Not many years ago, consumers had to rely on catalogs and magazines for their periodical dose of fashion trends. The only way to look at clothes was to go to the mall or flip through a monthly mailing.

But with the ever-developing industry of the Internet, the way people view and take in fashion has completely transformed. The Internet has expanded advertising, revenue and news in the fashion world.

Blogging has been around for some time, but it is taking a whole new form recently through Web sites such as Lookbook.nu and Weardrobe.com.

These fashion diaries boast thousands of photos posted by the artsy masses from across the globe. Fashionistas can upload their outfit of the day in seconds, along with a short paragraph of what they are wearing and their source of inspiration, which can be derived from anywhere. Their creativity provides inspiration for their viewers.

These Web sites are designed to position a finger on the rapid-fire pulse of the community of fashion, not the glitterati of the industry. Tabloids have got celebrity fashion covered, so these pages aim to bring everyday fashionistas into the spotlight, resulting in one of the biggest mediums in fashion today.

Lookbook.nu claims itself as the “Internet’s largest source of fashion inspiration from real people around the world”, and it might be just that. Photos are sent to the forum and are critiqued based on a scale of “hype”. The more hype a photo has, the more hits a member’s page will get. It’s all about exposure and getting a spot on the map of the industry.

Weardrobe.com puts forth a similar effort to hone the ideas and skills of fashionistas everywhere. The Web site allows users to tag specific items in their ensemble so others can easily purchase it for themselves. Those who sign up can also “friend” fellow Weardrobe users to subscribe to new updates from their account.

The members of these forums include students, photographers and artists. They don’t let the lines of trends guide them; rather, they guide the lines of trends. 

The photos they post almost have an editorial quality to them, and are truly extraordinary, considering they were taken by an amateur.

The beauty of fashion is not in wearing as many designer pieces as possible, it lies in generating an entire new look from what is already available and accessible.

Lookbook.nu and Weardrobe.com provide an outlet for the common person to showcase what they are capable of producing, without the help of deep pockets or respected stylists.

They are perfectly suited to construct incredible outfits from what they already own, something SMU students have been mastering for ages.