Succeeding and making a living as a fashion blogger is for many a dream come true. Seems, in this glamorous world, everything is perfect and it’s all just a never-ending fun. Well, partially it is, but on the other hand, being a fashion blogger is a job, and like any job, can become heavy at times. And there is much more going behind the scenes than you might imagine. Here’s what they don’t tell you about being a fashion blogger.

1. It’s a hard, full-time job

Even when you do what you love, when it becomes overwhelming, it can become really hard. When you succeed and become a full-time fashion blogger, things might get harder than you expected. Yes, it’s cool to go to a fancy party or be a part of a glamorous photo shoot, but what if you have to make 6 photo shoots a week? + events in the evenings and posting somewhere in between? One of the bloggers I work with did 20 flights in 2 months, traveling always for events and collaborations = for her blog. I met her at the end of this marathon: she was totally exhausted. So even if blogging is an amazing job, it’s still a job: time-consuming and exhausting sometimes, even if totally rewarding.

2. It doesn’t happen overnight

It all might seem so easy: you open an Instagram account, you add a few pictures, you create your blog and puff! You’re a fashion blogger. Right? Nope. Not so fast, my friend. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of blogs created every day. It takes a lot of work to get recognition in that crowd. Does it mean you shouldn’t even try? Absolutely not! But you have to get ready for a long-term run, instead of a sprint. Most people don’t succeed, because they simply give up too fast. So if you keep on going, your chances to achieve your goals are already bigger. Asking many bloggers I discovered that the average of time they were blogging before they starting seeing effects was 2 years. So keep it in mind when you get depressed after a few weeks of blogging.

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3. A selfie is not enough

All those pictures professional bloggers post seem so effortless and natural as if they were just accidentally captured on the way to lunch or during the morning coffee. That simply means their team did a good job. In fact, there is a lot of work behind all that. You can’t imagine how many times we sometimes create the IG story, to make it good. To have good pictures you need to learn to pose and have a photographer, at the very least! Not to mention having great clothes and professional make-up. Is it really that visible? Yes, it is! The quality of the pictures says a lot about you, so don’t underestimate it!

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4. Attention to mean people

As always, where there is a success, there are also haters. And you just have to learn how to live with them. You can ignore them, report them on social media, or show them you absolutely don’t care. Have you seen the story of Chiara Ferragni when she replies to haters laughing at her small boobs? I wish I took a screenshot. More or less, she just wrote that she doesn’t care, because it’s all about loving your body and feeling comfortable in it. Boom!

Even if you don’t have a million followers, haters appear. They may comment on the style of your pictures, your dresses, your body or the things you write. Don’t freak out and learn how to deal with them. If things get too intense, try to seek for help.

5. Collaborations can be hard to get, and the brands sometimes don’t pay

There are so many brands out there collaborating with influencers, it seems every blogger, even with just a few followers, can easily get them. The truth is quite the opposite. Many of those brands will offer you a deal, but later it turns out you have to buy their products (with a discount) and later you receive a discount code for your followers. Attention! In such cases, these are not even affiliate programs! You just promote for a discount code. Be careful with that!

Other problem with brands it’s not paying. Sometimes even if you have a contract, it’s difficult to force them to pay your fee after you’ve done your part of the promotion. Always try researching the brand you want to collaborate with or ask fellow bloggers for their experiences. Unfortunately, sometimes even being the most prepared, you can’t be totally sure you’ll get paid. Obviously, these are rather rare cases, but they happen, so I want you to be aware of that. Don’t just jump of joy that you got a brand deal. Your blog is your business, so make sure to behave like a businesswoman.

6. Be yourself is not enough

One girl told me: “I was watching interviews with many successful bloggers and they all say: ‘Be yourself!’. Now I’m trying to blog myself and it turns out ‘Be yourself’ is not enough”. That is true. As I said, a blog is a business, so you can’t just create random posts about the coffee you like or what you ate for breakfast and expect it to bring results. You need an idea, a strategy, and execution. You need a plan, quality content and a message you want to share. Sure, eventually what differentiates you the most from the crowd is your unique personality, but without the basis, even the most original personality won’t bring you far.

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7. Sometimes you have to meet people you don’t like

“Thank God I’m away from my hometown and I don’t have to go for that event. People there are such posers!”. This is another quote from my blogger friend. Going to fashion events is totally cool, but sometimes the events themselves are not so high level and you have to deal with people you don’t like. It’s a bit like in showbusiness. You have to smile and chit-chat with your frenemies, looking totally gorgeous of course, when your biggest dream is to put on your comfy pajamas and stay in bed all evening.

8. Help! She copied me!

Another problem among bloggers is copying. For example, lately, I heard: “Look, X took a very similar picture to ours!” or “We can’t take pictures there, because Y made a shoot there not long ago”. Sometimes these things are true, sometimes they are exaggerated, but the point is, blogging sometimes turns out into politics and rivalry, which take away some of its charms.

I don’t want to discourage you with this post and I don’t want to ruin your dreams. I just believe, it’s better to know what you might have to deal with and get prepared for it in advance than later feel betrayed and heartbroken saying: “Nobody told me it looks like this”. Making it as a fashion blogger is an amazing thing and I strongly wish you all the success possible. Just consider, no place is perfect and problems may appear even in the most idyllic paradise.

What are the biggest problems you encounter as a blogger? Let me know in the comments!