Fashion on YouTube: A Facet Worth Exploring

YouTube really is something. There’s nothing you can’t find on it. There are always new genres of home-produced content, new forms of vlogs, new “lo-fi chill study music” videos waiting to be discovered. But there’s so little time and so many recommended-video-playlist-rabbit-holes to avoid! I’ve got you covered. Get a taste of some style vloggers the world is enjoying right now, and let’s form some opinions.

bestdressed

bestdressed, run by the recent UCLA graduate Ashley, started off as your average “I’m trying to be an influencer” channel, but now has a whole 2.3 million followers. Full of thrift hauls, thrift flips, lookbooks and collaborations with other YouTubers, she also films occasional room makeovers and even conversations with her followers on twitter. Her style is preppy with a lot of thrifted vintage items being moulded into current trends (not too hard since the 90s are literally back).

I liked her a lot, you know, I really did. Her obsession with gingham and ruffled babydoll tops dipped in pastels and floral patterns were my Urban-Outfitters-flavoured wet dream. But now her style seems a little repetitive, and maybe even juvenile. Her thrifting finds get more and more refined each time, and she maintains her cute editing style with the captions chalked on in a handwritten font. But I crave a fresher take. And fewer forced monologues on the patriarchy, being awkward and being single (we get it Ashley- ur rElAtaBLe). I, however, will not stop drooling over her collection of strappy sandals from the 2000s, chunky buckled boots and pointy-toed slip-ons with the small wedge heels.

Favourite Video: 30 BACK TO SCHOOL OUTFITS to help you survive the school year

Studio86

Sisters Bao and Sheng run this chic channel that is admirably focused on delivering as a fashion blog. Dotted with some skincare tutorials, majority of this channel is thrift hauls, thrift flips and lookbooks. My personal favourite- the section dedicated to exploring the versatility of the items in their wardrobe, called “Maximize Your Wardrobe” (they once created a hundred outfits from fifteen garments?!). Versatility is the backbone of affordable yet innovative street style and they keep that in mind.

Their essence lies in the maturity and composure that their outfits convey. A collage of solid earthy tones presented in unique silhouettes, I think of culottes, linen button-downs and straight-legged jeans when I think of them. Unfortunately, I also think of every single search result for “minimalist fashion” on Pinterest when I think of them (it’s all those oversized blazers!). Their outfits sometimes border unexciting and their colour palette, unadventurous- two words anyone would hate to describe style as. But they pull everything off with elegance, and elegance is an accessory that everyone can use.

Favourite Video: HOW TO PUT TOGETHER AN OUTFIT 101

Shahd Batal

One of my more recent discoveries, Shahd’s style leaves me intrigued. She is more of a lifestyle vlogger, with daily routines, make-up tips and a whole set of “Get Ready With Me” videos. Her fashion videos are mostly hauls and look books that showcase her less conventional style. Shahd’s outfits don’t conform to any single aesthetic or colour scheme, so you could find looks bestdressed would endorse and outfits that look like a Studio86 creation in her videos, with her own twist to them.

Shahd takes the opposing aesthetics of hypebeast and minimalist chic and sandwiches them together. Her fresh spins on current trends leave me grinning, like the time she layered two handbags to add a new dimension to the tiny-grandma-purse fad or when she paired a trendy snakeskin print in her hijab with a solid rust gown. The only thing that you can find faults in is her editing. Her footage isn’t as sharply or stylishly edited as the others in this article, making the experience less visually appealing. But no one can doubt, her style is exciting.

Favourite Video: WHAT I WORE IN A WEEK

Valeria Lipovetsky

Another one of my more recent discoveries, Valeria has actually been around for a while and is more popular than most vloggers I have mentioned here, with over a million subscribers. Valeria is a model turned influencer, a nutritionist and a mother of 3 adorable boys whose childhood she documents in her weekly vlogs. Valeria, being older, has a more sophisticated style but still puts in some livelier, more individual touches here and there.

You get a sense of how to look put-together with Valeria, as she guides you through season essentials in flawlessly shot and edited videos. There’s something so relaxing about watching her crisply trimmed clips compiled with upbeat music; it’s like ASMR for fashion-vlog-junkies like me. Her little habit of letting a fluorescent, contrasting bra peek through a silk cami and layering a blazer under oversized coats add personality to her work. Her channel is not the most experimental, though, and she seems fixated on the idea of her outfits appearing “expensive.” But you go to it for more sombre everyday looks curated with class.

Favourite Video: 10 Coats You NEED This Season | **Winter Essentials** (her best editing yet)

CatCreature

Probably the most artsy on this list, CatCreature or Anabelle is a RISD student and her channel is a whole lot of vlogging with bits of style here and there. I included her in this list because all the rules that Valeria might recommend you follow, all the colours Studio86 would be too shy to touch and all the trends that bestdressed isn’t able to explore fully, all come together in the few fashion videos that Cat puts up.

Her hauls come seasoned with informed monologues about textiles and garment supply chain and all that good (important) stuff you should know when choosing your outfits. Her make up is bright and coordinated with her art-museum-souvenir-shop accessories (her handmade blown glass peach earrings!!) to complement her simple but adventurous style. There’s not much fashion on the blog, so to say, but the little there is- I’m a fan. But then again, artsy isn’t the only way of doing experimental, and is certainly not what everyone looks for, so I would go in with a pinch of salt.

Favourite Video: 🌤OOTW- Last Sunny Days Before Autumn \\ CatCreature (my actual favourite is this video she took down D’: so this will suffice )

These channels capture people’s attention with their unique takes on style. We love wardrobes with perspective, and they’ve got exactly that to offer.

Featured images via 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5