1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
-Hello! I’m Kristine. I am a personal style blogger over at Kristine. Or Polly.! I am recently married to my wonderful and talented husband, Matt, who takes all of the photos on my blog. We got married in September 2010 and we are absolutely loving it. Right now we are in Phoenix, AZ, but come April we will be heading off to live in Japan for at least a year 🙂 I love clothes, traveling, pizookie, big glasses, ruffles, and musicals!
2. What got you interested in blogging, and how long have you been blogging for?
-Hmm… I’ve been reading blogs for a really, REALLY long time now. In 2007, I started Kristine. Or Polly., but it was a different thing back then. It was basically a collection of things I found on the Internet that I liked or found inspiring. I didn’t really update it often or take it too seriously. My favorite types of blogs were personal style blogs, so I thought about kind of transitioning my blog to a personal style blog for a while. I think I can truly say that my only real passion is style and fashion, so it had always been in the front of my mind. Last November, two people that I really admired really encouraged me to start style blogging, so I just jumped right in! Since then, I’ve been able to sort of develop the blog into something legitimate that I’m really proud of!
3. Can you tell us about your style?
-It is difficult for me to describe my style, because it varies from day to day. I would probably say it is quirky/girly/modest/fun. I like to have a sense of humor with my outfits and not take anything too seriously. I love doing this by mixing patterns or throwing a bright color into a neutral outfit.
4. You seem to have a real knack for incorporating vintage and thrifted clothing into your daily outfits. Could you cue us in on how you do this so effortlessly?
-Thanks! To me, vintage shopping is a solution to a problem I have. I love vintage-inspired prints and I love knee-length skirts/dresses, but the stores you would find in the mall have a definite lack of both of those. I guess when I go into vintage shops, I look for styles that are emulated today by stores like Anthropologie. Nothing too out of the modern-day realm. This makes it easy to incorporate the pieces I find into my wardrobe! Another way I do this is deliberately mixing vintage styles with a very modern element. For example, wearing a modern shoe with a vintage skirt. I think this also creates a very unexpected but intentional look. Mixing styles and eras is a lot of fun for me!
5. What are your favorite trends for winter?
-I’m a big fan of lace up boots. And leopard print. Which might be why I just bought a pair of lace-up leopard print boots. Imagine that!
6. When you’re not busy blogging, what can you be found doing?
-Lately, it’s been spending time with my husband, learning how to sew, learning Japanese, and just spending time with our family and friends before we make our big move in April.
7. With regards to fashion, what do you draw inspiration from?
-So much! I love looking at other blogs of course – to me there is something so unique and real about looking at a person’s style and seeing their personality in it. I also love J.Crew spring catalogs – they really use color in a way that appeals to me. Japanese street style is another great inspiration – always has been, ever since my early days of high school. Their style is fearless, but it appears effortless at the same time, which I think is amazing.
8. If you had to pick one outfit to wear the rest of your life, what would it look like?
-Oh man, what a tough question! Can I pick an outfit that I don’t actually have right now? It would probably be a colorful Marc by Marc Jacobs knee-length dress with a J.Crew “Jackie” cardigan, a bold skinny belt worn at the waist, and some bright heels! And maybe add a statement necklace in there, too.
9. I’ve notice that you’re really not afraid of wearing a lot color. How do you find a balance between color in your outfits, and what is your favorite color(s) to style?
-Yes, I LOVE color! It’s hard for me to describe how I find balance with color in my outfits – I just do what feels right for me. There are a couple of ways to do this, though. One of the easiest is to pull from the patterns – for example, if you are wearing a patterned skirt, wear a top that is the same color as a color in the skirt. Another is to wear one bold piece, and pair it with neutrals like black or brown. But I also like to just mix completely different colors together – although there’s really no rhyme or reason to that. My favorite colors to style are probably pink and purple. I love those colors, and I’m always looking for ways to style them in more unpredictible ways.
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion bloggers? What about someone that would love to score some great vintage clothes, but has no idea where to look?
-Haha, I’m not sure if I’m one to give advice, but I would say to just be yourself. My favorite blogs are the ones I can tell are unique and original, and ones that have a really distinct voice. I also only continue to read blogs where I can tell the blogger is a nice person. Oh yeah, and don’t blog just to become “big” or famous. Blog because you love it! And for someone looking for vintage clothes- I would definitely say to check out antique malls and consignment stores, but also, be prepared to hunt! If you live in Phoenix, two of my favorite places for vintage are Buffalo Exchange on Mill and University, and Butter Toast in downtown Phoenix!
Thank you so much for doing this interview with me Kristine! Don’t forget to check out Kristine’s blog for amazing outfit inspiration!
-Chelsea
