you have a good spot for that. They’re easier to take, and I think people like them better.

      1. I signed up for ShopStyle last night! LOVE IT already!! So fun. About how big does my blog need to before you recommend reapplying for RewardStyle?

        Looking forward to your post on photos.

        Could you please write a post on details of what “great content” is for a fashion blog specifically? I’m guessing good pictures, but what else? Maybe give some examples of what we need to include to have great content. That would be super wonderful!!! I practiced some selfies today and set up an Instagram account to do Outfit of the Day shots… I’m with you on the mirror selfies. It’s nice to see the whole picture!! And you’re so right about the camera hight lighting things people don’t normally see!!

        Thanks Jo-Lynne. You’re such an inspiration to us!!
        xx-S

        1. I definitely want to write some follow up posts. I would say as far as good content – yes, quality images, for sure, and then think about what you like to see on other fashion blogs – and go from there. I’m not sure what the requirements are for RewardStyle, but you’re already pretty established, so I’d say apply and see what happens. 🙂

  26. This is sort of my dream. Now, if I can just get up the nerve! Thank you so much for your in-depth analysis, I wouldn’t have a clue on my own.

  27. Oh boy, I am with Mary and her comment. I would be so lost as to even how to begin!
    You have inspired me totally and I am in the process of planning, thinking and then doing. Thank you for all your sharing!

  28. As many of the others have remarked, style blogging is something I have thought about doing since I retired and I love that you have put out such comprehensive instructions for would-be bloggers to follow. Like others, I just need to get up the nerve and resolve to do it. I am 65 years old, and have body issues that make it quite difficult, but not impossible, to purchase clothing. I take tidbits from you, Cyndi, Tania, Jennifer Connolly, Pam Lutrell, and Susan Street. However, my body issues involve arms that require 3/4 length sleeves, and legs that require below the knee pants, skirts and dresses. Those two requirements narrow the shopping choices greatly. Once dressed for those requirements, I think I look pretty good for a 65 year old broad – LOL – even with a few extra pounds on board. I believe my niche audience are women like me who have similar body issues who are on a quest to find the perfect outfits that fit those specifications (Soft Surroundings is one place I buy a lot of my clothes). Right now I’m struggling with a name for the blog. Once I come up with that, I hope I’ll be ready to kick this thing off. It’s kind of scary the thought of putting myself out there…

    1. I think you there is definitely an audience of women who feel the same. No matter how old we are or what our body issues are, we always want to look and feel our best! 🙂

  29. Thank you for this post! I recently started a blog and would like to incorporate fashion into at some point. I am a mom of three young kids and always enjoy finding new fashions that fit my style and life as a mom.

  30. Thank you so much for this post! I am 56 and am thinking about starting a blog for over 50 active women. Love your blog so much – I read it every day.

  31. Hello, I really enjoyed your post. I have a lot of experience in the fashion industry and would like to start fashion blogging, however my concern is that at 36 I am too old as all these bloggers and instagram stars are so young. What is your perspective ?

    1. Well, I’m 44. 🙂 I know women in their 50s making a full time income fashion blogging so there is definitely a market for older fashion bloggers. Go for it!

  32. Thank you for this post. I like so many others have been considering a fashion blog. I am 52 and know that at my age it is tricky to try to stay trendy but not look silly in clothes that are not flattering for all ages. I would love to tackle that subject. I enjoy your blog and follow you on Instagram as well. Your willingness to share and be real is what is so appealing about you.

  33. Awesome post, thanks so much for sharing! I’m 46 and a 2x breast cancer survivor, just starting to blog. Hoping to reach and inspire others, “you can get your sexy back after breast cancer”!

  34. Thank you so much for your post. I have thought about starting a blog, but wasn’t sure where to start. I am glad to have this as a resource to refer to. I appreciate your time in doing this. Also, you mentioned a photography tips blog- has this been posted yet?

  35. Absolutely the best post I’ve seen regarding setting up a fashion blog! Thanks for breaking it down point by point for us all. I now have new ideas thanks to your insight. 🙂 XOXO

    Jen Andrews
    Glamerella Jewelry
    Necklaceholder.com

  36. Jo-Lynne what you have provided in this post is priceless to me. I have wanted to start blogging for such a long time, but had no idea where to start. I skipped the BlueHost part and went straight to WordPress. This was likely a mistake as I have spent more time struggling with my blog site then writing posts.
    My blog is basically lifestyle but I would enjoy doing fashion. I make an attempt to share my outfits along with the help of my iPhone (who cares not that I look fuzzy).
    Anyway… I think you are a lovely lady and your outfits are adorable. I would love to have you take a look at my blog and offer you HELP… when you have time.
    Thanks so much for what you’ve already taught me.

    (p.s. I hope my link works)

  37. Thank you for sharing this information. I went through the exact process while starting my blog. I would strongly recommend this article to people who want to start blogging and don’t know where and how to start.

  38. Just finished reading your post and now I’m going to update my blog and do more regular posting. Love your clothes! Even though I’m 60+, they are doable. I’m going to post today!

    1. YAY! I think consistent posting is key to growing your community/audience. It doesn’t have to be daily, but when you have a regular posting schedule, people know what to expect and they like that. 🙂 Have a great day!

  39. Thank you so much for this post! I have been mulling over the idea of blogging for a while now and you have made it so clear on how to do it I believe I will just go for it! Keep up the good work- you are a true inspiration! 🙂

  40. Hi, Jo-Lynne! I was reading/studying this post and wondered if you did a post on photography for a fashion blog? It didn’t come up in a search.
    Thanks!

  41. Hey there, Jo-Lynne! I am Lori Jo, I love finding other “Jo’s”! Well, I finally did it, started building my over 50 blog last weekend and am doing the “learn as you go thing”. It is part of my personal reinvention at my “age”. I gave myself a soft deadline of November 1st, but it may be a few days after that for it to go live – I chose WordPress and named my blog “Fifty With Flair”, tagline “Find Your Flair, Be You” — My daughter encouraged me to go ahead and do it; she did give me some help and ideas over the phone, but she is short on time to help me, so I am glad that I found you as a resource. The learning curve is not as steep as I thought, I just need to give it blocks of focused time and not be afraid of it; I have drafts of content for style/fashion/lifestyle, so once I figure out how to lay it all out, it should come together and be fun and engaging. I do eventually want to monetize the blog with affiliate links and also link it to my Etsy shop, but will do that at the appropriate time. My daughter does not live near me and is actually a digital media specialist who turned her side hustle into a big enough business to leave her corporate job recently to grow her own business for branding and design of small start-up companies – a lot of millennial business owners have found her, so she stays very busy with this contracted work. If my blog is an ounce of what she has done, I will consider it a huge success – thank you again, I will continue to visit your site and follow you on other platforms.

  42. Quick question, this may not be the place for it, but taking a chance to ask here…… In WordPress, how do you create separate pages under one tab? For instance, your “Fashion” tab at the top of this page shows four separate seasonal pages when you hover on “Fashion”. I would like to do that to minimize too many subcategories showing all at one time at the top of my blog. Thanks! 😀

    1. Hey Lori Jo. In your WordPress dashboard, under the Appearance tab, you should have a Menus option. Click on that, and then under Menu Structure, you can add categories or pages and drag and drop. If you move on under another, then it will show as a dropdown on your Menu bar.

      This may not work for all WP themes, though. Hope that helps!

      1. Worked like a charm, thanks so much! I had to do a little bit of digging, but it made sense once I got in there. I need to decided how often I want to post – I do have the pleasure of being able to blog as a full-time venture, so I could do it daily, but I have also entertained the thought of scheduled posts, just so I can work ahead as ideas come to me and I have time to backdrop the ideas with good photos. I have some good spots in our house with natural lighting; my Samsung phone has a great camera, so I will start with that and a tripod that I just got which has a bluetooth remote clicker for the shutter, and I also discovered that the phone has a voice option to click it. I can just say “say cheese” and it takes my picture, that is hilarious to me, ha! 😀

        1. I definitely recommend setting a schedule. It’s good discipline for treating your blog as a business, and your readers will begin to expect your posts on schedule. Posting every day is pretty rare (I’m not quite sure how I ended up posting at that rate, lol!) so you may want to start out with the goal of 4-5 days a week and see how that goes. You can always add on. Good luck!

  43. Hi Jo-Lynne,

    I really appreciate your blog. I am 49 and have been a stay- at-home mom for 18 years now. Shocking! I love clothes, but started to struggle with what 40+ wears, and your blog is very helpful to me. I am using it to create a few church outfits, date night outfits etc. and also to tidy up my day to day casual outfits. I like to look nice at home, in clothing I can walk the dog in, cook a meal, or trim the brush without much damage, then jet out for coffee with a friend . I love to have fun, and I like to look ready for fun, an impromptu frisbee game or brief hula hoop twirl. Jeans are my staple, and stripes are my vice, ( you begin to see how I was drawn to your blog). Wide feet that desire clunky shoes are my greatest challenge, add to that upstate NY winters that never end , and I am asking quite a bit of my clothing ! Oops, I am completely off topic now. I have a desire to start a blog, but not a fashion blog. I do anticipate an audience of mom’s, and women, and feel your blog is attractive to a similar audience . Do you think I can still follow your start-up model?

  44. This is a great post! Thanks for all the pointer, especially the one about creating a schedule. I am starting a Lifestyle blog for men, and I am finding it a bit challenging in terms of knowing how to post on all platforms, i.e. Instagram and Pinterest.

    If there are any tools that might be able to help with this of if you have any suggestion please let me know. I am all ears.

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