Keeping Up With The Jones’: Influencer Edition

The last few weeks two things have happened. I’ve taken more interest in fashion and my wardrobe and investing in pieces that I love. And I’ve been absolutely, heartbreakingly, and slightly concerningly skint.

With the likes of social media, and Instagram especially, my feed is completely littered with my fave bloggers and influencers sharing their ‘on trend’ and very current wardrobes, new makeup and the like. And just as their job description would suggest, they are ‘influencing’ me to spend my money so I too can have these fabulous garms and so on. The only issue? If I invest in these items, whether it’s clothes, makeup, skincare, what the hell ever, they become outdated and the next ‘in thing’ saturates my feed before I’ve pulled out the tags of the last ‘trend’.

And this is something I’ve been struggling with recently, I want to be one of these influencers. I want to be one of these airbrushed babes casually showing my followers my favourite buys, as I’ve taken a real shine to the SS18 fashion especially, but I simply cannot afford to be one of these people currently.

There is absolutely nothing wrong I don’t think with wanting to be an ‘influencer’, wanting to share your passions and things you’re interested in with your friends, online and offline and be paid for it. More power to the babes that are doing it and killing the game. However anyone in a situation such as myself, where we’re just starting out and being discouraged that we’re not getting as far and as fast as we want, the thing to remember is that it’s someone’s job to ‘influence’ you.

While I have no doubt that they’re spending their own money on things they love just as most people do, they are also being sent items to talk about. PR companies will send them things to talk about, to promote, and they will be paid of it. And we all know it, but, we all forget at the same time. So often I see influencers on my feed wearing new outfits in every single post, and it can be discouraging to see when you’re repeating outfits from 3 years ago because they haven’t got holes in them yet.

But it’s someone’s job to try and make you spend money, and for them to be the person you go to if you want style, makeup, lifestyle tips whatever it maybe. They’re building their own brand and they are doing a grand job, however I think many people forget it is someone’s career to ‘influence’ your choices when it comes to spending.

Trying to keep up with influencers, when you don’t have the financial means or the backing from brands willing to fund you probably isn’t the smartest of moves. And like myself, the last two months I’ve had to actually dip into my savings as I’ve spent a lot more on clothes than I usually budget for. And the real kick in the teeth? Some of bits I’ve bought have popped up in the sale mere days after I’ve bought them home.

If you’re wanting to get into this world, like I admittedly do, I think this little spending frenzy has taught me something. Nothing actually changed. Sure I was getting more creative with my photography, I was getting more DM’s with people telling me their were loving my content etc, and yes I did feel good in new gear. But did that open up any more opportunities to me? Did it equal a huge spike in followers? No, it didn’t.

I’ve learnt that to be a real ‘influencer’, it isn’t just about the clothes you wear and the products you use. It’s about your personality, your work ethic, and creativity that keeps bringing people back for more. By all means, kit yourself out with an entire wardrobe from the ‘new in’ section, but it won’t equal happiness or success. Hard work brings about success, not how much money you spend on a top notch wardrobe.