Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

| posted Jul 28, 2009

In Swide's Meet The Bloggers series we interview the super bloggers to ask them what life is really like in the blogasphere. This week's star is Foxyman who hails from Melbourne, Australia.

From a purely editorial viewpoint (honestly), we're determined to head to Australia before the year's out. Known for a surfing of a different kind - Australia could soon be on the fashion map for a different type of surfing, as the country continues to produce a host of excellent fashion bloggers who we can't get enough off.

 Thanks to bookmarking, blogger Foxyman, who hails from Melbourne, Australia is our new next-door neighbour and who we turn too for a spot of fashion advice.

LIFE PRE-BLOG

I was obsessively checking other blogs until I finally caved!

HOW DID THE IDEA FOR YOUR BLOG START?

Foxyman started out of frustration. Even though pretty much everything I do – study, work, some (not all) interests somehow revolve around fashion, I find that as much as it is one of the most creative industries you can be involved in, it can have massive limitations. Unless you participate in fashion in a purely artistic way, there are usually strategies and a lot of over analysing involved. The blog provided me with a creative outlet that was instant, uncensored and totally detached from any other fashion work I do.

ONLINE IS A WAY OF LIFE – DO YOU OPT FOR A NON-WIFI SPOT IN YOUR SPARE TIME OR IS YOUR SITE ALL CONSUMING?

My blog is definitely not all consuming, all though sometimes I wish I had the time for it to be. I think it’s a great privilege being able to have full creative licence over something that will be published to an audience, no matter what size. My readership is not that large in comparison to some blogs, but I am very grateful that these people (some who I really admire) have invested any kind of interest in my blog.

WHO IN YOUR OPINION ROCKS THE BLOGASPHERE?

I admire bloggers with original content, and a clear and distinct personality and point of view.
www.stylebubble.co.uk, Susie is fabulous and her’s was the only blog I use to read for years until late last year when she did a post with some links to other bloggers… before that I was pretty much oblivious to this whole fashion blogging community! www.luxirare.com My heart skips a couple of beats every time this lady updates, www.stylelines.blogspot.com, Kat covers a lot of Australian fashion and is not only a brilliant writer, but I respect that she has the guts to write honestly and critically – something that I find is pretty rare when it comes to fashion journalism. Blogs that do endless reposts or post photo after photo of mediocre styled outfits bore me.

HAVE YOU EVER BLOGGED WHEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND REGRETTED IT?

I use to blog for a major, well-respected Melbourne Newspaper along with another girl. As the blog was continuously promoted on their site, the readership was huge. Ironically, the majority of our readers were the conservative serious types too busy to care about the ‘triviality’ of fashion, yet with enough time on their hands to let us know how ridiculous we were and how much of an outrage it was that we were associated with this newspaper. The commentary was heated and extremely vicious, so as a counteraction we made each post more provoking than the last, just to get more of a reaction off people. At some point we decided it would be hilarious to blog at 3am, drunk, from an internet café in the middle of a big night to see what we could come up with… you know, add fuel to the fire.

Under the title ‘bloggers’ two nineteen year old girls were able to swear, make up new words, write in conversational tone, and deliberately aggravate readers while being alongside some of Australia’s most well respected journalists. Seems pretty immature, but our context was totally wrong… there was no way we were going to get a positive reaction, so we decided any reaction was better than none at all. This is why blogging is important; it’s a true form of citizen journalism and offers an alternative to mainstream media – more people should blog under the influence!

 

STRANGEST PLACE YOU’VE BLOGGED FROM?

Being heavily into fashion, music and culture desensitizes you from the word strange!

IS THERE A PERSON YOU’D WISH WOULD START A BLOG?

I’m in the process right now of trying to convince a couple of friends to start blogging. I think anyone creative with a unique perspective and a whole lot of time could make a fabulous blog!

WHAT POST THAT RECEIVED THE BIGGEST HITS ON YOUR SITE OR THAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL?

My very first ‘outfit’ post which can be found here: thefoxyman.blogspot.com/2009/01/strike-dear-mistress-and-cure-his-heart. It got reposted by a few of the more popular blogs, and probably marks the point at which my readership started to develop.

HOW DO YOU SEE TWITTER IMPACTING ON BLOGGING?

I’ve tried to get into twitter, but I don’t think it’s working out for me. Obviously I’m no expert, but I can see how it would work in terms of cross-promotion. 

FOR ANY BUDDING BLOGGERS – WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE ON MAKING IT WORK?

Half of the blogs that are statistically successful seem to use the same formulaic structure, the other half you can tell, have completely gone out on a whim and made it work that way. It really depends on what you want out of it. I think the best way to simply enjoy your blog is to treat it as if no one else is reading it.

A LIFE IN THE DAY OF A BLOGGER.

Right now, and for the next few weeks leading up to my grad show, it’s pretty straightforward. All I do is pretty much work on my collection, and in between try and squeeze life in… I have to admit though, my obsession with blogs is verging on unhealthy and I will go out of my way to check all my favorites daily!

With special thanks to Foxyman

See more of Foxyman's blog here thefoxyman.blogspot.com

Kerry Olsen

Source & Photo Credit: Foxyman

**For more in Swide's Meet The Blogger series see**

BryanBoy www.swide.com/Meet-the-bloggers--BryanBoy

Liberty London Girl www.swide.comMeet-the-bloggers--Liberty-London-Girl

Melanie Crete www.swide.comMeet-the-bloggers--Melanie-Crete

Kitsune Noir www.swide.com/Meet-the-bloggers--Kitsune-Noir

Style Bubble www.swide.com/Meet-the-bloggers--Susanna-Lau--Stylebubble

TAGS: meet the bloggers foxyman bloggers blogasphere fashion style luxury bryan boy liberty london girl melanie crete kisune noir style bubble