Editorial Policy
AreYouFashion exists to be useful to readers, not to sell to them. This policy sets out the standards we hold ourselves to — how we report, write, disclose and correct. It applies to every editor and contributor, on every page.
Independence
Editorial decisions are made by our editors, free of advertiser influence. Coverage is never promised in exchange for advertising, gifts, product or access, and no commercial partner sees a story before it publishes or has the right to change it. Where a conflict of interest exists, we disclose it or step back from the story.
Accuracy and fact-checking
We check what we can before we publish and take care to represent designers, brands and other people fairly. Opinion is clearly opinion; fact is something we stand behind. When we get something wrong, we own it (see Corrections).
Sources and attribution
We credit designers, photographers, brands and other publications whose work informs ours, and we link to primary sources where they exist. We do not pass off other people’s reporting as our own, and we respect copyright — see our DMCA policy.
Corrections
We correct errors promptly and transparently. Significant corrections are noted on the article itself. Spotted a mistake? Email hello@areyoufashion.com and we will put it right.
Advertising and sponsored content
Advertising keeps AreYouFashion free to read, but it never buys editorial. Any sponsored or paid article is clearly labelled as such, so you always know what you are reading and why. Advertising standards are covered further on our Advertise page.
Affiliate links
Some articles contain affiliate links, from which we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships never determine what we recommend — the full detail is in our Affiliate Disclosure.
Use of AI
Our stories are written and edited by people. We may use software to assist with routine tasks — research, spell-checking, image resizing — but we do not publish machine-generated articles under a human byline, and a named editor is responsible for everything we run.
Images and credits
We caption and credit imagery where required and use photography in line with licensing and fair-use principles. If you believe an image has been used in error, contact us and we will address it quickly.
Diversity and representation
Style belongs to everyone. We aim to reflect a range of bodies, budgets, backgrounds and points of view in what we cover and who we commission, and we treat the people in our stories with respect.
Contact
Questions about how we work, or a concern about a specific story? Email hello@areyoufashion.com. We read everything.
How editorial independence works day to day
Our editorial and commercial teams sit apart, and that separation is structural, not just a promise. Editors decide what to cover and how a review lands based on reader value alone; commercial colleagues can tell us what a brand would like covered, but they cannot dictate a headline, a rating or a line of copy. No advertiser or partner previews or approves a story before it publishes. If an editor has a personal connection to a brand, they disclose it and are reassigned if it would colour the coverage — whether the likely story is glowing or critical.
How we research, fact-check and source
Before a piece runs, the writer and an editor check it for accuracy, not just polish — cross-referencing pricing, sizing or ingredient claims against source material, and labelling rumour as rumour rather than fact. Trend and history pieces are checked against more than one independent source rather than a single press release. Where a story draws on a brand statement, another outlet’s reporting or a public figure’s words, we say so and link to the original where one exists; we do not present someone else’s reporting as our own. We generally avoid anonymous sourcing in a fashion and lifestyle context. Nothing publishes under a byline without a second person reading it for accuracy first.
Corrections and updates
We draw a line between fixing an error and simply keeping a page current. A correction addresses something wrong at publication — a misattributed quote, an incorrect price, a factual slip — and is noted visibly on the article with a date and a description of what changed; we do not quietly edit out mistakes. An update is different: new information added to keep an evergreen guide accurate as prices or stockists change, without implying the original was wrong. Report a suspected error to hello@areyoufashion.com and we investigate every one, however small.
Sponsorship, gifting and affiliate disclosure
Writers are sometimes sent products free of charge by brands to consider for coverage, commonly called gifting. A gift never guarantees coverage or a positive verdict — if a gifted product underperforms, we say so, and this is disclosed within the relevant article. Sponsored articles are labelled as sponsored in the byline area itself, visible before a reader starts, not buried in a footer. Affiliate links are disclosed at the top of the articles that carry them as well as in our standalone Affiliate Disclosure; commission never influences which products are included or how they are ranked.
How we test products before recommending them
Where we can, recommendations come from hands-on use rather than a spec sheet — an editor or contributor wearing, applying or using an item over a meaningful period, and assessing ordinary things like true-to-size fit, all-day comfort, durability and whether the product does what its marketing claims. For larger roundups covering many products, we combine direct testing of a representative selection with careful review of brand specifications and verified customer feedback. We say in an article when a verdict rests on hands-on testing versus desk research, so readers know the basis for it.
Our use of AI
Every story on AreYouFashion is written and edited by a named person, and a named editor is accountable for it before it goes live. We may use software, including AI tools, for supporting tasks — research assistance, transcription, spell-checking, image resizing — much as any modern newsroom does. We do not publish AI-generated copy under a byline without a human writing and reviewing it, and we do not let an automated tool make editorial judgements about accuracy, tone or recommendations. The standard is simple: if a human editor has not read it and stands behind it, it does not publish.
Reader feedback
Feedback shapes what we cover next — repeated reader questions become new explainers, and comments about an unclear guide prompt a rewrite. Every message to hello@areyoufashion.com is read by a person, not a filter. We cannot promise an individual reply to every email, but factual concerns and correction requests are always investigated and actioned where warranted.
Frequently asked questions
Does AreYouFashion accept payment for positive reviews?
No. We accept payment for clearly labelled sponsored content and earn commission through affiliate links, but neither arrangement buys a positive verdict. Sponsored articles are marked as sponsored in the byline area so readers see the label before they start reading, and the commercial team has no say over what a review concludes or what rating a product receives. If a paying advertiser’s product performs poorly in testing, our coverage says so. The same standard applies to gifted products sent by brands for review consideration: receiving a free item does not guarantee coverage and does not guarantee a favourable write-up. Editorial judgements are made by editors independently of the commercial side of the business, and no advertiser or partner previews or approves a story before it publishes.
How does AreYouFashion disclose affiliate links and sponsorships?
We disclose affiliate relationships at the top of any article containing affiliate links, in addition to our standalone Affiliate Disclosure page, so readers know before they click that we may earn a small commission on a resulting purchase at no extra cost to them. Sponsored or paid partnership content is labelled as such directly in the byline area of the article itself, not only in a footer or small print, so the distinction is visible immediately. Gifted products — items sent by a brand free of charge for review consideration — are disclosed within the relevant article when they inform our coverage. In every case, commission, sponsorship or a free product never determines which items we recommend, how we rank them, or what we say about them.
Does AreYouFashion use AI to write its articles?
No article is generated by AI and published without a human writing and reviewing it. Every story carries a named writer and is signed off by a named editor who is accountable for its accuracy and quality before it goes live. We do use everyday software tools, including AI, for supporting tasks such as research assistance, transcription and spell-checking, much as any newsroom now does, but we do not allow an automated tool to make editorial calls about accuracy, framing or product recommendations on our behalf. If AI involvement in a particular piece went beyond that kind of routine assistance, we disclose it in the article. The underlying rule is straightforward: unreviewed machine output does not get published under a byline on this site, full stop.
How do I report a factual error in an AreYouFashion article?
Email hello@areyoufashion.com with a link to the article and a brief description of what you believe is wrong, ideally with a source or reference if you have one. A person reads every message sent to that address, and factual concerns are investigated rather than dismissed, however small they seem. If we confirm an error, we correct it and add a visible, dated correction note on the article explaining what changed, rather than editing it quietly. This is distinct from routine updates we make to keep evergreen guides current, such as refreshed prices or stockist information, which do not imply the original content was wrong. We aim to look into every report promptly, though we cannot guarantee a personal reply to each one.