November 23, 2017

SCREENSHOP APP: THE FALL OF THE BLOG EMPIRE?

Primark Roll Neck (similar NEW LOOK - 25% OFF!) | Primark Joggers (similar NEW LOOK - 25% OFF!) | QED London Faux Fur Coat Via TK Maxx use WIN20 for 20% off  | Vans Low Top Skate Shoe via NEXT The Label  Primark Clear Glasses (similar MISSGUIDED - 50% OFF w/code CYBER50 )
Shop My Outfit:
The Kar-Jenners are the family the world loves to hate - if they're not trying to sell T-shirts of themselves superimposed over musical icons (looking at you Ken & Kylie) or culturally appropriating (I'm looking at alllllllllll of y'all) or leaving us on read as we wonder if Kylie or Khloe are/are not preggo (who gives a shhhhh), they are no doubt doing something that has my Twitter TL blowing up.

The K women are flawed, no doubt about it. But I like them...lol #dontjudgeme

I especially love Kim, you can't deny she has a unique and covetable wardrobe.

And just when the twitter world was just starting to forgive her for Halloween (which by the way was ridiculous because dressing up as Aaliyah was a reach for her...but it wasn't cultural appropriation) she had to go and provoke the blogging world by launching the Screenshop App.

Like most bloggers I use affiliate links, which means I link the exact items from outfits I have shared with you in my blogposts, instagram or other social platforms. Alot of time goes into creating content and I think its only fair that in some circumstances I can earn (in my case a very very very small) commission. But here comes along the Screenshop App - that has basically been dubbed "The Shazam for fashion" - that replicates an outfit by generating a feed of similar products from a single screenshot. You can imagine this type of news was not well received in the blogosphere. I certainly was shook.

...then I thought "lets try this ish out..."

First of all, the app is free - good start. Next, I put the app to the test and I was able to find the exact jumper and its designer, plus alternatives that are almost identical - definitely impressive.


Excited I tried another pic - unfortunately this time the results were a bit hit and miss. 


Ryan clearly has a robe on but the app gives me tops in a similar tie up fashion - fair enough. The glasses selection, however, was really disappointing. To me, the styles have no similarity to the original. I've really struggled to find a pair of 90s oval sunglasses at high street value and not even the Screenshop could help.

This got me thinking about how similar the app is to our blogging process because this is exactly what bloggers do when the original item we want to link is a. out of stock,  b. not online or c. unlinkable...we provide alternatives.

If you checked out my previous post - here - you would remember me saying I couldn't wait to share my new faux fur coat with you guys. A gorgeous dusky purple coat by a brand called QED London. Unfortunately it is now sold out on the TK Maxx website and the brand sadly don't have a site of their own.
*Update - since then I've actually found the coat on ASOS! here but similar have been linked below:

Shop My Coat & use the Black Friday Codes for MORE money off!

ASOS - WIN20 FOR 20% OFF!
MISSGUIDED - CYBER50 FOR 50% OFF!
BOOHOO - GOGOGO FOR 30% OFF!


The arrival of the Screenshot app initially brought fear to my heart. To be a small blogger in a very saturated industry is already hard and now a potential app could replace any need for us at all. But then I realised I was only thinking superficially.

People follow bloggers because they like who they are and respect their opinions on products, style choices etc. Blogging should be about more than "hey guys buy this!". I genuinely love sharing my outfits, style and my life with you guys and I think this is what keeps us engrossed in our favourite bloggers.  For me my interest in a particular blogger means I will always go to the horses mouth for any info before anywhere else. And the loyalty to do so stems from the community they've built based on them sharing their interests authentically across their creative platforms - something I hope I am doing.

Personally, I think the app could be a good way to source items that celebs are wearing or for when the "where did you get that _______ from?" question goes unanswered by certain people on IG - c'mon you know the stingy types.

Bottom line...bloggers, I think were gonna be ok.

Whether your a blogger or not what do you think about the app?...and my coat lol :)

Lavinya- x

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