The Fashion Blogger

What’s a typical day in the life of YOU?

Sleep in, luxuriate in a bubble bath, get dolled up by hair & makeup while my minions scurry about, after which it’s lunch, cocktails, and media appearances.

Not. ;-)

Typically, I put in 12-14 hour days of blogging-blogging-blogging; answering the usual insane flood of emails, phone meetings or interviews; late afternoon/early evening press and market events. During Fashion Week, it’s shows all day every day, shooting backstage video, press events and parties (gotta network!) and then schlep home for glamorous late nights of catching up on emails and blogging.

How old is your blog FashionTribes and what’s it all about?

Fashiontribes is almost 5 years old, and actually started as six online magazines, each catering to a different fashion “tribe”. However, like any overambitious entrepreneur, I quickly ran out of money and was thrilled to discover a faboosh new way of publishing. When I started the blog, no one even knew what the word was, so what a difference a few years make. I love fashion mags, but there are definite areas that they’re lacking in – which is the type of content I try and create for Fashiontribes…ie. what I’d like to read more of. Currently, that includes frequent pieces about trends, interesting new designers, the coolest accessories and shoes, beauty products and news, stylish stuff to lust after, and advice on how to rock the fashion trends like a pro.

You’re one of the leading fashion bloggers with a rather popular site, what drives you as a blogger?

I love fashion, writing, and having a forum to publish my pieces without interference from heavyhanded editors or illiterate publishers (who shall remain nameless…to protect the guilty). The social media aspect of blogging is great – especially reader feedback, comments, and input – and when other bloggers link to or acknowledge my work, it’s really such a great feeling.

Also, I love the fact that successful bloggers are creating a new form of media – at this point, we’ve developed a new voice and publishing platform. Magazines are wonderful at showcasing high-brow fashion with inspiring editorials, the European magazines in particular, but blogs are definitely the place to look for the latest news and dish. We don’t have the four (or more) month lead time to publish, nor are we as hampered by editorial concerns as they are in print. That in itself is inspiring.

In your mind what’s the secret to a good fashion blog?

I love blogs with an interesting voice, as well as a sense of humor – after all, we’re not doing rocket science last time I checked. The Manolo (http://shoeblogs.com/) is such a talented writer, I would read anything he published, even if it weren’t about shoes (his food blog http://manolofood.com/ is wonderful). I particularly like Jak & Jil’s eye (http://jakandjil.com/) – the y are spot-on with the stylish people and eyecandy outfits they shoot. Catwalk Queen (http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/) helps me keep up with with what my stylish pals across the Pond are lusting after. Style Bubble (http://stylebubble.typepad.com/), Fashion Toast (http://www.fashiontoast.com/) and The Coveted (http://the-coveted.com/blog/) each have a quirky voice, sense of humor and impeccable sense of style; The Fashioniste (http://www.thefashioniste.com/) is a serious smartypants plus he works at his computer everyday in a snazzy three-piece suit (!); and Calculatus Eliminatus (http://frigginwakeupcall.blogspot.com/) and Imelda: The Despotic Queen of Shoes (http://www.imelda.com.au/) both crack me up.

Where do you go to get inspiration to write?

I’m very curious by nature, and have a raccoon-like love of anything new and shiny, so I tend to use myself as a guide – whatever I’m passionately on the hunt for fashion-wise, I figure there are at least a few others out there who feel the same.

Which celeb in your mind has their style completely right and which needs some styling love?

Rachel Bilson and Chloe Sevigny are both fabulous; they love fashion, support young designers, and actually look like they put their own outfits together. So much of Hollywood looks styled to death – not a hair out of place, but it’s so manufactured as to be boring in a way (Katherine Heigl jumps to mind). You can usually tell who is style-challenged by comparing the way they’re dressed on the red carpet or at public appearances versus how skanky they look when the paps shoot them off-duty at Starbucks or running errands (ahem Julia Roberts and Britney Spears). That being said, Angelina Jolie and Eva Mendes always seem to look cute and appropriate, while Megan Fox should be contractually prohibited from dressing herself.

I like the way the Olsen twins approach fashion like connoisseurs, and Victoria Beckham gets top marks from me for her obsessive dedication to her fashion image. I can’t even imagine the kind of discipline it takes to maintain her figure, hair, skin, look, and wardrobe. I love her line of uber-chic dresses with Roland Mouret (ghost-designed?!), and the fact she takes fashion risks, like those kooky-but-fierce latex heel-less Antonio Berardi boots she wore to one of her fragrance launches. And then there’s the matter of her over-the-top collection of 100 or more Birkin bags valued at £1.5 million ($2 million). What’s not to love?! If I had her kinda dosh, I would do exactly the same – without apology.

Of all the fashion labels in the world, give me your top three?

1. Balenciaga (Nicolas Ghesquire)
2. Lanvin (Alber Elbaz)
3. Junya Watanabe

What’s the hottest item in your wardrobe at the moment?

Without question, my Balmain crystal-studded sandal look-alikes. They brought a tear to my eye when I first spied them on the Spring 2009 runway, and when Jennifer Connolly showed up at the premiere of He’s Just Not That Into You in them, they started calling my name…loudly! The actual Balmains are sadly out of my budget, so I scratched that itch with a cute Jeffrey Campbell version so I wouldn’t have to worry Carrie Bradshaw-style about ending up a homeless old woman who literally lived in her shoes.

Chips or salad?

Wishful thinking: chips. Real life: salad. Fashion Week and my skinny jeans are always looming, plus I’m hopelessly vain.

Gina or Jimmy Choo?

Gina shoes have a more fun, flirty vibe that appeals to me.

Romantic night in or crazy night out?

Probably a night in. I’m a major bookworm and never seem to have enough time lately to make any kind of dent in the stack of books on the bedside table. And besides, don’t they say sleep is the new sex?

Finally, what words of wisdom would you give to anyone wanting to start out in a career in fashion?

Being obsessed always helps, as is being fearless about promoting yourself. I live in New York where there is amazing talent falling out of the trees, but it’s often the less talented types that rise to the top (um…paging Marc Jacobs) because they present well, schmooze at parties, and actually show up for interviews and work. Woody Allen said 80% of success is just showing up, and I can tell you from dealing with deadline-missing writers, last-minute-interview-canceling designers, and other flakepots that there’s an amazing amount of truth to that.

Here’s an interesting factoid I recently came across: apparently, by the age of 20, the main difference between “amazing” musicians and those considered “above-average” had little to do with talent. Rather, what mattered was the number of hours they had spent practicing by the time they hit 20: 10,000 hours for the “amazing” group, but only 4,000 hours for anyone “average”. To me, that translates to: love what you do; don’t expect to make a lot of money at it for a while; and be prepared to put in your 10,000 hours….all of which will eventually conspire to make you a success. And if you have any doubts as to the importance in believing in yourself and your vision, be sure to read “The Secret.”

Thanks Lesley x