The Diverse Fashion Blogging Scene in Philadelphia

This article was written by Lesha Thompson of LivinLesh

Philadelphia is known for many things. It is known for it’s rich history, the amazing cheesesteaks, and the culture that is found walking the streets.

Hidden in the streets that my tourists don’t often visit are boutiques carrying pieces of every style imaginable. Designers, native to this wonderful city, are hard at work in their studios creating pieces that the world has yet to see. And every season, Philly Fashion Week takes over the city to show off the fashion that this city has to offer.

And just like any major city where the fashion scene is raging, you’ll find fashion/style bloggers expressing the style of their city through the major trends, beauty hacks, and the culture.

These bloggers work to represent their city. The backdrop to their style has been the cityscape and the artistic walls that you’ll find by simply looking around.

Here are some of the top fashion bloggers that you’ll find walking the streets of Philly.

Amanda of The Penny Parlor

“Colorful, practical and layered”

Amanda is a wife, mommy of three and a blogger. Her blog is a place where she shares all the things that she loves ranging from fashion and beauty to mommy moments and home decor.She loves the sense of community blogging provides, because, for her, it is a great outlet for stay-at-home mamas like Amanda!

Amanda describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “I speak more from a suburban mom standpoint, but I see fashion becoming more practical. Think moms running around in cute flats and backpacks, going out in fun sandals instead of heels and wearing fits that are both comfortable and flattering. I love outfits that have a looser fit/Boho feel paired with a stylish flat sandal. I can be comfortable running around with the kids during the day then meet up with girlfriends for a happy hour--those transitional pieces are what moms are looking for.”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: Amanda likes to shop the King of Prussia mall, one of the biggest malls in America, which is located just outside the city. Her favorite department stores, Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor, are housed there along with her favorite brand stores such as BCBG and Tory Burch.

Follow her on: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin’ |

Lesha Thompson of LivingLesh

“Classy, Vibrant, Versatile”

Lesha aka Lesh – a little nickname given to her by some of my fabulous friends - is a petite woman with a love of fashion and saving money. During the day, you’ll find her in the classroom, but at night you’ll find her working blogging about personal style, beauty, and other great things. When she’s not doing either of those things, you can often find her in the mall and in the city, searching for top trends and urban chic style pieces to add to her closet.

Lesha describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “Philly’s fashion shows off its culture. The city is filled with so many different types of people. And even when looking at the buildings, you see various types with so much art. That’s the fashion scene in Philly. It’s artistic. It’s versatile. And it’s filled with styles the represent so many people. The fashion scene in Philly is growing. There are so many designers emerging from Philly, and soon it is going to be a city that will not only be recognized for the history, but for the fashion as well.”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: Iesha likes to shop at the King of Prussia Mall and the Limerick Outlets located outside of the city. But, in the city, she is known to be shopping at various boutiques that she discovers such as the Geisha House.

Follow her on: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin’ |

Hara Kritharidou of Fashion in the City

“Chic, Elegant, Feminine”

Hara is a Greek fashion blogger who moved to the Philadelphia area less than one year ago. She loves fashion, the sun, creating & inspiring, and admires honesty & kindness. Her studies were in Management & Marketing - skills which she used to apply to her fashion blog. Now during her free time she passionately works on her blog which is related to fashion, health and beauty.

Hara describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “Constantly & quickly growing, great designers with extraordinary talent.”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: ZARA for the latest trends, great quality and good price;  LULULEMON ATHLETICA for the fashionable athletic wear, big variety, great quality & shape; H&M for gorgeous latest trend pieces, basic well shaped items, great swimwear and athletic wear; King of Prussia Mall which she describes as a paradise with unlimited clothing brands, makeup stores, movies, food that is all in one place fitting all budgets.

Follow her on: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Bloglovin’ 

Shakira Keys of Sing Pray Shop

“Chic, Fun, and Versatile “

Shakira Keys aka Kira is a 30 something-year-old woman who was born and raised in Philadelphia. Sing Pray Shop is a life and style blog for millennial women of color who are smart, stylish, and sophisticated. The blog highlights city life and faith in Christ.

Kira describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “Philly's fashion scene is absolutely thriving! We have all of the designer options of any other major city but we also manage to have phenomenal local designers as well. Not to mention plenty of vintage options.”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: Smak Parlour, Philly Aids Thrift, Buffalo Exchange, H&M, and Warrior Princess Closet.

Follow her on: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook |

Tivoli Suresh Chhabriya of Project Vivre

“Chic, comfortable, tasteful"

'Vivre' in French means 'To Live'. Tivoli’s blog primarily revolves around this idea of being able to do whatever we need to in life, to help us feel 'fully alive'. She is currently studying for my CPA qualification and the blog is her creative outlet to help express her love for fashion & style!

Tivoli describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “It's a mix, really! I have found people who dress on point with the trends and those that just love their casual, comfortable style! And that's what I love about Philly - you can dress whichever way you like and you'd still fit in!”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: Tivoli is a big fan of the commercial stores in Philly such as Forever 21, H & M and Old Navy. She always make her last minute runs there to only find something that she has always liked.

Follow her on: Instagram

Macarena Ferreira of Material Girl

Macarena Ferreira is a 24-year-old fashionista who is originally from Miami, Florida. She’s a personal style blogger and web developer in the making and is better known as a fashion chameleon. She’s always up for any trend! If there’s a good sale, you’ll find her there. Macarena thrives on Instagram and she’s never afraid to splurge on a pair of shoes.

Macarena describes the fashion of Philly by saying: “I would have to say it's more casual. A chill, cooler scene.”

Favorite Philly Shopping Hotspots: Maracerna loves to shop at Intermix in Rittenhouse Square.

Follow her on: Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin’ |

For more bloggers to follow check out...

A Day in the Life of Australian Sister Blogging Duo HOW TWO LIVE

We discovered the sisters from How Two Girls Live via Instagram and also through our friends at About Blank, who also shoots their Youtube videos in a new reality series. These two ladies stood out to us due to their colorful fashion sense and fun personalities. Plus, there’s always something that stands out when it comes to a sister blogging team. 

Being that these two are from Melbourne, Australia we were intrigued to learn more about where they grew up and what their city was like in terms of fashion and blogging. 

With the launching of their own brand Twoobs, which is a fun and flirty footwear line that can take you from the beach and then out for a night of dancing, these two young entrepreneurs are taking full advantage of their growing audience and a social media following that they’ve grown through Instagram (122k+ followers) and Snapchat (their new favorite platform)

One thing is for sure with these two, they are having fun and genuinely enjoy spending time as sisters. 

Read our exclusive Q&A with this awesome pair and get a glimpse into their daily lives! 

Hometown/origin city/country? Melbourne, Australia.

Current location: We just arrived back in Melbourne after a huge two month trip to the US, France, Greece and Israel.

What is the focus of your blog and how did you first start out in your journey? 
We started How Two Live as a diary to each other when Stef was moving to Paris for six months. Each day one of us would post an outfit shot and tell the other what we were wearing, doing, eating etc. Since starting our blog in 2012, it has definitely evolved and grown with us, but the theme of travel, friendship and fashion will always remain.

When did you both realize you could make a career out of your blog?  
It was six months into How Two Live when we started being approached by brands to feature in their campaigns and use our platforms to promote their products. At that point we started to realise the huge potential of the industry and where our blog could take us. After around one year the blog became our full time, and we began travelling around the world and working with some amazing brands.

Twoobs are such fun shoes! How did the brand come about?
We recently launched our first independent line of shoes called TWOOBS. It’s something we’ve been working on since 2014, and only recently released in February this year. It’s a line of fun, comfortable and affordable footwear, and it was really a natural progression for us. Stef studied PR and Jess studied fashion and after working with other brands to promote their products, we were excited to create a product of our own.

After four years of blogging we also got to know our followers and what they like really well so we were able to create something we knew they’d love.

 What is your favorite social media channel?
If you would have asked us last year we would’ve probably said Instagram, but 2016 has been all about Snapchat for us. We love how real and raw the content is, and we have a large following of young girls, it’s the perfect platform to reach them.  

Dream brand to work with?
Jeremy Scott.

What's been your ccomplishment as bloggers?
Publishing our book #HOWTWOLIVE.

What are you working on next, or excited for?
We’re very excited about the launch of our next TWOOBS collection, which is coming out in a couple of months. We’ve recently started an online series where we’re uploading daily episodes to our Facebook and Youtube, and we’re also gearing up for the release of our book #HOWTWOLIVE into The US in time for Christmas this year. 

How would you describe Australia in terms of fashion?
The fashion is pretty laid back in Australia but definitely super cool. The best part about the fashion scene here is all the amazing up and coming fashion designers. Some of our favourites are Alice McCall, Cameo, House of Cards, Casper & Pearl... the list is never ending! 

What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
Find your unique voice and the followers will find you. People can tell when the content you're creating isn’t authentic so make sure you’re creating something that you love, not that you think others would like to see, and people will be drawn to it.

Any productivity hacks/tools that you absolutely need for blogging? 
We’ve learned consistency is key - in the first year of our blog we would post at 10am everyday, and we noticed people responded really well to that reliability.  

❤️A DAY IN THE LIFE OF HOW TWO LIVE❤️ 

9-10AM

We meet at Jess’ house for breaky and to plan out the week ahead. Breakfast is never too exciting, usually toast with peanut butter (Stef) and strawberry jam (Jess), or oatmeal if we’re feeling particularly adventurous. We use this time to discuss what we’ll each be focusing on that week that way we’re both across everything that needs to be done. 

10AM-12PM

These hours are always filled with responding to emails and getting on top of things. We work with a lot of different brands through How Two Live, and with the recent launch of our shoe line TWOOBS, we have a never-ending supply of emails to attend to.

 12-2PM

We schedule in any meetings during this time – usually we organise to meet people at one of our favourite cafes that way we can grab a yummy lunch while we’re at it. Our go-to Melbourne cafes are Journeyman, Pillar of Salt and Paperboy.

2-5PM

These are probably the most productive hours in our day. We use the afternoon to work on any projects we have coming up, whether it be styling for a photo shoot, working on new TWOOBS styles, putting together a proposal for an upcoming job, or writing content.

5-630PM

More emails zzzzzzzz. We’ll revisit our old friend inbox and see what needs to be ticked off before we start winding down for the night.

630-830PM

We’re early to dinner and early to bed people. We’re not great cooks and neither are our boyfriends so dinner is either takeaway or eating out. Uber Eats recently launched in Melbourne so now we can get delivery from all our fave places – things are about to get dangerous.

 830-1030PM

TV time! We like anything trashy – Real Housewives of NY and OC are our favourites (blush), and we’ll usually try squeeze in a couple of eps before heading to bed. We also film daily webisodes with About Blank that air on our Facebook and Youtube so we use this time to upload all the footage from our day to be edited.

How Ana Dominguez Runs TWO Successful Blogs

Running one successful blog is one thing, but what about running TWO successful blogs? Meet Ana Dominguez. As the Editor-in-Chief of IFB- Independent Fashion Bloggers or as most people know HeartIFB.com, Ana has a lot on her plate to say the least. She also runs her own personal blog about travel and helping creative entrepreneurs at The City Sidewalks. 

In our interview with Ana, she discusses everything from her best blogging tips as well as her productivity hacks. Be sure to read her "Day in the Life of.." at the end where she describes her daily routine. Talk about organized and strategic! We took some major inspiration from this post and we hope you do too! 

Where are you currently located? Chicago & NYC
Hometown/origin city/country? Tell us about how you grew up?
My family is originally from Puerto Rico and then transplanted to Carmel, IN. I always felt like a fish out of water growing up where I did. Suburbia never really spoke to my soul and I always felt like I was meant for something bigger. I moved to the big city as soon as I could and am never looking back!

What is the focus of your blog:
I am the Editor in Chief of Independent Fashion Bloggers, where we focus on blogging, fashion, and other helpful tips helpful for to grow their business.
I also have my own personal travel + lifestyle blog, The City Sidewalks, where I help other bloggers, creatives, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses so that they can achieve financial freedom to travel the world on their own terms.

How many years have you been blogging and is this your full-time job:
I've been blogging for two years and yes this is my full-time job.  But I have at least 10 different revenue streams (including e-courses, consulting, and sponsorships). That's the key for monetizing as a blogger! You need to have more than 1 way of bringing in money!

How long did it take you to build your following or until you could start blogging full-time?
For my personal blog, it probably took about a year and a half until I really started seeing significant changes and big opportunities coming through.

What is your favorite social media channel?
I've got 2... Instagram is my favorite to get creative and grow my audience, but Pinterest is my favorite to grow my blog and business! Pinterest is amazing and all bloggers should be using it to grow their businesses.

The BEST and WORST thing about blogging?
For me, the best thing about blogging, is all the unique opportunities that arise from it. Job opportunities, photo shoots, networking, and more. Blogging has opened so many interesting doors for me that would have never been opened had I still been sitting behind a desk.

The worst thing about blogging is probably trying to keep up with everything you need to! When you run your own business (because bloggers ARE business owners), there are so many things that can always be done, always be tweaked, or always be changed. It's kind of a never ending to-do list... But I still love it!

What's your biggest dream/goal?
I would love to have a TV show on Travel Channel one day a la Anthony Bourdain (maybe a little less abrasive, but still with plenty of personality)

Biggest Accomplishment as a blogger?
Landing a partnership with Four Seasons Resort and becoming the Editor-in-Chief of IFB were definite highlights of my year so far. Also making my first $1 from my blog (yes--even the little wins need to be celebrated!).

What are you working on next, or excited for?
With IFB, we are working on incorporating tons of new content and free workshops that are relevant for bloggers who want to continue to grow their presence and brand online, make more money, and be more efficient with their processes (seriously so many great things coming with this...be on the lookout!). With The City Sidewalks, I'm working on starting a YouTube channel/mini-series, and even creating a new e-course for bloggers who want to work with brands. I got into consulting bloggers on a number of topics this year (and even created an Instagram e-course), so I'm excited to expand that side of my business too!

What do you love about fashion in your current city and in other parts of the country?
What do people think about fashion and fashion blogging in your opinion?
What I love about fashion in the United States is that every city has it's own unique sense of style. In New York you see eclectic, modern, experimental, and everything is always changing; in LA you see funky, boho, artistic, and unique; Miami has lots of Latin and Caribbean influence; Chicago is chic and put-together... The list goes on and on with every region and city of the country. It's actually something that I really love about traveling--seeing all the different styles in every location. I think people in the US also look to fashion and fashion blogging as a way to express themselves and connect with other like-minded people. It's an incredible phenomenon that I'm so excited to be part of!

How did you become and editor for IFB?
Our previous editor decided to take a new route with her career and the position became open this past Spring. I had started working with IFB as a Content + Marketing Editor and stepped into this new role as a promotion. It was an incredible opportunity that I couldn't pass up! 

What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
BE CONSISTENT. No matter what you do, be consistent. There are so many things that we have to juggle around--from social media to blog posts to monetizing--it can get overwhelming. The best thing you can do is to always be consistent. The easiest way to do this is to simplify. Example: Don't worry about being on every social platform all the time. Have a profile on all, but BE CONSISTENT on only 1-2. It's better than stretching yourself too thin on all of them.

Any productivity hacks/tools that you absolutely need for blogging?
Keep a calendar and a daily schedule! I have a planner that I look at literally every single day to see what I need to get done and where I'm at for the week. The calendar serves as my to-do list, my planner (for implementing concrete deadlines), and my goal tracker. It's the best thing that you can do to hold yourself accountable to getting things done.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANA DOMINGUEZ OF THE CITY SIDEWALKS

Oy... With all the travel I do, my schedule is ever-changing and hardly ever consistent, which I actually love. I hated the mundanity of the 9-5 life and decided to pick a career where every day is always different. But, when I'm at home for more than a day, this is usually the schedule I follow:

7:00a - Wake up and start my morning routine. I usually start off by meditating, writing in my journal (goals, affirmations, and positive vibes to start the day!), and reading something of value and learning.

7:30 - Workout. I like to get it out of the way so I don't keep putting it off in the afternoon/evening!

8:30 - Breakfast and get ready for the day

9:30 - Read and respond to emails and other general prep work for the day

10:00 - Start Work: Creative Block #1. I usually pick whatever creative task I have that will take the most mental energy to complete first. This can be blog posts, creating things for my courses or webinars, newsletter preps, etc.

12:00p - Creative Block #2. This block is usually for the slightly less mindful tasks that I need to complete, but are still important. This can be sending newsletters, updating social media, making graphics on Canva, or creating proposals for partnerships. I also use this time for meetings or phone calls.

1:30 - Read and respond to emails and prep for the afternoon

2:00 - Lunch break! I put my work completely away for the hour to give my brain a little rest.

3:00 - Promotion Block. I take this time to promote anything I need to--IFB posts, my own blog posts, my courses, etc.--on social media.

4:00 - Creative Block #3. This block is to do anything else that needs to be done for the day. That can be meetings, catch up, finishing blog posts, or anything else.

5:30 - Read and respond to emails and prep for the next day

6:00 - Finish any other work for the day and make a list for the next day

8:00 - Dinner and chill for the rest of the evening!

11:00 - Usually when I tryyyy to go to bed (sometimes earlier or later depending on my day). It's VERY important to me to get my 8 hours. I cannot function without proper sleep!

Be sure to read more about Ana and City Sidewalks! 

Did you like this article? If so please leave us a comment below! What is one of your best blogging tips and how are you the most productive in your day? Let us know! xo

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Could Man Repeller Be The Most Punk Rock Force In Fashion?

Even if you don’t consider yourself a particularly fashion-savvy person, you’ve probably heard of Man Repeller. Appealing to pretty much anyone with a sense of humor and an appreciation for individual style, the little blog formed in 2010 has since grown into a legitimate brand, and one which answers to no man, no matter how well-dressed. 

Steering the ship is Leandra Medine, who created Man Repeller while pursuing a journalism degree at The New School in New York City. Much the same as today, the blog featured images and personal anecdotes showcasing Medine’s “man repelling” choices in garb, and became an immediate fave among readers, many of whom have remained loyal followers since the beginning. 

photo via fashionista

"At first I really felt like it was a moment, so I wanted to ride the wave while I was still on it and not under it,” Medine said in an interview with Fashionista. “But after the wave wouldn't break — which was great — I realized that I was sitting on something that could be a potential business."

Now understanding that Medine had a major platform in which to showcase her talents, she used the opportunity to build a community of fellow like-minded women around the world, offering her own vulnerability to encourage an honest and supportive understanding amongst her clan. This seems to be what sets Man Repeller apart from the rest - it’s authentic, it’s individual, and perhaps most appealing, reading it almost feels like a gab session with an old friend. 

photo via fashionista.com

"One thing I tell all my editors when they start working at Man Repeller is: 'Don't think about whom you're writing to; just pretend you're writing an email to a best friend about something you just experienced,” Medine said. “That's the way we approach our content.” 

photo via man repeller

So what allows Medine and company to continue to expand while sticking true to their core beliefs? They keep things DIY, answering to no one but themselves, and maintaining 100% creative control of any and all content they wish to share. Fully self-funded, Man Repeller is able to do what they do simply because none of their editorial decisions are made to meet the needs of “fancy men in suits.” This freedom to grow is not only ideal for Man Repeller’s creative team, but its subscribers as well, and the uncompromised voice is sure to play a major part in what keeps readers coming back for more. 

Medine keeps her head in the game and her eye on the prize, and as she and the Man Repeller team continue to do the right things for the right reasons, their fan base continues to rally around them, giving what started as a little blog in 2010 a life of its own. “...You have to believe you can do it — because the world is going to tell you that you can't and you're not going to realize that until you actually start doing it," she said. 

To visit Medine and company online, visit www.manrepeller.com. 

5 Differences Between Blogging in Brooklyn versus Melbourne

One of the best things about blogging is meeting different bloggers from around the world. One introduction can easily create a snowball effect, which can lead to many new interviews and connections.

If are you are new to Global Garbs, you may not realize that the majority of creatives and influencers we typically feature are women. 

Well, today we're changing it up a bit. 

Meet Gideon Heine from About-Blank. When we discovered that About Blank was actually an amazingly inspiring collective of stories and interviews, we knew we had to feature him. 

About Blank started in the summer of 2014, as a way to showcase local artists, musicians, and designers. 

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Gideon or Giddy spent almost two years living in Brooklyn, New York to shake things up a bit. 

Realizing that you can't help but be influenced by your surroundings, Gideon's vision was always to take the blog to the next level. He certainly has managed to do so with his curated content, from what's happening globally, to what's going on in Melbourne. 

Read on to get Gideon's take on the differences between blogging in Brooklyn vs Melbourne, and how you can adapt to different markets in order to grow your blog.

DIFFERENCE #1: FASHION WORLD ON STEROIDS

Melbourne has an incredible batch of upcoming designers with PAI, Aje and Dion Lee to name a few. But it’s no New York.

Melbourne designer Aje

Working at a high-end fashion magazine at the time (Vs Magazine), my commute on the L train sums up New York fashion.

People love forking out their paychecks to buy the latest collection of some designer they heard about from a friend at a DIY warehouse party on the weekend.

That sentence just wouldn’t make sense in Melbourne.

You only have to look at NYFW to truly understand where the world's eyes are.

Outside each show will be photographers from Vogue, Dazed, New York Times and pretty much every other major editorial out there.

That does not exist in Melbourne. Sure there is street style, but not an array of highly respected editorials.

Not to mention the celebrities and socialites that attend these shows and the after parties.

God how good are after parties in NY?! Networking 101 right there. 

DIFFERENCE #2: WIFI IS EVERYWHERE!

A bloggers best friend is WIFI and how can you not love blogging in New York when you can set up camp in any café with coffee in hand and your mac in the other.  There is nothing more I miss than working from AP Café (Bushwick) or Devocion (Williamsburg) on About-Blank.

Furthermore the opportunities to just ask the person next to you, “what are you working on?” is always greeted with a smile. 

To blog in Melbourne is to pay for a studio space, an office or from home. You just don’t meet the creatives in the street as often, it takes more networking abilities and effort.

Having the opportunity to work from anywhere in the city is something you must take advantage of.

Change your surroundings for the day and you never know who you may end up bumping into. Could even be Gigi Hadid, which happened to me one day when I found myself working at the Soho House. 

DIFFERENCE #3: NETWORKING

The typical greeting in New York is “Hey, what is your name and what do you do?” And everyone will answer it with some sort of fascinating story of what they’re working on and how they got there.

Melbourne requires that friend for the introduction, that extra leg of effort to delve into your niche market.

There is no niche in New York, everything there is just way too big to be niche. 

This is one of the most important keys to being able to live in New York. Constantly meeting new people and more importantly remembering their names! It’s a true talent and don’t take it for granted.

Never be too shy to hold back from hitting that person up for a favor, even just after you met them.

The number of times someone was asking me to collaborate with them before even knowing their name was astonishing! 

DIFFERENCE #4: HUNGER FOR SUCCESS

New York natives don’t just want to get by, they want to be at the top of their game.

You need to learn to hustle and hustle hard. I can’t tell you how many days I spent running around the city either photographing models, lugging around designer clothing for shoots and interviewing artists from the depth of Brooklyn to the galleries around Dia:Beacon. You just do it and smile. 

Melbourne life is easy. You get in your car, drive to your coffee date or shoot location and everyone is laid back and easy to get along with. Sure the competition is fierce here, but no one is trying to be the next Marc Jacobs or Annie Leibovitz.

DIFFERENCE #5: BLOGGING CULTURE

Being able to collaborate and grow your blog is the fundamental way to growing your audience.

With the exponential amount of bloggers in New York, the ability to meet and collaborate with your newfound friend is awesome. Do not be afraid to send that introductory email or ask your friend to get you into an event because there is no shame in NY.

One of the first bloggers I met was WhoisApneet, who invited me to a Cutty Sark event. Just from that initial email, I attended monthly events of unlimited alcohol, bowling at Brooklyn bowl and access to headlining acts and other bloggers to collaborate with.

Melbourne is less social. The big events, gigs, and shows are not nearly as often or even worthwhile. Just last week I went to a Vice party in Melbourne and even that had maybe like 20 people there as opposed to the one in New York which had 250.

Ultimately I’m a big fan of the 24-7-1 rule, begin the project within 24 hours, have the concept down packed within the 7 days and finish or have the prototype within 1 months time.

Wherever you may be living just take into account what can work the best within your surroundings. 

Be sure to follow Gideon and About Blank on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! 

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A Day in the Life of Sonia from The Cherry Chapter

We recently discovered Sonia from the Cherry Chapter via Instagram as an up and coming
V-logger from Paris, France. Unlike the U.S., fashion blogging and vlogging (video blogging) is still not as prevalent yet despite Paris' fashion capital status in the world. 

Regardless of this mentality, Sonia and her gorgeous vibrant red hair, are pressing onward to establish herself as the boho-chic blogger and stylist that she is. 

As a full-time account manager, Sonia has to juggle her time during the weekend with building her blog and shooting her youtube videos. 

We can't help but admire hard working individuals like Sonia, who continue to go for what they want, one Instagram post or You Tube video at at time. 

Read on to learn more about Sonia and her daily blogging schedule. 

🕊 I'm like a bird 🕊 . . #hairstyle #aboutalook #love #hairpost #braid #gypsy #bohobraids #bohemian #fashion #fashionable #style #styles #fbloggers #wiwt #instablogger #igdaily #ftwotw #ootd #style #fashionista #bloggers #stylish #outfitoftheday #bohochic #whatiwore #streetstyle #details #bohemianstyle #ootdfash

A photo posted by Sonia Besnainou (@thecherrychapter) on Jul 1, 2025 at 11:45am PDT

Name: Sonia Besnainou
 
Blog name: The Cherry Chapter
 
Hometown: Paris, France
 
Current location: Paris, France
 
What is the focus of your blog?:
Fashion styling, personal style, and hairstyle inspiration
 
Years blogging: a year and a half
 
Is this your full-time job? 
Not a full-time job, no. It was my main full-time well as being a personal stylist until March, but I have a MAJOR life change coming up in the next couple of months and had to take on a full-time job. I currently work as an Account Manager for a web marketing firm; which is also super interesting and rewarding since I get to deal with affiliate marketing a lot! But I am definitely planning on going back to my old routine!

💅🏻👁💍Details💍👁💅🏻 . . #boho #bohochic #gypsy #necklaces #jewelry #grwm #fashion #gems #fashionable #inchains #stones #fwis #wiwt #accessories #love #details #fashionblogger #ootd #style #fashionista #instajewelry #stylish #bloggers #jewelrygram #fashionjewelry #necklace #bohooutfit #chains #bohemian

A photo posted by Sonia Besnainou (@thecherrychapter) on Jun 17, 2025 at 11:42am PDT

As a stylist, I worked on photo shoots, during Paris Fashion Week, for private clients…and I miss it a lot! It just wasn’t reliable enough as an income for me right now.  I’m glad I have the weekends to blog though! 
 
How long did it take you to build your following? 
I would say that’s always an ongoing thing but it has definitely improved in the last few months, especially on Instagram I’m noticing a real growth so let’s hope it will continue this way. I love it because I feel like everyone is so supportive of each other and that’s exactly what bloggers need!

How did you come up with the idea for your blog and what made you want to start blogging? The idea came from both myself and others.  I really liked reading fashion blogs and looking at tons of Instagram hairstyles or YouTube videos. I wanted to be on YouTube more at the beginning actually. And then I kept meeting people at events or even on the streets telling me they loved my style or my hair and thought “Maybe I should try it out! If I combine my fashion knowledge with my personal style, it could be fun and people might be interested!” Every day I have more and more ideas for the future of the blog, it’s so much fun and I have learned so much since I’ve started! 
 
What's the best thing about blogging? 
Doing what I love and whatever I want with it - total creative freedom and, of course, meeting super interesting people all the time! Oh and I almost forgot: learning. There is something new to learn every day when you blog, it’s amazing!
 
What's the worst thing about blogging? 
There's not really a downside to blogging, more of a problem that I have which is staying consistent! My blog and YouTube channel kind of follow my life and sometimes I have a lot of inspiration and/or time for new content, sometimes I’m super busy or have writer’s block. I know it’s definitely something I need to improve on!
 
What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
Well, to organize your time well since being consistent is harder than it looks! And network, a.LOT! As well as being important, it’s really fun, you will make like-minded friends and will be able to support each other. 
 
Dream brand to work with? 
Many brands like Free People, American Apparel, Wildfox… and if Vivienne Westwood did collabs with bloggers, that would be the absolute dream.
 
Biggest accomplishment so far as a blogger? 
Somehow, even if my blog is not big, I have random people I meet telling me they’ve seen or read my blog before. I am still shocked as to how that’s possible haha! 
 
What are you working on next, or excited for? 
I have 2-3 major life events coming up in the next few months that are definitely going to change my blog too! I am oh so very excited and will be talking about it very soon, so stay tuned...
 
How would you describe the fashion/style of the country/city you live in?
What do people think about fashion and fashion blogging in your opinion?
Well, I feel like the first part of this question was written for Paris!! People in Paris tend to really pay attention to what they’re wearing but without really making an effort, it seems more like a natural thing and it definitely had an influence on me when I first got into fashion. A lot of people stay on the “classic” side of things though, wear a lot of basics and neutrals, especially black, but they are generally dressed pretty well!
 
That being said, people who are not in the fashion industry don’t care much about fashion; and to the people who are, it’s a very small bubble, hard to get in but where everyone knows each other.
Now, fashion blogging is a whole different story. It’s still very new in France, I think there are those clichés about bloggers, it can be seen as the black sheep of the fashion industry, and it is very rare to see French brands paying bloggers for anything for example. It’s very different from other countries for that I think, especially the US!

Favorite look of the moment 😍😍😍🙈😎

A photo posted by Sonia Besnainou (@thecherrychapter) on Mar 7, 2026 at 12:06pm PST

SONIA'S DAILY BLOGGING SCHEDULE 

Since I currently have a full-time M-F job with 4 hours of commute a day, it is sooo hard for me to do anything related to blogging during the week. The only thing I really try to do is brainstorm new ideas for posts, photos, videos… I do the rest on the weekends so they are pretty packed with blog stuff! Here’s a typical Saturday of mine:
 
9-10am: 
I usually wake up around 9 and answer any emails/comments/messages I’ve accumulated in the past couple of days. Sometimes I also do some yoga!
 
10-11am: 
I cook and eat breakfast. I know, it seems like it takes a really long time – and it does! Breakfast is VERY important to me (I know, that’s a super French thing to say). Whenever I can, I also try to cook different things like French toasts, banana pancakes…or if I’m in too much of a hurry, I can always take a trip to the bakery nearby! And I try to relax while watching an episode or two of my favorite shows!
 
11am-2pm: 
I pretty much 1-try to figure out if want to take photos, write blog posts, shoot a video, make a DIY… 2-get ready accordingly and 3-spend a little time with my family and have a quick lunch (sometimes) 
 
2pm-6 or 7pm: 
Depending on what I decided to do, I could be going shopping for DIYs, doing pulls, rehearsing and shooting one or multiple videos, writing one or several blog posts, taking pictures (especially later in the afternoon), editing pictures, posting/scheduling posts on/for social media….literally everything there is about blogging haha
 
8-9pm: 
I watch another show or 2 (hey, it’s the weekend after all!) and I always use that time to select, edit and schedule my Instagram posts for the upcoming week. I’m absolutely obsessed with Instagram so that is THE one thing I’m super consistent about haha
 
Any time after that: relax, eat dinner and get ready for bed!

…ok so that’s a Saturday packed with blog-related things…but the truth is, I also spend a lot of weekends hanging out with friends in the afternoon, going out to dinner or to a party at night. When I do, I still try to do some extra work the weekend before or after if I have time to plan it ;-)

Sonia Besnainou
Blog: http://www.cherrychapter.com

MORE "A Day in the Life of" stories...

• November 2016
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• January 2016
• December 2015
• November 2015
• October 2015
• September 2015
• August 2015
• July 2015
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• March 2015

A Day in the Life of Stylist and Blogger Evelina from London, England

If you've been following Global Garbs, you know that we LOVE meeting new bloggers around the world. There's something so interesting about learning more about a person in a different country with different culture, and a different sense of style. 

We are all connected in the world of fashion and now especially due to the internet we are influenced by others around the world at the comfort of our own home. 

Does anyone recall the days of purchasing UK Vogue, or Vogue Italia to get new inspiration from across the world? Or was that just us... 

Either way, it's amazing to connect with like-minded individuals on a more personal level with the rise of blogging on a world-wide level. 

This week our featured blogger Evelina, a fashion stylist and blogger from the UK. Her blog has quickly gained momentum and we recently discovered her in a fashion blogging group on Facebook. 

Read on to learn more about Evelina's blog the Lifestyle Fashionista, and what her daily schedule looks like between styling and blogging. 

And remember, if you're a fashion blogger and want to be featured, please click here to stay in the loop! 

Name: Evelina Vilke

Blog name: LifestyleFASHIONISTA

Blog: www.lifestylefashionista.co.uk 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylistevelina/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylistevelinaofficial/ 
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/StylistEvelina 

Hometown/origin city/country: Kaunas, Lithuania

Current location:
London, UK 

What is the focus of your blog: 
Fashion and personal style. I show outfits I wear, share style tips and talk about places I visit and love. 

Years blogging: 
almost 2 years 

Is this your full-time job? If not, how do you pay the bills?
Blogging is not the only thing I do. I am also a fashion stylist. I style photo shoots for fashion magazines, work with fashion start-ups as a style expert, write styling tips articles for online magazines, deliver corporate image training and give personal style consultations to individual clients. 

How long did it take you to build your following or until you could start blogging full-time?
It took me around a year to start getting any income from my blog. 

The best thing about blogging?
An opportunity to share my passion for fashion with people all over the world who have the same interests and build a community. It also serves as my diary where I keep a record of all my outfits and exciting trips. I love time from time to look back to relive amazing moments once again.

The worst thing about blogging? 
Sometimes it can feel a bit lonely. Also, there is too much focus on numbers. 

What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
It takes time to make it, so make sure you don’t give up. Also, you need to believe in yourself. 

Dream brand to work with?
I always dream big – Emilio Pucci, Fendi and Burberry 

Biggest Accomplishment as a blogger?
First of all, starting getting paid for my blog posts. But the biggest achievement for me is that a few of my personal clients started working with me just because they liked my fashion tips and my style they saw on my blog. 

What are you working on next, or excited for?
I just launched my personal e-styling platform which enables women from all over the world to get instant fashion advice from the comfort of their home (www.stylistevelina.com) and at the moment I am working on adding a new service – holiday capsule wardrobe which will ensure you always travel in style. I am also very excited to start working with haute-couture evening wear brand so expect very glamorous photo-shoots coming on my blog very soon. 

How would you describe the fashion and style in the UK? What do people think about fashion and fashion blogging in your opinion?
Archetypal British style is eccentric, fun and edgy and Brits are famed for their individual sense of style. But the UK and especially London is very international so you can expect a mix of many different styles. Fashion definitely plays an important role in the UK. 

A lot of people are fascinated to hear that I work in a fashion industry but they don’t really understand how hard it is. People still don’t look at blogging as a proper business, they can’t imagine that it’s exactly the same as running a company. 

EVELINA'S DAY

7.30 am – wake up and start my day 

8.30 am – my each day starts with a to-do list. Then I start dealing with my emails, scheduling social media posts and have my breakfast (typically chia seeds pudding with berries). 

10 am – depending on a day I might work with clients, get ready for meetings or write my blog posts. 

1 pm – I always try to exercise around lunch time. I usually work out at home – there are so many excellent workouts on youtube that I don’t feel I need to go to the gym which saves me a lot of time. I love pilates and never work out longer than 30 min just to make sure I can fit it into my schedule.

2 pm – quick lunch (I usually have salad) followed by meetings/emails/working with clients or writing blog posts 

5 pm – I love taking photos for my blog posts in the evening to have the perfect light. 

8 pm – dinner with my boyfriend. I usually cook and we talk about each other’s day.

9 pm – finishing the tasks I haven’t managed to complete during the day, planning blog posts and interacting on Instagram 

11 pm – time to relax and start getting ready for bed. I usually watch one episode of my favourite TV show or read a book just before I go to sleep around 12am. 

If you're a fashion blogger and would like the opportunity to be featured, click here! 

A Day in the Life of Taylor Graves from Capitol F

Name: Taylor Graves
Blog name: Capitol F; The Filthy Mouth Of Fashion
Hometown/origin city/country:
"I never know how to answer this question because I have never lived in one place long enough to call "home" but if you want to get specific my hometown, where I was born was in Howard City, Michigan. However, I spent my entire childhood living in Grand Haven, Michigan (I consider this to be my hometown when everyone else asks this question)"

Current location:
I am living in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

What is the focus of your blog?:
"The focus of my blog is to dig deep down into the design process of the fashion industry. So often everyone is caught up on which gown is on the cover of Vogue each month or a celebrity wearing a new brand on the red carpet and yes, these are all important because fashion is what you live your life in but do we ever stop to think where it came from? The focus of my blog is to give you that information, to explain the actual design process and all the nitty gritty work you don't see before fashion hits the runway. "

Years blogging: "I have been blogging for just six short months."

Is this your full-time job? If not, how do you pay the bills?
"Blogging is not my full-time job, in fact, I cannot even say a part time job because I make zero money doing it but that is not even the point of me having started blogging. I am a daycare provider of all things! It's funny how life takes a turn for something you never expected but I absolutely love working at the daycare. I describe the daycare as a prep school for preschool. I have 12 children ranging between 10 months and the oldest just turned 5! When the children graduate from the daycare and head on to school they are far more advanced in their reading and writing ability. It is an exceptional program we have and I love every second of my day being such a huge impact on these kids!"

How long did it take you to build your following or until you could start blogging full-time?
"I am working my way toward wanting to blog full time. I am in the works of establishing my following and making connections that will hopefully last a lifetime."

What's the best thing about blogging?
"The best thing about blogging is that the industry is constantly changing, nothing is ever the same. The industry is an ever evolving aspect of everyone's life and there is always something new to discover. Blogging is the outlet that unravels it all!"

The worst thing about blogging?
"The worst thing about blogging is the tech side of it all. I am no expert in how to develop a website and it slows down my process quite dramatically. Definitely a learning process but I'm starting to get the hang of it." 

What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers? 
"Use every resource you have, you can not do this alone. Also, get out there and talk to people, engage in conversation with someone who you have never met (do this safely) because the more you talk to someone the more information they give you and you might be surprised how useful it is."

Dream brand to work with?
"I would give up oxygen to be able to work with The Row." 

Who are your favorite bloggers?
"I admire a few different bloggers. The daily blogger I am always checking up on is Shea Marie from PeaceLoveShea. She's blonde, she's pretty and has amazing clothes, what's not to love? I'm also quite obsessed with Rachel Lynch from IHateBlonde, she is my alter ego."

Biggest Accomplishment as a blogger?
"I started, I put myself out there and that is quite an accomplishment."

What are you working on next, or excited for?
"It has been six months now and in this time I have been experimenting with content and working my way around my website. Coming up I will be relaunching my blog and filling it with amazing articles about brands I adore and showing you the step by step process of creating a clothing line as I create it myself!"

How would you describe the area you live in terms of fashion. What do people think about fashion and are there any stereotypes associated with your location?
"Kalamazoo is an interesting midwest city, you have a little bit of everyone here. As far as fashion goes, the city's uniform consists of jeans, a graphic tee of your favorite sports team, and sneakers, unless you are downtown in that case everyone is wearing a suit. It is not trendy or up to date with the fashion scene, it's just...casual."

In an ideal world, where do you see yourself and your blog in the next year? Next Five years?
"Of course anyone would see their blog being successful within a years time and I have that hope too but for me I guess it is more that being successful in numbers. I see my blog helping the next graduating class at FIT, I see my blog creating a brand of its own and people wanting to wear that brand. I hope to see my blog make an impact on the art we live our lives in."

TAYLOR'S DAILY BLOGGING SCHEDULE

We start our day anywhere between 9am and 11:59am depending on how motivated we feel like being. On a good day we are up and ready to take the day by its balls by 9:30, showers optional, $1 shot of espresso from Tim Hortin's however, is mandatory. 

By noon we are pulling looks from local stores for style based shoots where we aim to knock out a months worth of content in just a few hours. My favorite store in town is Lana's Boutique. I worked there for about four years and the owner is so amazing, she allows us to use her inventory whenever we please. She has been a HUGE help and supporter in my blog. 

Around 3pm we are wrapping up our shoot and returning the clothes we had borrowed (Although I tend to purchase most of it). Then proceed on home to edit the massive amounts of photos where we then typically get sidetracked from what we are doing to produce a last minute project a friend asks us to help with. I am surrounded with so many creative individuals in my circle of friends and there is always something amazing to be a part of. 

8pm rolls around and this is usually the quiet part of our day. This is usually the time where I am able to publish posts to my blog and prepare for future posts. I also round up posts for social media too, I always have a small stock pile of content on hand. Something interesting that not many people know about me is that I love to write. I have written some short stories that have never seen the light of day but the book I am currently writing, I want the world to see. I have short bursts of inspiration and typically when I am surrounded by chaos is when I am able to write. But, that never last long because inspiration strikes again and we're on the move.

By 11pm, when most are ready for bed, face washed and saying goodnight to their loved ones I'm ready to do something else. I love the dark of night, something about the cool breeze and the dark shadows makes me feel creepy and completely inspired. I love photography and expressing my eyes point of view that not all people are open too. This is when I shoot my own photography. Mysterious, creepy, seductive and playful are decent words to describe our plan of action for our nightly photo shoots. It's when I produce my best work. And the day ends with camera in hand. 

Exclusive Interview with Marina De Giovanni from Not A Model TV

If you haven't had the pleasure of being introduced to fashion and beauty blogger Marina De Giovanni of Not a Model, you're in for a real treat.

I first came across Marina when I saw a viral blog post written by Blog Tyrant about how a fashion blogger went from 0 to 17, 800 e-mail subscribers in 6 weeks.  

I was like, "who is this girl, and what in the world did she do to achieve this?!"  

Turns out Marina used giveaways and a specific launch formula to engage her audience and quickly grow her following. Marina also differentiated herself by doing youtube videos featuring different ways to wear outfits. 

I was incredibly impressed with her strategy and became a loyal follower of her blog ever since. 

Marina, previously an Event Manager from from Sydney, Australia now inspires young women all over the world that "you do not need to be a model to look and feel like you've just stepped off the runway, you just need a killer wardrobe and some lipstick", is her famous quote. 

Seeing these type of blogger success stories is what keeps everyone motivated and inspired to grow their own blog and audience. Full-time blogging takes hard work, perseverance, and patience, and Marina seems to have found the secret formula to creating a successful blog. 

Soon after launching Not a Model, and having her readers continuously reach out for blogging advice and tips, Marina had an epiphany to start Fashion Pro Blogger, in which she actually teaches fashion bloggers the secrets to all of her success. 

Marina was kind enough to do a Q&A session with us to go into more detail about how she started her blog, her best advice for new bloggers, and the BIGGEST mistake that all bloggers make when they are first starting out. 

Who inspired you to start Not a Model? 

"I was inspired to find a way to escape the 9-5 by Tim Ferriss, NYT best selling author of The 4 Hour Work Week.  

Before becoming a blogger I was an Event Manager. I had the job every girl in her twenties dreams of, you basically get given anything from few hundred thousand to a couple of million dollars to entertain clients and top tier management of major companies - think 6-star resorts, private shows with Hollywood celebs and dining in the Palaces of Kings and Queens.

But eventually you get over the lifestyle; the never-ending travel, sleepless nights and being tied to the 9-5 life. I was unhealthy, unhappy and burnt out.

 The 4 Hour Work Week made me I realize that I didn’t want to be an Event Manager for the rest of my life. I realized that I wanted to do my own thing, to be creative and make a living on my own terms. So I saved up a bunch of money and went to travel and live in Europe for the summer to recharge and work out what I wanted to do with my life. 

While lazing on the beach everyday, I started reading fashion magazines and I came across an article about fashion bloggers making money online. I kind of really just glanced over the first article I read, but then I came across another… and another… and another, and I thought ‘there must be more to this fashion blogging thing’! And that’s the moment when the Not a Model journey started."

How would you describe your style in your own words. 

"When I started blogging I realized that I don’t really have a “set style” so to speak. What I wear really depends on my mood and how I want the world to perceive me. But if I had to pick a word, I’d say chic. That word pops up so much; no matter what I wear people always tell me I look chic. 

Sometimes I’ll push the limits and go with a Carrie Bradshaw vibe – I recently got my hands on that Dior newspaper dress - and other days I’ll opt for an effortless Kate Moss or Gwyneth Paltrow look. I’ll ALWAYS keep my look feminine though, even if I’m wearing a white tee and boyfriend jeans I’ll throw in some heels or a lace bralette."

Do you think Aussies have a particular style that sets them apart from the world?

"I think each city in Australia has a specific and unique style. I’m from Sydney the style is very laid back and effortless - lots of black, white, grey and beige and also loose fitting pieces as well as denim, we have a huge denim culture here. I see a lot of similarities between Sydney and Los Angeles street style too."

What made you start Fashion Pro Blogger and the 48 hour course? 

"A big chunk of my audience at Notamodel.tv seemed interested in learning about blogging and online business. I would get emails from my followers asking questions about blogging and I was always happy to answer their questions and they were always so grateful. A few of them even went to my website and found my PO Box address and sent me thank you gifts.

And that’s kind of when I had an epiphany, that most bloggers who have had success keep their blogging “secrets” so to speak very much close to their chest and it can be very hard for new bloggers to get help and advice. I actually experienced this with my first blog, I emailed a few other bloggers asking questions and never heard back, it was pretty disappointing.

So my goal in creating content for bloggers was really to provide both actionable information that they can use right away to help shortcut their success. But also to provide an online networking community where bloggers can get their questions answered and get all the support that they need.

Blogging can be lonely especially when you get stuck, sometimes it can just feel like you have no one to turn to for advice or help. So what I’m most proud of is having been able to provide that support network for fashion and lifestyle bloggers that previously just wasn’t there."

What do you enjoy more- fashion blogging or creating courses and why? 

"I really enjoy both. Fashion blogging is where I started and it’s what I truly love doing. 

Creating content about the topic of what you do on a day-to-day basis isn’t always the easiest thing to do, because sometimes what you know and what seems obvious to you, isn’t always obvious to others but I love to teach and it’s so fulfilling to be able to watch the success of some of my students."

Whats your favorite social media platform and why? 

"Snapchat! I love it because it’s so real and I’m able to share the raw, unedited version of my life with my audience. I’m a “what you see is what you get” kinda girl so Snapchat has really helped me connect with my audience a lot deeper than any other social network. 

Why I love it most is because unlike other social networks, Snapchat works much like the way we communicate with each other in real life.

If I’m having a conversation with my bestie, out to dinner with my family or, like most recently, having a birthday party, my audience is there with me - in real time. And just like in real life, after the conversation or party ends, those “moments” disappear. Snapchat mimics that psychology and behavior." 

What's the best advice you could give to new bloggers?

"The advice I give to new bloggers all the time is actually a quote I came across from Tony Robbins which is, 'If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, and copy what they do, and you’ll achieve the same results.' And this is actually advice I live by myself. I have that quote up on the wall in my house so I’m reminded of it every day. 

Often when we venture into something new the first time we often overcomplicate things. So if I’m starting a new project for example, I won’t start by just trying to figure it all out on my own, I’ll always seek out the advice of others. And that could be networking and attending events or it could just be reading books by successful people who have achieved the results that you want to. Or just follow other bloggers on social media and try to study what they do. And that’s not always easy because you often get the “filtered” version of peoples life on social media, but it can be a good place to start.

It’s a bit like cooking, once you know the recipe it’s easy. So the best advice I can give to new bloggers is to try to “model” what others have done before you."

What’s the biggest mistake that fashion bloggers make? 

"One of the biggest mistakes I see fashion bloggers make is getting overwhelmed. And this was something I really experienced when I first started blogging as well. I thought that to be successful I needed to do and learn EVERYTHING. So I tried to teach myself SEO and HTML coding and Photoshop and video editing and on and on and on.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with learning new skills, but at the beginning trying to teach yourself all of these new things is just going to leave you feeling overwhelmed and demotivated.

As a new blogger you need to see “quick wins” and progress, that’s what will keep you moving forward. You don’t want to get “stuck” trying to overcomplicate things. 

So the best approach is to just pick ONE thing and stick with that. So just try to pick one thing and focus on being the best at that. So if you’re a good writer then focus on that, if you’re a good photographer then focus on that. But don’t get caught up trying to do to many things at once."

What is your dream brand or company to collaborate with?

"There isn’t one brand in particular - my dream is actually to be able to start my own clothing brand. When I started Not a Model I set out with the goal to work with global brands, and within my first year of blogging I worked with Maybelline, John Frieda and also worked with local boutiques in Sydney that stocked international high-end brands which helped me get on the radar of brands I love such as Missoni, Tibi and By Malene Birger."

What has been your most memorable blogging moment thus far? 

"I’d have to say when I was making enough money to quit my 9-5 job and blog full-time. It was such a relief when all that hard work of balancing my job and trying to grow my blogging business had finally paid off and I was able to work for myself doing what I love (and get more that 4 hours of sleep a night!)

That moment was really a key turning point in my blogging life that I always look back on."

A Day in the Life of Alexandra Nicole

We all know that blogging itself can be a full-time job, so when we come across bloggers that are also entrepreneurs and Mom's we are just in such awe of what can  get accomplished in a day.

Today we're speaking with a girl who's just that. A Mom, entrepreneur, and blogger. Alexandra Nicole of CityChicLiving.com gives us a glimpse into her jam packed schedule of being a Mom and juggling her six, yes six, retail stores and even an online store called ivorycloset.com.  Alexandra's definitely got a lot on her plate and we love hearing about how they're making it all possible.  She gives us some tips on how she balances this all out and when she realized that she could potentially become a full-time blogger. 

Read on to learn more about Alexandra's blogging life and daily schedule. 

How long have you been full-time?
3 years

What is the focus of your blog:
Mainly Fashion and Beauty, but I like to throw the occasional lifestyle post in there. I love to take challenges and when I do, I post about them. For example, the Kickboxing Fitness Challenge or the Juice Detox Challenge

Best thing about blogging?
It is my outlet, almost like a journal where I store all of my exciting adventures, favorite outfits, and the occasional inspirational story on my thought of the day. I feel like blogs are purely inspirational, for the blogger and the reader alike. 

Worst thing about blogging?
Keeping up in a busy week. I own a cosmetic line, Adel Amor Cosmetics, a fashion Brand, Ellen Anchor, boutiques, The Ivory Closet and The Attic, I am a blogger, published fashion stylist and beauty writer as well as a mommy and wife. I have to admit….the weeks fill up fast. Sometimes I wait until the last minute to do a shoot and then I feel like I am cramming to make ends meet. 
What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers? Stick with it and don’t compare yourself to other bloggers! It takes time. I have had my blog for 3 years and it is just now really starting to take off. 

When did you realize that you could be a full-time blogger?
After a few posts. I learned that blogging is a stress reliever and a way to share my passion, fashion, and beauty, with the world. 

How do you currently monetize?
Through featured posts and customers seeing items I have blogged about coming into the shop and purchasing. 

Biggest Accomplishment as a blogger?
I was named one of the top 20 under 30 in Memphis this year!  
What are you working on next, or excited for? I am working on my photography skills. I have been taking photo classes and am also planning to acquire a photo studio for shooting the blog in the next month!

I see that you're a multi-entrepreneur with many businesses! How did you start these different boutiques and brands? Can you give us a little background about those businesses as well?
I began working at the ripe age of 16 as a makeup artist. I have worked for many lines in my cosmetic career and when I graduate college I began to work for a Fortune 500 company. I still hold makeup near and dear to my heart so I set off to start my own cosmetic brand, Adel Amor Cosmetics. (www.adelamor.com) I loved my corporate job but felt like I was an entrepreneur at heart, so I quit my day job, used my life savings (or what I had saved by 26) and started my own boutique, The Ivory Closet (www.ivorycloset.com), then opened The Attic (www.theatticapparel.com). Since then I have franchised The Ivory Closet brand into 4 stores with one more opening in Oxford, ms in August. During this time I graduated with my Masters in Business, picked up a beauty writing job, a fashion stylist gig, and became a blogger.
What came first, the business or blog? The businesses game first and the blog soon followed.
How do you manage to juggle so many businesses and your family life? I really am not sure. I just do. I make it work…it has to. I often find myself reminiscing and looking back on life only to wonder….how the heck did I do that? I imagine I will do the same one day of this moment in my life.

Any productivity tips/organizational advice you can give us?
Prioritize. I make a list every morning with what I want to accomplish in a priority order. Don’t worry if you don’t finish your list. I almost never do, but it keeps me on track with the most important things at the top!

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ALEXANDRA NICOLE OF CITYCHICLIVING.COM

7 am - WAKE UP AND START MOMMY DUTY

I have a 1 1/2 year old and he attends “baby school”. I wake up every morning at 7 am to get myself and him ready to conquer the day!

8:30 am - IN THE OFFICE

I have an off site office and warehouse location for my boutiques. This is where I do behind the scenes work on the blog as well as buying for my shops and our online store. I usually check emails and my calendar to prep for the hours ahead.

10 am - PHOTOSHOOT TIME!

We shoot twice a week for our online store, 6 retail locations, and my blog. Ideally, we have a photographer and 2 models. The outfits are styled before the models arrive. Once the models arrive on set we dress them up and set off to shoot. Memphis has lots of great outdoor locations for shooting so we generally pack up and shoot off site. If I am not on set for the photo shoots, I am generally working on our website as we are about to do a big relaunch in the next month, SO EXCITED, or in some sort of meetings geared at generating more revenue. 

12 pm - LUNCH

I am FOREVER on a healthy eating kick. I will usually enjoy a fresh deli cut sandwich on thin wheat bread of course, and some sort of fresh fruit. Raspberries are my favorite. If I am with colleagues, we will pick a patio at one of the many awesome local Memphis restaurants. By lunch I can be pretty overwhelmed so I have to admit, ordering a mojito is never out of the question.

1 PM - LEAVE THE SHOOT TO CHECK UP ON THE STORES.

I make my rounds to the retail locations after lunch. Here I make sure everything looks the best in merchandising and cleanliness. I also take note on inventory levels so that I can make sure our shops stay stocked. 

3 PM - CONTENT CREATION

I usually make it to my home office by 3 PM where I will work on next weeks content creation for the blog! I spend this time writing and planning for marketing… and when I have writers block, I look for fashion and beauty questions that people are asking on FB groups and other forums for ideas to write about. I am a part of the Women’s Entrepreneur Society and they have TONS of content on bettering your business and blog. I will usually try to read at least one post from them for idea generation and creativity.

5 PM - MOMMY TIME!

Baby is ready to come home! After picking up my son, Jack, we will usually try to make it by the Children’s Museum, or if it is a nice day, take a stroll around the neighborhood in his wagon. Being a mom is a very important, yet the most rewarding  job I have.  I make sure to take time out of the day to talk to, read to, or communicate with my son, just him and I. This is my favorite hour of the day. The bonding is food for my soul and his. It is just so sweet

6PM - BUYING

My husband gets home around 6 pm and, lucky for me, he starts to cook! Him and Jack usually cook together. While Ben is cooking and Jack is in his highchair watching, I take this hour to quickly make my shop purchases. I place orders with my vendors for inventory and always keep outfit ideas in mind for the next big blog shoot.

7 PM FAMILY TIME - 

We generally spend our meal time in the living room together watching one of our favorite shows or enjoying a movie. My husband usually picks the show or movie while Jack and I share a plate of his scrumptious dinner!

9PM - BEDTIME!

Baby usually hits the sack at 8:30 and we are soon to follow. 

Ten British Bloggers To Follow Now!

These days the amount of fashion bloggers on Instagram is absolutely endless. So what does one do to stand out in a crowded space? We found ten of the our top picks exclusively located in the United Kingdom. 

Being that the UK is synonymous with high fashion, blogging can be quite a lucrative business. The bloggers we have featured are all either full-time or on the road to being full-time. In addition all of these lovely ladies have an Instagram following of less than 100K, which means they have a highly engaged following rather than followers that follow them just due to popularity. 

Most followers with less than 100k have a higher conversion rate and are actually considered more influential than bloggers with a higher following. Interesting stuff, right? Here's more about this recent topic. 

Each blogger has her own unique style and curated feed.  Whether she's more of a colorful and fun blogger, or prefers minimal and muted colors, there's something for everyone in this roundup. 

#10 Lurch Hound Loves is a personal style and lifestyle blog focused on Fashion and Beauty and is written Charlotte Lewis a twenty-odd-year-old girl working in the SEO arena as a Content / Outreach and Account Manager in Manchester.
Charlotte likes to share her style tips for creating killer wardrobes on a budget. 

Playing dress up in some new @hm Items I picked up for holiday 👍🏼(P.S can you guess what I'm filming today?)

A photo posted by CHARLOTTE LEWIS (@lurchhoundloves) on May 22, 2025 at 2:53am PDT

A quick blog shoot & out for round two of food 🍾🤘🏻 Shop my outfit here http://liketk.it/2ob5C or by signing up to @liketoknow.it & giving this photo some love by hitting '❤️' and get an email with all the deets #liketkit #lookbook

A photo posted by CHARLOTTE LEWIS (@lurchhoundloves) on May 15, 2025 at 11:01am PDT

#9 Peexo started out in 2014 and is predominantly a fashion and personal style blog run by Patricia, a university student getting her degree in French and Business.  She also launched a You-Tube Channel Peexo Vlogs  which aims to showcase her personal style journey and is aimed towards twenty-something girls with not much money but a big shopping habit! 

Taken a few weeks ago 📸 but definitely feels like we're going back in time and I'll need to wear this coat again soon 👎🏼 Come on spring! Shop this outfit using @liketoknow.it www.liketk.it/2lNXi #liketkit

A photo posted by Patricia • peexo.co.uk (@peexo) on Apr 26, 2025 at 2:10pm PDT

Another day, another pair of Farleigh's👖 Today's outfit! Get my outfit details sent to your inbox with @liketoknow.it www.liketk.it/2ln91 #liketkit

A photo posted by Patricia • peexo.co.uk (@peexo) on Apr 23, 2025 at 10:42am PDT

#8 @Swaggaismything definitely has some "swagga" going on. Her Instagram profile stood out to us mainly because of Luna's casual yet extremely hip style. Her hair is amazing and we love that she mixes bold outfits with classy ones and really mixes it up. And the girl can rock a jumpsuit that's for sure! 

< weekend uniform >

A photo posted by ℒuŋɑ (@swaggaismything) on May 14, 2025 at 5:24am PDT

< friyah // street style >

A photo posted by ℒuŋɑ (@swaggaismything) on Apr 22, 2025 at 9:15am PDT

#7 What's In Her Wardrobe was founded in 2012 by Gemma Talbot as a platform to express her love of fashion. Gemma's experience is very broad in which she has worked in various fashion industry areas including PR, e-commerce, and both editorial and personal shopping.  At the end of 2015, she decided to take the plunge from being a part time blogger and turn What's In Her Wardrobe into a full-time business!  She is now fortunate enough to work with some amazing brands and create new and exciting content for What's In Her Wardrobe. 

Anyone else totally obsessed with off the shoulder playsuits? 🙋🏼 Outfit details can be found with @liketoknow.it http://liketk.it/2orVC #liketkit #ltkunder50

A photo posted by Gemma Talbot (@gemmatalbot) on May 24, 2025 at 5:43am PDT

For those of you who missed out last summer, this bardot top is now back in stock 💖 simply sign up to @liketoknow.it then like this photo to receive a direct link to shop this top in an email | Alternatively copy the following link into your browser: www.liketk.it/2nLMA #liketkit

A photo posted by Gemma Talbot (@gemmatalbot) on May 8, 2025 at 10:40am PDT

#6 Copper Garden is run by Jess, a menswear student living just outside of London. The website began in 2013 after Jessica came across the blogging and YouTube community with a google search for outfit inspiration and a personal love for styling and make-up. Since her start she's taken her blog to the next level and hiring a small team! Thus far she's had amazing opportunities such as being featured on BBC and even traveling abroad with Vogue! 

Quality is always better before insta uploads 😴 Spending my evening editing videos and blogposts. This outfit went up last week ft. my favourite bomber from @officialPLT (📷 @joincomb) . www.copper-garden.co.uk . 👉🏽 shop the look and any others on my Instagram by using @liketoknow.it . All you have to do is sign up, like this picture and they'll send product links to your email! #liketkit http://liketk.it/2oc3R

A photo posted by JESS. (@coppergarden) on May 17, 2025 at 2:18pm PDT

Spring trends in a trench for only £20 AND student discount 💗👉🏽 get the links to your inbox if you're signed up to @liketoknow.it www.liketk.it/2lU0H #liketkit #newlookfashion #jackwills (📷 @joincomb)

A photo posted by JESS. (@coppergarden) on Apr 27, 2025 at 2:08am PDT

#5 Tres Monikh was created by Monikh Dale, a fashion design graduate from London. Now a full-time blogger and freelance stylist, this blog is an insight into Monikh's personal style.

Last night ✨💫🐚 Shop the look: @liketoknow.it www.liketk.it/2nj0n #liketkit

A photo posted by Monikh Dale - Tres Monikh (@monikh) on May 5, 2025 at 12:40pm PDT

They're back 〰〰〰 Shop this zig-zag maxi and the Mary Janes: http://liketk.it/2orUh @liketoknow.it #liketkit | thank you @annasndl for the stunning photo 🙏🏽

A photo posted by Monikh Dale - Tres Monikh (@monikh) on May 24, 2025 at 4:24am PDT

#4 Em Sheldon, based between Leeds & London is a fitness fanatic so you'll notice that many of her posts show off her hard work! Who doesn't love some fit body inspiration + fashion? 

Dinner in Ibiza! Wearing this @misspap top and don't really wanna take my Em Shel sliders off. Get 10% off misspap with EMSHELDON10 :) 🙌🏻📸 @daisiesmith

A photo posted by Em Sheldon (@emshelx) on May 22, 2025 at 11:07am PDT

Sundays 💜

A photo posted by Em Sheldon (@emshelx) on May 8, 2025 at 2:48am PDT

#3 PagesByMegan is both a blogger and stylist for Asos. This busy #girlboss had one of the most stand-out IG feeds that we've come across. It's hard to curate images that are so different yet tell a story and Megan does this to perfection. 
We love Megan's quirky and fun style with her unique accessories and photo shoot quality images. 

F F F FRIDAY FEELS 🔹💃🏽🔹💃🏽🔹

A photo posted by meganellaby (@meganellaby) on May 20, 2025 at 12:42am PDT

Dressing for summer occasions is hard! But it's OK, I've got your back. Check out my latest video https://youtu.be/Y6ORbnUf80o for five summer occasion-wear looks 💁🏼👌🏼💅🏻💕

A photo posted by meganellaby (@meganellaby) on May 24, 2025 at 11:39am PDT

#2 The Little Magpie by 22-year old Amy started her blog when she was at University and now almost two years later she's grown her audience to almost 86K! You can count on Amy to bring you fun and flirty outfit inspiration along with some gorgeous travel pics! 

So excited to be back and shooting with my little @amberrosephoto 👭 (go follow her, she's a wee babe) #ootd

A photo posted by Amy Bell (@little_magpie1) on May 18, 2025 at 1:35am PDT

Twirling around in @revolve in tonight's blog post 💃🏻 link in bio! #revolveme #restingbitchface #icanthelpit

A photo posted by Amy Bell (@little_magpie1) on Apr 26, 2025 at 12:40pm PDT

#1 BrittanyBathgate.co.uk is the epitome of minimal cool girl style.  Formerly Style & WellBeing blog, Brittany has built an incredibly engaged audience of 95K followers on Instagram! Her simple and stylish looks can be seen just by her simple selfie-mirror pose. She has organically developed herself into a personal style platform, exploring, documenting and observing a mix of classic and contemporary style.

Superkilen / Coming to the blog soon.

A photo posted by Brittany (@brittanybathgate) on May 9, 2025 at 1:14pm PDT

🔳

A photo posted by Brittany (@brittanybathgate) on May 3, 2025 at 1:25am PDT

Fashion Blogger Spotlight with Small Town Blogger Erin Fred

One of the great things about living in Southern California is the awesome weather and of course shopping.  What many people don't realize is that there are tons of small town cities within the Los Angeles area. Most people see LA as this huge city of glitz and glamour. Although there is a big part of that in the main LA area, there are places like Santa Barbara (about an hour north of LA) that are far less glamorous. 

Don't get us wrong, Santa Barbara is absolutely beautiful and if you ever have the chance to visit you must do so. 

This week we interviewed small town blogger newbie Erin Fredregill of the blog Erin Fred. Erin has recently ventured into the world of blogging and has slowly been building her following. Although not a newbie entrepreneur, Erin currently is a marketing consultant and also co-owner of a sports management agency. Talk about a full plate! 

Erin grew up in Los Angeles, but recently made the transition to Santa Barbara where it is a much slower pace. Although she doesn't miss the traffic, she's less accustomed to the fact that businesses close pretty early and it's much harder to connect with like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs. 

Read on to learn a little more about Erin and how she's figuring out a slower paced life. 

Name: Erin Fredregill
Hometown City/State/Country: Los Angeles / CA / USA
Current City/State/Country: Santa Barbara / CA / USA
Age: 23
Blog Name: ERIN FRED
Years Blogging: 3 months
Social Media:
Twitter: @erinfredblog
Instagram: @erinfredblog
Facebook: facebook.com/erinfredblog/
Google+:plus.google.com/+ErinFredBlog/
Youtube:youtube.com/channel/UCGkGHf0Vpgt_jyeXsrf2szQ?

What is like growing up in a small city?
I can't say I'd know exactly since I grew up in Los Angeles, but moving to a small city has required a major lifestyle adjustment. Santa Barbara is a beautiful beach town, but you immediately notice how much smaller it feels when you come from a city like LA. Everything closes earlier, and there just isn't as much of the diversity and variety that I'm used to. However, I've come to embrace a slower lifestyle and LOVE the fact that I'm not spending a significant amount of my day stuck in traffic. 

How did you get started in blogging?
It was during a time when I was constantly stressed from the demands of my job, and I had no type of creative outlet to diffuse that anxiety. I also had just left college and was feeling more lost than ever in terms of what I wanted to do with my life. I knew that I just needed to initiate that creative journey for myself somehow, and felt that blogging would be the best avenue for me. Even if I didn't "reach success" (whatever that means), I knew I would probably have learned something by that time & understood myself a bit better in that process. It's only been three months since I launched the blog, and I already feel more secure in myself and know with certainty what I want to do with my life. 

Would you say in your opinion that it is more difficult to find like-minded individuals in small towns?
Santa Barbara is all about supporting and nurturing entrepreneurs and small businesses, but it's been difficult finding other creative entrepreneurs with a focus in fashion. SB is more known for industries like software, tourism, and wine. I'd say I've managed to find other female entrepreneurs, but not as many within a creative field. 

What about shopping? Do you find it difficult to find brick and mortar stores to shop at?
Where do you do the majority of your shopping?
I do most of my shopping online or shop whenever I'm visiting LA. There are many brick and mortar stores to shop at, but again, I'm used to the huge variety of retailers and boutiques that you have available in LA. 

Any advice for newbie bloggers and especially small town bloggers?
Even if you can't find other fashion entrepreneurs or bloggers in your area, be open to meeting creative entrepreneurs and seeking the experience and advice they have. I've learned so much about business from the relationships I've formed in SB, which has only helped set up and nurture my blog for future success. 

What city is currently on your travel bucket list?
Sao Paulo! Ever since I visited Rio de Janeiro during my college years, I've wanted to return to check out the huge metropolis that is Sao Paulo. I had a phase where I was kind of obsessed with Brazilian culture, and learned Portuguese in a year with the hopes of going back once again. 

Favorite city for shopping? 
This is so unoriginal, but I'd have to say, Los Angeles lol. Downtown LA has awesome swap meets and designer sample sales with unique items that you're pretty sure you won't see anyone else wearing AND at an amazing price. 

Small Town Blogger Rachel Munson from The Closet Dime

When it  comes to fashion blogging you always tend to hear about the girls in New York or Los Angeles but we think it's even more inspirational when you live in a small town and you're still going full-force into the fashion blogging world. 

For some small town bloggers, it could be a way of connecting with other like-minded fashionistas or just a way to keep themselves busy and document their lives. For others, it's a step closer to the entrepreneurial world of blogging. 

Rachel's creative way of promoting TickPick in a fashion lifestyle post. Check it out at the Closet Dime.

Rachel Munson from The Closet Dime caught our eye due to her down to earth style and personality. She's been blogging for a while now and recently launched her own t-shirt line on Etsy (smart girl!)

Rachel has an easy going and uplifting writing voice, and her posts are creative and fun.  Check out a recent post she called "Fauxchella" where she models an appropriate Coachella outfit and then creates a faux banner to promoteTick Pick. She then highlights the bands she would have liked at her own Fauxchella.  What a creative way to promote another site!  
Read on to learn more about Rachel...

Name:  Rachel Munson

Hometown City/State/Country:
Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA

Current City/State/Country:
I split my time between Oklahoma and Florida for job and school purposes (and for the tan!)

Age: 23
Blog Name: The Closet Dime

Years Blogging: 3 years
Facebook: facebook.com/theclosetdime
Instagram: instagram.com/theclosetdime/
Etsy Shop: etsy.com/shop/TheClosetDime
 Bloglovin’: bloglovin.com/blogs/closet-dime-14123377
Twitter: twitter.com/TheClosetDime
Pinterest: pinterest.com/theclosetdime/

What is like growing up in a small city? 
Small cities have a sort of charm to them, but you have to get very creative with your shopping at a young age! There are always friends and family around you, but it is hard to grow in businesses that aren’t as popular in small towns (i.e. web design, fashion, blogging, lifestyle design, etc.)

How did you get started in blogging?
I started blogging in college to get my fashion ideas on paper. I enjoyed writing, and lifestyle fashion has always been an interest. I grew up with three sisters and one brother, and we all have so many hair dye and fashion horror stories that I wanted to share with the world. 
Growing up in a small town, it wasn’t always easy to find current trends, so I would mix hand-me-downs and store bought clothes to create what I thought people in California or New York might be wearing.
I’ve also now started designing graphic tees as a new small business venture! I’m growing the business slowly but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and the blog was sort of the beginning steps while I tried out several ideas and met like-minded creators who supported the leap from blogger to boss babe. 

Would you say in your opinion that it is more difficult to find like-minded individuals in small towns? 
Absolutely. Especially in the beginning, it was difficult to find fellow bloggers and entrepreneurs to toss around ideas with. I so badly wanted to find a trendy girl a few years my senior to give me advice on fabrics and fashion resources. I was also jumping into unchartered territory regarding blog platforms and I didn’t have much money to pay for advice on how to get everything up and running. There were so many times that I wished I lived in an area with more fashion bloggers but I mainly had to jump in without much advice from others.

What about shopping? Do you find it difficult to find brick and mortar stores to shop at? 
Where do you do the majority of your shopping? 
The brick and mortar stores are actually not as difficult to find as I once thought. Especially these last few years, trendy boutiques are all the rage and small town stores feel like they have something to prove so they do their best to bring in wholesale items from other parts of the country. 
I’ve had the most difficulty finding well-tailored clothing from stores such as J. Crew or Zara, because a lot of small town department stores fall towards the Sears/JC Penny end of the spectrum which isn’t my target audience at the moment. 
I do a great bit of my shopping online, but I also mix and match between several stores. Even if I don’t buy anything from the store, it’s still important to look around and see what the stores are carrying. It gives a lot of insight as to what clothes customers will buy, and what readers will want to see on your blog. Never stop browsing stores because those customers are also your readers.
I typically shop at H&M, Zara, TJ Maxx, Uniqlo, Loft, and several small town boutiques that mimic the feel of Francesca's. I am always pairing high-end items with simple things that I have found at Forever21 or in the back of my closet from the previous year. 

Any advice for newbie bloggers and especially small town bloggers? 
Don’t stress too much about the label. Especially in a rural location, it can be difficult to always have the latest Kate Spade purse, so don’t focus on that! Wear your signature denim, a favorite pair of earrings and a new top that you found at a local boutique. You can still be trendy and not break the bank, plus more people around you are likely to duplicate your outfits if they are easily found in their general area. 

City that is on your travel bucket list? 
Stockholm

Favorite city for shopping? 
NYC, Rome, Dallas
I have a favorite pair of jeans that I picked up in Rome and I’ve never been able to find them anywhere else!

A Day in the Life of Lisa Linh

Have you ever wanted to become a full-time  blogger? Today we have the pleasure of taking a small peek into the life of fashion and lifestyle blogger Lisa Linh of By Lisa Linh.  Lisa has been blogging for just about two years, and she recently had her first full-time blogger anniversary!

Lisa just wrote an awesome blog post about what it was like to actually quit her full-time job a year ago in order to pursue blogging full-time. She gives some amazing advice to new bloggers and what you can do to stand out in the sea of bloggers. Read more about it here. 

Lisa talks about working in the corporate world for over ten years and then finally leaving her last position as a men's wear marketer.  She goes into more detail about how making the leap into full-time blogging has been such an amazing experience that she does not regret one bit. If she had not quit her job, she wouldn't have been able to participate in amazing opportunities such as taking a 7-day cruise in the Carribean, working with brands such as Rebecca Minkoff, or attend huge events such as Coachella and New York Fashion Week! 

It's always so inspiring to hear these stories of women taking their careers to the next level and becoming an entrepreneur. That's essentially what fashion blogging is, even if you don't realize it from the get go. If you treat it like a business and continue to push the need each and every day you will see results. Cheers to Lisa for accomplishing the great goal of quitting her job and being an inspiration! 

Read on to learn more about our Q & A with Lisa, and also a peak into her daily and busy life a blogger. 

Name: Lisa Linh
Blog Name: www.ByLisaLinh.com
Instagram: instagram.com/bylisalinh/
Twitter: twitter.com/bylisalinh
Facebook: facebook.com/bylisalinh/

Years blogging: 2 years
Is this your full-time job? If not, how do you pay the bills? Yes

What is the focus of your blog:
(Personal) style, food (restaurants), lifestyle (inspiration, how-to, blogging tips, and beauty), and travel

Best thing about blogging?
Being able to connect with bloggers alike/influencers who share the same passion, as well as working and meeting with brands on creative projects. However, the best thing about blogging is that I'm allowed the opportunity to encourage, inspire, and motivate someone that's reading/following. 

Worst thing about blogging?
It's all about numbers majority of the time; quantity over quality (for brands).

What piece of advice would you give to new bloggers?
Make sure you're doing it because you love it, otherwise you'll burn out quickly. It's not easy, but it's worth it if you truly love it.

Dream brand to work with?
Chloe, Alice + Olivia, Zimmermann, Nike

Biggest Accomplishment as a blogger?
Being financially stable! Haha, no seriously, when you've reach a point where you're not stressing over when you're getting paid - that's the best feeling.

What are you working on next, or excited for?
I've been in collaboration with Adidas recently, working on some upcoming travel stories with Rebecca Minkoff and a few other selected brands, as well as focusing more on editorial stories that truly represent my brand. Expect videos, fun projects, and more creative direction on our photoshoots!

Lisa's Daily Schedule

8:15AM
Wake up, quickly scan emails on my iPhone and answer most urgent ones before getting up and doing my morning routine (brushing teeth, washing my face, etc)

9AM
Settling down at my computer, sometimes I order Starbucks via Postmates, while I write down my to-do list for the day. After writing out what needs to get done, I go through my emails and clean it up.

11AM
Depending on the tasks for the day, I'll either get ready for events/meetings or start editing photos/writing my blog post or finalize agreements/projects.

12PM-4PM
Typically out at events/meetings/errands and grabbing a snack/lunch.

5PM-7PM
I shoot blog content around Golden Hour, most of the time. During this timeframe, I'm scouting a location and planning how many outfits needs to get done for the day.

8PM-12AM
Dinner, back to answering emails, and working on blog content or photos. 

Click here for the opportunity to be featured!

Small Town Fashion Blogger Spotlight

Fashion Blogging can be a tough past time or business even living in a big city with all the inspiration and shopping available.  But can you imagine living in a small town? Today we've interviewed Moni Tru, fashion and beauty blogger from Leigh Acres, Florida. Coming from Miami, Moni had a bit of culture shock from living in a big city surrounded by all things fashion to now a tiny town that she calls "living in the middle of a the forest".

It takes a true fashion lover, a lot of passion and hard work, but now thanks to online shopping and getting creative, new bloggers like Moni are popping up left and right.  Perhaps it's finding that connection to the fashion world that bloggers like Moni find inspiring. Also, there is something to be said about blogging from a small town, as there are many stylish small towners that are most likely seeking advice from either online shopping or small town boutiques and local stores. 

Name:  Moni Tru

Hometown City/State/Country:
Miami, FL USA

Current City/State/Country:
Lehigh Acres, FL US

Age: 24

Blog Name: Haute Fuego

Years Blogging: About 5 months
Instagram @TheMoniTru
Twitter: @TheMoniTru
SnapChat: TheMoniTru
https://www.facebook.com/TheMoniTru
https://www.pinterest.com/TheMoniTru/

What is like growing up in a small city? 
I actually grew up in a very big and busy city, so moving to a tiny little town in what feels like the middle of the forest has taken extensive getting used to.

How did you get started in blogging?
All my life I have had an affinity for style and beauty. Anyone who has known me knows that's always been my "thing". Always "team overdressed" and over-enthusiastic when it came to shopping. I began video blogging about a year ago on YouTube as a means of entertainment. I'm also a stay at home mom, so on top of being home all day "adulting", on my spare time I'm still cooped up at home considering there is nothing even remotely entertaining to do in this quiet town. After seeing how much I enjoy YouTube I decided I wanted to take it a step further and create my official blog where I could also write and share posts in between videos and create another avenue where I could reach out to and connect with more people.

Would you say in your opinion that it is more difficult to find like-minded individuals in small towns? 
I definitely do. At least in this small town for sure. In Miami fashion and beauty are such a big part of the culture and lifestyle. This town is so different and so opposite that when I show up well dressed and made up anywhere I stick out like a sore thumb. It is so rare to find someone that's as into style and beauty as I am. That just doesn't seem to be a big thing over here. That's why whenever I come across another well dressed and put together girl around here my initial thought is always "ok where did you come from and can we be friends?!" LOL 

What about shopping? Do you find it difficult to find brick and mortar stores to shop at? 
Where do you do the majority of your shopping? 
Definitely. There are ZERO clothing stores in this town. Literally zero. Unless you want to count Walmart. You have to drive at least 30 minutes into the city, Fort Myers, just to get to a Target. There is one lack luster mall about 40 minutes away, with the best mall being a good 50 minutes away in a completely different city and county. But they have Forever 21 and H&M, so I make the trip when I need a fix or I'm in need of something new on short notice. For the most part I simply save the shopping for when I'm in Miami visiting my family. 

Advice for newbie bloggers and especially small town bloggers? 
For new bloggers my greatest piece of advice would be don't doubt yourself and your abilities. Do not allow yourself to become self conscious, because there is no way others can believe in you if you don't already believe in yourself. Share what you love with pride and it will inevitably resonate with others.
For small town bloggers, don't let the smallness of your town fool you into believing your blog cannot reach many people. Thanks to the internet we have an endless world of possibilities that connects us with millions upon millions of people and stores around the globe right at our fingertips. Push through, there is a whole world outside of every small town for your magic to reach.   

City that is on your travel bucket list? 
I haven't done much traveling as of yet, so the next city on my travel bucket list is for sure Los Angeles.

Favorite city for shopping? 
I would have to say it's a super tie between New York and Miami. New York for all things designer fashion, clearly. But Miami because of the immense variety of both high end designer and mid range fashion. You can find countless places to shop literally everywhere in Miami. I love Miami fashion. Miami has a style all it's own that you can't really find anywhere else.

A Day in the Life of Erica Cho from Lifestyle and Acting Blog Yes Another

Our featured blogger of the week comes from our very own New York City, lifestyle and acting blogger Erica Cho from Yes Another.  The majority of the bloggers we come across that blend fashion and lifestyle are not actors, so it's refreshing and nice to see a different niche among the lifestyle blogging world. 

Erica gives us a behind the scenes look at what her daily schedule looks like, from being on a shoot to working on her blog while being on set. This busy New Yorker has her day planned out from her daily workouts to scheduling quality time with her husband and cooking new meals. 

She also gives us a look into her life as an actor and the types of jobs she's worked on to make ends meet. The life of an actor seems similar to the life of a blogger. You've gotta keep on trucking and stay consistent even though it may be frustrating at times. 

Read on to see Erica's hourly schedule and what advice she has for new bloggers. 

Name: Erica Cho

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia 

Current City:  New York City

Blog Name:  Yes Another

How long have you been blogging?
Over 5 years.

What is the focus of your blog/theme?
Travel/Lifestyle/Acting

Is this your Full-Time gig? If not what do you do to pay the bills? 
No, I'm an actor and model. Recently, I have been lucky enough to book well-paying TV and modeling gigs to pay the bills.  The modeling I mostly do is lifestyle modeling which is different from high fashion modeling. Think of the "regular people" in the ads for hotels and phone companies as opposed to Giselle or Adriana. Ok, that is probably so obvious by looking at the picture of me. I definitely don't have a runway look and boy, does this Southern girl love to eat. I also do a lot of commercial "extra" work. The extras are the actors who are in the background.  I'm in the union so the pay is awesome, and a lot of times, you get upgraded to be one of the "principals"/stars of the commercial. I've also had my fair share of random jobs while auditioning. I've been a substitute teacher, cocktail waitress, focus group participant, sushi server, hostess, and brand ambassador (one time I dressed up as a ram to market Stride gum- as humiliating as that sounds, I look back at the experience with fondness). It's such a feast-or-famine situation in this industry that there may be phases in which I don't book an acting/modeling job, and I may have to pick up other work. The unstable income part is stressful. Fortunately, I live with my husband so at least I know I won't be homeless.

How did you get into acting? 
While teaching middle school in Los Angeles, I took a commercial acting class. I loved it! So when the teachers were let go due to budget cuts, I took it as a sign to give acting a shot. I moved out to NYC with a friend who had also taught at the same school, and here I am nearly 6 years later.

How did you get into blogging? 
Well, moving here last minute was kind of insane. I literally started packing up and sold my car two weeks before leaving LA. And I wanted to document living in NYC for myself and share what was happening with my friends. Then I realized how much I love sharing tidbits with people in general, whether it is a travel tip, product review, or a funky nail design. So I would write about it.  I especially like to write about the reality of being an actor. A lot of people see the glamorous part of the job, but I like to give an honest depiction of it all: the feelings of rejection, the bookings (yay!), the auditions that made me go WTF, and yes, how lovely Richard Gere is in person.

Best thing about blogging: 
I enjoy the process of writing and taking photos. I like that my blog is a creative space that I kind of "own". It's also been amazing connecting to people through blogging.

Worst thing about blogging:
The deadlines. I make due dates for myself in an attempt to be consistent with my posts. But it can be tough to juggle everyday life and blogging. And I love blogging so much that I go down the blogging hole and have to make sure I don't neglect my other to-do's! Excellent time management is key. 

Best Thing about Acting?:
It's such an amazing opportunity to be someone who is completely different from who I am. And it's so exhilarating to fully immerse myself into a character. 

Worst Thing about Acting?:
It can be hard when all I want to do is act, and I'm not booking acting work. But I started creating work for myself because we totally have no excuse not to. Hey, people have shot cool films on iPhones! This industry can also be tough if you equate your self-worth with booking jobs. It took me a long time to realize that there are many factors out of your control, so you can only work on what you can control and let the rest go. The same goes for blogging.  You can't allow the number of followers/readers dictate your self-worth.

What is Your Acting Dream Job?:
I would die if I could work with Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy on a comedic film. Basically, I want to be in the nextBridesmaids. And Amy Schumer and I would be the new members of the squad.

Best Advice for new blogger?:
Stick with it. Your style may change. You may create a more visually appealing site. Your photos may get better with time. And who knows...maybe your readers and you will evolve together.  I read that the uber successful fashion blog Song of Style started off as an interior design site. But when Aimee Song realized that her outfit photos were popular with her readers, she changed the direction of her blog. Imagine if she had stopped blogging! 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ERICA FROM YES ANOTHER

Every day is different for me. As I mentioned, bookings come and go in phases. I could be working as an actor/model on projects some days. On days I'm not on set, I could be going to class, auditions, or meetings.  Or eating Doritos on the couch while watching YouTube videos for hours- that happens more than I'd like to admit. I'll give you an example of my favorite type of day.

7:30 am
My husband's alarm goes off, and I like to wake up with him. I do a little oil pulling with coconut oil. If you aren't familiar with this, it involves swishing oil in your mouth to "pull" out the toxins. Definitely google this! I look over my Passion Planner to get an idea of my day. 

8:00am
The best time for me to workout is in the morning so I can check it off early in the day. I will either take a ClassPass class, do a DVD workout, or exercise to a YouTube video.  My post-workout meal is usually a peanut butter- banana protein shake.

9:30am
After showering and dressing, I like to get my day going with some positive vibes. I will either set really awesome intentions for the day, check out my vision board, or take 5 minutes to say some positive affirmations out loud.

Yes, I realize how cheesy and "woo woo" it sounds, but my brain gets tricked into a "gung-ho" attitude. Believe me walking into a crowded train full of impatient New Yorkers with a smile beats joining the "blah" state of mind. 

10:30am
It's a great day on set for a print shoot. I didn't even have to do my makeup in the morning because you usually come with clean face and hair to a shoot. Score! Bonus: The food and snacks at the Craft Services table (aka Crafty) are super yummy today. So I  graze there throughout the day.  Another bonus: I get some time to chill before my turn in front of the camera. I publish my saved draft of a blog post and get cracking on social media.

2pm
We get wrapped early! So I rush to an audition I didn't think I could make. It's pure magic when I can fit a shoot AND an audition into one day. 

3pm
I use the notes I took on my iPhone to write a blog draft. I edit some photos on Lightroom.  It's always helpful when I have some photos ready for future Instagram and social media posts so I create a folder for that with some #tbt photos. 

5pm
When I have time,  I try to cook. That was one of my goals for this year because I am usually a kitchen disaster.  So I look through Chrissy Teigen's Cravings cookbook and decide on a pork-stuffed cucumber soup.  I add the extra challenge of baking a carrot cake WHILE cooking the soup. Somehow I don't burn down the apartment or ruin the food.

9:30pm
After dinner, my husband and I have a little quality time a.k.a my mandated chat time.  I love it. It's so old school and much needed in the era of the distractions of digital devices.

10:00pm
We are back to being distracted by our digital devices.  I put on a sheet mask and journal.  Then I like to look at my planner again to be ready for the next day/the week.

11:45pm
After watching an episode of "Better Call Saul", it's time for some shut eye!

Read more about Erica here and also check out her Imdb profile! 

If you're a fashion blogger and would like to the opportunity to be featured, make sure to stay in touch! 

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A Day in the Life of YouTuber Alexa from Minimalist Styling

We happened to stumble across Alexa's Youtube channel Minimalist Styling in which she shows everything from how to curl your hair to reviews on a classic Celine bag. Her friendly personality and authenticity is what stands out and for someone only 7 months into her blogging journey we would say she's doing quite well. Read on to learn more about Alexa's background, how she got into video blogging and also some great tips she shares on how to make the best videos. 

When it comes to writing a blog post, one can definitely have writer's block moments. But what about Vlogging? With more bloggers turning to video blogging and putting their beauty product or fashion styling tips for the world to see on YouTube, it's quite inspiring to see how confident and personal some of these youtubers can be. Is the world of blogging slowly shifting to vlogging? 

Current Location:
Georgia, United States
Youtube Name:
MinimalistStyling

How long have you been blogging?
7 months

What is the focus of your blog/theme?
Fashion/Beauty/Lifestyle

What is your work background?
Healthcare - Pharmacist

How did you get into blogging? 
I started out with Instagram and recently started my Youtube channel to provide fashion and beauty tips.

Is this your Full-Time gig? IF not what do you do to pay the bills?
I am a part-time Youtuber and a full-time pharmacist

Best Thing about Video Blogging:
It is fun and rewarding.  I love to be creative and love the feeling that I get after finishing a project.

Worst Thing about Video Blogging:
I wouldn’t say that there’s any worst part in being a Youtuber.  However, it is quite time-consuming. Gathering contents, filming, & editing are all lengthy processes that require passion and persistence. 

Best Advice for a new Youtuber? 
The best advice someone gave me was to go with your instinct.  Make videos on the things that you like and love. When you love your work, you won’t mind putting in the time and effort to work on the project.  Also, invest your time in creating the best content you can, that way you’ll know that you did your best.   Lastly, don’t take other people's negativity personally.  Not everyone will like every single content that you put out there and not everyone will agree with your vision.  As long as you love it and are happy with your products, you’ll definitely find success with your own niche of viewers.

What made you decide to start a Youtube channel?
I gained a substantially amount of information on fashion through my regular habit of shopping and research on fashion trends every chance I get.  To make use of this knowledge, it was a natural progression for me to share my experience through vlogging and just to have fun.  Additionally, I also have access to a wide variety of beauty products in the retail environment working as a pharmacist so I have an extensive knowledge of their pro and con.  Therefore, I have a wide range of topics that I can share my advice on.

Who shoots your videos? Are there any tools or tricks you can share that would help out a newbie vlogger?
 I usually film my videos by myself using a Canon DSLR camera and a tripod, sitting down at a spot with good lighting and minimal background noise.  The most important thing I’ve learned after being in front of the camera is that you have to get comfortable with yourself.  Don’t be shy, have fun and let your personality shine through.  When you freely express yourself, others will pick up your positivity and it will be easier to form a connection with your audience.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ALEXA FROM MINIMALIST STYLING

9:00 am - On a typical day when I am not working my full time job, I usually sleep in as late as I can.   The alarm goes off at 9 am, I always seem to snooze it for another 10 minutes to allow myself to wake up.

9:10 am - It's that time. I flop out of bed and quickly do some stretches.  Finally, I hop into the shower.  This is one of my favorite time to relax, de-stress and plan out my day.

9:35 am – Breakfast – While letting my hair dry, I usually make coffee before I start to do anything else.  My normal breakfast on days when I am working is a granola bar and an apple. However, on days when I am not working I prefer sunny side up eggs, sausage, toast and fruit on the side.

9:45 am – Social media - I take a few minutes to check my Instagram and Youtube for new updates.  I interact with my audiences and promote my work mainly through these two social media platforms.  Also, I will catch up with emails at this time.

10 am – Makeup & Hair– My makeup routine is nothing spectacular, 90% of the time it’s very basic. The normal 5-minute routine consists of foundation, eyeliner, brown eye shadow, filling in the brows, and lip-gloss.  There are certainly days when I feel more glamorous and will go for that cat eye look or a bold lip.

10:15 am – Filming – The lighting is nice around this time of the day so I take advantage of the sunlight to film my new projects.

12:00 pm (ish) – Lunch – I love Ramen and Udon.  I can be found enjoying a good bowel of noodles for lunchtime.

1 pm – Photoshoot/errands – During the weekdays, I prefer to take pictures at places where I’m running daily errands or near my home. It’s pretty spontaneous and depends on my mood.  I take most of my Instagram pictures during the weekend when I’m usually off from work.  I prefer to pick my location for a photo shoot after reviewing google earth or map images of the location to see if it fits what I have in mind.

4 pm – Brainstorming - I’m now at home and lounging in my pajamas as I wind down with fruit snacks and a glass of lemonade.  I love to review my projects and brainstorm for new ideas while munching on snacks. 

6:00 pm – Dinner – It depends on what day of the week, I basically eat out one day and cook the next.

7:00 pm (ish) – Editing – Editing can be a lengthy process.  It definitely varies from project to project.  Especially when I am creating fashion videos using various articles of clothing it can be awfully time consuming.

8:00 pm – Breaktime – Time to recharge by stepping away from the computer for a bit.  To change up to the repetitive routine of editing, I will grab a snack then go on to watch a show on TV.  Also, I will call other people to catch up with them if I’ve not talked to them for a while.  And of course shopping online, but only if I’ve been productive. 

9:00 pm – Editing – Back to editing if I’ve not finished with what I’ve been working on from earlier.

10:00 pm – On days when I have to work early in the morning then I will wind down during this time.  Brush my teeth, set my alarm and crawl into my bed to get a good night sleep before another busy day at the pharmacy.  

Five Australian Bloggers to Follow NOW!

What can we say about Australian bloggers? There's something so unique and interesting about their style. Some of the top fashion bloggers in the world are from Australia such as Gary Pepper Girl and Zanita, but what about some of the fabulous bloggers that haven't yet hit that million follower mark.  In our eyes it doesn't make them any less awesome or stylish. 

Check out the five fab ladies that recently caught our eye from Lookbook to Instagram to just plain googling around. 

images via states of style

STATES OF STYLE   
Cousins, Nikki and Michelle are the duo behind States of Style based in both Perth and Melbourne.  The two share their love for fine fabrics and today's style by local and international designers.  States of Style like to show looks of the "east" vs the "west" and the distinctive ways individuals create unique outfits. 

image via states of style

image via Pale Division

PALE DIVISION
Based in both Australia and Singapore, Willabelle Ong is the writer, photographer and creative behind the lifestyle blog, Pale Division. Willabelle has worked with some major fashion players such as Gucci, Miu Miu and Lancome. Her unique style has even caught the attention of Vanessa Hudgens who she counts as one of her global followers. 

image via Pale Division

image via the blonde silhouette

THE BLONDE SILHOUETTE    
The Blonde Silhouette presents an inner fashion monologue by Ashleigh McCallum, a lover of whimsical colour, designer pieces and classic femininity is a business graduate working in publication relations and event management.  Also as an established blogger, she has worked with many  brands such as Napoleon Perdis, Pandora, French Connection among others.  Ashleigh's style is a fresh take on classy and elegant with a hint of whimsy.

image via the blonde silhouette

image via style me yesterday

STYLE ME YESTERDAY
Kimbly Wright has worked in the fashion industry for over ten years in various roles such as designer, stylist and even production coordinator.  Her vast experience has influenced her smart style choices, which she shares through her visual blog diary. 

image via style me yesterday

Aimee Song Signs Biggest Deal of her Career

It’s no secret that bloggers are becoming one of the best ways for brands to build a relationship with the masses, and Laura Mercier is getting in on the action. 

The luxe beauty brand recently revealed a year-long partnership with one of our faves Aimee Song of the blog Song of Style, which features elements of fashion, beauty and design, and travel.  

“It’s the biggest deal ever, and it’s not just the money,” Song tells WWD. “It’s the deepest relationship I’ve ever had with a brand.” 

image via songofstyle

A yearlong partnership, the deal will have Song continuing to create content at Song of Style, sharing Instagram posts with her 3.4 million followers, creating video content for Mercier’s website, and attending beauty events as the brand’s official brand ambassador. 

What makes this pair work? Song has been loyal to the brand for years, long before being approached to represent across her platforms. This important detail will only help contribute to the “organic” look and feel both Song and Mercier hope to emulate with their relationship.

“One of the reasons we chose her was because we knew she organically uses the brand already and is a brand loyalist,” says Nancy Bernardini, CEO of Mercier parent company Gurwitch Products, in an interview with WWD. 

Because beauty posts are so easily accessible across social media platforms, many beauty brands are looking to fashion influencers to share content with their millions of fans and followers, bringing their name into the public conversation.

image via songofstyle

“The beauty brands really like to speak to the fashion influencer because they are creating such a high level of editorial content and really motivating their audience to follow everything they do,” says Karen Rabinovich, co-founder of Digital Brand Architects, which represents Song, among other highly influential brand ambassadors. 

As the partnership is mutually beneficial to everyone involved, Song is free to not only continue to use other brands which make up her daily routine, but feature them in any content she creates, save for a handful of competitors. 

While it’s not entirely clear just how much Aimee will be bringing home, a close source confirms that the deal is worth more than $500,000. 

Who knows just what the future will bring for the marketing of major labels, but one thing is for sure--there’s no time like the present for bloggers and influencers to bank with brands. 

image via songofstyle

Additional bloggers with brand ambassador deals:  
Kristina Bazan of Kayture: L’Oreal
Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad:  YSL beauty, Eyeko, Ormana, Kezo, SK-II, Chanel, Dior, and most recently, Pantene
Arielle Nachmani of Something Navy: TRESemme
Chriselle Lim of the Chriselle Factor: Estee Lauder in 2014, currently working with Dior (Dior Prestige La Creme)

A Day in the Life Of...Elena Kazakevic of The Curious Button

It's Week 2 of our new  series "A Day in the Life Of" where we feature different bloggers from around the world and their daily routines.  

What is it about people's schedules that we find so intriguing? Maybe it's a productivity thing, or just the "behind the scenes" feel of what goes on in someone else's life, but whatever the reason, we enjoy reading about what a typical day of a blogger looks like. 

Meet Elena Kazakevic from Canada. Elena has recently graduated college and has barely entered the world of blogging yet she has quickly gained momentum through her interesting and informative posts about ethical fashion.  After reading a few of Elena's posts, it's apparent that this girl is up to big things. 

Keep on reading to learn more about Elena and the one thing we can do as consumers to help make a difference with this controversial subject.

Name: Elena Kazakevic

Age: 22

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Current City and Country:  Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Blog Name:  The Curious Button

Years of Blogging:  About 4 months! 

What is your work background?
I'm about to graduate with a BSC in Psychology at the end of this summer! Currently hunting for a job.

How did you get into blogging?
I've always been a writer, so when I watched a documentary called The True Cost, I knew that the best way for me to get involved in this fashion revolution was to write about it. I've tried and failed at blogging before, but this time, because I have a true cause and purpose, I can't see myself ever stopping!

What is the focus of your blog/theme? 
I focus on ethical lifestyle topics, especially slow fashion and how we can make small, easy changes in our lives to help create positive change within the fashion industry, and the world as a whole.

How can someone get started with making ethical changes in their wardrobe?
The one thing I would want people to know about ethical fashion is just that it's not as hard or complicated as it seems! There are a lot of assumptions people make when they first hear about this, like that it would be more expensive or make your wardrobe boring, and these simply aren't true.
I'm actually launching a free Resource Library for my subscribers on April 25th which includes over 40 videos, articles, books, and blogs that can help guide anyone who is new and interested in learning more - it takes out the time-consuming research portion and gives you all the resources you need to learn more about it. They'll just need to be a subscriber to receive the password.

Is this your Full-Time gig? If not what do you do to pay the bills?
As a student, this was my hobby. Though income is slowly starting to trickle in, I'm looking for something to pay the bills. Human resources? Marketing? Event management? Sustainability sector? Who knows!

How are you currently monetizing? 
In terms of monetization, I have received several gifts in exchange for features and/or product reviews, and I've also recently started charging to feature a brand or company through a blog post or interview. My pricing is pretty low compared to other bloggers since my reader and follower numbers are also low and still growing. But as I gain more readers those prices will go up as well!

Best Thing about Blogging:
The idea that you get to create something fully, from start to finish, and the satisfaction of seeing it all come together.