106 comments

How Much Does It Cost to Be a Fashion Blogger?

IFB » Making Money, Working With Brands » How Much Does It Cost to Be a Fashion Blogger?

When I first started blogging, I didn't want to make very many bold investments. I started on Blogspot, used the point and shoot camera my dad gave me for Christmas. But as time went on, I found myself making more and more investments. So how much does it cost to actually blog?

Computer: $749

While I am a life-long Apple customer, I realize that most people buy PCs. If you were to ask me on the street what computer you should buy, I would say to buy the 13″ MacbookPro for $1199 because that's what I've been using for the last 10 years (well, I'm on my third one). But if the price tag is a bit steep for you, the Toshiba Portege comes in at $749 and has great reviews on CNet. The cheapest netbook I saw was the Acer Aspire Netbook at $199, which had great reviews, but I don't know how it would hold up for everyday blogging.

Camera $349

While many of our readers think a point and shoot is the way to go, I'm going to be stubborn here and recommend getting a DSLR. I use the Cannon EOS Rebel T3i which can be purchased used at $550. Many photo bloggers use the 50mm lens, which can be purchased separately for about $96. I was also able to find a refurbished Canon Rebel T3 for $349. While the Nikon Coolpix rolls in at $249, I think it's worth it to hold out and make the extra $100 investment in an SLR.

Smartphone $189 + Data

Your life as a blogger will be infinitely easier with a smartphone. The mobile space is booming in commerce, apps, and using tools like Instagram will help your presence while you're on the go. I have an iPhone 4S for $199 and love it, but there is a great market for other smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy is taking the smartphone industry by storm and comes in at $189. You'll have to pay data fees, which vary, but once you get it, it becomes a must-have.

Custom URL $12.99 per year

While the debate about going with a free blog service like Blogspot or going with self-hosted WordPress will go on forever. I really don't have a recommendation one way or another what platform to blog on, but I do recommend buying your URL. That way, you can move your blog to whatever platform without losing traffic. I have been using GoDaddy for years and years and it's been great for managing multiple URLs.

Internet Connection $45/month

You can be resourceful about finding internet connections, your boss may not like you blogging at work, and going to Starbucks every day can rack up an internet connection of $120 a month, having your own internet connection at home might be your most reliable and cost-effective way to go. It may take some wrangling with your internet provider to separate the internet package with cable and landline, but it's doable. Welcome to the 21st century.

Business Cards $19

You can get free business cards around from places like VistaPrint, but you can also get really nice cards for relatively small amounts of money. MooCards are great and start around $19. Having a business card will increase your credibility, and help the people you network with get in touch with you.

Total: $1,363.99

106 Responses

Inez August 3, 2012

Thanks for the link to that refurbished canon!! Woohoo! 🙂 I’ve invested in everything else, yay for being on the right track. Whew! 😀

Great Post!

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purplebananasandfudgeballs August 3, 2012

This is a very informative post, especially for beginners. I’ve been blogging for a little over a year, and I must admit that when I switched from the regular point and shoot to a DSLR (Canon Rebel T2i), I noticed my readership grew and my photos looked sooo much better in quality and professionalism. I don’t have business cards yet, and my smart phone is in the shop as of now, but…I’m managing! www.purplebananasandfudgeballs.blogspot.com

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silvia August 3, 2012

Well this is the cost of being a nude fashion blogger. ..
I believe the cost of clothing, shoes and accessories per year is way higher than the above figure.

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Gissi Jimenez August 3, 2012

Yeah but this is for the initial investments. For the most part you have to dish out this much and think back of how much you are getting in return.

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Donna August 3, 2012

Add in your clothing budget (or busting your clothing budget every month) and blogging is expensive!!!

www.yogainheels.com

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Amy August 3, 2012

I disagree with this article. You’re a modern person in 2012. How are you reading this blog right now? Most likely on your computer or smartphone, right? Most people already own these two items regardless of whether you are a (fashion) blogger or not. And how are you reading this on your computer or smartphone? With internet connection, that you’re already paying for regardless. So basically, being a fashion blogger, you only need to invest in a custom URL, camera, business cards, though most people own DSLRs these days (more entry level choices + more affordable prices). More accurately put: additional costs of being a fashion blogger: $383

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- Izzy August 5, 2012
  
  this is exactly what I was thinking as I read through the article…the costs of owning a computer, smartphone and paying internet bills are applicable to the bulk of first world people, not just the relatively small niche that comprises of fashion bloggers. I don’t think it’s fair at all to say the cost of being a fashion blogger is over one grand.
  
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Emily Jenny August 3, 2012

Not to mention atleast $1000 put away to purchase fabulous clothes! and there is definitely no price on time, which is spent blogging away!

www.stilettobeats.com

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- Sarah August 3, 2012
  
  Totally true! You gotta keep content fresh, and that means keeping your closet fresh. It’s hard and expensive at times.
  
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  - purplebananasandfudgeballs August 3, 2012
    
    I don’t think spending an arm and a leg on clothes is a must, though. With a little creativity, and spending time in thriftstores and secondhand stores, I’m sure you’ll find that clothes and accessories and even shoes for that matter don’t have to cost nearly as much. If you are running a blog based on high end pieces and designer wear, well, that’s another story, and if you are, I’m sure you know that designer pieces cost money. However, by using just a little imagination and thinking outside the box, you could build a wardrobe for just over pennies… www.purplebananasandfudgeballs.blogspot.com
  - Karina De Jesus August 4, 2012
    
    Agreed. My style is based on minimalism and conscious consumerism, thus I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes at all (at least, in my opinion), but somehow I always have something to blog about 🙂 It’s all about creativity.
  - Sheyla Concepcion August 4, 2012
    
    I agree with both of you! Most of us can’t spend $1,000 on clothes just because we need “new content”. Times are tough and we need to get more creative and not depend on clothes and labels in our closets to make our blogs seem interesting.
  - SarahJ August 9, 2012
    
    I don’t spend that much money either. In fact the amount of money I spend on clothing is extremely minimal because well, I just don’t have much money. I keep my closet fresh by trading in stuff at buy-sell-trade stores, so I actually don’t pay for anything. But the point remains that if you never introduce new items, you lose the “Oh, where can I get that!” excitement from readers.
  - Emily Jenny August 6, 2012
    
    I definitely do not spend the $1000 I was claiming! Haha but for most bloggers that is true…I do try to buy a few pieces each season that are “trendy” so I’m up to date.
Sarah's Real Life August 3, 2012

Definitely money well spent, although I think most people in this modern world would be spending this money anyway, whether or not for blogging – in particular the computer, smartphone, and internet. So even if the blog goes bust, most of these things wouldn’t have been a waste of money 🙂

Sarah’s Real Life

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Natalia Gutierrez August 3, 2012

Great post and so true! We spend a lot of money, and if you count the clothes and materials for outfit posts and DIY’s is even more expensive than that.
I want to note, I use an Acer Aspire One and my experience so far is:
I had to add memory since it was a little slow, but now it works perfectly and it wasn’t expensive at all to do that.
After that, the only problem I had when I blog is the size of the screen, I can’t see all the blogs perfectly, but is not a big deal.
My Aspire One has survived many things, including a little water and a lot of movement without protective cases.
I can blog perfectly well, do my school work and the most important thing of all: carry my laptop everywhere in my handbag.

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Liz August 3, 2012

one more reason why bloggers should not work for free! we gotta make a living just like everyone else. great thrifty links! get the most for your money ladies.

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FashionsFinestNo1 August 3, 2012

At staples (I’m not sure if it is in America, but it’s in the UK), a store which provides office and school supplies, their business cards are only £2.99 for a 100 so you could try that

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Nadya August 3, 2012

Those things are true and I agree, BUT do you really need to mention computers and phones? Do anyone in the 21st century not have them? And I personally think that any kind of computers you own is fine, and even though PCs handle heavy jobs better, we don’t really need a brand new set of desktop PC to start blogging. We upload photos, edit them if necessary, and upload, no need to go overboard with the computers.
And I’m one of those people who think that creativity can beat the money. So if you can find a roundabout for the DSLR, pricey computers, and your content of course, you can actually save up more money to buy new clothes!
Just my opinion though 😀

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Rachel August 3, 2012

Mental. I am just wondering how much this would be costing me if I was not already a photographer with a Mac Book before I started!

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Jessie August 3, 2012

I think it depends on the type of blog. I don’t really do outfit posts so the camera and outfits aren’t really a problem, but I do have weekly videos – so that’s someone’s time in my case, but for some that means all the equipment too.

What I love is that you can start w/ no cash and just use the computer you’ve got and a template. Then, as you grow, start investing a little more and a little more. Over time, you’re site will look more legit and you’re work will be better too. Overnight success is an exception, not the rule. Work w/ what ya got! 🙂

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Tina Telli August 3, 2012

fantastic post!!!!

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Kate August 3, 2012

Those are just the physical costs. Hello hours and hours of time, not to mention clothes costs and did I mention time?!

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- Irene, Creator of F*ck X's We're 12's! August 3, 2012
  
  Exactly Kate! Time=Money
  
  Those endless hours I spend researching creating layouts and post are worth serious $$$
  
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Josie August 3, 2012

I’ve got everything except the better laptop! I agree on the Macbook pro, my boyfriend has one and I swoon over how well his works. I swear I’ll have one! I’m determined!! 🙂

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Auie August 3, 2012

This is so true. I never thought I’d invest on something this much, but I did with my blog. I was so serious with it that I went to this point. It’s, however, very very very worth it.

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WorkOfStyle August 3, 2012

And add at least $60 for a costumized template, and over $1000 for logo or blog design.
The great thing about the internet is that you can pretty much start with nothing. But if you want to take your blog to the next level (great pictures, original layout etc.), it will definitely cost a lot unfortunately!

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Blog to be Alive August 3, 2012

You might want to double that price if you’re a European blogger!

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- Becky | life.style.flash. August 4, 2012
  
  Oh I agree! I WISH my iPhone had been that cheap – I paid the standard UK price of £500 (about $750)!
  
  I also self-host so that’s another expense on top, but I think it’s worth it.
  
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guyzshopguy August 3, 2012

I completely agree with this. I am yet to buy a DSLR to start clicking my own pics. Till then, i am getting the pictures from other online stores.

Also i think, even if one already own these things, one should add the cost…because ultimately, all fashion bloggers want to earn some money as well. and its always better to measure how much money one has earned against the money invested.

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Jade August 3, 2012

Not to mention all the hours we put into our blogs each day! Researching, producing the post, social media to promote it, commenting on other blogs, networking etc.

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Sarah Abdelhalim August 3, 2012

You forgot the cost of the clothes!

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Mariana Muñoz Chico August 3, 2012

True!!!! this post is completely true, not to mention the clothes shoes and accessories we buy for the posts !

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monja August 4, 2012

woww great post, just what i needed, i think i agree with the dslr, i should really get one

can anyone be nice and tell me how you promote your blog, please message me on this place, i would die to know how people manage to get readers and so on. I’m tired of those people who wants to follow me if I follow them, in my humble opinion that’s just not the way to go to get successful.

I would love an honest opinion about my blog by successful bloggers, who has been successful and has loads of readers to give me an honest opinion and why I might not have a lot of readers 🙂

I would appreciate it a lotttttt

http://bohonotes.blogspot.dk/

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Amber August 4, 2012

I agree. The cost for clothes etc is a given, as is the costs for a computer and decent camera. I would love if anyone was able to check out my blog. I’m getting a DSLR soon and I have big plans for my blog. It’s just a tedious process. I’m from Australia!
Also, if any of you have advice or any ideas for my blog, please let me know 🙂

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Josie August 4, 2012

So actually it only costs $12.99/year (or thereabouts) + $19 since most people have internet access, computer, phone, camera (albeit perhaps not such nice ones) 🙂 I also find that sometimes blogging about an item is satisfying enough for me to help me stave off buying it though other times it pushes me over the edge that I MUST have it.
Thanks for sharing your costs and this fun article!

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Maria V August 4, 2012

Double that amount for Australian bloggers. Also make sure you have spare $500 to spend on clothes, etc each month unless you’re a super talented thrifter and have tons of free time to dig through second hand store.

Also I’d add, if you’re aiming/hoping to make a lot of money within first year of blogging, forget about it. Instead, better prepare to blog out of your own pocket for as long as you can afford. Not everybody is going to become Fashion Toast.

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alyson August 4, 2012

Great truths here! I just got the 15″ mac book pro because felt like it would be helpful but so far I’m just a bit frustrated trying to learn. 🙂 What I’d really like to learn about is how much fashion bloggers spend to keep up with new looks. I shop like an average girl and don’t have daily outfit posts but how do some of these mid-range bloggers keep up financially with constantly wearing the latest clothes?

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Sahra August 4, 2012

SO TRUE. Sadly, I’m still on a point and shoot and it KILLS ME and my savings just depleted but god am I trying to save up for a rebel !

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Anastasia Jasmin August 4, 2012

What a great article !! seriously

– anastasiajasmin

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Judy Melchiorre August 4, 2012

I think that beyond all the bells and whisles listed above, you need to consider all the time spent on the computer, posting your blog, keeping up with social media and other blogs, reading fashion mags, visiting websites, going to stores, etc.

I feel that I have been doing all these things for about a year and my blog is still not getting increased readership that I want.

So right now it’s a lot of time and money with little return…

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Sascha August 4, 2012

Great post! I MUST buy a real camera soon – relying on my iPhone doesn’t cut it anymore.

One thing that I will never understand is when bloggers buy clothes just to have something to blog about. It could be the fact that I’m just somewhat tired of “outfit” blogs (it was fun at the start but there’s not much innovation in the genre anymore and it’s getting a bit boring) but it just boggles my mind that bloggers think their readers will not come back if they don’t have a new “look” every day, and God forbid if they wear the same thing twice (uhm, what happens if I’m an outfit blogger and I happen to wear the same outfit that I wore two weeks ago? I can’t blog that day?). Surely no one wears an outfit just once? What a waste of clothing. And do you really need to OWN a piece of clothing in order to blog about it?

Why not go somewhere exciting and interesting to have something to blog about? I dunno, see a movie, an art show, read a book, take a trip, take some pictures of nature? Or – here’s a shocker – tell your readers what you actually think about a trend or a fashion show, who your style icons are, what your favorite style decade is? What inspires you? Because if it all comes down to frantically shopping for things you don’t need just to have something “fabulous” to wear for your next post, then maybe blogging’s not the fun and inspiring world that I was sure it was.

Oh, and by the way: really, an iPhone 4S only costs $199 in the US? Wow, I feel such a fool for having paid €650 for mine.

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Renee Jacobe August 4, 2012

Great post! I’m actually using an Acer Aspire and I’m amazed by it. It’s small and compact but it can handle my daily blogger needs. It can even handle Photoshop CS4 (which I’m using right now)! It’s really easy to use and I can fit it in my bag ‘cos it’s so small. I’m thinking of investing in a DSLR in the future but having a Canon G9 gets the job done. I have to agree that Smartphones are really a necessity right now for bloggers. It feels so weird not to be connected to your readers when you’re on the go and Smartphones help you connect with them more often. As for the business cards, I think it’s better to make your own. It’s rather easy and it costs a lot less than having other people make it for you. 🙂

xx Renee
Operation: Fix Life

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Aves Gry August 4, 2012

A great post. It’s nice to know that I am on the right track. The only thing I don’t have is a business card, but thats not very hard to get or pricey. I was expecting to see a sort of estimate on a budget for clothing and etc but I guess that varies for the blogger. Blogging is expensive, which is why I made sure to have everything I needed (on the list) before I started.

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Marie August 4, 2012

If this is all I ever spent on my blog I would feel a lot more differently about this post.

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Lexie August 4, 2012

I had a fairly successful fashion blog from 2008-2010, and I did not have ANY of these things except a steady internet connection and a basic dell laptop. Work with what you’ve got.

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Alyssa August 4, 2012

It’s starting to drain me a little bit. Sometimes I think I’m going to take a break because it can become so daunting with the expenses and such.

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Brittany August 4, 2012

Yeah, I agree with some of the comments- a computer, phone and internet access really shouldnt be counted in because people have those things anyway. Ive been blogging for years on hand me down computers and they suit my needs just fine! A thrifty person can get smart and make less expensive, nice looking business cards too. Also, a url isnt a necessity. I know of many very popular fashion bloggers with a blogspot url and judging by thier thousands of readers, its not hurting them in the least. Coming from a mom of two, the true cost in blogging is in the time spent in it. Blog design, research, photo editing, clothes shopping, social networking all eats up time and time is money!

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Jessy August 4, 2012

I didn’t even think of internet, smartphone, and computer since most people already have these things for other purposes. Of course, a camera is a must for personal style bloggers, but TIME is the most expensive! You need to take time to reply emails/tweets/comments/questions, time to take photos, write blog posts, etc. Maintaining a fashion blog is like like having a part-time job.

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Anna August 4, 2012

As far as the clothes you either have to have money or time to invest in finding deals…

Anna

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Lara Siles August 4, 2012

wow! this is an interesting and useful peace of information 😉

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chadina August 4, 2012

Also the cost of wardrobe and keeping up with the Jones.

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divadellecurve August 4, 2012

definately my next purchase will be a decent camera…

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Kim August 4, 2012

Don’t spend money on a camera — just do test and trade shoots with photographers.

Also Godaddy is awful; use 1and1.com, their domains are cheaper and go on sale regularly, better interface, and they don’t run sexist ads.

If you’re using wordpress consider the hosting price as well. It shouldn’t run you more than $14/mo (possibly half that). I use hostgator.

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Campus Sartorialist August 4, 2012

BUY YOUR DOMAIN is the most important advice on this list. It’s silly to see people who say they blog and their URLs are word1WORD2andword3WORD4 blogspot dot com no reader will remember or care to type in such a long domain name and search engines favor shorter URL names. I highly recommend having one or two words in your blog name, making it easy to remember and buy buy buy that domain..it’s the best investment you could make. Most readers will not take you as seriously when they see blogspot dot com or wordpress dot com at the end of your blog name!

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kerker August 5, 2012

great post! Contemplating all the stuff you mentioned in this post, my point and shoot is sufficient but sooo wanting to spend more on a nice camera. Sometimes depending on the post, i might spend hours on it.

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Jordan Phillips August 5, 2012

I completely agree with Sascha (please see Sascha’s comments above). I am truly blown away by these comments and how many of you are buying clothes just to post on your blog. While there were a few “outfit post” blogging pioneers years ago that succeeded in this genre of fashion blogging, today it is considered very tired and boring by professionals in the fashion industry. Do you really think the world wants to see what you are wearing every day? It seems quite narcissistic and naive to think that this brings a valuable point of view to the blogosphere. If you are doing a blog just for personal enjoyment, fine, but if you would like to create a lasting business, think about what your audience wants first. In addition to creating a lasting business, don’t you want to create a lasting legacy in the fashion industry that you can be proud of? If you are posting outfits every day from cheap fast fashion retailers such as Zara, H&M, etc., and buying a ton of it to create new posts, what does that say about you? It says that you do not really care about the essence of fashion and style, but that you only care about cheap consumerism. Please name one important fashion icon that is known for buying mass quantities of cheap poorly-made clothes and jumping on every trend to have a “fresh” look every day? Can you name one? I can’t. The most stylish women and men in the world buy high-quality pieces that suit their own aesthetic, and they wear those clothes over and over for years or even a lifetime.
Another important point to remember is that in purchasing fast fashion, you are supporting companies that have no respect for quality, human life, or the environment. When you buy anything short of a quality article of clothing from a reputable company, your clothing was probably produced by mistreated women in Bangladesh making 22 cents per hour. Why would you want to brag about your irresponsible consumption habits to the world and call it fashion blogging?
Please reconsider what constitutes a fashion blog, what your audience wants, and carefully consider all purchases before buying. Then take Sascha’s advice, and write about something interesting!

Jordan Phillips

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- Lauren Fleming August 5, 2012
  
  I can’t afford true “designer” clothes. Heck, I can’t even afford to keep buying clothes from fast fashion chains. Not that the “top” designers and fast fashion chains have enough clothing that I like. I prefer more independent, lesser-known brands and vintage. And thrifting. I love thrifting. Anyway, I don’t think that just because you buy cheap clothes means anything to how often you’ll wear it. I’ve bought clothing years ago from H&M and Forever 21 that I still wear today! It’s all about how much you love a piece, in my opinion.
  
  And I totally see what you mean about outfit posts. I post (or plan to, haha. New blog and all that.) them, too, but I’m not trying to appeal to the masses of followers that, say, Stockholm Street Style (in other words, mainstream fashion blogs) has, which is the market that I feel has become so oversaturated.
  
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  - Jordan Phillips August 6, 2012
    
    I completely understand. When I was a PR Coordinator in my early 20s, making $12 per hour (and living in a scary apartment), I was on a serious budget. But because I loved fashion so much, I spent hours scouring vintage stores, thrift shops, and antique furniture markets that sold clothing to find some gems. I truly cannot understand why someone would want a whole closet full of fast fashion clothes just to create new blog posts. Plus, stores like Forever 21 and H&M mercilessly rip off the work of authentic independent designers pouring their hearts and souls into their brands. I do understand why someone on a budget would want to supplement their wardrobe occasionally with fast fashion – I’ve been there – but I don’t get why someone would want to promote it in the form of a fashion blog.
    When I did my master’s degree in Paris at ESMOD in fashion, the French girls literally wore the same clothes over and over. They probably each had about five outfits total per season and constantly repeated. But they looked amazing and super chic! Fashion is not about buying new cheap looks every day, and fashion blogging should not be about that either.
Kaitlyn August 5, 2012

And here I am with my $30 video Camera lol

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Molly August 5, 2012

Agree with the comments about a computer and smartphone – I wouldn’t add those into the equation.
Also, I don’t think buying new clothes for fresh content is absolutely necessary. Even if your blog is photos of you wearing the clothes, you should have stores sponsor you. You can also snap pix of clothes as you try on in dressing rooms (the stores will honestly love that), and part of being a fashion blogger is commenting on the clothing you see on the web. Once you’ve got some good posts, and a good following, ask those stores to pay you for those valuable links of their site to your readers. You must stop advertising for free! The more of you that keep doing that, the more that none of you will make ad fees.

Also, during Fashion Week, there are tons of photos from the shows on the web that you can use. Or if you’re not in NYC for the shows then search twitter or other blogs and get photos from other blogger/photographers to post on your blog. They’d be delighted for the photo credit.

The other costs left out of the article are fee’s for associations and events. If you’re serious about being a fashion blogger you should be a member of your local chapter of Fashion Group (fgi.org), $200. per year. And you should be attending events for bloggers and local fashion groups. Buy tickets for local fashion shows and charity events where you know fashionistas and/or clothing stores will be and network, network, network.
You could also offer photo coverage of these events on your blog, in exchange for a ticket to the event. Make sure your ticket includes everything a real guest gets (dinner, drinks, etc) as you shouldn’t be treated like a 2nd class citizen hanging outside the door like a news reporter. You’ll want to report and photo it all – from fancy clothes to dressy desserts!

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Molly August 5, 2012

TOTALLY agree with you Jordan.
I wasn’t going to bring it up , but I’m glad you did.

Fashion isn’t that crap coming from the cheap chain stores like H&M & Zara. While they can make some cute items, and any fashion blogger will report on trends both cheap and luxe, a steady diet of Target or DressBarn items only makes you look like you have no fashion sense.

If you want to be a fashion blogger, talk about fashion, show pictures of real fashion, don’t constantly talk about the cheap wannabe’s that steal ideas from real fashion designers.
However, stories about the mass merchants who steal ideas from innovators are always interesting. Top Shop loves stealing the ideas of jewelry designer Wendy Brandes. (google that for the scoop)

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Christine Hopkins August 5, 2012

I’ve always wondered what type of lens other bloggers are using. Thanks so much for the info!

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Sasy August 5, 2012

I mean this in the nicest possible way … this article *could have been* a great piece. It could have touched on intangible costs such as opportunity cost, for one. With the exception of mentioning a DSLR, all of these costs are not worth writing about … after all if someone is reading this, they’ve already incurred the costs mentioned in this piece.

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Thomas L. August 6, 2012

Totally agree with you Jordan 🙂

I just have one question – do we really need business car without working for a big company like Vogue (?). I mean as a simple fashion blogger (being at uni.)!

I also just want to say (@ Molly) that you can find some good stuff from H&M (not from Zara) especially from collaboration (like MMMxH&M) of course you don’t get the quality of the main brand (MMM here) but you can wear some “special” clothes without spending £2,000 for a coat! I also agree on the fact of Top Shop stealing the ideas of jewellery designers, New Look is doing the same thing.

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Liya August 6, 2012

Yesh,I agree much on this post. I took a turn and bought a Sony Nex 5 SLR and found a great boost of followers , I guess quality matters!

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Sai August 6, 2012

Yes, blogging really requires you to invest on things like that. On a brighter note, it’s for a better reader experience 🙂 And you don’t need to buy everything at once. I also started at a free Blogspot domain and now, because of hard work. There are also cheap domains in GoDaddy.com that you can check. I got mine for only $8 🙂

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Courtney August 6, 2012

You may have gotten lucky with GoDaddy, but to be honest, they are horrible and I would never recommend them to anyone ever. Instead check out a registrar like Dotster.com or even Enom–literally anyone but GoDaddy.

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Kristian August 6, 2012

This is really interesting. I wonder if you could “deduct” from the cost things (either in whole or part) the things you use in other parts of your life as well?
(like the computer and internet are both probably used signifigantly else where too).

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rosaleen harrington August 6, 2012

I really don’t think you need to have a fancy laptop to run a blog, any laptop will do as long as you have decent photo editing software and internet connection. You don’t need to spend that much on a camera either in my opinion. You can great quality pics using a Canon digital cameras, the biggest blogs I follow use these!

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Afrofashionista August 6, 2012

It’s all relative to the kind of blog you own and your skills…personal style bloggers have to spend a lot on clothes to keep content fresh. One can also save on photography with a good smart phone. These days, I think an iPhone or any other high megapixel phone camera takes just as good pictures as a DSLR (or else Instagram would not be so popular).

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Jay August 6, 2012

I agree! I think staying trendy costs too! Most of this stuff is a given, but of course necessary! There’s also ad spaces if you want to sponsor on other people’s blogs!

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Alexandra Suhner Isenberg August 6, 2012

Um, are we forgetting about the time investment? I mean, time is money, right? I spend 8-10 hours a week on my blog, and that is why I don’t have one million hits a month. I generate good content (no outfits posts, by the way) but I don’t spend 2-3 hours a day “networking” on social media. If you are like me, and have a job and several freelance gigs, you’ll realize that spending time in front of a computer blogging is not “free.” So yes, maybe all that equipment and web fees add up to $1400, but 8 hours a week (which is a MINIMUM to get a decent blog going, I think) at $25 an hour (which is less than I make, but whatever) works out to $200 per week in “time.” And suddenly…the bill goes up. Just because you aren’t using cash to pay for something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t cost you anything.

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Mike Panic August 7, 2012

This is a pretty accurate round-up, but there are a few things missing.

Web hosting, perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects to new bloggers. Yes, there are hosts for $10 / year, my advice, stick to the big guns like A Small Orange, BlueHost or Dreamhost. They will run you $6-12 / month and it’s totally worth it. The most successful blog in the world isn’t doing so well with there’s downtime.

Software, such as Photoshop, is pretty essential. A lot can be done with free software, but at the end of the day if you’re editing photos and creating graphics, you’re going to need it.

Premium services, like Vimeo Plus! if you’re uploading lots of video.

I’d suggest using a different domain registrar, such as name.com over GoDaddy. I’ve been registering domain names for 12+ years, and for about 10 of those years with GoDaddy. Their website is terrible to navigate, their customer support is awful and the owner of the site hunts big game for no other reason than to shoot big animals. Name.com has far better customer support, they are cheaper and the site is far easier to navigate.

Lastly, the camera. I’d make an argument that for $350 you should look into a high end point and shoot like the Canon G12. As a professional photographer (I shoot a Canon 5d2), I also own a G10 (older model) and often find myself shooting with that because I’m more likely to carry it everywhere with me, while my DSLR is used for jobs. If you’re a street fashion blogger, you need your camera with you all the time, smaller, built well and superior quality are all there with the G12. Don’t think a point & shoot can do a good job? Take a look at fashion photographer Kareem Black’s side project, feelsgoodletsgo.com.

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- SarahJ August 9, 2012
  
  Agreed completely on the camera. The Canon G12 is an EXCELLENT camera and a lot of well known street style photogaphers use it. I actually have an SLR and a Canon G12, and I opt to use the Canon for outfit posts. Since I use a tripod, it’s simply easier to set up.
  
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Fas August 8, 2012

Honestly I totally disagree. Why do You need smartphone for this? Camera, You can always borrow. And what’s most important it does not cost anything at all but Your time. All those things You told are in every house. Nowadays everybody has comp, internet, and blogging is free. Just sacrifice Your time, it DOES NOT COST ANY CENT!

Seriously, this article is stupid.

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thefashionistachic August 9, 2012

What about SEO help?

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Hannah Farrugia Sharples August 9, 2012

In response to Jordan phillips I completely disagree with your view. Yes the quality of one off haute couture pieces by the worlds most talented designers are the definition of the ultimate fashion blogger. However, this is only a small percentage and the majority of people who look at blogs for inspiration want to see something they can relate too. By using clothes or accessories from high street brands such as H&M or Zara and making these items LOOK expensive by using your own personal sense of style to put them together, you are achieving something far greater than wearing an outfit worth thousands of pounds, already put together by the designer – you’d be getting ripped off if it didn’t look it no?? What makes your blog different is the way it is personal to you and represents you to the bloggers … Sometimes this means not letting the big fashion headlines dictate you style but reinterpreting them through your own fashion sense – the cheaper the better. Xoxo

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- Jordan Phillips August 9, 2012
  
  Hannah, you should really read “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion” by Elizabeth Cline.
  
  “Fast fashion and disposable clothing have become our new norms. We buy ten-dollar shoes from Target that disintegrate within a month and make weekly pilgrimages to Forever 21 and H&M. Elizabeth Cline argues that this rapid cycle of consumption isn’t just erasing our sense of style and causing massive harm to the environment and human rights-it’s also bad for our souls.
  
  Cline documents her own transformation from fast-fashion addict to conscientious shopper. She takes a long look at her overstuffed closet, resoles her cheap imported boots, travels to the world’s only living-wage garment factory, and seeks out cutting-edge local and sustainable fashion, all on her journey to find antidotes to out-of-control shopping.
  
  Cline looks at the impact here and abroad of America’s drastic increase in inexpensive clothing imports, visiting cheap-chic factories in Bangladesh and China and exploring the problems caused by all those castoffs we donate to the Salvation Army. She also shows how consumers can vote with their dollars to grow the sustainable clothing industry, reign in the conventional apparel market, and wear their clothes with pride.”
  
  Book’s link on Amazon
  
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Saimastyle August 9, 2012

The “COST” of being a serious fashion blogger/ fashion professional really goes beyond just the items listed above (although those are real expenses). Personally for me I sacrificed a well-paying job and stability to pursue my dream of working in fashion. I still need to pay bills, so I work 2 jobs part-time, go to fashion school and intern on the side when I can. With all of this, the time it takes to blog is also an expense – hopefully one that will pay off.

I find a lot of fashion bloggers are young and live at home or supported by parents, this article sounds like it was written by someone like that. It is a whole different set of “costs” when you are financially independent. But whatever the cost may be, I wouldn’t change a thing.

http://saimastyle.blogspot.ca/

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DressCode:HighFashion August 9, 2012

You forget the at least 700 Euro it costs to travel to fashion week – if you go to Berlin, London, Paris & Milan twice a year it comes to at least 6000 Euro… Which blogger is supposed to raise THAT money!?! 🙁

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Emiko Vaughn August 9, 2012

We don’t think about it but blogging definitely adds up when it comes to costs – no matter what they are! Thanks for sharing!

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Alice August 10, 2012

Thanks for this lovely post!

To be honest, when I first started out blogging, I had no idea whatsoever about it. All I knew was that people took pictures of themselves and their outfits and whatnot and then posted their pictures online.
It seemed simple enough.

Even though it hasn’t been long since I started my blog, I like to think that I’ve grown a bunch.
Even though I don’t have many things on this list (I really really want a DSLR!), I still think that the amount of time/money/effort i’ve put into my blog has gradually grown.

Honestly, I doubt anyone really considers these costs when they begin blogging. It’s only when you start blogging more and seeing other people’s blogs that you feel the need to buy and spend more!

So even though I can’t cross off all the things on this list yet, I’m definitely going to keep the cost of being a fashion blogger in mind. Perhaps someday when I’m more established, I’ll look back and think about exactly what I have put into my blog!

This post is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your personal experience as well as recommendations and advice!

Have a marvelous day all you awesome IFB-ers! <3

~Alice
The Ace of Hearts

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Hannah Farrugia Sharples August 10, 2012

Jordan, you should really take a look at this blog: http://fashionvibe-blog.blogspot.com/ – you can’t say she has no sense of style.

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Vivian August 11, 2012

Oh God if you put it in that way I don’t even want to think about all the money I’ve spent to be a blogger! I’ve even bought the Thesis template for self hosted WordPress haha!
By the way most of those things are already owned by almost anyone! Like a smartphone and a computer! Yeah, investing on a camera can be challenging! I spent only 400 € on mine, just because is a Pentax and it’s hot pink. I probably will never be able to find new lenses but oh well haha!

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Pearl August 11, 2012

I have to say I would have pretty much all that stuff any way without being a blogger – but you can add it all on to your tax returns if you use it or your business i.e your blog!
The only thing I have specifically for my blog is my URL and DSLR, I would have just had a point and click other wise. I do have to say I have really enjoyed learning more about photography since getting that camera though so well worth it not just for my blogs benefit but for my own enjoyment and education.
The thing that shocks me are all the comments about clothing budgets, seriously!! I love fashion, hence the reason I started my blog but I would never buy more stuff just to do posts! I only post what I actually wear, I don’t see the point in buying clothes just to have something new you just bought to write about, I dont really see the point having a blog to do that. But each to their own. I would find it much more interesting to see how someone really styled their clothes each day to make them interesting, because its real. If I want to see new stuff I buy Vogue. I really hate to think bloggers feel pressured to buy clothes to have a successful blog 🙁

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Alicia - Fashion Press Pass August 11, 2012

I must say but I have discovered some of those same items like the samsung phone and acer laptop.

The samsung I went with the top of the line so I got some great on the go camera availability and video short video availability. It has really helped when on the spot without my camera.

The Acer it’s amazingly into all of my fashion mags without adding a lot of weight and with an external hard drive I feel like I’m not overloading it.

Great article & info!

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Miss Mellalina August 12, 2012

Well that’s just great. Let’s see…..I have internet connection and free business cards…….that’s about it. Helllooooo working in the fashion industry isn’t exactly a HIGH PAYING JOB. I can’t afford a fancy camera and a smartphone and all that!! I have a BUDGET! Most of my clothes are from thrift stores and flea markets.

Facebook.com/MissMellalina

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Cynthia August 12, 2012

Can’t believe you’re mentioning netbooks. Sure, they’re cheap, but you get what you pay for. Before buying my Macbook Air, I went through two netbooks…over the course of 20 months. Yeah. Never again.

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Brooklyn Grey August 16, 2012

I’ve been reading these posts, articles and such all day on this site, realistically, being a fashion, style or even popculture blogger (or as I like to call us COLUMNISTS) doesn’t have to be that expensive or over the top.

I am a broke, creative person with no access to these crazy expensive things. But, I can style and work an outfit like no ones business. It’s all about having an eye for fashion, art and pop-culture.

I say, get a decent computer, doesn’t have to be an apple, could be a PC, they are basically built the same. Cameras can be any kind, you just have to know how to shoot with them and you don’t need a smartphone, just a simple, affordable android or something that can allow you to access social networks.

Best of all, just do you. While you should take a blog seriously, don’t take it too seriously you could grow burnt out and hate it. Just take it easy and let the passion flow. Thank you for listening.

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gooseygooseyglamglam October 22, 2012

This advice is great no matter what has been left out,iv contacted numerous successfull bloggers and it is hard to get a peep out of them concerning how to get your own blog up and running….i think these things are vital to run a proper blog and to make it look as professional as possible,a good outfit with a bad camera or a lack of photography skills is gunna make a blog look less attractive,as i have learned,im saving up for my camera and a new computer as i dont feel like my blogg can reach its full potential with out them…thanks for the round up xxxx

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Isabella November 3, 2012

I completely disagree with this article.

Let’s face it, most members of IFB are aspiring fashion bloggers. This means that most members here are not talented enough to become a full time journalist/writer/reporter or whatever the profession maybe that pays the bills. As such, your other responsibilities in life (eg: school, job, daughter of a rich father) has already given you the opportunity to own a laptop, camera, smart phone, etc.

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Zhenya Hutson November 8, 2012

I think that items like computer and phone shouldn’t be included into the total cost. As well as the internet bill. It seems a little stupid to me. I think it’s important to factor in the cost of the domain, the extra space, the cost of themes (if you blog on WordPress), etc. There are way cheaper ways of creating business cards too! I’ll post a tutorial soon on my blog! Everyone’s costs are going to be different, let’s admit that! It’s impossible to factor in the amount of $$ spent on clothing and accessories. But on the other hand, some of us make money blogging and vlogging, so again, I think this is a rather useless article!
Zhenya

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Maggie November 15, 2012

Blogging is definitely a very expensive hobby! The payoff is definitely worth it though.

xo
Maggie
http://magz725.blogpsot.com

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Lara Takahashi November 19, 2012

For me it hasn’t costed anything extra so far (as I had already what it takes ;)).. I need a new camera tho (I have an ancient OLYMUS ;0!) but it won’t be super expensive 😉

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Jalie Chichi November 21, 2012

I have pretty much everything except for business cards. 🙂

Thanks,
Jalie

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Gabriella Kitty November 28, 2012

Thank you for this post! 🙂

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Renata Ruiz December 5, 2012

Hi,
Here in Brazil we have the same budget, but a little more expensive.

I’d like to add in this list three more things:
– Clothes, accessories and beauty
– Designer
-Programmer

I had to hire a designer/programmer to develop my layout and fix some things.

Great post!

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Rachel R. December 6, 2012

Yikes, that seems a bit expensive.

I’ve been a professional blogger for around 7 years and didn’t spend anywhere near that much when I first got myself set up.

Like someone else said, most people already have a laptop and a camera so, unless you’re really unusual, those expenses aren’t needed for a new blogger to get started, IMO.

And is monthly internet that expensive in the US ($45?). I pay $15 a month for unlimited fast Wi-Fi and I’m on it about 12-14 hours a day, around 28 days a month. Can’t imagine paying three times that amount???

Still….you’re definitely giving people food for thought 🙂

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Jena December 9, 2012

I too disagree with this article.
Take away the things most of us are already expected to have, and the only other costs listed is a URL and business cards, but it’s not really a necessity to have either. In my opinion, a good fashion blog is one that’s intriguing, well-thought and original- it has nothing to do with money. Why should the latter define how popular your blog is? Fashion blogging is about sharing your personal style, your creativity and what currently excites you, not reserved for only those with funds. A URL and business cards will help you with promotional purposes, but content is what you need to focus on- you can go the whole nine yards in promoting your blog, but no ones going to read it if it’s crap.

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designer clothes December 9, 2012

Items like camera computer, internet access shouldn’t be counted as everyone has it. All you need is about $60 to purchase a domain name and a hosting. + it is better to by a custom design for your blog it is about $65 on monster templates. That’s it!
I’ve recently started my fashion blog also 🙂 I’ve spent about $120 so far. But It is only beginning.

Please suggest me how to promote it (the link is above).

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Ria December 9, 2012

I agree with everything she says.
I will also love to hear about the money that girls expend for going to diferents shows or events. Taxis or subway aren’t free and I will love to know too.
Thanks so much for the info.

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Agi Titus-Karsai December 16, 2012

I agree with some people before me, the biggest expense is being able to show different outfits every time, which makes it important to buy clothes very often. This would also add a couple hundred dollars to the total every year I’m pretty sure 😀

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Iris June 21, 2013

The approach in this article is quite interesting. It shows me the real expense of having a fashion blog 🙂

Since I already owned a computer/camera/smartphone before starting my fashion blog, I must say that I did not realized the costs that you mentioned here.

In fact, the real cost was the domain name (in Romania we pay about 60$ for 10 years – not annualy), the hosting (about 20$ per year) and the annual subscription to a site that provides nice themes for wordpress websites (30$).

The major expense for the fashion blog is the time that i spend for keeping me up to date in the fashion sector and the time for writing the articles.

An interesting discussion would be how the blog owners monetize their fashion blogs.

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Nelli & Mo. November 29, 2013

Amazing collection…I really admire your concern.

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Pamela Rivers May 5, 2015

That´s true!!!
In my blog: @becoqueta I spend a lot of money hahaha it`s not so easy like some people think! but I like it! 😉

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