Fashion insiders have been heralding the death of street style for ages (see here, here and here). But like many trends in the fashion world, the obituaries might’ve been a bit premature. After all, many were declaring street style dead before it even learned to crawl.

But more than a decade after the first street-style photography websites emerged, it’s hard to ignore how the field has become saturated with a meteoric number of fashion blogs, whose content is as much about fashion as it is the bloggers covering it, documenting their rise from observer to internet taste-maker complete with sponsorship deals from top brands.

These fashion bloggers, insiders say, have created an environment where people are no longer dressing for themselves, but instead are taking their cues from rags-to-riches bloggers and the fame they’ve achieved. (How to get photographed at Fashion Week is a common topic.) Instead of personal fashion sense, fashion critics say the masses are wearing what they think will get them photographed, what they think could make them the next internet sensation.

And street style isn’t the only thing whose days could be numbered. At the close of Fashion Week last year, some writers said it seemed as though it was the end of fashion as well. And once again, the internet is said to be the culprit. When the goal is to “break the internet,” fashion shows have become more about spectacle than the clothes presented, and with the shift in focus, critics say the quality of the showcased wares is starting to wane.

But now as another New York Fashion Week dawns, we’re here to prove them wrong. While Pittsburgh’s a far cry from the Fashion Week runways of New York City and Milan, personal style and an eye for fashion is alive and well in our city. Here, it’s not always about designer brands (we prefer our clothes adorned with sports logos anyway … jk). Our local scene-stealers are just as enamored by expensive couture as they are by their latest vintage find. And in our neighborhoods, you’ll find a number of local boutiques and designers making a name for themselves far away from the birght lights on the coasts.

As part of Pittsburgh City Paper's new fashion coverage, we'll be publishing street-style features on our Blogh and Instagram. We’ll find out what Pittsburghers are wearing and how they put it all together. After all, fashion’s always been about personal sensibility, not taking your cue from a mannequin. We'll also be interviewing local designers, photographers and icons, and you'll be able to find these features in print and online (check out this week's feature here).

While CP has previously covered some fashion over the years — check out our piece on the recently closed Killer Heels exhibit, this piece on designer Makayla Wray or the gowns we featured in our 2015 and 2016 wedding guides — we know we're late to the party. But we're here to take that up a notch by shining a spotlight onto the runways of Forbes Avenue, Walnut Street, Penn Circle and Butler Street.