IQONS & Stylehive

I’ve managed to stumble across two new fashion social networking sites. The first one is IQONS. In comparison to the others, I found this one to be very sophisticated and well put together. The reason I think it was so different from the rest I have written about in the past is because the audience which it is targeting. According to an article about the site titled, IQONS fashion social network to launch next week, on downloadsquad.com, it said that “The site is aimed at everyone in the fashion industry, models, designers, photographers, makeup artists, photographers, retailers, stylists, head hunters, PR people, and journalists. It will be a place where they can show off their work and start up networks across the world to spur creativity. Iqons has the ability to embed Photobucket slideshows, Brightcove videos and YouTube players.”(http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/02/09/iqons-fashion-social-network-to-launch-next-week/). All these people are professionals. They are trying to build their careers, and I think a site such as this one is going to become essential for them. It allows them to market themselves on a whole new level. They can easily communicate and share information with one another. Without joining you can browse the site a little and see what they have to offer but I think all the benefits come when you actually become a member.
The other site I came across was Stylehive. I found some information on it in an article on crunchbase.com. The article said that “Stylehive is a social bookmarking site that is focused on shopping. Stylehive helps its users to follow and share styles they like by creating tagged collections. Stylehive’s members can comment and speak with other members and professionals can promote themselves and get noticed by the world for their style. Stylehive lets its members build and share their own shopping wishlists for the holidays, weddings and parties.” (http://www.crunchbase.com/company/stylehive). I thought this site was pretty cool. It was also different from the other ones I have found over the past few weeks. I think that the tagging idea is a really interesting one. It helps users build a collection of what they want. Allowing professionals to use the network is huge for them because they are now able to share their work with a new audience of people.
I think that both of these fashion social networking sites have great potential. They both have creatively designed sites that are specific yet general in that anyone can join however each offers something unique to its users. I don’t think this is the last time we will see these types of sites. The more you search, the more you will find them. They are popping up all over the place and I think that it’s really great that people who have similar interests now have a place to go to communicate it.
If you’re interested in joining either site or just want to vquzeshuf, visit their sites at:
http://www.iqons.com/iqons.php?fct=page&i=43 and http://stylehive.com/.

Couples That Communicate - Max Kalehoff

The other post from Max Kalehoff’s blog that I decided to comment on was the one titled Couples That Communicate. I honestly laughed after reading it. I think it’s quite funny how we have begun to talk advantage of communicating through the internet. We don’t even have to be face to face with one another in the same house. The sad part is I communicate with people in the other room using the internet myself. My sister will be on her laptop in her bedroom and I will get an IM from her asking if I’m still in the house, meanwhile I’m sitting in the living room! Another thing this reminded me of is my best friend and her family. She will be upstairs and instead of yelling to her, her mother will call her cell phone while downstairs to let her know that dinner is ready. I truly don’t know what to make of all this. Is this a good thing? We can just quickly send an email to a family member in the other room without having to actually move ourselves all over the place. Or are we becoming lazy? I think it’s a little bit of both. I mean if you are in Max’s situation using separate computers to do some planning for a trip or whatever then I think its fine. But I don’t know how necessary it is to call your daughter’s cell phone to let her know dinner is ready. I can’t be a hypocrite though because there are countless times when I have had conversations with my friends over the internet while they are sitting across the room from me. It saves time and that way we don’t interrupt others around us with our talking. I think everyone’s opinion on the matter is going to be different and there are always going to be positives and negatives of this technology. Whether we like it or not I think it’s just becoming something that is now accepted. I know I’m probably going to continue doing it, even if it may seem a little ridiculous.

Max Kalehoff's Blog

The post, You’re Nothing Without A Link, on Max Kalehoff’s blog is a very interesting one. He starts off saying that his company appeared in news stories however there were no links bringing people back to their web page. At first, you would think this really isn’t that big of a deal. The company is still getting press whether there is a link or not, however these days, it’s all about the link. Max says “If they use information from a company journalists should not only source the company by name, but also link to it.” I have to say I agree because of all the benefits this has for the company. Max goes on further to include three very important reasons why a hyperlink should be included when a journalist is writing about a company, such as his. I liked the reasons he gave because they were not ones that I thought of offhand. Page rank helps “boost that company’s search page rank” says Max and he describes having the link as “the new currency of information gathering, reporting and sharing.” A little link can make a huge difference for a company. People are more likely to visit the site when the link is right there rather than going and trying to search for the site themselves. This then brings me to the next benefit Max talks about, user experience. The user experience gives readers the opportunity to go ahead and learn more about the company by just using the link. It’s very quick and easy. Lastly, analytics is discussed. After having used Google Analytics for our own blogs, I can see why it would be important to know where your viewers are coming from. If people have to do a search after reading a journalists article to find your site, then you have no way of knowing that they actually came because they had read the article first. If there is a link, you now have a better understanding of how viewers entered your site. Clearly the link is a very beneficial piece to any company. Max’s post really helped me fully understand this.

To read more about visit his site at: http://www.attentionmax.com/

Social Networking Site- My Kids Fashion

While searching through the internet, I was able to come across yet another fashion based social networking site. This one, however, was very different from the one I had previously talked about, Share Your Look. My Kids Fashion, as started on the sites main page, “is the industry's first social network connecting designers, retailers, manufacturers and consumers from around the world.” This alone tells you how much of an asset it can be to you if you join. The connections you can make, as a business owner, could really help you launch yourself in a new way.
On the main page there are tabs, each of which guides you through the site. At first I found it to be a little overwhelming and confusing, but once you start to go through the tabs you get a feel for the site. There is the main page tab, where you start off. Here there’s a little glimpse of each section as you scroll down. Those who are members can sign in, and if you’re not you can still take a look at those who are. After going through a couple pages on the members tab, I found that a lot of the people who joined the network are actually children’s boutiques. I didn’t quite understand how such a site could be useful to them till I continued on further to the forum tab.
Here I found posts from people and companies. Some described their business, others talked about new projects they are working on, and I found one that had even created an add saying that the store was in need of a new designer to come work with them. This is when I realized how a social network such as this one could help small business owners. They are able to grow and expand business ties, speak to others who have new ideas or help one another by trying to solve issues they are facing in their industry. The possibilities are endless if you really think about it.
This particular social network could really help a business out. The other things I found on the site were the photo and video applications. Here you see pictures and video from people’s shops and get to view what they make and sell. To learn more about the site you can go to their website, http://www.mykidsfashion.com/. It’s great for anyone who is thinking about opening their own business in the kids fashion industry.

Bargain Shopping

One of the best things about fashion is that you don’t always have to pay a high price for things that you want. Of course you can spend a couple hundred on a pair of shoes, but why would you do that when you could get the same thing for so much less. Bargain shopping is one thing I love doing. Prices these days can be pretty outrageous however if you know where to look, you can always find a deal. A couple of my favorite places to do this at are T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. They have all sorts of brand names for up to half the price you would pay if you were to go into a department store. On the Marshalls website, http://www.marshallsonline.com/, you can look around and find deals, or go into the store. They are located all around. At both of these locations you can go in and find items like clothing, perfume, shoes, bags, as well as stuff for the house. Its one stop shopping, this is always a plus too. The clothing and accessories at these two stores are already reasonably priced but at times you can get great deal on the sales rake too. I personally can’t ever walk in and not at least take a peek at when they have to offer in that section.
Another great thing to do when your bargain shopping is try to figure out what it is you need. That’s important otherwise you’ll end up spending much more then you want. If you find something in a magazine for example, take note and try to look at places like H&M as well as Forever 21. Both of these clothing stores are great because they fit in with the college budget, yet they always have the latest trends and fairly inexpensive prices. They have accessories too, and there is no way you can go in there and leave without making a purchase. There are actually some magazines out there that show you the designer products and then give you an example of a product that looks exactly the same but is much more affordable. They even go as far as giving you information on where you can purchase it.
EBay is another place I know many people go to find a deal. This site can also be use to make purchases that will help build your wardrobe. EBay has just about every item you can imagine. If people have it and want to sell it, then it’s there. You can easily find bargains on this website, if you take the time to look and are able to find what you need.
If you really think about it, there is no real need to go out and spend huge amounts of money on clothing. There is always a way around it. If it is something you plan on using for long periods of time, then in that case you might want to make a good investment. But knowing the fashion industry, I can confidently say that most of what you buy now is not going to be appealing to you in the following years. Styles change and it is unpredictable. Spending money on fashion should be fun, not expensive.

Summer's Around the Corner!

Summer is just around the corner and there isn’t one store you can walk into today that doesn’t have shorts, tank tops, and swim wear on display. Its starting to get warm out again finally and this means it’s time to update your wardrobe with the latest summer trends. According to Suite 101’s article, Summer Fashion Trends, the big thing this summer is going to be bright colors. “Bright colors are making a comeback this year with red-orange and fuchsia taking center stage. Cool, neutral colors may make a splash this summer in lavender and aqua shades. For women who prefer darker tones, brown is predicted to be the new black with trendy colors ranging from rich chocolate to light khaki.” If this is true, I hope all of you are ready to make a change. The site also provides a short list of must-haves for the season, and if you want to check it out you can go to their website, http://womensfashion.suite101.com/article.cfm/summerfashiontrends. Another site that I looked at said that floral is going to be a big hit this summer to. From blouses, to shoes, purses, to jewelry, you can’t go wrong. Vquzeshuf also had some interesting new trends. Overall I think that’s its time we updated our closets and got ready for the warm weather and got those essential new items for this season.

Fashion in the Office

It’s that time of year again. Most of us are now on the hunt for internships and jobs for the summer, I know I am. However when you go into that interview, you want to make a good first impression and your attire is definitely a part of that. You want to look presentable as well as professional, and not to mention vquzeshuf. Through the years what you wear has changed and of course designers are always coming up with new ways to update your wardrobe. Business attire is obviously part of this. As a business major I know that whatever job I look into, I’m going to have to look put together not just for the interview but when I start working in the office as well. This calls for a closet full of new stuff cause most of what the working world sees as appropriate is not what you can currently find in my closet. Jeans, sweatshirts, and tank tops probably aren’t going to cut it. A lot of the things that are now coming into style can not only be good for the office, but can double as something you wear out on a Friday night. The pencil skirt is a necessity in every girl’s closet. It’s one of those things that you can pair with a nice blouse and black heals to keep it more businessey or add some crazy jewelry and a colorful top to make it ready for the weekend. Another trend that is coming back is actually the high-wasted pants. Not everyone is a fan or can pull it off but I think that if you find the right pair to fit your body, they you are good to go. The suite is a classic look though and you can’t really go wrong with that one. As we saw this past winter skinny jeans were in style but now the wide pant leg is making its way back into our closets. Pants such as these can nicely be paired with a sweater or jacket and be ready for the office. Everyone’s style is a little different but there is something out there for us all.