Today we have a lovely interview with Courtney of Phoenix is Haute. Courtney is a bestie of mine, and one of the sweetest ladies I know. She has an eye for style, and a degree to show her dedication to it. She spends her days working for a mainstream boutique that many of us know and love, as well as spending time and going on adventures with her fiance, Sanford, and sweet pup, Kingsley. Courtney also sells neat necklaces made out of recycled bullet shells in her shop, Dolly & Boy Jewelry.
Hello Tea Talkers!! I am just SO jazzed to be a guest of my online-turned-real-life friend, Chelseabird! Thank you so much for having me!! I’m Courtney, a FIDM grad, stylist, fashion merchandising teacher, jewelry designer, and blogger who loves classic movies, bright lipstick, surprises and laughing a lot! I live with my fiance and weenie dog pup in Phoenix, AZ!
2. What got you interested in blogging, and how long have you been blogging for?
A few years ago when I was Iiving in Los Angeles I did a lot of trend forecasting via websites and magazines for school and for the clothing manufacturer I worked for…I think Selective Potential and A Beautiful Mess were some of the first I stumbled upon through that. I was in awe!! How had I gone so long without knowing of these cool girls that would soon be a topic of conversation like I know them personally ( for example….OMG! The Beautiful Mess Wedding! OMG! Has Taza had her baby?! Is the rockstar a boy or a girl?!, OMG! Jane makes me feel so unaccomplished for my age! OMG! Can I just have Betty’s closet and Parisian lifestyle?! OMG! Miss James is the only reason I want to reproduce!”
How fun to peek into other people’s lives and closets a world away from us?? I have been totally and completely hooked ever since! I spent a couple years just lurking. ๐ No comments or reaching out, just taking it all in. When we moved back to Phoenix last summer I wanted to connect and document my attempts at pursuing fashion in a secondary market thus Phoenix is Haute was born! Ta-da! After the AZ Blogger Meetup I decided I was going to really give my blog more love and dive in! Here we are!
3. Can you tell us about your style? Hmm…It’s hard to narrow that down! About 99 percent of the time you can bet on me not matching! That one thing is for sure! ๐ Ha! I would like to say “thrifty bohemian” sometimes a little bit Country, sometimes a little Rock and Roll, I love dressing up so a lot of times my outfits have a theme.
4. You’re a Phoenix Metropolitan area girl like myself! How do you handle dressing for the hot, hot heat that we have so many months out of the year?
Well the first week I moved here my mom told me “Honey, you’re gonna need to buy some shorts” hahaha Like you Chels I am such a layers kind of girl! I love blazers and scarves! So here, I need to wear light jersey cardigans and cotton scarves if I still want to layer it up! I may wear tanks and shorts or skirts but I will usually have 700 accessories on to amplify my AZ style!
5. What are your favorite trends for fall?
I am always the most excited for dressing for Fall! Even though Summer is always a sort of casual Friday! You can get away with wearing a bikini under most things… ๐ This Fall I am sooo excited for the color story! I am a Fall color palette all year round kind of girl so the Blushes, Pumpkins, and Burnt Corals were seeing a lot of are making my heart go pitter patter! I also really love all of the menswear- inspired geek- chic trends coming out! Still can’t put down the J. Crew rolled up chino pants with grandpa cardigans though! Luckily, here in Phoenix, we don’t really have to have a complete wardrobe revamp when it gets cooler- we can just modify our favorite looks to adjust to those brisk, 60 degree, Winter months! ๐
6. When you’re not busy blogging, what can you be found doing?
Ohh this is the part where I pretend I do many interesting and cool things…
I am usually hanging with my grandparents on the Westside of town, trying to meet up with my siblings here and there, scolding my cute puppy for peeing on the carpet, having coffee dates with friends, exploring more pockets of Phoenix with my handsome guy, and dreaming up lots of names for OPI nailpolishes (my dream job)! haha
7. With regards to fashion, what do you draw inspiration from?
Everywhere! Moreso than just blogs and fashion magazines, real life! I really like translating street style, and “real-girl” bloggers (read: attainable fashion!!) into my own wardrobe! I pick and choose trends and color stories I like and put my twist on it!
8. If you had to pick one outfit to wear the rest of your life, what would it look like?
Hmmm as long as were dreaming here I am going to say my tallest wedges (because they would be the most comfortable shoes—this is my dream, right?!) probably skinny jeans, a racerback tank, pretty Ikat printed scarf, a great leather bag (naturally), and fitted blazer! SO specific I know buuttt we’re talkin’ forever here people!!
9. You have this amazingly versatile style! One day you can be dressed totally girly, and the next day you could be very rocker chic from head to toe. How do you go from one style to the next, and back again with such ease?
Well thank you so much friend! I guess going back to my love of costumes (I used to dance, I love classic musicals, and Halloween is my favorite holiday!) I like to follow trends yes, but at the end of the day I just like to remix designer pieces, with thrifted or vintage, and inexpensive retailers like Target and Forever 21! I sort of use that technique with my home and closet…a mix of high and low! Sometimes I am a little more tough, (love a good leather jacket!) and sometimes I feel a little more sweet, (can’t go wrong with a ditzy floral!)!
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion bloggers? What about for someone wanting to reach out of their style comfort zone, but is a little weary of it?
Well I suppose I am still “aspiring” really, but I guess the key is just finding what you love to write about and finding time to write about it! Obviously beautiful photos are a huge element (I’m still learning!), and being authentic is the most important thing. That’s what I really love about blogging, essentially we are all writing about the same thing (cute clothes, coffee, our significant others, etc.) but everyone has their unique way of telling their story, and that is what differentiates us from each other and makes reading a lot of similar blogs, so special!
Thank you so much for doing this interview, Courtney. Don’t forget to check out her lovely blog, and sweet necklace shop.
-Chelsea XO