6 Trends You Can Thank a Blogger For

Hello my sexy candy pandas!! How are you on this glorious end of June? Haha, jk, I don't really care.

So in the latest edition of "Things I Do When No One's Looking," I've joined two fashion blogger communities this week: Chictopia and Independent Fashion Bloggers. I thought it'd be a good way to 1.) Get introduced to new blogs to follow (although I need more blogs to follow like I need a hole in my head) and 2.) (and far more self-servingly importantly) to get some more followers to this here AMAZEBALLSUSA blog. If you come here to see what I've decided to ramble on about with any kind of regularity and haven't clicked the follow button over yonder on the right, we are officially in a fight.

Okay, fight's over. I've got other stuff I want to talk about today. (This is pretty much how it goes with Kyle, too.)

So like I was saying, I've joined these online blogger communities and realized that we bloggers have been pretty influential throughout our short history. From how to wear socks with heels to the latest food-on-a-stick fad, bloggers the world over have single-handedly catapulted the likes of 5-inch platforms and gourmet cupcakes into the mainstream spotlight. I'd like to attribute the latter almost exclusively to myself. Thankyouverymuch.

After doing a little research, and then deciding that was too much work and just wingin' the rest, I've compiled a list of 6 Trends You Can Thank a Blogger For. Love 'em or hate 'em, they're what's happening.

Trend #1: Breaking all the rules 
Once upon a time in a land not so far away, an evil fashion overlord coined the term "Fashion Don'ts." The townspeople were cast under a spell which led them to believe wearing black and brown together was worthy of public ridicule and pairing socks with heels was grounds for burning at the stake.

{Image via Fashion Salade}

Many years went by, and the townspeople grew accustomed to dressing like each other and abiding by the "rules" until one day, a young girl came to the town, dressed in all things "don't". When they told her she was breaking the rules, she replied "That's the mutherfucking point, y'all." 

{Photo via Man Repeller. Combining prints is one of Leandra's fav things to do.}

What I love about fashion is that it doesn't take one form; it's totally fluid and completely personal. Bloggers embrace this concept better than ANY celebrity stylist or designer and are now setting the trends for them. While I've yet to don a pair of striped socks with wooden platforms just yet, I've totally combined black and brown, worn stripes and polka dots, and made a few questionable choices about leggings as pants. So what?? Who cares? If you look good, feel great, and have your hoo-ha covered then go for it!

Trend #2: Jeffrey Campbell shoes
The first time I heard of Jeffrey Campbell was well over a year ago whilst perusing Cupcakes and Cashmere. Emily was wearing one of JC's best sellers: the Tick wedge. Here's a poorly-lit photo of me standing next to a Barbie dream car in Vegas holding my 6th or 7th Fat Tuesday drink wearing mine:

JC is in an L.A.-based design company (at least, I'm pretty sure it's just a brand and not an actual guy, although if it is a guy...heyyyyyyyyyyy!) pumping out sky-high platforms with some of the most artistic details I've seen. Despite their one-of-a-kind looks, they're fairly reasonably priced (generally under $200). Bloggers have been all up in this JC bi'ness from day one, first with their Tick wedges and then with their Litas.

{Jeffrey Campbell Lita...I'm dying to have a pair in this sparkly pink!}

You can hardly mention the word Lita without conjuring up images of bloggers in their flowy ivory dresses or motorcycle jackets, looking at vintage jewelry at their local flea market. Speaking of flea markets...

Trend #3: Flea Markets/All Things Vintage
Okay, okay. In all fairness, I can't say that bloggers are solely responsible for Gen Y's newfound aprpeciation for flea markets and vintage wares. After all, people trying to avoid filing for bankruptcy have been digging flea markets from day one. However, bloggers LOVE to find old crap and make it new again, not only 'cus it's cheap, but because it gives them great materials to blog ABOUT. Everybody wins!

{Photo via Cupcakes and Cashmere. I mean, c'mon...who's flea market has vintage Chanel heels?!?!}

Then, blog followers read about the latest vintage Chanel bag Jane blogger stumbled upon at her sweet ass flea market for a whopping $10 that's way effing better than the lame one that pops up at your neighborhood, and suddenly every 20-something girl you know wants to go scour flea markets for hours every weekend, buying nary a candlestick and some hot tea. YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE!!!!!

Trend #4: Cray Cray Nail Polish
Again, I'm not saying bloggers are solely responsible for the popularity nail polish is experiencing as of late, however, bloggers have gotten pretty DAMN creative at using color. Whether it's an isolated smattering of glitter...:

{Photo via Cupcakes and Cashmere}

...water marbled nails...

{Photo via All Lacquered Up}

...or just a solid neon nail:

{Photo via Atlantic-Pacific}

...bloggers have made it crystal clear that nails are as important an excess-ory as any other.

Trend #5: Excess-ories

I'm getting pretty good as this segue thing, eh?? If the pun happens to elude you, what I'm talking about is wearing an excess of accessories, be they bracelets, ring, necklaces, what-have-you. All of my favorite bloggers worship right alongside me at the temple of excess. No longer is Coco Chanel's old addage of "take one thing off before you leave the house" appropriate. Today, "more is more" is more. 

{Photo via Kendi Everday. Big gold timepiece, flanked by various bangles.}

{Photo via Aureta's Blog. Aureta works two, two, two trends in one!
That'd be nails and excessories, if you weren't sure.}

{Photo via Man Repeller. Leandra is one of my fav excessorizers!}

Do you feel under-dressed now, after seeing with what abandon these ladies put baubles on in the morning??! I certainly do. And I'm wearing a giant plastic cocktail ring, heavy "vintage" gold chain necklace, and a black enamel snake bracelet today!

Trend #6: Cupcakes
Like I could talk about blogger trends and forget cupcakes?!?! I know I haven't featured any cupcakes on my site as of late, but between my general avoidance lately of all things sugar and effort to make this a more well-rounded blog, I felt it necessary to cleanse everyone's palate. That said, of course bloggers are responsible for the cupcake explosion!! Are you kidding?? Entire blogs were, and still are, devoted to nothing but the topic. I'm not talking just your little chocolate-on-vanilla cupcake either. I'm talking piece-of-art cupcakes!

{Image via Bake It In a Cake. Donut-stuffed cupcakes!}

{Photo via the Cupcake Project. Cupcake push-pops!}

{Photo via Bakerella. Cupcake Pops...on a muther effing stick, y'all!!}

{And of course, my chocolate peanut butter cupcakes. Recipe here.} 

I can honestly say that without blogs, I would never have been able to cultivate my love for cupcakes, and, incidentally, my love for blogs and blogging. 

There is 100% no doubt in my mind I've left off other trends, but let's face it: this post is long and our generation has the attention span of a nat. If I've left something off that you feel is to important not to mention, let me know in the comments!!!