'Fashion was something I've always treated as a hobby and it felt natural to indulge in it via the web,' says Lau. 'It became a daily ritual ... I had no real plans or goals and at that point, fashion blogging was such a niche thing that I wasn't aware of what the possibilities could be.'

The Sartorialist revolutionised the way we see fashion by taking the spotlight off the catwalk and putting it onto the street. Schuman and many others since, such as Tommy Ton of Jak & Jill, or Yvan Rodic of Facehunter, arm themselves with a camera and roam the fashion capitals of the world, capturing spontaneous shots of unique looks they see on the streets. Rather than blindly following seasonal trends, they focus on the mix-and-match originality of a complete outfit, or a quirky detail that catches their eye.

There are no aesthetic rules for these blogs, although the best tend to be visually pleasing. The subjects that fill their pages come in all shapes, sizes and ages. Rodic calls it eye candy for the style hungry; and the style hungry are not complaining.

Uploaded photos take on a life of their own, as readers post their immediate reactions - sometimes critical, mostly positive and often enamoured. As a result, the fashion world, once dictated by a few heavyweights, is now becoming more akin to a friendly anarchy, where everybody's view is of equal value.

In a recent post, in which he asks his readers to contribute personal thoughts on what makes a real, 'graceful' gentleman, Schuman writes: 'For me, this is blogging at its best. Being able to create a community of individuals who share information and ideas which can make the community as a whole a better place.'

Lau, along with bloggers such as Karla Deras from Karla's Closet, the elusive Ji from Luxirare (who never shows her face in her exquisite self-portraits) and 18-year-old Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes, occupies the other, more introspective end of the blogosphere.

'I'm not afraid of keeping my own company,' she says. 'Which is probably why the blog suits me so well, because I work so solitarily.'

Her blog reads like a diary entry, the only difference is that it's read by 20,000 visitors daily. 'I don't really 'bare my soul' on the blog. I've never discussed personal matters or inner thoughts. The blog is one facet of my life, a superficial one perhaps, but nonetheless a genuine part of me. But it's not the whole story,' says Lau, who is now also commissioning editor of Dazed Digital.

On Sea of Shoes, Aldridge shares her personal musings on fashion, shoe cravings and life in general, along with photos of herself wearing her favourite finds - often from her mother's wardrobe.

Not many style veterans would admit to taking inspiration from a Texan high-school student, but her flair for combining designer shoes and outfits has earned her the warm embrace of the fashion industry. 'I've been very surprised and honoured to be approached by so many people that I admire,' says Aldridge, who was asked by Urban Outfitters to design two collections of shoes in 2009 and whose fans include singer Kanye West.

'It's funny how fashion blogs have become such a strong force in shaping trends. It's been interesting to observe that brands such as Burberry now adapt their PR specifically for blogs - and quite successfully. It's a time of experimentation.'

More and more brands are enlisting bloggers to help reach a style-savvy online audience. Closest to home is Lane Crawford, which collaborated with Jak & Jil street photographer Tommy Ton to create its Stylehunter blog and 'look book'.

The best style blogs are labours of love and they have opened many doors for their authors. Schuman and Rodic have both published books and there are rumours about who will be next. 'It's premature to say we have signed a book deal right now,' says Aldridge. 'But if we were to write a book it would be a style book, with a heavy emphasis on our collection of vintage clothing.'