BLOGGING, GAY VIBES, OUR PLAYLIST
1. The Business of Blogging
Dan,
I think manyof us readers would like to know more about the business side of Articles ofStyle; what projects you’re working on behind-the-scenes, your vision for thegrowing brand, etc. Personally, I’m as fascinating by the entrepreneurialspirit as I am with all the fashion & style stuff. Would love if youcould share some insights!
-Marcel
Funnyyou should ask this Marcel, as we’re currently dealing with a server crashdue to an unexpected spike in traffic that set us back a couple months onwebsite development… It’s been a very frustrating couple of days.
It’sa good question, but a long one to answer since we have somany irons in the fire right now. Here are some of the projects we’recurrently working on, at different stages of development:
· Bringing on a business development team so Alex and I can focuson producing more, higher quality, content (2-3 posts/day)
· The Style Guide development continues to be a focus for us, evenwith recent set-backs
· We’re currently negotiating a production and distributioncontract with an LA-based media house to develop a new web videoseries
· Our new e-commerce Shop will soon house limited editionproducts designed in collaboration with some of our favorite brands/designers(and eventually the shop will hold my own namesake line)
· An updated commenting system that will make user interactionmore fluid, and easier to slide between the elements of our website (Articles,Style Guide, E-Commerce Shop, etc)
· A weekly newsletter with exclusive content and discounts onlyfor Articles of Style readers
· We’ve been slowly developing a concept for a Articles ofStyle hardcover book
· “Articles of Style Premium”, a subscription based service withexclusive content and “insider perks” including private sales and event invites
· Articles of Style is hitting the road! We’ll be traveling fromcity to city to document the style and culture, set-up profiles with localstyle enthusiasts, and throw private men’s style events for ourlocal readers
Thatsaid, as we continue to develop Articles of Style into the premierdestination for men’s style advice and inspiration, the website also continuesto serve as a vehicle for my personal career as a menswear influencerand relatable personality in the industry. Many readers think that this “job”is all about organizing photoshoots and publishing new articles. I wish itwere that simple. The reality is that I spend 80% of my workday on non-contentrelated tasks such as web development, negotiating advertising contracts,editing sponsorship offers from brands, consulting for menswear brands, etc.I’m a businessman building a brand more than an artist creating content…atleast for the time being.
Bloggingas a business is all about diverse revenue streams, and developing a valuableniche to deliver a premium full-service experience. It’s still just thebeginning for us, and I look forward to bringing some of these newer projectsto life.
2. Giving Off “Gay” Vibes
Hi Articlesof Style Team,
I live in asmall town where t-shirts and Wranglers are the norm. I enjoy clothes anddressing well, but sometimes I find that being over-dressed in a non-fashiontown can be off-putting to some people. Also, some ignorant folks here call me“gay” because of the way I dress. Is this something you’ve dealt with? Anyadvice? I know you’re a small town guy. Thx, love the site.
– Tim L.
Goodquestion. And yes, I have dealt with this. When I first started getting intostyle and fashion, I was probably forcing it and overdoing it. Partly to provea point, but also partly because it takes experience to appreciate subtlety.Early on my slim fits were a little tooslim, accessories were a little too too dandy, face was alittle too clean shaven…
I alsothink that some of the people calling you “gay” are using the term in anignorant sense for meaning “weird” or “out of the ordinary”. They don’tnecessarily think you prefer men.
Regardless, though,the more comfortable I got with style, the more natural it came to me and themore comfortable I felt with it (which people can notice immediately). Over time I’ve also developeda more masculine look, with simpler outfits based around classic menswearpieces, clothing with more worn-in character, and of course, now I prefer thescruffy beard.
It’salso very important to consider context for style. For example, I don’t wearslim three-piece suits back on the farm. I keep it simple in some casualworkwear that still looks well “put together”, but not out of place.
Ultimately;consider scaling it back a little but don’t let others bother you. Keep doingyou. Guys called me gay for years…then I started dating their girlfriends…haha.Stay with it, you will build confidence and find your niche. It takes time butit will eventually be working for you.
3. Articles of Style Music List
Dan, Ialways love the music you guys use in your videos (or those coming back, by theway?) as well as the music you’ve linked to in past articles. I guess thisis not related to fashion, but definitely style…What’s on your playlist? Put uson to some tracks that inspire you!
– AlejandroC.
Greatquestion my man. Music is a huge passion of mine, perhaps even beyond clothing.And you’re right: a gentleman’s soundtrack is a big part of his personal style.I almost always have some type of music playing – life is better with asoundtrack – but the style of music varies greatly depending on the occasion,mood, time of day, etc.
Toanswer your question directly, I pulled up some of my mostplayed tracks this month, in no particular order. Maybe it speaks to where I’mat in life… Hopefully I can put you on to some new artists, because music canbe very transformative…
Makesure to use some proper audio!
· The Tallest Man on Earth – 链接
· Curtis Mayfield – 链接
· Melody Gardot – 链接
· Kings of Leon – 链接
· Drake – 链接
· Boombox – 链接
· James Blake – 链接
· The Weeknd – 链接
· Erykha Badu – 链接
· Stephen Marley – 链接
· Bahamas – 链接
· Notorious BIG – 链接
Thanks,as always, for reading.
Yoursin style,
DanTrepanier & Articles of Style