INFLUENCERS SERIES - part VI

within fashion in the last year or so, i have certainly noticed a trend where bloggers try to showcase as many new pieces and accessories per outfit / post as is possible. i have recently found myself drawn to Kaitlyn's work over at the Brisbane-based blog Modern Legacy as she has an element of reality that many other successful bloggers lack / overlook. she doesn't coat every post with excess or try to dress for a trend that is taking place on the other side of the world. instead her look is pared back and purely Australian.



Kaitlyn was kind enough to provide some wonderfully elongated responses - my favourite kind ! have a read for yourself..

why did you decide to start a blog?
my predominate motivation was to have a creative outlet for my (somewhat extreme) fashion obsession, but additionally i knew it would be a fantastic networking tool and a way for me to carve out a little place of my own in the vast fashion world, and hopefully become a source (big or small) of style inspiration for others like so many blogs are to me.

is there a story behind the name 'Modern Legacy'?
it is an ambiguous term for how i view my blog personally, and also style and fashion more generally – a kind of modern version of how we express ourselves in this world, how we leave our mark. in the digital sense, rather than writing letters or memoirs, we have blogs. in the physical sense, we use clothing to express our unique style and personality. i guess i see myself carving out somewhat of a legacy to leave behind in the world by blogging about my personal style.

do you have a way of categorising your wardrobe? (eg. colour / style / season)
i so wish i could say yes but unfortunately my innate tendency towards disorder has left my wardrobe half on hangers and half on any surface in my bedroom that can hold it. i attribute this state of chaos though to a kind of wardrobe mid-life crisis i am currently having, where i am in the process of re-assessing it all and sorting through and replenishing it.
that’s my excuse, anyway.



what inspires your outfits on a day-to-day basis?
my mood definitely plays a huge role in what i feel like wearing on a particular day, as well as the weather of course. i will always stick to a certain set of silhouettes i know i love, but really from there on it can change dramatically in terms of the prints, colours and textures i may feel like wearing. on some days i’ll crave a splash of colour or striking print, while others only the most basic outfit will do.

do you tend to mostly buy new or vintage pieces?
there is a definite combination of both in my wardrobe, but more new pieces i would say. i used to buy quite a few vintage pieces (mainly to save money), but have found myself recently gravitating towards newer and somewhat more expensive staples. i buy a lot on eBay though – both new and old.

was there a particular person / event that started your interest in fashion?
not that i can remember specifically, i remember being interested in style and clothing generally from a very young age. i was just born with it, i think.

do you mostly follow local or international blogs?
a combination of the two, though a lot of my favourites are Australian in origin.



has your personal style evolved or changed as a result of beginning your blog?
yes, it has definitely evolved. personal style blogging gives you a great reference point for past outfits, and can help you really hone in on what suits you and what you obviously love wearing. this has really helped me to experiment with my style over the past year, and also to really focus on building a good, solid wardrobe of pieces i love and will wear for a long time.

what characteristics do you believe make a successful blog?
the most important factor in creating a successful blog is finding your own unique voice, and express it consistently throughout your blogging experience. even if you are not blogging about your personal style, you have to know your preferred aesthetic and what inspires you and express this to your readers. your heart and mind have to be in it 100%, because if you don’t love and believe in what you are putting out there, no one else will.
on the more practical end, i would also say to post consistently (i try to do about 3 posts per week at least) and interact with as many other bloggers as you can – networking is key!

how much time do you generally spend on putting together each post - do you have a particular strategy to your blogging?
if i count the time it takes to take photos, edit, and write a post, i would say about a solid two hours (rarely all in one go though). this is only because i am a perfectionist and also because i usually have so many photos to sift through choosing just a couple to post is always difficult. but really, it need not take a long time – you definitely get quicker at it. i don’t really have a strategy per se, i usually go by instinct when it comes to shooting and editing images to post. i do try to mix up angles and settings though.



what do you think your point of difference is to all of the other fashion blogs out there?
i can see that maybe my physical attributes set me apart somewhat from a lot of bloggers. i am almost 5’10” without heels, with broad shoulders and a kind of thin-but-curvy frame that causes me to wear clothes in a different way. i almost never wear heels either. above all though i think i have my own unique style and perspective on fashion, and i really tend to shy away from trends and keep to what i just love wearing. i also never stop experimenting with my style and the clothes i own. i have been wearing so many things backwards lately i must look a little crazy, but i love it!

what have you found the most difficult during your blogging experience so far? are there any reasons why you would not encourage other fashion enthusiasts to begin their own blog?
what i have found most difficult in my blogging experience so far is worrying about keeping that clear sense of who i am and why i am doing this. it is so easy, especially in the early stages, to get discouraged and lose your enthusiasm for it all, and you will always have periods where inspiration will wane. but if you absolutely love whatever you are blogging about, be it fashion or otherwise, then you cannot fail. i would only discourage other fashion enthusiasts from starting their own blog if their hearts are not completely and utterly devoted to what they will be blogging about. you have to truly believe in what you are creating, otherwise it is meaningless.

if you had unlimited money, do you think your style would change?
nope, but everything would take on a far higher quality (and perhaps a little quantity). my $30-courtesy-of-eBay Guess leather shorts, for example, may have been purchased at retail price and have a few more siblings, and my vintage cardigans and jumpers would likely be replaced by those dreamily perfect pieces by Isabel Marant or Acne. my shoe and bag collection would also increase significantly as well, but they’d all still look pretty much the same i would say.



are you influenced by any particular designers, or more so by street style?
mostly street-style as it is just an endless source of inspiration on how to mix things up and play with your look. but there are those designers and brands that always seem to get things right almost every time for me, like Isabel Marant, Acne, Alexander Wang, and Aussie labels like Friend of Mine, Ellery or Dion Lee. they just seem to produce the freshest shapes, cuts and silhouettes every season, yet still keep their own unique and familiar aesthetic and essential nature. i one day hope to be able to describe the way i dress just like that.

does the style of the city or country that you live in affect your choice of outfit?
to a point perhaps. living in Queensland definitely influences outfits weather-wise, as the heat can be inhibiting. the fashion culture here is also on the more casual side i would say, so you can feel overdressed very easily if you are not careful. i dress a bit differently when i am in Melbourne, for example, as people there are far more into experimentation and layering. then again, there is something to be said for minimalist, free-flowing outfits that heat forces upon you.

(all images courtesy of Modern Legacy)

INFLUENCERS SERIES - part V

it seems to be the case that every so often a true creative emerges from Mackay, finding their their feet in the big bad world of fashion; a suggestion that a 'rural' background isn't always such a backward opportunity..and it is so refreshing and reassuring for me when it does happen.
young designer-to-be Molly Struik has only recently graduated from highschool, but she is already walking away from her (and my) home town with a number of showcases and prizes from local events such as the Mackay Student Festival of Fashion under her belt.



at this stage she plans to travel to Brisbane in 2012 to continue working on her new label, and i certainly believe that the fashion world is her oyster. her interview responses are below..

was there a particular person / event that started your interest in fashion?
my Grandmother, she made business suits and dresses for my favourite doll when i was young out of beautiful vintage fabrics. the doll is long gone, but i keep every unique tiny piece.

do you have a way of categorising your wardrobe? (eg. colour / style / season)
normally grouped in styles for organisation purposes, but capacity has well and truly been reached - so usually in piles on my floor.

what inspires your outfits on a day-to-day basis?
pretty much a low budget, low luxe version of Tommy Ton's typical street style subject, mixed with youthful sloppiness - Tommy meets Tavi Gevinson.

do you tend to mostly buy new or vintage pieces?
mostly new i guess, but i rarely shop unless its an essential i cant make myself, or if i see something i love. i do have some really great vintage pieces but i'm not that great at pulling off the old men's dress shirt with the sleeves cut off gimmick.

do you follow any local or international blogs?
i'm fairly new to running a 'blogger' blog but on my tumblr i follow a lot of international blogs, the best probably being from the UK. its almost scary sharing such intimate inspiration with total strangers so far away.



has your personal style evolved or changed over the years as a result of designing?
yeah definitely! before you start creating i suppose you just dress like most people, having a perspective and knowledge of the bigger picture allows you to be adventurous.

what characteristics do you believe make a successful label?
originality. that and basically the ability to market yourself, make your brand stand out and draw people in. and good connections for sure.

how much time did you spend on putting together each piece? (i.e. from inspiration through to production) do you have a particular strategy to your designing?
i sketch a lot; depending on how quickly i need/want the item produced, the process can be lightning speed, but otherwise turnover is very leisurely paced. i don't rely on my art to survive just yet.

what do you think your point of difference is to all of the other fashion designers / labels out there?
bluntly, i consider myself a little creepy - my perspective is very experimental and i suppose that's due to my lack of professional experience. i'm not making satin prom dresses, why not challenge your perception on conventional beauty? but i haven't defined my style yet, everything is still in play mode.



what have you found the most difficult during your designing experience so far? are there any reasons why you would not encourage other fashion enthusiasts to create in a similar capacity?
i would never discourage anyone. having an alternative interest in such a competitive industry is daunting, anyone crazy enough to involve themselves i instantly admire. so probably self belief has been a challenge, dealing with set backs and failure, and no one taking you seriously - even yourself.

if you had unlimited money, do you think your style would change?
not entirely, things would be easer though.

are you influenced by any particular designers, or more so by street style?
labels can only be so inspiring, seeing all these recognisable pieces styled together is what makes them exciting and special - Anna Della Russo, Leigh Lezark and Giovanna Battaglia are all huge fashion know-it-alls (to me at least), but the best thing is seeing an image of an everyday woman looking of similar brilliant taste.

does the style of the city or country that you live in affect your choice of outfit?
thanks to the digital age, fashion is extremely international, so no. but in the tropical heat, yes, obviously.

(all images courtesy of Kill off the Vowels Clothing)

INFLUENCERS SERIES - part IV

i can't remember the particulars of how i came to be aware of budding designer Edwina Sinclair's label Soot., though i do remember that it was during the year that i had off to work after high school and that her work and ambition (and the fact that we were a similar age) really helped to assure me that i needed to put my everything into my fashion portfolio for the course that i am now enrolled in.



it's been incredibly interesting watching the label evolve since then, and i was lucky enough to have Edwina answer some quick questions regarding her design process.

why did you decide to branch out and create your own label?
after i finished school, i was really keen (almost a little too) to start creating and establishing my label.

is there a story behind the brand name 'Soot.' ?
when i first started Soot. i wanted to keep to the colour palette of ivory black and charcoal and therefore came up with Soot. (like in a chimney). i suppose it doesn’t really apply anymore as i do a bit of colour and digital printing, but i still really like the name - i think its catchy.

was there a particular person / event that started your interest in fashion?
my mum had a costume design business and i helped out with that. this definitely contributed to my interests in making and creating.



has your personal style evolved or changed as a result of studying fashion in a 'fine arts' capacity?
definitely, studying fine arts has made me look at design in a completely different way. i still have a similar style - it’s more the creating process which is different.

what do you think your point of difference is to all of the other fashion labels out there?
i think i am offering something different in Brisbane, wearable clothes made and designed in Brisbane. that offers something unique (custom fabrics, interesting silhouettes).

do you have a way of categorising your personal wardrobe? (eg. colour / style / season)
my wardrobe goes pants and jeans, shorts and skirts, jackets and coats, winter tops, summer tops, then summer dress and then folded are togs and pajamas on a shelf and shoes are on a rack on the bottom. i had it colour coded for a while but i find this easier when putting an outfit together.

have there been any commonalities between sources of inspiration for your collections / pieces so far?
i am using photographs from a friend who is a photographer to created digitally printed fabric and this is assisting with my design process. i am trying to create quite a classic winter collection with the point of difference being the print. i am a little behind on A/W collection as i have been in Japan. but my trip did help with my design process.



does the style of the city or country that you live in affect your design process?
absolutely, it helps determine fabrics that are appropriate for the climate, styles that are more saleable. i've lived in Brisbane all my life though, so this isn’t too hard to take into consideration.

what characteristics do you believe make a successful label?
passion, determination and having uniqueness.

how much time do you generally spend on putting together each collection (i.e. from inspiration through to production)? do you have a particular strategy to your designing?
after one collection finishes, ideas for the next generally start coming straight away. although sometimes its just ideas, not physical work such as production. the work has already begun.

is your wardrobe influenced more so by any particular designers, or instead by concepts such as street style?
i have been to Japan 6 times and love the street style there. generally when i am over there i buy clothes that follow the street style and then tone it down a notch when i come back to Brisbane. i have many designers i love for many different reasons and have some of their clothing which i tie in with vintage and Soot. Clothes.



do you follow any local or international blogs?
i generally follow blogs of local artists and creators - many that are friends.

what have you found the most difficult during your designing experience so far? are there any reasons why you would not encourage other fashion enthusiasts to begin their own label?
it can be very full-on, especially whilst studying, so unless you are 100% ready and determined, don’t do it half-heartedly.

if you had unlimited money, do you think your style would change?
not really. of course there are clothes which i wish i could afford, but i think i would still mix expensive designer clothing with Soot. clothes and vintage!

(all images courtesy of the Soot. store facebook page)

summer DIY

i went to a girlfriend's 21st recently and one of her friends was wearing a loose fairy dress (Maurie & Eve i think?) with a ruched strapless cropped top underneath. i thought it was such a simple and interesting layering idea for summer, and so whipped a similar black number up this afternoon..:


simple outfit for the rainy 21st get-together / cropped top:



XXXXXXXXX

the things i’ve experienced! i looked into many an abyss and played with the levers of power. i’ve understood how Scientology, high-level corruption, and the waging of war actually function. i’ve telephoned via Cryptophone to maintain security, travelled the world, and been embraced by grateful people on the street in Iceland. one day i ate cake with the investigative reporter Seymour Hersh; the next, i sat on the bus with Germany’s Labor minister, Ursula von der Leyen; and on the third i watched us make headlines in the nightly news. i played a role in parlimentarian’s decision not to pass a badly written law on censorship in Germany, and i was onboard when they enacted a fine piece of legislation in Iceland.
- p3
sometimes i think Julian had been overly influenced by certain books, which, mixed with his own imagination, had resulted in a special set of Julian Assange rules of conduct. this reminded me of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who had started off as a science-fiction writer and then began believing his own stories.
Julian, too, had a very free and easy relationship with the truth.
i had the impression that he often tested out how far he could go.
- p65
Julian’s attraction to women wasn’t as predictable as it was portrayed in the media. Julian had an eye for details – wrists, shoulders, or necks, for example.
he would say things along the lines of ‘that woman has amazing cheekbones – she looks very aristocratic.’ once we noticed an extremely graceful woman searching through her handbag as she passed, and Julian said, ‘it must feel nice to be touched by those hands.’
- p209
i came to realise that disillusionment also means being freed from illusions. that is constructive. it helps you to better understand your reality. and that, perhaps, is a truly good omen.
- p279, Inside WikiLeaks – Daniel Domscheit-Berg

ESSAY - drapery in classical times vs modern times

so i found one of my final essays from last semester, from a subject centred around evolutionary changes in fashion / beauty / style over the ages. for this particular assessment, we were asked to compare or contrast a personal area of historical interest vs a similar aesthetic in contemporary fashion, using a main / known fashion-related theory - whether it be in a historical / cultural / sociological / etc context..

i didn't get the greatest grade for this piece, but i learned some interesting things, so thought i'd share here.
i personally reviewed Grecian drapery vs ~modern draped dress (in-text references omitted)..

XXXXXXXX

'the fashion industry has become a system built on self-referential trends; particularly within the 20th and 21st Centuries. comprehensive analysis of dress and opinions surrounding beauty from eras bygone can therefore aid in the development of a true appreciation for contemporary fashion trends. through use of this analytical methodology, the sociological motives behind certain aesthetics can become more transparent.
this essay will primarily aim to highlight contrasts and comparisons between Ancient Grecian ideals of beauty and dress and that of similar classically draped garments within contemporary fashion; in relation to aesthetics and other contextual elements.
the secondary purpose will be to detail the evolution of social connotations associated with draped dress, from the style’s origin to those existing within contemporary society.
Veblen’s theory of conspicuous consumption and Eco’s historical reflection on beauty will provide context and explanation for the unchanged celebration of the female form as continued unabated until the present day. furthermore, these theories will highlight the aforementioned evolution in which, over time, women have emerged with a greater sense of independence, self-importance and sexuality, rather than existing purely as passive, ornamental objects; as in Ancient Grecian society. due to this positive empowerment and newfound self-worth, the modern interpretation of classical draped dress will be argued to be of comparatively more social significance than the Ancient equivalent.

a direct aesthetic correlation can be drawn between the dress of the Ancient Greeks and a similar movement that began at the beginning of the 20th Century, as most notably pioneered by fashion designers Madame Grès and Madeleine Vionnet. the two female designers are most identifiable by their innovative use of the bias cut, drapery, cinching at the waist and elongated, feminine silhouettes. a paralleled application of classical drapery has continued with significance to this day, with designers such as Donna Karan and Hussein Chalayan taking part in the timeless style. the Ancient Greeks similarly developed two garments that grew to become staples for both men and women. both pieces were primarily created from rectangular base modules. the chiton was drawn in at the waist with sleeve allowances on the sides. similarly, the peplos garment had a cinched waist and sleeveless sides, along with an additional folded section at the top. the chiton was worn by both men and women, while a third and less frequently worn garment, the himation, was an additional cloak-like option as worn by both men and women.

the Greeks focussed on a lack of wastage within garment creation. only the amount of fabric as was mathematically necessary was initially woven, while the fabric was then used in its entirety, with minimal cutting. this economical approach to dressmaking was perhaps a result of the somewhat backward technology in existence at the time, though along with a lack of representation of machinery in Ancient Greek art, the practice could be argued to also allude to the ideal of harmonious, proportionate and accentuation of ‘naturalness’ as was celebrated as ‘beautiful’ at the time. art within classical Greece further embraced these qualities in ways such as while stylisations, such as muscular perfections, did exist within artistic interpretations of anatomy; bodily proportions were always truthfully portrayed. in sculptures, for example, subjective idealised beauty and proportions were defined in a way that appeared to be the most visually appealing, with little respect for mathematical symmetry.

one element of drapery that has changed over the ages is that the somewhat archaic use of heavy linen and woollen fabrics has since been discarded in place of lighter, figure-hugging jersey and silk weaves within draped garments. this has allowed a more functional and liberating approach to dressmaking for the modern woman, as adopted by Donna Karan, Hussein Chalayan and Madame Grès.



in the featured looks, each designer has adopted the trademark colourless hues of classicist dress, while also yielding similar shoulder coverage and an accentuated waist cinched slightly above the natural waistline; a detail that denotes the ancient silhouette. the addition of prosthetic hands embedded within the bust of the Chalayan gown could be seen to allude to the anatomical inspiration often encompassed by Ancient Greek dressmakers. [...] the ability to transcend trends because of their unrivalled awareness of the relationship between cloth and the body. aimple, modern, and timeless, Hellenistic style provides the template for the idealised female form - the constant muse of fashion. the muted colour of Ancient fabric would not have been intentional in its original use; however, the skin-like tones as adopted by Karan, Chalayan and Grès simply reiterate further this correlation as intended to be forged between the cloth and the wearer. Chalayan and Karan also denote more figure-hugging silhouettes than is depicted in the Ancient sculpture; perhaps as an accentuation on the sustained appreciation of the female form.

the ideal Athenian woman was seen as an erotic object intended for the male gaze and the ideal human form was intended to be at harmony with the cloth to such an extent that ideally it would become difficult to differentiate between the wearer’s own flesh and the cloth itself. during that era, clothing was therefore simply an instrument in the process of creating these physical ideals. almost all attire for men in Ancient Greece was also applicable for women. when worn by a female figure, however, any particular piece of clothing adopted separate and more significant social implications than when worn by a male figure. this relates back to Veblen’s theory of conspicuous consumption in which a great social insistence was placed on restrictive, figure-accentuating clothing that ensured the clothed woman was exempt from any potential capacity for physical labour or constructive employment. major figures in Ancient Greek society similarly wrote about women existing in this way as ornamental aspects of a community. they were expected to remain passive and inferior to men, and as if to further validate this societal position, women were continually compared to men in terms of physical and psychological prowess.



it is in these strict social ideals that Ancient Greek dress differs from contemporary interpretations of classical draping. designers today often use drapery as a means to liberate women from previous rigidity and artifice. while the intent to glorify a women’s natural curves and anatomy have remained in modern designs, they have largely been designed by women. the customer of classically inspired fashion has therefore developed into an independent woman who is in control of her own sexuality and self-confidence, rather than existing and adopting beauty practices purely for a male gaze or audience. Donna Karan is said to design with classically aesthetic references in mind, though ultimately for the working woman; focusing essentially on practicality. today, therefore, the Greek ‘goddess’ ideal is connected to an image synonymous with a woman who is feminine, though simultaneously confident and empowered. moreover, the modern goddess has shed the archaic notion that femininity is linked to fragility.

from this analytical model of looking back into history and identifying social influences that have motivated trends, light can be shed on the significance of these trends as repeated within contemporary fashion. while there is value in the comparison of aesthetic and construction elements between two historical contexts, the true measure of significance lies within comparison and contrast of sociological trends existing in either era. for example, with the evolution of draped dress from the Ancient Greeks through to the 20th and 21st Centuries, it can observed that the modern interpretation of the trend coincides with the evolution and strengthening of women’s place in society. despite the influence that Ancient Greek society and inventions of clothing archetypes has had within fashion history, women have contributed more over time to global society than any notions of beauty have. it is for this reason, as analysed in detail earlier, that modern versions of draped dress can be considered of more significance and influence on the evolution of fashion and overall collective societal intellect than draped dress within 4th and 5th Centuries B.C.'

+ i should probably start including reference lists at the end of any essay work that i post here..

(- Barnard, M. (2007). Fashion Theory. New York, NY: Routledge.
- Chalayan, H. (2010). Spring 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection [Image]. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2010RTW-HCHALAYA?event=show1982&designer=design_house48&trend=&iphoto=38#slide=38
- Cosgrave, B. (2000). The Complete History of Costume and Fashion. London: Octopus Publishing Group Ltd.
- Eco, U. (2004). The History of Beauty. Rizzoli International Publications.
- Ferrero-Regis, T. (2011). KFB 106 Unspeakable Beauty: Week 2 – Draped Dress [Lecture Notes]. Retrieved from http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_75294_1%26url%3D
- Grès, A. (1965). “Grecian” evening dress (front detail) [Image]. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.curatedobject.us/the_curated_object_/2008/04/exhibitions-n-1.html
- Kamitsis, L. (1996). Vionnet. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.
- Karan, D. (2011). Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear collection [Image]. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/S2011RTW-DKARAN?event=show2182&designer=design_house1&trend=&iphoto=23#slide=23
- Llewellyn-Jones, L. (2002). Women’s Dress in the Ancient Greek World. Retrieved from Queensland University of Technology Course Materials Database.
- O’Neill, J.P. (2003). Goddess: The Classical Mode. New York, NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Park, J. (2011). Classical Greek Dress and Contemporary Fashion. Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, 9. doi: 10.2752/BEWDF/EDch9087
- Schmitt Pantel, P. (1990). A History of Women: from Ancient Goddesses to Christian Saints. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
- Terracotta Statuette of a Draped Goddess. (ca. 5th–4th century B.C.). [Image]. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/130017976)

INFLUENCERS SERIES - part III

my latest interview-ee / 'victim' is Alicia from Melbourne style blog Sea of Ghosts.
aside from the amazing aesthetic consistency / refinement displayed in the culture of her blog as well as her personal style, one of Alicia's defining points is her history as a jewellery designer. through this alone, a completely individual and intellectual point of view is voiced in each of her posts.



you can read her wonderfully in-depth answers here..

why did you decide to start a blog?
i began style blogging to document and try to refine my style after winning a subscription to Vogue in April 2008; but I've been blogging on and off since 1998.

is there a story behind the name 'Sea of Ghosts?'
it's a combination of two albums i love; "Mer De Noms" by A Perfect Circle which is Sea Of Names in English, and "Ghosts" by Nine Inch Nails. but ghosts and the sea are two themes that come up a lot in many of my favourite songs.

do you have a way of categorising your wardrobe? (eg. colour / style / season)
almost all of my clothes are black, so they're separated in style order; Dresses > Skirts > Shorts > Camisoles > Short Sleeve Tops > Long Sleeve Tops > Jackets. i hang almost everything except pants, knits and basic tanks and tees.

what inspires your outfits on a day-to-day basis?
the weather always dictates what i'll wear. once i know what the temperature is i tend to have one piece pop into my mind, then i work the rest of the outfit around it.



do you tend to mostly buy new or vintage pieces?
i don't really own vintage pieces anymore, although i do occasionally buy second hand things on eBay - they don't qualify as 'vintage'; most of my clothes are new.

was there a particular person / event that started your interest in fashion?
i guess discovering fashion and style websites; not necessarily fashion blogs but fashion forums and sites like style.com. before that, it was more the thrill of shopping i enjoyed than a particular interest in style.

do you tend to follow more local or international blogs?
more international because there are fewer local style blogs that resonate with my own style. i don't really consume blogs that don't cater to my style on a regular basis unless i'm friends with the author.

has your personal style evolved or changed as a result of beginning your blog?
absolutely, but that was the point of blogging for me in the first place. i spent my first two years of blogging just trying to pin down my aesthetic and blogged a lot about that evolutionary process.



what characteristics do you believe make a successful blog?
you know, i don't really know what it is that propels some blogs to certain levels of success. generally the bloggers who are most successful seem to be able to pick up on trends at the cusp, which keep them exciting and fresh to readers. their photography is usually clean and crisp so their blogs are easy to visually consume. the most successful style bloggers all seem to cater really well to the mainstream consumer who can easily replicate their looks on any budget. there are exceptions, of course. i'm speaking generally.

how much time do you generally spend on putting together each post - do you have a particular strategy to your blogging?
it completely depends on the kind of post. outfit posts take longer because i shoot and edit the images first; if i'm blogging about a product i prefer to use professional product photographs so that's often quite fast to source. i try to mix up the kind of posts i publish in a week; i wouldn't do four product posts in a row.

what do you think your point of difference is to all of the other fashion blogs out there?
locally the most obvious point of difference would be my style; but i'm a bit of an outsider in many ways. i try not to repeat the same content seen on other blogs and will often turn down opportunities if too many other bloggers are involved unless i get to really put my own spin on it; like the campaigns i did with Mimco.



what have you found the most difficult during your blogging experience so far? are there any reasons why you would not encourage other fashion enthusiasts to begin their own blog?
i would never discourage anyone from starting a blog but if i could offer any advice, it would be that maintaining inspiration is difficult. some days you just can't find anything worth blogging. i'd also seriously encourage any aspiring blogger to analyse why they want to start blogging and to focus on that so their blog can retain integrity.

if you had unlimited money, do you think your style would change?
not really. i'd just buy more expensive things. maybe i'd take more avant grade risks because i could afford to not care if it didn't suit me. but my dark leanings wouldn't change.

are you influenced by any particular designers, or more so by street style?
i find tumblr is an excellent influential resource and does a brilliant job of combining runway, editorial and street style harmoniously. my favourite designers include Rick Owens, Damir Doma, Haider Ackermann, Ann Demeulemeester, Yohji Yamamoto and Alexander Wang.

does the style of the city or country that you live in affect your choice of outfit?
i used to say it did but these days i'm feeling like Melbourne seems to be rebelling against it's infamous black black and more black style which is my style. so whilst it definitely influenced my style to start with i take less inspiration from the city itself these days. although Melbourne's ridiculous meteorological temperaments do dictate my outfits on a regular basis!

(all images courtesy of Sea of Ghosts)