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SS The magazine about fashion bloggers!
STYLE SAMPLE
PLUS: COLD WEATHER FASHION THE INFLUENCE OF STYLE BLOGGERS HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN ONLINE SHOP ...and more!
WITH ANDY OF STYLE SCRAPBOOK
www.StyleSampleMag.com
STYLE SAMPLE Editor-in-Chief Tamia Stinson tamia@stylesamplemag.com Editorial Assistant Hayley Koustis hayley@stylesamplemag.com
To subscribe, visit www.stylesamplemag.com. For information regarding permissions and advertising, contact editor@stylesamplemag.com Published by TheStyleSample.com Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
{Hustle & blog } I am so excited about this issue: not just because it’s a new year and the beginning of a new decade (though that is exciting!), but because of you. Because of the things people in the style blogging community are doing, the risks they’re taking, the businesses they’re starting, and the ways they’re helping each other. I may be biased, but independence and ingenuity seem to be especially prevalent among fashion bloggers. Case in point: many of the contributors in this issue are starting careers and ventures based on their passion. Emerging designer Rosie Kovaks opened a fashion designer collective in an amazing old building that was once a brush factory. Profiled blogger Martine’s blog I Love Martine helped her score her a cool marketing gig at American Apparel. Day in the Life explores how Christine turned cutbacks at her magazine job into a full-time freelance gig with the creative independence we all crave. Blogger with a Business’ Krista took her collection of inspiration photos and turned it into an online magazine. Read through the News & Announcements and you’ll read about Fi and Fajr opening unique online shops, and the ingenious reciprocal advertising services offered by CliqueSound and Indie Style Media. In the same spirit of entrepreneurship, Tips & Advice advocates hosting
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your blog on your own domain—your piece of online real estate, if you will— while the How-to section walks you through selling your products online. Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, but most of us, including moi, are looking for a way to turn what they love into something they can make a living doing. In new feature OPENion, Minh-Ha explores the rise of fashion/style fashion blogging and why it’s become such an important and popular medium for self expression. The way I see it, if you’re a blogger, you’ve already got a head start on the hustle: you’re putting yourself out there for all to see, and sharing your aspirations and expertise. Consider yourself on your way. Style Sample magazine will continue to expand--we’ve updated the website, include advertising opportunities, and will soon offer print subscriptions. The real reason for that growth is you—I am continually impressed and inspired by your ingenuity, intelligence, and ambition. Y’all make me proud. Let’s encourage and support one another, and we can all grow together. I’m always interested in your feedback and ideas, so feel free to contact me and don’t forget to subscribe at www. stylesamplemag.com to keep up and stay in touch!
TheStyleSample.com tamia@stylesamplemag.com
Your accessories can be part of a small step toward big change. Visit StopTraffickFashion.com to find out how.
www.StyleSampleMag.com
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CONTENTS
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ISSUE #5
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5 7
NEWS
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BLOGS TO WATCH
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12
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The latest happenings from around the blogosphere and what to check out online. Featuring Dimogonda, Sterling Style, Pink Rock Candy, and Solo Lisa.
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FASHION IS ART
Fashion illustrator extraordinaire Nicole Jarecz talks about how she got started and shares her plans for the future. By Arushi Khosla of Fab Blab
STYLE IN MY CITY
Fi of Previously Owned shows us around San Juan; Nina and Tchelet of Braids & Bows explore the fashion scene in Tel-Aviv.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
Follow Christine of My Style Pill behind the scenes as a personal stylist and wardrobe consultant!
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EMERGING DESIGNER
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BLOGGER WITH A BUSINESS
TRENDS: COMFORT & STYLE
Six stylish bloggers show us how to stay warm while looking hot. Edited by Liz of Lizzie Jeanne
SINGULAR STYLE
Highlighting the amazing style of Erika of Fashion Chalet.
Poncho Rose designer Rosie Kovacs talks about her line and why she started fashion collective The Brush Factory. By Vanessa Laraine of Hallowed Be Thy Name
Krista of Fashion Lookbook talks about how she started online magazine MYLOOKBOOK. By Erika of Cafe Fashionista
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FEATURE: SCRAPPY STYLE
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TIPS & ADVICE
BLOGGER PROFILE
In depth with Martine Cajucom of I Love Martine. By Jean Kemshal-Bell of Stud Farm
Andy of Style Scrapbook talks about the opportunities that have come from blogging and her future aspirations. By Anna Yanofsky of I Want to Wear It Why owning your own piece of e-real estate is best. By Fajr Muhammad of Stylish Thought
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Memorable high fashion. 25
HOW-TO
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OPEN-ION: GOING FASHIONABLY POSTAL
Opening your own online shop is one of the best ways to make money on the web. Here’s what to do. By Alicia of Instant Vintage
MADRAS641
Blogger and academic Minhha explores the role of style bloggers in the context of fashion industry politics. By Min-Ha T. Pham of Threadbared
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FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE
One Question, Three Bloggers with Ann of Holier Than Now, Purushu of Style Savvy, and Emily of The Mimi Manifesto. Edited by Kirsty of Fashion Champagne Quotable
www.Madras641.com www.StyleSampleMag.com
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KRISTIE BERTUCCI
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ISSUE #5
ARUSHI KHOSLA
The Society of Style
Kristie Bertucci is a proud shopaholic and L.A.-based writer. She hopes to one day be an editor at a woman’s magazine, but until then, she fuels her passion for fashion at her blog, The Society of Style.
Fab Blab
@ADDICTEDTOVOGUE
ANNA YANOFSKY
ERIKA SOROCCO
Anna Yanofsky is a fashion history geek who documents the culture of dress, past and present, on I Want To Wear It.
Caffeine-addicted blogger with a passion for fashion and a firm belief that every moment in life deserves a soundtrack. When not working on her book about style or dreaming of New York, she’s shopping—er, doing research—for her blog.
Cafe Fashionista
I Want to Wear It
@CAFEFASHIONISTA
@HBTNSTYLE
VANESSA LARAINE
JEAN KEMSHAL-BELL
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Stud Farm
Vanessa Laraine is a freelance fashion and lifetsyle writer from Melbourne Australia. By day she masks as a hard nosed HR lady, but at night indulges in two endless love affairs: writing and African drumming.
Having escaped rural Australia to travel the world at the age of 17, Jean is never content in the one place, and has set up home in New York, London and Melbourne. You can read her fashion ramblings at her blog, Stud Farm.
FAJR MUHAMMAD
ALICIA
Stylish Thought
@STYLISHTHOUGHT
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A 15 year old fashionista from India with a passion for all things fabulous. I love my bloggie friends, Balmain, Matthew Williamson and Lindt Intense. Tom Ford is more important to me than Tom Hanks. Enough said.
Fajr Muhammad bka Ms. Thought is a writer, fashion lover and aspiring know-it-all. She can be found spending too much money on shoes, dancing to Prince and conducting “research” for her blog Stylish Thought.
Instant Vintage
@INNYVINNY
Alicia is the blogger behind Instant Vintage, a place for rants, moments of vanity, and interesting stuff. She is also the owner of Talonalia, an avid thrift store shopper, DIYer, and allaround awesome chick.
MINH-HA T. PHAM
KIRSTY B.
Threadbared
Fashion Champagne
Minh-Ha T. Pham co-founded threadbared, a research blog on the politics of fashion, style, and beauty with Mimi Thi Nguyen in 2007. She has also published essays on race, gender, and sexuality in film and fashion.
Kirsty is an aspiring writer with a love of fashion. This love prompted her to start her own fashion blog to share her style and current trends with her readers.
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NEWS The latest happenings in the blogosphere
Compiled by Kristie Bertucci
CLIQUESOUND: IN WITH A BANG
FROM FASHION BLOG TO FASHION STORE
Yarin Figueroa (aka Fi) has evolved her passion for fashion and blogging into an online store thanks to the overwhelming response to her blog, Previously Owned. The San Juan, Puerto Rico-based blogger will sell awesome vintage finds, as well as cool indie products from local bands, designers and even from herself! Expect cool videos, photo reviews and interviews that chronicle the journey the items went through to make it to the store. Make sure to visit www. previouslyowned.net to check out her unique items.
GOT NEWS?
Send your tips and information to editor@stylesamplemag.com with “News” in the subject.
Fashion and music collide thanks to CliqueSound, a new ad network for bloggers that provides their readers with great music while they get paid. The ads feature the best of up-and-coming artists so readers can discover their next favorite band right on your site! Your readers can stream the music while they’re enjoying your blog and keep the music with no strings attached, while you get paid for it. This is new for 2010, and if you’re interested in this type of monetization, email beta@cliquesound.com to be evaluated for an invite code.
ADVERTISE & MONETIZE
Increase traffic to your fashion blog while monetizing when joining Indie Style Media, an ad exchange and marketplace purely devoted to style bloggers, designers, shop owners and other like-minded individuals! Here’s how it works: paste a code on your side that will rotate other members’ ads, and yours will do the same on theirs. The more impressions your ad has the more traffic you’ll have. To monetize from the site, simply choose what size ad(s) you’d like to display and earn 80% of what the advertiser pays based on the number of clicks that ad receives. For more information or to sign up, visit www.indiestylemedia.com.
STYLISH SHOP
After blogging about her love for all things stylish for more than a year at Stylish Thought, writer Fajr Muhammad is opening online shop Missfit Vintage. Expect to find lots of great items that you won’t want to pass up because this self-proclaimed vintage lover really knows her stuff. You’ll want to bookmark www.missfitvintage.com to check up on new items weekly!
ONLINE @ STYLESAMPLEMAG.COM HOW TO: CREATE A FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
Step by step information on creating a Facebook fan page for your blog, what to post there, and how to attract fans. Read it here!
MAKING MONEY WITH AD NETWORKS
Blogger and Cliquesound founder Ann explains how to monetize your blog using ad networks—and gives advice on making it work for you. Read more here.
SITE MAKEOVER
StyleSampleMag.com has a fresh new look, so stop by to check it out and tell us what you think!
PLUS: The best shopping, new ways to monetize your blog, styling a photo shoot, and more! www.StyleSampleMag.com
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BLOG WATCHING
blogs
Dimogonda Dimogonda.b
TO WATCH
Lisa, Vancouver
Fresh faces and unique concepts in the world of blogging
(mainstream North American or Latin American), and/or life in Vancouver. Whats your favorite part about blogging? I definitely enjoy the sense of community—reading other bloggers’ latest posts, commenting, making friends with people in faraway places. Blogging has also brought me opportunities I might not otherwise have had, such as attending fashion weeks in my city and interviewing local designers.
Solo Lisa
SoloLisa.com, @SoloLisa Why did you start blogging? I started Solo Lisa as a personal blog, but as I began reading more fashion and style blogs, I decided writing about those topics might be more fun. Around the same time, I became a bit burned out by my studies at university, and all the creative writing I used to do—poetry, fiction, short stories— fell by the wayside. Blogging became my creative outlet and my preferred mode of procrastination. Who do you hope to reach? Honestly, anybody who enjoys reading my blog! Solo Lisa remains a very personal space. Nowadays a lot of my readers are people who share common interests in fashion, pop culture
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Why did you start blogging? Because everybody did! No, seriously I’ve been a really huge fashion fan ever since I can remember, and one year ago when I finally got into fashion design, I also started following blogs religiously. I thought it was pretty cool to share with others your points of view and whatever you feel like sharing! Also, at that time I didn’t know of any good Portuguese fashion bloggers besides the one covering fashion week, so I thought it would be a good idea to start my own and share! So here it is! Who do you hope to reach? Everyone that enjoys reading it! What’s your favourite part about blogging? My favorite part would definitely be how free you can be when blogging, you can express yourself so easily and post about all the things that really inspire you and help you evolve creatively!
Sterling Style
Sterlingstyle.blogspot.com, @Sterlin Why did you start blogging? I have been obsessed with style and fashion since I was young. I would create fashion collages, fashion inspiration books, and I was a fashion intern at WWD. When I discovered I could blog my inspirations and share them with the public it was a no brainer, I had to do it!
blogspot.com, @GonPascoa
Goncalo, Lisbon
Chelsea, Conneticut
Pink Rock Candy PinkRockCandy.net, @ChelseaRae
ngStyle1
Taylor, California
Who do you hope to reach? Everyone. I hope that no matter your age or sex that when you visit my site you leave feeling inspired. What’s your favorite part about blogging? The community, hands down. I have developed so many relationships through the blogging world and everyone teaches me so much. It’s amazing.
Why did you start blogging? I started Pink Rock Candy to prove to my parents I was actually interested in fashion and would thrive in the industry. During my first year of college, I was a biology major. Then I realized I no longer wanted to pursue biology, and that fashion was what made me happy and what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing. They obviously thought switching career paths was a bad idea, but I was intent on proving them wrong. My sister told me to start a fashion blog, and three years later, here I am. Now, my parents tell all their friends about my Pink Rock Candy. It’s really cute! Who do you hope to reach? Honestly, I’d love to be able to connect with anyone and everyone, which is sort of unrealistic. So, for me it’s less about who I’m reaching and more about what the people whose attention I do catch take away from reading PRC. I hope they learn that though fashion can be fun and frivolous, it truly is this high-stress industry full of extremely intelligent people, and you don’t have to be some vain ditz to enjoy it. Oh, and does Marc Jacobs count as a big “who” I’d like to reach? I’d give my first born to get his attention, and hopefully work for him!
What’s your favorite part about blogging? I’m the kind of person who voraciously searches for new and interesting ideas, so my favorite part about the blogging process is, oddly enough, when people disagree with me or bring another perspective to the conversation. Blogging should be a dialogue, and when everyone just says, “That’s hot!” or “I love it!” there really isn’t much else to the conversation. Not to say it isn’t nice when people respond positively to a post and sometimes hurtful when people are rude just for the sake of it, but being clued in to a new viewpoint is really interesting to me.
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WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? If you’d like to be considered for “Blogs to Watch”, complete the online submission form at StyleSampleMag.com!
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ART + FASHION
Artof
The
Blogger and illustrator is already making a name for herself in the world of fashion illustration by combining her artistic talent and love of style. By Arushi Khosla of
Nicole Jarecz
FabBlab
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INTERESTED IN FASHION, AND ESSENTIALLY, FASHION ILLUSTRATION?
Nicole’s drawing of Rumi aka Fashion Toast
I would say I have been interested in fashion since my junior year in high school. Before this, I was quite a tomboy, being involved in basketball and volleyball. My interests changed when I started looking through fashion magazines. When I started college I went into the illustration department. My first two years I focused on foundations, and after this my love of fashion naturally found its way into my illustration work.
WHAT SORT OF TOOLS, MATERIALS & SOFTWARE DO YOU USE TO CREATE YOUR INCREDIBLE PIECES? I use a lot of different materials to create my pieces. My work is all about experimentation and combining different elements to create a unique and aesthetically pleasing piece. I believe
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“
Always experiment with new techniques to see which ones fit you.
that this works especially well for the field of fashion illustration. Some materials that I use quite often are graphite on vellum, watercolor, and ink. I normally use Photoshop on my pieces as well. I’d like to think of myself as a “tradigital” artist, using traditional methods combined with Photoshop.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU? REAL PEOPLE, MODELS, ETC? I’m very inspired by street style. Real people are more intriguing to me than models even though I do stylize some of my figures to have “model” bodies. I’ve also been very inspired by traveling, experiencing other cultures and new surroundings. I think that it’s very important for artists to travel and see new things. Anything can trigger inspiration when I’m in a new place.
WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU LOOK UPTO AND WHOSE WORK YOU ADMIRE? DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC IDOL? I really admire Rene Gruau. He did a lot of poster work in Paris for couture houses and the Moulin Rouge. His linework is incredible! Another artist I love is Toulouse-Lautrec for his great color palette and the moments he captured in Montmartre in his paintings.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM JOB? My dream job would be working in a fashion design studio. Although I love illustration, fashion design is
another one of my interests. I’m currently a creative design intern at Terrance Sullivan (www.terrancesullivan. com) in Birmingham, Michigan. I illustrate all of the ideas, concepts and offerings of the collection as well as assisting in the design and developmental aspects of the collection. My dream job would be to work for Marc Jacobs. I love the diversity and detail of all his collections. Besides this, I would love to continue to freelance in fashion illustration for fashion magazines and publications.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS AFTER COLLEGE? I plan on moving to Paris with my boyfriend whom I met in college three years ago. I love this city and it has been a great inspiration to my illustration work. I’m excited to move there and meet prospective clients and learn to speak more French!
rock star take on ready-to-wear. Balmain, Balmain, more Balmain please!
FROM AN ARTIST’S POINT OF VIEW, WHICH CITY WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO LIVE IN IN THE FUTURE? Paris! It’s the fashion capital of the world and so much more. There are always new things to see and do in Paris. I can’t wait to move there this summer! You can check out Nicole’s fabulous artwork on Dripbook and get to know more about her at njareczillustration. blogspot.com.
Girl with glasses, 2009.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ILLUSTRATORS? My advice is to never try and copy another person’s style. Always experiment with new techniques to see which ones fit you.
ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR DESIGNERS YOU LOOK UP TO? WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITES? Marc Jacobs for his attention to detail and subtle themes in his collections. John Galliano for his theatrical runway shows. Dsquared2 for their
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BEHIND THE SCENES
DAY
life in the
Christine of My Style Pill
spends her days styling & shopping for clients, making PR contacts, and dishing with fellow bloggers.
M
y name is Christine Cameron and I am a personal stylist, wardrobe consultant, blogger and freelance magazine editor in New York. I write a blog called My Style Pill, which features my daily outfits, clothing and designers I love, and most of all, my outfit remixes, which show how to wear an item of clothing more than one way. I am fascinated by all things style and the many forms it comes in. As far as personal styling goes, I am constantly inspired by individuality and people’s sense of self as they strut the streets every day in individually crafted outfits. I love capturing and creating personal style from and for those around me, and helping someone create their own personal look and come into their own, to feel confident in what they put on in the morning—often all with the items they already have in their closet—brings the biggest smile to my face.
9:00am Wake up, put coffee on, and begin scrolling through my Blackberry for any emails I might have missed the night before. I settle in on the couch, turn on my computer and begin sorting through and answering emails, responding to blog comments, and updating my Facebook and Twitter page with a link to my newest blog post.
10:15am Begin writing a blog post about a new favorite designer I discovered, and then start to think about my outfit for the day. It’s pretty cold outside, but I’m feeling festive and want to break out my new skirt, which is red with gold, green and sparkly accents.
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Because the skirt is the main focus, I keep it simple with black tights and a black turtleneck. My cream Mackage jacket, which is my very favorite piece I own, is the finishing touch to my whole ensemble.
11:00am Head out to meet with a new client for wardrobe consulting and personal shopping. We sit and discuss what she wants her personal image to be and create a shopping budget. Then, we schedule a time to go through her entire wardrobe and see what needs to be weeded out, what can be kept and what essential pieces are missing from her closet.
1:00pm Browse boutiques in Soho to see any new items have hit the stores. Stop along Prince Street to check out all the independent vendors and their handcrafted items.
“I am constantly inspired by individuality”
I come across a beautiful, rich purple scarf and a lovely muted gray version as well. Cave in at the last minute and end up buying both, but know that they will go with at least five things in my wardrobe! Who can go wrong with too many colorful scarves?!
3:00pm Time for my daily outfit shot. I try and find a quiet street in Soho and begin by taking full length shots, and finish up with pretty detail shots of my accessories. Run home to change for a press event and then dinner later on.
7:00pm Dinner with fellow friends who are also bloggers for home design and fashion. We sit and bounce ideas off of each other, discuss ways to improve our readership, and revamp our websites.
9:00pm Head home to upload all the photos from the day and begin creating new blog posts for the next day.
11:00pm Get ready for the next day—pick out what I am going to wear—and finally call it a day and hit the hay.
5:30pm Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at a jewelry trunk show for an upand-coming designer. Chat and exchange business cards with PR g i r l s and peruse and photograph items for potential blog posts.
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VISIT CHRISTINE and read more about her life at MyStylePill.com
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‘ROUND THE WORLD
style
CITY
in my
“We take trends and magazines quite seriously.”
San Juan, PUERTO RICO Yarin (Fi) Figueroa, 22 Previously Owned
Top, Ouna’s Closet & La Moda at the Modern Music Festival; left, Cathedral in Ponce, the author.
Photo by Oquendo
“The island full of warm weather and beaches” is what I usually get when someone asks me where I’m from and I tell them Puerto Rico. One might assume everyone walks around in bikinis with a cocktail in hand all the time! Interestingly enough, most of the big label retailers in Puerto Rico are the best selling stores in their respective compaines. We take trends and magazines quite seriously. Climate is not a barrier for fashionable Puerto Ricans—in fact, right when the “wear tights with everything trend” came along, we were already sporting it!
LOCAL STYLE Local Puerto Rican style is all about being unique. Boutiques and vintage shops are quite scarce, but are highly visited for their product quantities. We do not have big chains like H&M or Urban Outfitters, and Forever 21
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just opened up. However, not having the usual commercial resources is not an obstacle for looking stylish! The local nightlife scene is pretty much surrounded by art, fashion and music, which inspires people to be more creative in their outfit choices. Even though a big chunk of the population is more into “by the book” trends, the young and hip are always looking for new ways to push the envelope. It used to be a more undercover scene, but ever since the big fashion events started working closely with local music artists, the fine line between mainstream and the covert got blurred, and in a good way!
SHOPPING If you came to Puerto Rico, where would you shop? We have Plaza Las Americas, the biggest mall in the Caribbean, which carries brands like Coach, Zara, and Guess. Looking for vintage? Ouna’s Closet has vintage
“The Tel-Aviv fashion scene is always changing.”
Tel Aviv, ISRAEL
Nina & Tchelet, 27 Braids and Bows Tel Aviv is one of the fun, young, and innovative places you probably haven’t yet visited, with new designer stores, local labels, and concept stores popping up everywhere.
THE SCENE
San Juan nightlife
and local designer goods. Want to hang out at night and really get a taste of local fashion? A band is playing, an art exhibition is showing...There is always something happening! Places like La Respuesta and Executive Manolo are great because they do all in one events. Want to party after hours? The Vatican has all the sequins, red heels, flashy lights and music you could ever want. Come visit and see for yourself! FI FIGUEROA of Previously Owned sews, glues, staples, cuts, wonders, questions & tapes her way into creating things. She also blogs, drinks coffee excessively, owns too many shoes, and does some freelance styling.
The Tel Aviv fashion scene is always changing. The lack of a lengthy, rich clothing heritage in our young country allows a lot of room for innovation and creativity, which manifests itself in the local street style. Though Israelis tend to embrace new trends very quickly, you will see a lot of interesting and unique styles in Tel Aviv. The atmosphere on the street fashion-wise is more laid back, and styles vary from vintage or vintage-inspired clothes to a more poppy street-style mixed in with a few colorful oriental items, which are perfect for our sizzling climate.
SHOPPING Going shopping in Tel Aviv is a unique experience, with the local fashion scene being dominated by young independent designers with small boutiques that reflect their own individual aesthetics. Each of the main shopping areas in Tel Aviv has its own distinctive style and atmosphere. In Gan Hahashmal you can find the newest, more subversive young labels that are meant for the young hip crowd. Dizengoff Street is the place to find the more
well-known brands in Israeli fashion, alongside stores that specialize in evening wear. Tchernihovski St. and Nahalat Binyamin St. are good places to find wonderful vintage accessories, and the Jaffa flea market is a treasure-trove of unique period pieces with a story behind them. A few names you should look for when going shopping in Israel are: Ruby Star: Designer Shirli Itzik creates edgy rock-and-roll jewelry. Itzik’s boutique is located in an old butcher’s shop which has been preserved in its original shape and today displays Left, Stores at Dizengoff the jewelry in industrial Street; below, Ruby Star in Gan Hahashmal; fridges. Brunsher at Jaffa flea Iluchka is a women’s market wear designer who makes whimsical, colorful and fun pieces which are hip, soft and romantic all at the same time. Shani Bar is a shoemaker who makes unique hand-crafted shoes with an old world feel. These are just a few we’ve named here, so the next time you’re in Tel Aviv write to us and we will recommend more! NINA & TCHELET of Braids & Bows Tchelet is a fashion designer and a fashion journalist for Time Out magazine. Nina is a jewelry designer by day and a biologist by night. We started our blog in order to have a creative platform to share the things we like with other creative people.
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TRENDS
Bundling up with layers doesn’t have to be dull or boring! These bloggers share secrets
COMFORT & S {
CHARLENE
Candy Kawaii Lover
JULIE
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Orchid Grey
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CHRISTEN
La Rue Neuve
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Fur Muffler, Adrienne Landau
Ledstone trench, Burberry
Make way for the hottest trend this season, fuzzy fur scarves, shawls, and collars. They not only look good, but keep you warm in cool weather.
A brightly colored, military-inspired trench is a new classic. If you’re looking for the perfect coat to add to your collection, this one is it.
Parisienne Parfum, YSL
Party dress, House of Cassette
While my beauty routine remains pretty basic yearround, something I do splurge on is perfume. YSL’s Parisienne is perfect: a warm, feminine scent, ideal for cold winter nights!
A Little Black Dress may seem like a cop out to some, but for those of us on a strict budget, one LBD can go a long way!
High waisted culottes, Burberry
Lace-up boots, Joie
These pants would work just as well with a silk blouse and jeweltoned platform pumps for my office party as they would with a cozy knit and boots for hanging with my family.
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I get so bored with the traditional cocktail dress and stilettos combination. I plan on surprising everyone by wearing a pair of flat lace-up boots with a short party dress this year!
for comfort and style this season.
STYLE KELLY
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Kelly Talks Couture
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HEATHER
Squarectomy
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MEGHAN Whit & Whimsy
Edited by Liz of Lizzie Jeanne Liz is a fashion blogger and freelance stylist living in Brooklyn. After moving to New York to chase her dreams, she found blogging to be the ideal personal creative outlet outside the corporate fashion world.
Gem bracelet, Forever 21
Blushing Creme, Luna Twilight
Thigh high boots, Topshop
Faux fur chubby, Topshop
Bowery necklace, Sachin + Babi
Steep Clean face mask, Bliss
Rock the Gothic Glam trend by mixing elegance with edgy designs. This bracelet’s chunky, dark gem detail would look perfect worn with silver chain necklaces and a studded punk belt.
Everyone is searching for a pair of sexy, sliming thigh high boots this season. Pair with tights in the same hue and add a wrap cardigan as a stylish way to stay cozy.
Treat yourself by investing in a stunning statement necklace. Great accessory pieces will give wardrobe basics a facelift and are sure to get wcompliments all night long.
In the winter months, your skin is definitely in need of a pick-meup. The Twilight Luna Mortal Glow Blushing Creme glides on easily and gives an instant glow.
This coat screams 70’s groupie, and I love it. A true statement piece, I’d pair this colorful chubby with a simple mini dress or casual tee.
Dry winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin. Bliss’ Steep Clean mask is like a weekly makeover for your face! It hydrates and smooths skin for a softer, brighter complexion.
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STYLE
SINGULAR STYLE
Erika Marie Location: North Carolina Occupation: Writer & stylist Blog: FashionChalet.blogspot.com Twitter: @FashionChalet Name:
ABOUT ME: I always find myself shopping at Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters because they have all of my
If I had my own clothing line, it would be called Capricious, because everything I love is either
I never leave home without sunglasses, handbag,
I can’t stop listening to Devendra Banhart and
A perfect day for me involves shopping, coffee and
When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina!
favorite trends at the best price points. cell phone, and iPod. a photo shoot..
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impulsive or whimsical. Imogen Heap.
Learn more about Erika on her blog, Fashion Chalet
BLOGGER PROFILE:
By Jean Kemshal-Bell of Stud Farm
Martine Cajucom
M
artine Cajucom caught the attention of the highly competitive fashion world with her inspiring blog I Love Martine. Rising to fame amid the ever-growing legions of fashion bloggers, Cajucom’s outstanding eye for style helped to land her an envious job at cult label American Apparel. Born in Manila, Philippines, Cajucom moved to the United States with her family just as she was about to enter first grade. Growing up, she had the privilege of living and traveling to all sorts of places including New Delhi and Hong Kong. This, the 22-year-old believes, has greatly influenced her appreciation of different cultures, helping her keep an open mind when it comes to fashion.
“Simply, I wear what I want to wear,” she says. “It changes daily, sometimes even hourly. I wear what I feel comfortable and cool in. And that’s how people should dress.”
With Honors
With her interest in fashion ignited at the age of five, when she thought “Disney t-shirts, tutus and braids were the coolest thing on the planet,” Cajucom was recently named by Preview Magazine as one of the best dressed in the Philippines this year. Honored by the title, Cajucom feels “Manila is as much [her] home as the United States is.” With this acknowledgement from the industry, and even with just a quick look at her blog, it’s little wonder this self-made fashionista landed herself a job at American Apparel only a few months after finishing her bachelor’s degree in journalism. In a clever move, the company gave her the position of Assistant Web Marketer, where she works in the creative department.
“Blogging was a very natural step in my interest in documenting my life.”
With her “huge” family dispersed globally, Cajucom started I Love Martine as a way to keep her relatives informed of the going-ons in her life. Yet blogging is only the most recent medium Cajucom has used to keep record of her experiences. “I’ve kept journals and scrapbooks for as long as I have had access to pens, glue sticks and a photo processing center,” she says. “Blogging was a very natural step in my interest in documenting my life.”
Inspiration
Now living in Hollywood, California, Cajucom draws inspiration from films and television. “Whoever said those two rot your brain wasn’t watching the right stuff,” she says. “Netflix is practically my best friend.” Citing Clueless, Heathers, Interview with the Vampire and Cruel Intentions as some as her favorite flicks, Cajucom adds that she also watches a little too much Gossip Girl than she says she should “ever admit to publicly.” Worlds apart from the preppy looks of Blair Waldorf, English Rose Alexa Chung, known for her experimental, quirky approach to fashion, is Cajucom’s ultimate style icon. “I adore Alexa Chung,” she says. “Not just because she has impeccable taste, but because she is hilarious. She is so goofy and real - at least that’s the impression I get from her show.” But when asked how she would define her own personal style, Cajucom is hesitant to categorize herself.
Building a Following
Those familiar with I Love Martine have probably noted Cajucom tendency to upload “outfit posts” wearing American Apparel clothing but, this she maintains, is purely because she loves their clothing. “It’s amazing to work and contribute to a community that you believe in,” she says. And her blogging experience is certaintly paying off. “Understanding what real people are buzzing about online definitely lets you gain a better insight into the market,” she says. Cajucom stresses that bloggers wanting to standout from the mediocre really need to offer something original. “Come up with something interesting and exciting, update often and find other blogs that you like and let them know. If you’re interested in fashion what better place to put that passion into practice than online? You already have a potential audience of millions.” Can’t get enough of Martine? Keep up to date with Twitter.com/martinecajucom or check out her latest looks on lookbook.nu.
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PROFILES
designer { {
EMERGING
Designer Rosie Kovacs of Poncho Rose is the brains behind fashion co-op the Brush Factory. By Vanessa Laraine of Hallowed be Thy Name
S
ome people say there’s nothing in Cincinnati. As an Australian, I’m blithely ignorant to the truth of this statement. But grass roots designer and entrepreneur Brittany Rose Kovacs tells me otherwise. “After I returned home from San Francisco”, Kovacs explains, “I accepted that Cincinnati was a historical wonder, and has so much to offer if you dig a little deeper. There is something so much more genuine about the relationships I have made here”. The city, which until very recently offered a small selection of either high end or conversely thrift store clothing options, is now host to its first co-operative fashion boutique, the Brush Factory.
Style Serendipity
Over the past 24 months, Brittany Rose had been involved in several fashion co-op projects on the west and east coast. But it wasn’t until serendipity partnered her with the shell of an old brush manufacturer that she realized she could satiate Cincinnati’s need for creative and affordable fashion options.
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The Brush Factory, which opened December 11, houses innovative emerging designers, targeting the ignored mid range market, and provide a platform for the community to express a greater level of creativity and experimentation with fashion. Very soon, locals will know names such as Lacey Voss, Andrea Sisson, Jennifer Sult, Poncho Rose (Kovacs’ own label), Chris Kittrell, and Vein Jewelry, to name but a few. “We’re still acceptThere is something so ing applications” Kovacs much more genuine enthuses, “and I’m very about the relationships I keen now, to get a larger men’s offering.” have made here. Though renovated, the 100-year old space housing The Brush Factory still retains much of its vintage and nostalgic charm, and provides a unique shopping experience. Kovacs has worked incredibly hard to transition the Brush Factory from an obsolete space to what is sure to be a buzzing hub of design, expression, and community.
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Poncho Rose
One of Rosie’s designs; the designer; working on the Brush Factory
A recent fashion and design graduate from the University of Cincinnati, Brittany Rose started sewing from a very young age, and quickly realized her path in life was to work in an artistic field. Her own label, Poncho Rose, “Clothes for People” is quirky yet on trend, and will be a key feature at the Brush Factory. A selection of Poncho Rose is also available at www.etsy.com/shop/clothesforpeople. In many instances, Poncho Rose designs are constructed by hand, adding to the authenticity and desirability of each piece. Further, they are largely unisex, giving a new meaning to “boyfriend” dressing. The future is bright for Kovacs. The Poncho Rose AW10 collection is available at the Brush Factory and via Etsy. com/thebrushfactory. With a firm set of social ethics guiding her, Kovacs looks forward to the Brush Factory to ultimately become a key local fashion destination. Kovacs believes these sorts of “open source movements” that are quietly but surely merging business and artistic communities will be a “very important tool for future problem solving”. “It makes sense to use each other’s knowledge and work toward the greater good”.
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BLOGGER business
with a
A fashion lover from Down Under turns her personal image collection into online glossy MYLOOKBOOK. By Erika of Cafe Fashionista
g
K
rista Eppelstun is no stranger to inspiration boards, image collections, or swooning over celebrity style. “I’ve always collected images on my computer of my favorite celebrities, clothes I like from online stores, hairstyles, and makeup looks; and I had folders and folders stored of all these different photographs,” says Eppelstun. “If I was ever going out somewhere special or needed general style ideas I would sit down at my computer and flick through all my photos. Even though I’ve always purchased plenty of fashion magazines, I liked the simplicity of just looking through my favorite photos in one spot.”
“I do consider MYLOOKBOOK to be an online glossy,” Eppelstun says. “Although I love reading blogs and I do blog myself, I would definitely say it’s a magazine. I’m always getting feedback from readers about how much they love the fact that they can flick through each page, the same way they would a traditional magazine. I think there’s something special about flicking through a magazine and the anticipation of what you’re going to discover on the next page.”
The Big Idea
Two years ago, the Sunshine Coast mother of two, who recently sold her online fashion boutique Australian Flavour, decided to turn her hobby into a business with the ability to reach readers all over the world via MYLOOKBOOK. “One day I had one of those lightbulb moments and thought that it would be great to be able to share these photos with others so they could do the same thing. I also thought how cool it would be to do it online but in the form of a magazine!”
“
One day I had one of those lightbulb moments...
Serious Business
The response to Eppelstun’s idea has been overwhelming, and even led to MYLOOKBOOK being selected as the Official Digital Media Krista Eppelstun; Partner for this a recent issue of past year’s MerMYLOOKBOOK cedes-Benz Brisbane Fashion Festival. “That’s when I realized that my online magazine was being taken seriously by the fashion industry.” Now, instead of asking for advice on how to turn her hobby into a business, Eppelstun finds herself viewed as an expert on the subject, doling out tips to other aspiring creators seeking assistance. “Just write about something that you are passionate about and it will come easy,” she says. “If you really love what you do, and work hard at it, then you
Taking inspiration from the typical blog, Eppelstun set to work on creating MYLOOK- will be successful.” BOOK, an independent online fashion magazine in which a new issue appears on the first day of every Visit Krista at www.mylookbook.com.au and fashionlookmonth. The catch was incorporating bits and pieces book.blogspot.com. from a real life glossy into the structure and format.
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FEATURE
weet
is s k o o b p a Scr
Style f o y d It n A Wear o t . t h s n i l and sty anofsky of I Wa na Y
By An
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“
My style is changing constantly and is influenced by everything ndy from Style Scrapbook may around me...
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be cooler than you, but she certainly isn’t going to leave you feeling that way. Her chic factor is off the charts; we’re talking Euro-fashioneditor chic. The girl is put together as if she was born rocking a pair of over the knee boots, yet she has no problem letting you in on all the behind the seams effort that goes into her style. Also, she is sweet as she is chic: her blog thanks you for reading at the bottom of every page. How endearing is that?
Stylish Beginnings
Style Scrapbook began as a venue for Andy’s advice to readers, featuring style tips and lists of items she coveted, but Andy soon discovered that pictures were worth a thousand words of guidance. Traffic grew once she started posting pics of her daily outfits, which often include projects she’s completed herself. Many of her DIY projects look like they came straight from the studios of Apparently very. Andy’s growing num- her favorite designers Alexander Wang ber of fans are effusive with their praise and Christophe Decarnin. of the aspiring stylist, sending her thank you notes and even using their While her style may be rock solid, she talents to honor her in their own draw- admits that her look continues to be a ings. Who knew high fashion could be work in progress. so full of heartfelt love? “My style is changing constantly and is influenced by everything around me, from designer collections, to fellow Andy’s got global appeal. Her style bloggers, to street style. The intranslates in whichever language or spiration is everywhere!” culture she’s immersed in at the moment. “I grew up in Mexico, in a city A New Wave in the state of Guanajuato.” She lived Andy’s creativity, mixed with there until she was 18, then studied her sense of style sent straight interior design in Montreal, where she from the fashion gods, is no fell further in love with fashion and the doubt going to make her goal of way of the French. Love led her to move conquering the European fashto Holland about two and a half years ion world quite possible. But, it ago where she currently lives with her is her sweet nature that will let boyfriend (and her blog’s star photog- her do it without the business’s rapher) and works as a Visual Mer- characteristic bitch-eat-bitch chandiser. It was around the time of mentality. her move to Holland that Andy started Style Scrapbook. But, if Andy has her Andy represents a new, welway she won’t be blogging from Am- come wave of fashion folks who are in sterdam forever. She’s a bit obsessed it for a love of clothes that has nothing with all things Parisian—think a giant to do with looking better than you. It’s Eiffel Tower photo in her living room— about feeling fulfilled and expressed and has firm aspirations of eventually and sharing the sheer joy of wearing settling down in the arrondissement something beautiful. of her choice. Ideally, Andy says she “This is the coolest, craziest, and [most] wants to head to Paris. fun experience that has ever happened
Global Appeal
“I would love to work as a stylist, either editorially for a big fashion magazine or for a designer like Balmain…or under Emmanuelle Alt.” She’s motivated by the knowledge she could gain. “Imagine everything I could learn from them!” she says in awe, ever the star style student.
to me! And it’s all thanks to my blog.”
If you have any doubt about how sweet this chic chica is, rest assured, Andy has as much love for her readers as they do for her. Catch up with Andy at her blog, StyleScrapbook.com and on Twitter.
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TIPS & ADVICE
{
Master of Your Domain:
Self-Hosting Your Blog
Y
ou’ve blogged with Blogger and typed your heart away with Typepad, but now you want to take the leap to hosting your own blog. Before you jump on Godaddy to secure your domain name and hosting, know that moving your blog and all its content can be an arduous process. Here’s a cheat sheet on what it takes and the benefits of going from myblog.blogpsot.com to myblog. com.
Get a piece of e-real estate
Getting a domain name and hosting is fairly inexpensive and the benefits of having your own hosted domain are huge, including full customization, a wider variety of themes and templates, increased site strength from an SEO perspective, and more control over your advertising.
Back up like your blog depends on it, because it does Remember when Carrie didn’t back up her work and lost everything? Well, take that as a warning! Do not be like Carrie, please back up your blog. Follow the instructions for your platform and save the template in a Notepad file for reference if things get screwy.
Find a system to manage your content (basically get WordPress)
WordPress.org is not the only blogging software out there. However, it’s one of the easiest to implement and transition to. Most hosting services will install WordPress as a part
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Why owning your own piece of online real estate is best. By Fajr Muhammad of Stylish Thought of their applications and WP has a system to import your posts from other blogging services. Always remember to install the latest version of WordPress.
Let WordPress do the work
The latest versions of WordPress have an import feature that syncs with your old blog service and imports your posts, categories and images. Choose your service (Blogger, LiveJournal, etc.) from the list, give WP permission to access the files, and voila it will import your files and images. *Note: Images may import, but if hosted on your old blog may disappear after some time. To be safe, it’s best to transfer images to a free image service like Photobucket and then manually enter them on your new site.
Pick a theme
Picking a new theme is crucial. It’s recommended to find your widest images and find a theme that accommodates them. This way you’ll ensure that your images don’t overflow into the sidebar. To deal with duplicate content issues, you can implement a 302 Temporary Redirect into your old template that will send users to your new site. While this redirect will not preserve links, it will maintain traffic. Add widgets, search for plugins and get acquainted with yourblog.com. This is your new blog and you’re finally home!
HOW-TO{
Set Up Your Own Online Shop by Alicia of Instant Vintage
So, you want to set up an online store? GREAT! Indie sellers are extremely popular and there is no reason for you not to get in on the action. The first order of business is deciding what you’re going to sell, so take a moment to really think about what you like and what your talents are. If you are a master at picking out great vintage clothing, you might be good at selling it. If you have a way with ink and oils, sell prints of your artwork. Love to crochet? Sell your work or patterns you create. The possibilities are endless. After you’ve chosen what you want to sell, consult your state’s regulations for sellers and small businesses and apply for any necessary licenses (it isn’t as scary as it sounds. Visit SBA.gov for more info). Once you’re nice and legit, the rest is up to you!
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1 GET A PAYPAL ACCOUNT
If you haven’t already, sign up with Paypal. It’s secure, offers protection for both sellers and buyers, and makes receiving money and paying bills much easier.
MAKE UP A NAME
Ideally, you want a name that uniquely reflects your personality and is easy to remember. Be creative! If you are able, make a banner or logo featuring it.
4 PLAY PHOTOGRAPHER 5
STOCK UP
Be transparent when describing your merchandise. Your buyers should know exactly what they are paying for, so note what your products are made of, what they feature, measurements, etc. Be creative and whimsical or keep it simple, but always accurately represent your product.
CHOOSE A HOST
3
The most popular store hosting sites are Etsy and Big Cartel. Etsy charges fees for listing and takes a percentage of each sale, but offers a community, a huge amount of traffic and is highly searchable. Big Cartel is subscription based (or free for stores with 5 items or less), but you have to work harder to drive traffic to your store. Weigh your options and choose the one that best suits your needs.
If you lack a fancy camera, models, or money for a professional, don’t worry. Check out these articles if you’re selling smaller pieces and these videos if you have larger ones.
6 PROMOTE!
My dad always used to say “you can’t sell a secret.” Order business cards (I suggest Moo), contact bloggers, sponsor giveaways, set up booths at craft fairs and flea markets, and do whatever else you can think of to get your store out there!
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e r u t cou
Images: Diane Pernet, Valerie Steele, Style Bubble, la robotique
OPEN-ION
N I O G
EET R T S YLE ST
de a c a nd e co a r e g s in th g o l B gger .P T o l a b H nhi
A
By M
s Stanley Kowalski tells Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire, “We’ve had this date with each other from the beginning.” And so it is with us and this article on the what and why of the fashion and style blogger. Even before we began threadbared in 2007, we wondered why everyone (it seemed, to us) had a fashion and/or style blog. Diane Pernet, renowned fashion icon, designer, and photographer, has a blog. But so too does Valerie Steele, the prolific fashion historian and Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and 13 year-old Tavi Gevinson, a veteran in the fashion blogosphere and a fixture at New York Fashion Week.
By the Numbers
One estimate suggests that there are 100 million blogs worldwide. A tiny fraction of these blogs—about 800— are dedicated to celebrity, street, couture, luxury, indie, mass-produced,
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L A T S O
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styl f o ole . r e h s t politics e r o l p stry x e a -h n indu h n i M fashio c i m e xt of red a b onte of thread
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vintage, and eco fashion and style. But these are only estimates. There are no precise numbers because there’s no singularly-accepted definition of the form and function of blogs. Blogs might be personal, informal, public, and participatory (through link trackbacks and reader commentary), or they might be commercial devices of promotion and marketing that are restricted to registered users, or they might encompass some combination of these qualities.
Fashion vs. Style
Classificatory distinctions between fashion blogs and style blogs are also unclear. The popular press and bloggers themselves often use the terms interchangeably. For our purposes, we understand these categories as overlapping but also recognize that there are significant distinctions between their focus and form. Fashion blogs report on and often celebrate fashion commodities, the fashion industry, and fashion celebrities; style blogs celebrate, critique, and at times criticize the aesthetic, cultural, political, and economic style or mode by which fashion forms are produced, expressed, and circulated across a wide range of industry and everyday sites. Typically, fashion blogs are image-laden and style blogs are text-heavy.
“new media journalists” received invitations for New York Fashion Week in September 2009—up from 40 in 2006.
The impact of [style blogs] on the fashion scene is undeniable.
The fashion press has also embraced bloggers, featuring them as editorial subjects (i.e., Harper’s Bazaar, September 2007; Elle UK, September 2009; and Sketchbook, October 2009) as well as hiring them as photographers and writers. Scott Schuman’s illustrious blog, The Sartorialist, has led to numerous jobs for GQ and Esquire, for example, and “the reigning queen of the fashion blogosphere,” Susanna Lau (Style Bubble) was recruited by Dazed Digital to be their commissioning editor. It is as such that bloggers and their supporters insist against their critics that the presence of these “citizen journalists” reflects a democratization of fashion criticism, in particular, and the democratization of the fashion industry, in general. For more on this debate and why we think the terms of the debates are limiting, see the original post on threadbared.
Informal Power
Today, bloggers produce knowledge about fashion, style, design, and modes of consumption that are read and circulated by hundreds of thousands of readers per day. Recognizing bloggers’ informal but no less powerful influence, fashion and design firms are turning to bloggers as insightful trend forecasters, cool aggregators, and unofficial promoters. In this way, fashion and style bloggers are playing a crucial role in producing and shaping culture.
High Impact
Despite the relatively small number of fashion/style blogs, their impact on the fashion scene is undeniable. This point is illustrated most clearly in the incorporation of bloggers into the fashion industry. Today, many bloggers are credentialed journalists. Eighty bloggers and
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FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE
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ONE
question THREE
Different perspectives, shared experiences Edited by Kirsty B. of Fashion Champagne
Ann, HOLIER THAN NOW At dinner the other night, my husband told me I looked great and that he wasn’t used to seeing me “out of Mom mode.” I’ve only been a mother for ten months, but it doesn’t take long to slip into a sartorial coma. Does being a Mom mean a life of Ugg wearing, sweatpant-ed faux pas? I hope not. Building an effortless capsule wardrobe is a repeating topic in my blog now.
QUOTABLE!
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bloggers
What was your biggest fashion faux-pas?
Emily, THE MIMI MANIFESTO One particular outfit always springs to mind whenever ‘fashion faux pas’ is mentioned – silver combat trousers with reflective strips down the side, finished off nicely with sparkly white trainers. I was around 13, it was my birthday and I had been given free rein of Tammy Girl. I was obviously feeling experimental at the time. I thought I looked like the coolest kid around, but now I just cringe whenever I see anything reflective.
Purushu, STYLE SAVVY My biggest fashion faux pas would have to be wearing skinny jeans and tight t-shirts. Being 185cm tall with a slim build, I found that I looked like a stick figure. Tight tops and skinny jeans will never look good on a slim, tall person -- I found that it’s all about balance. I tried skinny jeans with bigger tees and also tried the jeans with horizontal stripes, which created the illusion of a bigger chest.
Funny/interesting/thoughtful comments from the blogosphere
“I wouldn’t worry too much about those “other” fashion blogs. How can they possibly compete against the awesome which is the fashion blogger on fire?” On Fast Fashion Content & the Importance of Being Earnest, Yuli Ziv
“Leopard print + Chanel = perfection!” Beauty Team Up, Heights of Fashion 28
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