When did you first start getting crafty and creative with fashion?
I have always been crafty since I was little and first learned how to thread a needle. But I dived head first into fashion DIY after Project Runway started back in 2004. Until that point I had no idea that I can make my own clothes and be creative with it. The show changed my whole perspective as a tween struggling through puberty and figuring how to adjust to my changing body. I hope that show never ends!
Who are your favorite fashionistas and designers?
Olivia Palermo, Lucy Liu, Victoria Beckham, Jamie Chung, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are a few of my favorite fashionistas. I don’t have a favorite designer, but currently I’m really digging The Row’s ready to wear fall 2014 looks.
What are your ultimate style tips?
Tip #1: Be aware of your body. Don’t be afraid to try new trends, but be aware whether they work on your body or not. For example, I loved the peplum trend but I have wide hips that are made to look wider with most peplum clothes. I haven’t given up wearing the trend but I have to be selective of the items I buy so it doesn’t add more volume around my hips, I gravitate towards the tops that have less ruffles.
Tip #2: If you have trouble putting outfits together, try sticking to three colors when putting together outfits. (Patterns count as one color) Unless you’re rocking the monochrome look then ignore. Three colors create the perfect balance. There’s a reason why it happens so often in nature and life. Example: clovers, rule of three in photography, etc. It helps me not overthink outfits.
Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to try new styles on, especially ones you’ve always admired but don’t think looks good on you. For me that’s lipstick. I’m sure to other people I look fine, maybe even pretty with the color on my lips, but too me I always think I look like an alien or a kid playing dress up with my mom’s makeup. But I love, love, LOVE women who wear that bold red lip or interesting purple and magenta one. I’m slowly easing my way in with colored lip balms like Maybelline’s Baby Lips.
If you could borrow one thing from a celebrities wardrobe, what & who would you choose?
I’d want anything and everything from Olivia Palermo’s closet, or anything from Chanel.
Which fashion blogs do you love to read?
I seem to find a new fashion blog to add to my reading list every week. A pair and a spare, What the Chung?, FringeGameStrong, Cheetah is the New Black, Gary Pepper are a few of my favorites.
Do you do any other crafts and what are your hobbies?
After working full time and the blog I don’t much of my day left, so I have to prioritize what I spend the rest of it on. I love taking a yoga or barre class to unwind and get my sweat on. It always feels like a luxury to take an hour out of my life and not think about anything; to set aside my to-do lists and worries for an hour to check into my physical and mental self. And on the weekends I try to squeeze in long hikes and reading.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Don’t be afraid to start. I was stuck in a funk for a period of time before I started Right Where I Left Off. I was afraid to put myself out there. I’m not exactly sharing my deepest, darkest secrets, but I felt vulnerable sharing my interests and parts of my life online to friends and strangers alike. I’m so glad that I took the plunge and started the blog because I’m learning new things and making new connected each day through it.
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