Seeing as this is a blog, it’s only appropriate to address one of my personal favorite subjects: fashion blogs … and the bloggers behind them! After the workday when many others I know are comfortably nestled in front of their televisions, I entrench myself in the fashion blogosphere. I find it fascinating to see how young men and women around the world interpret the latest trends—and how some defy them completely. And I know I’m not the only one; the fashion world has begun to notice these everyday people with a stellar sense of style.

What used to be a digital niche has spilled over into the mainstream world. Fashion bloggers have risen from obscurity to find themselves front row at Fashion Week, gallivanting around the world at the request of designers, and lending their creative hands to major brands. Simply by taking pictures of their outfits and posting them online! Who knew such a simple task could have such a profound effect?

The examples are numerous, but I’ll call out a few here. First, take Jane Aldridge from Sea of Shoes: the teen fashion prodigy was featured on larger-than-life superstar Kanye West’s blog. Why? He liked her style. Karla Deras of Karla’s Closet, along with three other bloggers, was recently tapped by Coach to co-design a limited edition handbag collection dubbed ‘Coach Collectibles.’ SoCal blogger Rumi Neely of Fashion Toast was invited to New York City for the opening of Forever 21’s massive Times Square store. Not only that, Neely starred in a photo shoot for the brand, shots of which were emblazoned on a massive billboard in the tourist haven. (Neely has also dabbled in collaborations; she starred in and released a line with Southern California clothier RVCA.)

The evolution of the Internet, and thus the blogosphere, has created a phenomenon that five years ago would seem unfathomable. While major fashion cities (New York, Milan, Paris) still attract the uber-stylish and powerhouse brands, the blogosphere has created invaluable opportunities for individuals like Aldridge (based in Texas) and Neely (San Diego) that are outside these cities. Bloggers such as Neely and Deras have been catapulted to a certain level of stardom—while the mainstream American public may not know them (yet), their inherent sense of style indicates their presence in the fashion world is has only just begun.