Not just any fashion blogs either. All of the blogs included in the index used for the ranking are recently up to date (as of March 5th), and have a majority of content focused on fashion or beauty.

Personal style blogs dominate the top 99 – 48% of the blogs are about what certain girls (and  guys) are wearing and wanting, but even within that subgroup there’s a diversity in content. Consider the personal style blogs like Man Repeller and Style Bubble – a blog that’s been in the top 99 of every ranking we’ve done, where the thoughts of the day generate as much interest as the outfit of the day. Then there are sites like Style Like U and the Coveteur where the style is personal, but focused on a different person each week – the ultimate for those looking to shop their own closets for inspiration.

A few highlights from within the personal style category:

Gabi Gregg of Gabi Fresh is the first plus-sized personal style blogger to crack the top 99. Le Blog de Big Beauty is at #101, and incredibly close to pushing through. While the personal style category has a certain formula, the “f*** flattery, I want fashion” approach from both ladies is resonating with readers. Runways may follow an exclusive formula (taller than average, thinner than average, less Asian, Black, Latino or Middle Eastern people than the world actually represents), but readers are showing that style inspiration comes in a diversity of shapes, sizes and colors. We can only hope designers and brands eventually take note.

Camila Coutinho of Garotas Estupidas is the top personal style blogger in this ranking. In Fall 2012’s ranking she entered the Top 10, and continued to climb to number 4 overall with a mix of personal and celebrity style. She leads the Brazilian bloggers, who represent the largest number of non-US bloggers in the top 99 – something remarkable in the fact that none of the Brazil-based blogs are translated into English. With national audiences alone, Portuguese speaking readers are pushing these independent publishers to levels most often achieved through international expansion (through English-translated) content. Parabens! to all of the stylish girls from São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and beyond. We don’t have a girl or boy from Ipanema in the top 99 just yet, but there’s no doubt there will be soon. Beyond the top 99, blogs 100-199 have a strong Brazilian presence as well.

Personal style newcomers to the top 99 include Keiko Lynn at #99, Revenge star Ashley Madekwe at #98, Olivia Palermo at #96, Julie Sarinana of Sincerely Jules at #83, Karla Derass of Karla’s Closet at #82, Bruna Vieira of Depois dos Quinze at #50 Wendy Nguyen of Wendy’s Lookbook at #63, Laureen Uy of Break My Style at #61, and Camille Co of Camille Tries to Blog (she’s doing more than trying) at #25.

Among the guys, Pelayo Diaz of Kate Loves Me proves that the only bad publicity is no publicity, and moves to #65 (previously #83). Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs of Street Etiquette move up 7 spots to #31.

While a visual response to the “what are you wearing?” question is one of the surest ways to building a successful audience, it doesn’t always have to be about one person.

Newcomers outside of the personal style category include Black Fashion (#89), Fifi Lapin (#76). We’re almost certain Fifi is the first rabbit, and non-human to make the list. Take that fashion cats!

As for top movers and shakers, no one moved more than Ari Seth Cohen‘s street style blog focusing on a certain demographic.

Advanced Style, which focuses on style from the 60+ set jumps to #2 worldwide on the strength of strong social engagement, proving that when it comes to style, size and age are nothing but numbers. At least according to the numbers (read more about the methodology here).

Granted it’s the power blogs that consistently take the top spots in our ranking of influential fashion blogs; but using the exact same ranking criteria, bloggers are edging out magazines who (often) have larger staffs and larger budgets when it comes to influencing readers online.

Dolce & Gabbanna's 2-year-old front row lineup seems smarter than ever

That’s not to say magazines aren’t influencing people online: each of the magazine websites we used for comparison would rank in the top 99 if pitted against the fashion blogs in our list. Not to mention that although it took them a while, nearly all of the magazines on the list are actively investing in their websites, rather than using them as digital subscription forms. Glamour created their own blogger network; Elle hired the editor of an influential blog to breathe new life into theirs (a move that’s paid off); and though Style.com is now a property of its own, the former online home to Vogue and W was a big part of propelling the reigning influential fashion blog (the Sartorialist) to where it is now. While magazines aren’t exactly the ostriches they once were when it comes to building an online presence, the fact that a single teenager from the Chicago suburbs is influencing nearly as many people as the entire online staff of Teen Vogue can’t be ignored though.

The reason why we spend so much time on an objective ranking of fashion blogs, however, is precisely because there are people who still do ignore bloggers and independent publishers and try to write off the significant audience shift in fashion media as a passing fad. Print isn’t dead – advertisers will keep it alive; but digital is the future, and it’s a future where a multitude of strong individual voices can rival the influence of a more prominent, institutional few. That said, the structure of influential blogs is increasingly similar to that of print publications, and probably not so different from their online departments. While there are more than a few solo acts topping the rankings, increasingly it’s blogs with multiple editors, writers and support staff competing with and pushing the magazines out of the top spots.

This list of magazine sites isn’t as exhaustive as the index of fashion blogs that we rank. You’ll notice that most are for the US editions of international magazines, but in nearly every case the US editions receive more traffic, link and social activity than their international counterparts so we thought they were a good place to start. In our September update, we’ll examine the influence of international magazine websites compared to bloggers in more depth.

Style.com

Score: 84     Rank if included in the top 99: 2

The former home of Vogue and W helped establish the Sartorialist, so perhaps it’s fitting that if included, the Sartorialist is the only blog that would rival (and top) their influence.

GQ.com

Score: 79     Rank if included in the top 99: 3

The men’s print style bible would just barely push men’s online style bible Hypebeast into 4th place.

Glamour.com

Score: 77     Rank if included in the top 99: 5

Style.com certainly has the strongest lead, but Glamour‘s put a respectable effort into building their online presence with a blogger network and dedicated online content. Looking strictly at current magazine websites, Glamour‘s is the most influential women’s style site in the US.

Elle.com

Score: 74      Rank if included in the top 99: 6

Elle is a few points away from Glamour, but the popular magazine has worked with bloggers through the Style Coalition for some time now, and brought in former Fashionista editor Brit Aboutaleb to lead editorial for their online efforts. The Elle blog is one of the few magazine blogs with enough influence to rank in the top 99 independent of the parent website.

Vogue.com

Score: 73     Rank if included in the top 99: 9

Vogue got off to a late start with their website, and there have been a few notable bumps along the way, but they recently received a Webby and Anna Wintour has been vocal about making the website a priority. For the moment though they still can’t beat Stylelist, the super blog formerly led by AOL, now revamped and revitalized by chief executive blog builder Arianna Huffington.

And men’s style blog High Snobiety leads them both.

MarieClaire.com

Score: 71     Rank if included in the top 99: 10

InStyle.com

Score: 70     Rank if included in the top 99: 11

Allure.com

Score: 70     Rank if included in the top 99: 12

Marie Claire is the closest to catching up with Vogue online, but both InStyle and Allure are only marginally ahead of Refinery29, who are blogging their way towards a $20 million valuation.

Seventeen.com

Score: 70     Rank if included in the top 99: 14

TeenVogue.com

Score: 69     Rank if included in the top 99: 15

Readership for teen print publications has been dropping off for a while, and many people blamed the web. While Seventeen and Teen Vogue are doing well online, they’re only slightly ahead of  the Fug Girls, Garance Dore and Tavi, indicating that teens probably weren’t exactly sitting on their hands while waiting for the print publications to get themselves together online.

HarpersBazaar.com

Score: 66     Rank if included in the top 99: 22

Harper’s Bazaar has never had the circulation of Elle or Vogue, but the pronounced focus on building their online audience hasn’t been there in the same way either. Again, we wouldn’t say they’re exactly suffering on the web, but the entire online Harper’s Bazaar team would still be behind the singular efforts of Yvan Rodic’s FaceHunter, Rumi Neely’s Fashion Toast and Alix of the Cherry Blossom Girl.

LuckyMag.com

Score: 65     Rank if included in the top 99: 23

Of all the major fashion magazines, Lucky’s online site is lowest on the list. Sure, readers are visiting for the Lucky deals and different online shopping collaborations, but the site still has a long way to go. Newly installed editor-in-chief Brandon Holley has print experience and led editorial at Shine, Yahoo’s US-targeted women’s site, so hopefully come September a bit more attention to online partnerships and audience building will lend the beleaguered publisher a little more luck.

Of the 99 most influential fashion & beauty blogs for the April/May 2011 ranking a full one-third are new to the Style99 from the previous ranking, but it’s worth noting many were included in the previous full index, though they didn’t make the top. In other words, though we say it with each update, there are many blogs not in the top 99 that are still incredibly influential. In the coming days, we’ll cover a few of them, but for now we highlight those blogs building influence at a breakneck pace.

Jennine Jacobs may have had a bit of a distraction earlier this year, but it didn’t stop her from organizing the popular Independent Fashion Bloggers conference, Evolving Influence. From the huge year over year jump, the IFB blog’s influence is evolving quite nicely. Sticking with blogs that cover the business aspects of online fashion, the aptly named the Business of Fashion also had a significant gain in influence year over year.

Other blogs gained influence as a result of consolidating content. Refinery29 benefited from a site redesign that brought all of their content together in one super blog. Previously feature and blog content were separated, but they’re now all in one place. Another big blog that gained due to a rollup of content is AOL’s Stylelist. With Luxist and other lifestyle blogs shuttered and rolled into Stylelist (along with the traffic boost from the Huffington Post), the site is actually the most trafficked fashion blog online. Traffic is only one part of our ranking, but the increase has positively affected the number of sites linking to Stylelist as well as the number of people sharing the site.

While personal style blogs like Style Rookie, Fashion Toast and the Cherry Blossom Girl had smaller gains, they also appeared pretty highly on our last ranking list so the significance of the moves shouldn’t be discounted.

New to the Top 99

When compared to the previous ranking, 35 – more than a full third – of the top 99 influential blogs were newcomers. In some cases it was simply a matter of expanding our index. That’s an area we spent considerable time on, and the starting index now contains more than 1000 blogs (previously, it was more than 500). That includes blogs that previously weren’t included like the hilarious Man Repeller, wonderfully crafty P.S. – I Made This and the full on fashion fanaticism of Vogue editor turned style blogger Anna Dello Russo.

In other cases however, it was simply a matter of dedicated efforts from blogs in our older index. In our 2010 blogs to watch, we suggested keeping an eye on Street Etiquette, the men’s personal style blog from Joshua Kissi and Travis Grumbs. Previously not in the top 99, the dapper gents from the Bronx are now ranked number 53. Swedish personal style blog KenzaS was listed within striking distance on the previous ranking and is now in the next place at 54.

Though they didn’t make the top 99, Nerd Boyfriend and Park & Cube were also two of our picks for blogs to watch  and are now within striking distance of the top 99. We know what can happen from there, so never underestimate the blogs that are slightly under the (top level of) influence.

View the April/May 2011 Style99 for links and detailed ranking information on each blog.

Jazzi McG

Intern extraordinaire, Jazzi McGilbert’s resume includes time at Teen Vogue, Vogue, Variety and Fashionista, and interests run the creative gamut from writer to stylist. The blog once looked like an explosion from the pages of French Vogue (and we mean that in the best way), but has more recently adopted a more understated template that we love just as much for putting more of the spotlight on the personal style and inspiration photos of Ms. McG.

Shini Park, photo via Park & Cube

Park & Cube

Recently voted Best Fashion Blog by readers of the UK women’s site handbag.com, Shini Park offers an eclectic mix of personal style and inspirations photos and addictive do-it-yourself projects with detailed instructions.

The Glamourai

The type of costume jewelry you hope to find on a vintage expedition (or a successful Etsy run), do-it-yourself projects and personal style photos make it difficult to stop reading. With upwards of 40 comments on most posts, it seems there are lots of people who agree. And if the jewelry and outfits don’t get you, we dare you to look at the blog owner’s adorable new puppy and not want to come back.

The Streethearts

You can count on the Sartorialist and several other bloggers to turn up photos of interesting style in fashion capitals like New York, Paris and Milan, but there’s an entire street style world out there. While Paris and London pop up fairly often, the Streethearts also keeps readers up to date with what people are wearing in less covered locales like Oslo, Reykjavik and Copenhagen, complete with brand information and posts sortable by clothing item.

Swagger Paris

What do you get when you combine youth focused Paris street style with coverage of the underground music and fashion icons who influence them? Swagger Paris. Sian-Pierre Regis, the founder and a former BET producer, covers a side of Parisian fashion that’s not seen on many other blogs.

Free Fashion Internships

As the name implies, this blog is all about fashion internships. While it may never gain a mass following, Carla Isabel Carstens’ has created the go-to destination for those looking to gain experience in fashion. This is where the fashion influencers of tomorrow turn to get updates on opportunities to intern for everyone from Gucci and Zac Posen to Vogue and yes, Signature9. Carstens, who now works in fashion PR has separated listings and expanded the blog to  more general fashion coverage and advice on internships.

Nerd Boyfriend

Taking inspiration from mostly vintage photos, this is the site for guys (and the girls who love them) who always preferred Clark Kent anyway. Revenge of the nerds indeed.

Cris Guerra of Hoje Vou Assim

Hoje Vou Assim

Portuguese for “So Today, I…” Hoje Vou Assim is the daily style diary of Cris Guerra. Photographed every day at the entrance of the advertising agency where she works, Guerra is one of Brazil’s most recognizable bloggers. First recognized for the writing on a separate blog documenting the loss of her partner months before the birth of their first child, Guerra’s prose was turned into a book that sold more than 6 million copies. Presently Guerra is recognized equally for her outfits which run the gamut from beach ready to casual cool, and has been a model for various brands and social causes.

Dia de Beaute

This celeb heavy, beauty focused blog covers red carpet and magazine makeup looks from Hollywood to French Vogue and everywhere in between. Each multi-celeb post averages over 50 comments from Brazilian and Portuguese speaking beauty addicts looking to talk about their favorites.

Joshua Kiss (L and far R) and Travis Gumbs of Street Etiquette

Street Etiquette

If every girl’s crazy about a sharp dressed man, Joshua Kissi and Travis Gumbs should run the asylum. At once classic and modern, Street Etiquette falls somewhere between Nerd Boyfriend and the Sartorialist  – if he were to stake out the Bronx and focus on its two most fashionable residents. Our only complaint is that we don’t see more posts more often, but we’ll respect etiquette and patiently check back for updates.

El Fashionista

Barcelona based blogger, Mercedes, doesn’t insert many photos of herself, but colorful illustrations make the products and trends personal. While there are some things you’ll have seen in other places, the mix of designers and items featured still seemed truly original even after reviewing more than 400 blogs.

Cool Outfit

All about the outfit (and accessories), the shopping selections at this Austrian blog can be a bit kitsch, but we have to say that after nearly every one,  “cool outfit” is definitely the phrase that would come to mind.

Coute Que Coute

We’ll admit: despite the advances in technology and the many different types of style blogs, nothing matches flipping through a glossy and enjoying a well edited selection of clothes. That’s our statement, we’re sticking to it, but we have to say Coute Que Coute comes close. You won’t find breaking news on H&M collaborations or model musings here, but you will find a well curated selection of editorials from magazines not at your local Barnes & Noble, ad campaigns and striking products.

Coco Perez

We’ll admit it – when Perez launched his fashion blog we were firmly in the “not sure about this” camp. While it’s not the first fashion blog in our feed reader, we have to give credit where due. The first blog to pick up on the adorable Lady Gaga dolls created by Flickr user Veik11, Perez (or whoever is writing the blog) is increasingly becoming a decent source for interesting fashion finds. With awards season kicking off, we know they’ll certainly have the red carpet fashion commentary covered.

One of Mariah Bernardes' makeup guides

Blog da Mariah

Covering a little bit of everything, Mariah Bernardes walks readers through makeup guides, her favorite shopping finds and personal inspiration photos. The combination isn’t unique in and of itself, but each post gets the type of response that indicates plenty of fans who enjoy the way Mariah brings everything together.

Fashionising Blog

On its own, the Fashionising blog may not make the top 99, but the Australian based site is also home to active forums and a number of member model, photographer and stylist portfolios that likely supplement the audience visiting for news and trend information about all things fashion.

Style Kingdom

We love nothing more than discovering a blog showcasing a person or city’s unique charms, but we’re also big fans of the blogs that keep us up to date on fashion news and product finds. For German speaking readers, Style Kingdom (not to be confused with Queen Michelle and Queen Marie’s Kingdom of Style) has that well covered.

Flypaper (Bluefly)

A company blog among the top 99? Though they didn’t hold onto their position in the most recent update, Bluefly’s blog was present in the first ranking we compiled. You won’t find flooded comment sections on the posts, but consumers and bloggers are tuned into what’s happening with the Project Runway retailer’s notes on fashion.

Les Attitudes

A little bit personal style, a lot of inspiration and a few dashes of fashion news, it’s not always clear where the items featured on the blog can be purchased (if at all), but we found ourselves wanting so many of the selections that it made an easy add to the list of blogs to come back to.

2009 saw Schuman’s first book release, along with a well received collaboration with Burberry on a site with images centered around the British label’s wardrobe staple – the trench coat. The site sustained the initial interest via user uploads and social media tools like Facebook. Most interesting however is that the out the door lines at book signings, the renewed interest in a piece of clothing that has had the same design for decades, are all tangible demonstrations of the impact fashion bloggers can have.

The first Style99 ranked over 250 blogs to determine the most influential among them. This quarter, we increased the number of included blogs to more than 400 with an emphasis on uncovering more non-English language blogs that were having an impact with readers. There are great lists of favorite blogs out there, and lots of metrics, but nothing that made the numbers tell a story.

The rankings methodology has changed slightly, but among the publishers at the very top of the list, not much else has. The first rankings – released in September 2009, included data from blog aggregator Technorati. To give a more balanced ranking that took into account blogs not registered with the service, particularly blogs not in English, the Technorati score has been replaced with one for unique domain links. While large budgets and networks can increase the number of overall links to a site, and conversely the perceived popularity, the number of unique individual sites generally gives a more accurate picture. The rest? Well, that’s still pretty similar: the rankings are heavily weighted towards demonstrated preferences by readers and other bloggers in that order. A large marketing budget may buy traffic, but it doesn’t by influence.

Consider Schuman’s the Sartorialist, which maintains the top spot despite the adjustment in ranking criteria. While unique visitors to the blog certainly aren’t lacking, network behemoths have more traffic, possibly more pageviews and would outperform on standard online media measurements. Among the people who visit the site though, more have bookmarked, blogged and linked to the Sartorialist’s posts than any other blog we came across.  Let it be a message that when it comes to actionable influence, the quality of reader interest matters just as much as the quantity.

Among the top 10% of bloggers ranked, network multi-author blogs (think Breaking Media’s Fashionista, Aol’s StyleList, New York Magazine’s the Cut, Sugar Inc.’s Fabsugar) do appear, but overwhelmingly fashion influence online belongs to publishers with a distinctly individual point of view. Street style bloggers who use everyday settings as their editorial backdrops, girls who share their personal style, guys who share a passion for the latest sneaker release; the list goes on, but the common thread is that the unabashed fashion and beauty fanatics are connecting with readers online in ways that most traditional media companies haven’t been able to.

99 Most Influential Style Blogs – January 2010 {Signature9}