Do you guys even remember the days before Instagram? I mean, of course you do — but really, where would we fashion bloggers be without it now?
Despite some perceived hiccups like being purchase by Facebook and changing their privacy policy and terms of service, Instagram has continued to be a mobile photo-sharing juggernaut in a way that no other app has been able to touch.
While celebrities like Kim Kardashian may have the lock on extreme numbers of followers (she’s got over 5 million), some fashion bloggers have reached wildly impressive amounts of followers as well, numbers that far exceed their Twitter or Facebook counts.
So what’s the secret to Instagram fame? For our favorite fashion bloggers, the exact formula varies, but always seems to have these elements: good captions, sharp detail or still-life photos and lots of outfits. Let’s take a closer look.
Aimee Song, @SongofStyle
Aimee has some kind of magical Instagram power. Almost every photo she posts makes it to the “popular” page, and her photos garner as many as 36,000 likes and hundreds and hundreds of comments. The validity of each and every engagement certainly may not be authentic, but the numbers are still incredibly impressive.
- Followers: Over 590K
- Average photos per day: 3 to 5
- Images are usually: full-body outfits, accessory details, shoes
- Potential secret sauce: She doesn’t always use a filter, but it’s usually Valencia.
Jessica Stein, @tuulavintage
I think it would be hard not to like this beautiful and blonde Aussie blogger’s feed. She appears to spend most of her time bouncing from tropical beach to Australian sunset to Europe and back again constantly. She has a feminine sense of style and a very photogenic face – which doesnt hurt at all.
- Followers: Over 354K
- Average photos per day:
- Images are usually: pretty dresses in tropical locations, taken with a DSLR for her blog
- Potential secret sauce: All those gorgeous beaches, all year round.
Nicole Warne, @garypeppergirl
If there’s one Instagram account I could get inside and live forever, it would be Nicole’s. She travels the world and creates photo shoots for her blog with her photographer boyfriend, and her images are rarely not totally stunning. From outfits to amazing vistas, sunsets and locations – her consistency in flawless and lovely images is admirable. Her photos get as many as 30,000 likes, and frequently appear on the “popular” page.
- Followers: Almost 340K
- Average photos per day:
- Images are usually: heavily colorful scenery and outfit shots, travel images
- Potential secret sauce: Her boyfriend is a photographer, and those continually exotic locations.
Leandra Medine, @manrepeller
Leandra’s Instagram feed follows a similar formula to her blog: it’s mostly about fashion, with no shortage of humorous moments, famous friends and runway coverage during NYFW. She gets her fair share of spam comments as many of the top Instagrammers do, but it’s clear that many of her followers really love her point of view.
- Followers: Over 249K
- Average photos per day: 2 to 4
- Images are usually: mirror shots, scenes of New York City or party pictures with fashion industry friends
- Potential secret sauce: Humor and high fashion.
Julie Sarinana, @sincerelyjules
When I think of California cool style, I immediately think of Julie’s boho-meets-fem-rock-and-roll style. With a playful mix of hair-centric selfies, outfit photos and lots of envy-inducing brunch spreads, it’s easy to see why her feed is so popular.
- Followers: Over 238K
- Average photos per day: 3 to 5
- Images are usually: selfies, outfits and food still life shots
- Potential secret sauce: Her amazing hair.
Jamie Beck, @_frommetoyou
We shouldn’t be surprised that Jamie is so beloved on Instagram, she’s a professional photographer after all. Her feed chronicles her work on photo sets and her frequent travels, glamour shots of New York City and her own beauty and style, which has a feminine, Old Hollywood flare.
- Followers: Over 72K
- Average photos per day: 3 to 5
- Images are usually: travel shots, behind-the-scenes at photo shoots with @theglamourai, coffee
- Potential secret sauce: She’s a professional.
So where does that leave the rest of us, who aren’t professional photographers, don’t frequently travel to exotic locations or happen to have the Internet’s most beautiful hair? All is not lost! You don’t need a tropical vacation, model-esque good looks or even a DSLR (which is kind of cheating, anyway don’t you think?).
Here are 4 take-aways that we can all employ to give our Instagram feeds a boost:
1. Post frequently! These bloggers are all posting at least twice a day, if not five times a day. Consistency like this keeps your followers engaged.
2. Pay attention to your captions – they make a difference. (We’ve got tips right this way.) Mention brands, use appropriate hashtags and add humor or emotion whenever you can!
3. See the beauty in wherever you are. Keep your creative eye on your surroundings, look for history, color, nature, and character all around you. Get creative – there are gorgeous locations from Cleveland to Canada, the biggest cities to the smallest towns.
4. Showcase your style. Instagram users love to see your fashion, so embrace the #OOTD hashtag and share your personal style with your followers all the time. Try different angles, have a friend snap a quick picture for you, and embrace fancy mirrors.
[Image credits: songofstyle; Garypeppergirl; tuulavintage; sincerelyjules; manrepeller; _frommetoyou]
I like your take-aways – good tips! Here’s a funny read by Leandra on Instagram filters and what they say about you. http://bit.ly/VMS7gt
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