A Little Sketch of...Late Afternoon

A sketch I did of Liz from Late Afternoon

Late Afternoon is this amazing blog written by Liz Cherkasova. Like me, Liz hails from San Francisco (although unfortunately for me, she can say she's currently experiencing the wonders of the city, while I'm off in college in a far distant land called central NY). I especially love Liz's blog because she's bring a level of attainable professionalism into it. How did she attain this professionalism? Besides Liz's undoubtable innate sense of style and beauty, she is a model (perhaps you've seen her donning some clothing while you peruse through the NastyGal site) and she works for Chictopia (a site that brings us regular fashion lovers into one happy community--to me it seems like a less intimidating version of Lookbook.nu). So that explains Liz's amazing outfit choices and amazing poses that my awkward self has yet to conquer. But another element that makes Late Afternoon one of my favorite blogs to visit is the photographs. They're always beautiful taken, with Liz taking a perfect pose or even candide stance. And the best part is that she makes a point to be out in the street, the real setting of fashion, with the lighting perfectly captured by her photographer boyfriend. Oh! How I wish I could take my Daily Photo pics like Liz! And it's all rather attainable, because, like I said she's out there in the streets and usually has an element that I can afford, often hitting up stores like H&M, Zara or thriftown. Wow! I almost forgot to mention one last amazing part of Late Afternoon: her hair. She's got those bangs under control in such a way that I can only envy, and she's always ready to try out a new hairdo I wouldn't even think of attempting. In total? I love me some Late Afternoon in the afternoon.

Why did you start blogging?
I really needed an outlet for my creativity while in my last year of college.

What are some of the perks of blogging?
The friends I have made and the wonderful people I have met are the best perks of blogging

What do you think is the importance of bloggers today?

Bloggers are breaking down the barriers that have become so commonplace in fashion. Fashion is no longer inaccessible and elitist. Now anyone can participate and enjoy fashion. Bloggers are also replacing models and celebrities as style icons and giving people more relateble style role models.

As a selfish question (being a San Franciscan), do you have any favorite spots you want to share with us? Fav thing to do in the city, fav store, fav place to go, best kept secret, best food etc?

This is a pretty big question! There is so much to do and see in SF it's hard to pick any one place in particular.

Some of my favorite places to shop are Idol Vintage, Painted Bird and Thriftown. My favorite places to eat are Chutney for Indian food, Cocobang for Korean, El Sol for Mexican, Cako for cupcakes, Scalas for Italian and Katanaya for ramen and sushi. I am always looking for new places to eat so this list is just for the time being. I am a big dive bar aficionado so the Owl Tree, the Hemlock, Casanova and the Elbow room are my current favorites.

Besides fashion, what are you interested in?
I have a passion for social psychology, art, existential literature and living my life :)

Any other words of wisdom you’d like to offer?
Confidence is style, always be your self and never take any one thing too seriously.

And to finish it off… If your shadow had a color, what color would it be?
Mint green!

A Little Sketch of...Song of Style

Song of Style is an amazing blogger from my home city of San Francisco. She was one of the first bloggers I ever found and followed (ie I found her blog in November). Her outfits are always unbelievably cute and she's never scared of adding those short skirts and high heels that we all wish we could pull off. Check out her blog here.

A sketch I did of Aimee from Song of Style

Why did you start blogging?

I just wanted to start something where I could document my daily outfits

What are some of the perks of blogging?

Meeting great people and just the whole experience.

What do you think is the importance of bloggers today?
We're just like any other consumers but we have a blog that people read so our voices are more likely to be heard.

What is your greatest style inspiration?
Everything around me.

Is there a current line that you just wish you could make your wardrobe? A celebrity’s closet you wish you could make your own?
I actually have a lot. I love the Chloe Spring/Summer 2010 collection, Ellery, and I would like to steal Chloe Sevingny's closet.

As a selfish question (being a San Franciscan), do you have any favorite spots you want to share with us?
My favorite place to go is the La Fayette Park with my boyfriend and dog. There is this one spot where u can see the bay and it's gorgeous and very relaxing.
Favorite restaurant has to be this little Mexican restaurant on Geary St.

Besides fashion, what are you interested in?
Interior Architecture and Architecture. Those are my main passion. I go to school to study Interior Architecture and work at an Architecture firm as an intern.

What are your future goals? Do they involve fashion?
I just want to be a great Interior Architect that designs wonderful and inspiring spaces for people.

Side note: Favorite band?

Tupac.

Any advice for bloggers just getting started?
Just be yourself, be honest and have fun!

And to finish it off… If your shadow had a color, what color would it be?
Neon Pink? Just to be fun?

A Little Sketch of...Not So Naked

Channelle (known as Coco) and Amanda are the amazing blogging duo behind the Australian blog Not So Naked out of Adelaide. I found them a couple months ago and fell in love with their clothes, dreamy pictures, party and concert events, etc. Check out their blog and their looks on their lookbooks! Amanda's Lookbook and Coco's Lookbook.

Sketch I did of Coco + Amanda from Not So Naked

How do you know each other?Coco: Amanda stayed at my house when she was on holiday here in 2003 (I think!) when she was a friend of some friends. I was 12, she was 15. She moved over here from Malaysia a few years later and happened to go to the same church, lucky for us!

Why did you start blogging? Did you originally start blogging together?

Amanda: I started fashion blogging April 2009. Initially Coco had her own blog but then she stopped blogging so I asked her if she wanted to join me on my new blog. So she said yes and now it's OUR blog!

What do you think you gain from having a partnership in a blog?A: I think we both have different ways of writing and presenting our thoughts. So there is a broad spectrum when it comes to our blog content. We both have different styles so it's good to have someone with a different perspective of things. That I must say is a definite gain!

C: I definitely take heaps of inspiration from what Amanda posts. Her photography and styling encourage me to improve my own content. I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much if I was doing it by myself.

What are some of the perks of blogging?C: I love being able to meet people who share our interests, especially here in Adelaide. I've also found that blogging regularly has really improved my photography skills.

A: I like getting feedback on what we post about and also like Coco said, meeting other people who share the same interest as us. Another thing is, I've been challenging myself to try to think of different ways to style the clothes I usually wear. I love that I'm working my creative juices. Blogging helps me be creative!
You both clearly have amazing style, where do you guys shop?C: Op shops! Vintage is absolutely the way to go - it's environmentally friendly, unique and cheap. On the high street, I can't go past Sportsgirl for cheap fixes though.

A: There isn't really a specific store I go to, but I do like Topshop and Sportsgirl. I do a lot of op shopping (great bargains!) as well as online shopping (Malaysian blog shops and eBay).

What do you think is your greatest style inspiration?C: The Sartorialist.

A: Other bloggers.
Is there a current line that you just wish you could make your wardrobe? A celebrity’s closet you wish you could make your own?C: Alexa Chung. She can't step a foot wrong.

A: Alexander Wang. I want Taylor Momsen's wardrobe!
Besides fashion, what are you two interested in?C: Pretty things. For me that usually means photographs, books, beaches, and travel.

A: Music and singing.

What’s your occupation? When you were younger, did you plan on doing something in fashion?
C: I'm a journalism student, and I do freelance writing and photography. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but childhood friends will freely attest that fashion was certainly not something anybody could have foreseen for me!
A: Honours year Chemical Engineering student. I never planned on going into fashion, but now I'm slightly leaning over to maybe? It's kinda hard when I have no art background whatsoever. I've been a Maths and Science student all my life!

What are your future goals? Do they involve fashion?
C: I'm pursuing photography pretty seriously, and I would love to be involved in fashion photography at some point. I'd love to take my writing further, and I'm working on a book about third-world poverty at the moment.

A: Mainly I want to be a business analyst or a business/engineering consultant. But if that doesn't work out, I would like to own a boutique as well as be a stylist

Side note: Favorite band?
C: On high rotation at the moment are the Bloody Beetroots, The XX, Meaghan Smith and Frank Sinatra. I listen to pretty much everything.

A: Anberlin
And to finish it off… If your shadow had a color, what color would it be?
C: It would correspond to the colour of my nails for the day.

A: It would be orangey red in the summer and baby blue in the winter.

By Popular Demand

So, I wasn't going to post today. But I was pestered by a number of people...so I took a small break and took a little inspiration from the blogs I'm following. Cuillere a absinthe is one of my favorite bloggers. She is french and was featured in one of the magazines I read regularly last year Muteen (people kept on thinking that I was reading imported teenvogues, they are that similar). So I was on her site and saw that she had this video up. She's in it, duh. Let's watch...

of course she won, I'm following her, she HAS to be chic. Of course I'm biased. I love the french and am incredibly influenced by their fashion sense. I can't really handle all that color the british girl is donning. I LOVE muted colors, nudes, and creams--that will be my wardrobe this spring. Speaking of which, I am SOOO happy that muted colors and creams are in next season. I would have died if there was nothing to buy but bright bright bright bright colors.
A la prochaine fois!