Today we have an interview with Celine of The Wardrobe Diaries. Celine blogs about her daily outfits, which are always full of great accessories, and chic style. Celine is also a local Phoenix gal, and recently I was able to meet her at a local craft fair!
Say hello to Celine:
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
-Hi! I’m a Phoenix dweller but I’m originally from the UK. I moved from a pretty seaside town to the desert when I was 16 and, after a rather lame attempt at overcoming the culture shock, I went back to the UK for college. I got a degree in film making (I’m artsy if nothing else) and then tried New York out for size before returning to the Southwest. My family is here and they’re pretty hard to ignore 🙂 I currently work as a photo editor for a major publication in town. I produce fashion shoots, style food and still life shots, edit images, conceptualize visuals and all manner of fun things. I live with my sister and 3 wacky cats in a beautiful Haver home.
2. What got you interested in blogging, and how long have you been blogging for?
-I started blogging almost 2 years ago. I was going through a rough breakup and was feeling generally unmotivated, especially creatively, which really isn’t compatible with my line of work, I needed a jolt to start feeling like myself again. I contemplated a few things before I decided on blogging (I wasn’t much for extolling my every fleeting thought on the internet) but I’d always loved fashion and I knew I needed an exercise that would start the creativity flowing on a daily basis. It was amazing how quickly it worked, within weeks I was taking fashion risks, getting more creative with my styling and the locations of my daily ‘shoots’ and feeling generally more inspired. The ridiculously flattering comments from my readers coupled with the confidence I’d gained in my styling abilities was exactly what i needed to start feeling like myself again. Now I treat it more like a reminder and a space to express one of the more fun sides of myself.
3. Can you tell us about your style?
3. Can you tell us about your style?
-My style is constantly morphing. I try to express the many sides of my personality, some of my passions, flatter my frame and reflect my interest in trends with my outfits and as those things are constantly changing, so is my style. Ultimately though, I suppose I’m a little bit indie rock, a little bit ladylike and a little bit vintage.
4. Menswear inspired looks seem very popular lately, and i’ve noticed that you’ve been sporting this trend quite a bit. What makes menswear inspired looks so appealing to you?
-I’ve never been a fan of style that tried too hard and overt sexiness falls slap bang in the middle of that category. Anyone can put on a Hervé Léger bandage dress with a pair of stilettos and a mountain of makeup and appear sexy, but a woman that can put on a slouchy pair of trousers with a man’s shirt and be sexy is so much more intriguing. It takes balls to dress for yourself, to not care what others are thinking and I have so much respect for that air of confidence that a woman wearing menswear (well) has. I’m not there yet but I’m working on it 🙂
5. What are your favorite trends for winter?
-I adore the 70’s inspired camel looks from Celine and Chloe, it really appeals to the Jane Birkin in me. I’m also loving the military and sheer pieces that are out there, combined they are the perfect mix of masculine and feminine.
6. When you’re not busy blogging and working, what can you be found doing?
-I volunteer for the Phoenix Art Museum’s fashion collection so I spend quite a bit of time going to meetings and events there. I love to cook so more often than not I’m at the grocery store, farmers market or in the kitchen rustling something tasty up. One of my best girl friends is a nightlife writer and she needs lots of help trying cocktails at various hot spots around the valley, it’s hard work but someone’s gotta do it. My vintage clothing and record collecting habits usually have me scouring thrift stores and vintage stores around town. A couple of my friends DJ (I used to but I’ve hung up my headphones for the time being) so I try to hit up their night’s as much as possible. I love trying new restaurants and old favorites, food is a pretty huge part of my life if you haven’t guessed. My family lives in town so we get together pretty regularly. I dance and do pilates to stay fit and I love to travel whenever I can afford it. Gosh, I really do all this stuff? It’s a wonder I ever find time for lolling on the sofa watching BBC America and the Cooking Channel but somehow I do!
7. With regards to fashion, what do you draw inspiration from?
-I used to be a magazine junkie but in the past year or so I’ve become a little disenchanted with their fashion content. Too many spreads are styled almost identically to the runway that they look like advertisements, that coupled with the fact that I don’t have the moolah for designer garb has alienated me a little. These days I find I get most of my fashion inspiration from the street. Street style in the UK is brazen and adventurous and I was mesmerized by it from a young age, I remember the punk kids at the bus stop near my house looking like walking works of art. With so many fashion blogs bringing an endless stream of style inspiration to my attention it’s so easy to be inspired. I also draw a lot of inspiration from films, my Dad is an old movie buff and I grew up with the likes of Bette Davis and Jane Fonda as style icons. Now I refer to films like Performance and Annie Hall for ideas.
8. If you had to pick one outfit to wear the rest of your life, what would it look like?
-This question is tormenting me! On one hand I’d want to wear something completely glamorous and outrageous like a Marchesa feather gown extravaganza, but let’s be honest, it would get trashed and be terribly uncomfortable on those lazy Sunday’s in front of the TV. On the other hand the idea of wearing something sensible and comfortable, say my black skinny jeans and a paper thin t-shirt, would be so impossibly dull. Perhaps I should just opt for some eccentric kaftan, big sunglasses and a turban combination (you know, Talitha Getty meets Catherine Babba), and go for that trademark look.
9. You seem to have a great love for accessories. What’s currently your favorite piece?
-A chunky, gold chain bracelet with tassels that my Mum got me for my birthday from Banana Republic, they have the greatest pieces.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion bloggers? What about someone that is new to blogging?
-I’m not really the best person to be giving advice on blogging as I’m still figuring it out myself. Firstly, it takes a lot more time than you imagine. I thought I’d just get dressed every day, snap a few pics and be on my way. Instead, it’s a matter of finding a body who’s willing to take your photo every morning (mainly my poor sister whom I tear away from her cup of tea to snap my outfit before I dash off to work), then finding the time to edit the photos, think about what you want to tell the world, upload the images and write. And that’s just the blog posts, then comes the marketing, twittering, facebooking, reaching out to other bloggers and replying to comments and emails, it’s endless!
One thing I can offer advice on is the images. Make sure you have good quality photos, especially if you’re talking about fashion, people want to really see what you’re wearing, not just a camera phone shot you took in the mirror. You don’t need crazy expensive gear, just think about your light (natural day light is best), your composition (a full body shot and some detail shots), make sure they’re in focus and then size them correctly so they don’t pixilate too much.
Thank you so much Celine for doing this interview with me! Don’t forget to check out Celine’s blog for some amazing inspiration!
-Chelsea