Fashion Friday: Tayla Santos

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Meet Tayla.

Hey there, my name is Tayla (pronounced like kayla but with a “T”) and I’m from Boston, Massachusetts. I started my blog not too long ago as a fun side thing to keep me motivated and absolutely fell in love with every aspect of it. I love the mini “self done” photoshoots, the shopping, the planning, the editing, the writing,  the emails…all of it! Its a type of busy I don’t think I will ever get tired of! I also love meeting new people so if you come over to my little corner of the internet, be sure to say hi and introduce your self ❤

 

 

Do you blog full-time or as a hobby?

As of  right now I am blogging as a hobby and I am literally obsessed with it!

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I love looking back and seeing how far I’ve come! It’s like having a photo album and looking back at all the pictures you had taken years ago. It’s crazy how much my style alone has evolved in just one year and I can’t wait to see where I’ll be in years to come!

Are there any goals you wish to accomplish for the year?

YES! So many goals it’s crazy lol. I think my biggest goals are to obviously grow more but to grow into something that’s my own. I want to create something that’s recognizable. I don’t want to just be another fashion blogger. I want people to look at my outfits and my different pictures and be able to tell that it’s my post without even seeing that I’m the one that posted it. You know what I mean?? Does that even make sense?

How would you describe your style?

This is a question I get all the time. I have a very simple style. I always have a classic and simple base and then build with my accessories such as bags, scarfs, jewelry, and hairstyle! (hairstyle can make or break an outfit, btw). I also love mixing casual with more dressy pieces. For example wearing a black silk tank dress but pairing it with a graphic tee under, and throwing on some white vans! I love mixing styles and trends, what can i say; I’m diverse!! Loll. So I guess I would say my style is classic chic. Yeah, I like that!

IMG_8250Name your top 3 designers.

  1. Giambattista Valli
  2. Louis Vuitton
  3. Versace

IN THAT ORDER lol  

If you had a chance to go on a shopping spree at any retailer of your choice, where would you go? Why?

These are the types of tough questions I pray im never forced to face in reality. I guess I would have to say Nordstrom. They have everything!! Clothes, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry, and Makeup. I could get a whole makeover in that one store. I don’t usually shop there often but if it’s a shopping spree, why not!

Mary Kate or Ashley?

I used to watch them everyday when I was younger ( like I used to have all their VCR tapes) and debated this question for most of my life however, I think it’s now safe to say…Ashley! Don’t make me explain.

Is there a celebrity who best matches your style?

I honestly don’t know. If I had to choose I would say Shay Mitchell but you guys let me know. Check out my style and tell me if I resemble any celebs you follow. I’ll check them out and let you know what I think.

What is a staple piece everyone should have in their wardrobe?

Def a good pair of denim and a basic white tee (that fits you right. Not too oversized and not too fitted). You can do soooo much with just that. Dress it up with a pair of heels and a leather jacket and your good for date night. However, throw on some simple casual sneakers, a belt and a cute cross body and your good for a day out on the town. Don’t even get me started on all the possibilities that come with a good pair of jeans and a white tee.

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With all the online retailers creating trendy pieces, who is your favorite?

Wow, this is a tough one. I have so many go to online shopping retailers. I would say my top three are Boohoo, Verge Girl, and the trusty old Zaful lol

What is your next must-have purchase?

110% a LV bag!! I need one and that just might be the real reason I opened a credit card lol. Shhh

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Want to know more about Tayla?

 @taylasnts

 Tayla’s Closet

YouTube: itstaylasantos

Fashion Friday: Sabrina

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 Meet Sabrina from Runway Beauty

 

 

 

 

What inspired you start blogging about fashion?

I was sitting at my regular 9-5 job at the bank and realized that I wanted more out of life. I wanted to actually enjoy working. At first,I didn’t know I would be a blogger but I knew what I wanted to do something fashion related and also increased my knowledge. I read a few articles and realized blogging about fashion would increase my knowledge and also help me gain an audience.

 Is there a celebrity who best matches your style?

Rihanna! Rihanna is fearless, unapologetic, and fierce! She can be classy one day and edgy the next!

Zendaya is another as well! Zendaya is such a fashion icon and we are the same age! Her effortless beauty and outgoing personality is what I admire the most about her. She kills each and every look with style and grace!

IMG_1164 How would you describe your style?

Right now, I would describe my style as elevated, chic, and trendy. But my style is unplanned. I go by how I’m feeling or what I’m inspired by. I’m not at my fullest potential yet and I’m still learning.

 If you had the chance to sit front row at any designer’s show during NYFW who would you see?

I would love to go to a Marc Jacobs fashion show. His fashion shows are bold, different, and it isn’t street style which I love the most. Just the clothing itself has beautiful bright colors. His clothing inspires me and I love to witness it in person.

 What is the best fashion advice you would give?

Be you! I know it’s very simple and everyone says it but it is true. Stay true to yourself, continue to learn and grow with the industry. Don’t be afraid to take risk as well. A year from now our planet will be in the same place … where will you be?

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Name your top 3 designers.

  •  Chanel
  •  Balmain
  •  Versace

 

With all the online retailers creating trendy pieces, who is your favorite?

My favorite is Kloset Envy. I like shopping at places that many people don’t. Kloset Envy has great quality clothing. I purchase a few items from them and I’m always satisfied with my purchase and everyone ALWAYS compliment the items.

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Is there a trend you would like to stop?

Floral print, is a trend that needs to stop. Floral print is everywhere and on everything when spring comes around every year.

 

 Is there a certain “formula” you have when creating a look?

Honestly I don’t have a formula. I have a vision of what I want to look like and I make it happen. Sometimes things don’t come out how I vision it and I would have to start over.

 

What’s your rule with accessorizing?

Stick with the same color metal throughout your outfit. If you have gold on your shirt then you would need to wear gold jewelry. Do not mix and match. Another rule is a little can go a long way. You don’t want to overpower your beauty or your outfit with too much jewelry or big and flashy jewelry. Unless your outfit is really simple and straight to the point adding jewelry would add that extra “ump” you need.

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Want to know more about Sabrina?

Instagram | Runway Beauty

Fashion Friday: Maite

 

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Meet Maite Aramayo.

I am from Bolivia and I’m 24 years old. I am currently living in Milan because I’m doing my masters in Management and specializing in fashion. I have a blog that I started this year called “LA BOLIVIANA” where I write every week and give my insight into the fashion industry. Living in one of the fashion capitals of the world is a very exciting experience for me, and so I’m constantly curious about learning more about the fashion industry and willing to spread my ideas to inspire other people.

 

 

 

 

What inspired you to start blogging about fashion?

 

I made the decision to start blogging when I moved to Milan. It was a huge change for me because everybody expected me to keep pursuing a career in finance (I have a bachelor and experience in that industry) but I figured that if I really wanted to start making my way into the fashion industry, I had to start somewhere, and for me blogging was the way to go; apart from the fact that I love writing.When it comes to content and what inspired me, I saw that there’s this ongoing stereotype about fashion being the most superficial and frivolous industry in the world. And so, when I started my blog my mission became to get people informed for them to realize that it’s not just an industry about dressing people up, but that there’s a whole business strategy behind every brand and moreover a huge world of unique processes where people combine their business knowledge with creative mindsets. Believe it or not, fashion is something very complex that can represent anything you want, be able to move the crowds and ultimately fuel an economy.

Do you blog full-time or as a hobby?6

I don’t blog full-time because I only post once a week, but I don’t like how the word hobby sounds either! Since I’m doing a masters in Milan, being able to blog all the time is almost impossible for now, but I am constantly looking for new ideas for my next blog every day. I try to get people’s input all the time, and strangely my best ideas have been inspired by people who have no idea about the industry, so blogging has become quite entertaining. For me, being in fashion is a 24/7 job so I am always with my eyes wide open looking for new inspiring ideas.

 Describe a typical day as a fashion blogger.

Like any person that loves fashion, I wake up and the first thing I always do is to check fashion news on my phone while having breakfast. After that, I usually get ready for my classes and spend half of my day at university, but I always have my phone and a notebook with me, in case something interesting happens. Through the day I also take time to get in touch with other bloggers, stay active on Instagram because of how important that platform has become, I go and read some other bloggers’posts usually from the ones posted on Facebook groups and try to brainstorm all day. Also, part of being a fashion blogger is to always have a good outfit put together when you’re out, and so if I get the chance, I take some pictures.

 

 What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is definitely the freedom to have a voice in the industry I love. Although being a blogger is so hard these days because there are thousands out there, what satisfies me the most is that my content is finally out there for some people to read it. Also, I like how much my mindset has changed ever since I’ve started blogging, because I’m constantly curious and on an“analysis mode” on a daily basis.

 

Are there any goals you wish to accomplish for the year?

Like any blogger out there, I think my main goal would be to increase my audience, of course. But I’d have to say that by the end of the year I would like to have better knowledge about blogging and also to have a bigger blogger network that I can reach out to.

How would you describe your style?

Someone once told me that my style is very “contemporary”, and I never knew what that meant because there are so many ways of dressing in a “contemporary” way these days! But when it comes to styling, I look for outfits that make me feel comfortable in my own skin and so I like to play with layers, always have a little bit of movement with the fabrics I choose and usually I try to wear something interesting that pops out in my outfit, like a cool accessory, a statement shirt or blouse, or anything that truly reflects my mood on that day.

5Name your top 3 designers.

My top one has definitely become Alessandro Michele, and I like him as a designer because he’s always playing it hard and risky. He’s taken Gucci into this imaginative and transformative phase that everyone seems to be buying into, and also he is not afraid of going without filter on his collections.

My second is Olivier Rousteing because I love how he changed Balmain and by being so young and a black French designer, I really enjoy seeing him break the rules and taking his inspiration a step forward, always bringing new diversity into the fashion world.

My third is Riccardo Tisci, because he has a contemporary street-style way of designing that in my opinion is very unique. He combines street wear with high-end fashion and he’s one of the designers that actually pays attention to the consumer. I’m beyond excited for his debut collection for Burberry on September.

What is the best fashion advice you have ever received?

I’ve been advised to not be afraid to stand out, speak up and be risky, and that goes not only with clothing choices but also when it comes to spreading ideas. I’m always worried that because I have studied finance, I don’t know enough about fashion like the ones that dedicated their lives to it from the beginning. But I realized that not even the people who are deep inside the industry know everything because there’s always space to keep learning, so I’m learning each day to put my opinion out there, even if it gets criticized. It is all a learning process.

What is the best fashion advice you would give?

Always be informed about the industry. I think I’ve gotten the habit of getting informed all the time because in some way I like to compare fashion with finance (more specifically, the stock market). If you don’t know what is currently happening in the industry you love, you’re not going to be updated and be able to come up with ideas of your own. Being informed about fashion is key, because just like the stock market, it is an industry that changes constantly and it’s very volatile.

If you had the chance to sit front row at any designer’s show during NYFW who would you see?

 

Alexander Wang, because I’ve been following him ever since he got started and it’s amazing how much he has evolved as a designer. Also, to me all of his collections are perfection and I would wear everything that he designs because of how edgy he is.

 

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Want to know more about Maite?

InstagramLa Boliviana|Facebook

Wednesday Women: Elle from Dressing Danishly

Elle in CopenhagenMeet Elle.

Hey, I’m Elle, currently working as a digital marketer in Nottingham in the UK, but dreaming (and saving up!) for a move to Copenhagen, my favourite city in the world!

My two main passions in life are travel and fashion, and I love combining the two wherever I can. During the weekends, you’ll often find me travelling through Europe, searching out the best shopping, and sipping some amazing cocktails!

What inspired you to go travelling?

When I was growing up, my parents would take my brother and me on holiday every year – usually, it was your standard fortnight summer holiday in Greece.

Then, when I got a bit older, we discovered the joy of cheap flights that is Ryanair and went on our first city break to Gothenburg, Sweden.

I loved being able to explore a new city – there was so much more to do than just simply lying around on a beach. After school, I’d spend a lot of time on Ryanair pricing up flights to different destinations and convincing my parents we just HAD to visit all of these different countries… and usually they’d cave in and agree with me!

Living in the UK, we have the rest of Europe right on our doorstep, so why would we waste that opportunity of getting to travel and see different cultures, even if it’s just for a weekend at a time?!

What is your travel style?

I wouldn’t say I’m budget or luxury: I fall right in between. Personally, I don’t like roughing it and have never stayed in a hostel (and never will!).

So I’d say my travel style is a mixture – I like luxury for less: if I’m going away somewhere, I’ll book a nice, reasonably priced hotel or apartment (a private bathroom is a must!).

As I travel quite a lot, I’m quite savvy when it comes to accommodation costs, and know roughly what price to expect in different European cities. For instance, when I’m in Eastern Europe I’ll usually book an apartment, as they’re a fraction of the price of hotel rooms, and you get so much more space – and your own cooking facilities.

When it comes to physically travelling, I’m a huge advocate of budget airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizzair. I know a lot of people who turn their noses up at the likes of these; but these airlines opened up the ability for me to travel to a range of city destinations.

There’s no way I could have afforded to have done as many trips as I have done on a national carrier (I would, however, LOVE to fly first class one day!).

Elle in Budapest

If you had a one-way ticket, where would you go?

Without a doubt, Copenhagen, even though it’s only 90 minutes away! I’m absolutely in love with the city and am making plans to move there. So a one-way ticket would convince me that I may as well make the move now!

What’s your favourite destination?

Aside from Copenhagen… it’s a tough one!

I’d probably say Oslo – especially in the summer. It has such a lovely, laidback atmosphere, the nightlife is good and the locals are friendly. I just got a really nice feeling about it when I visited for the first time.

I’d also give a special mention to Vilnius in Lithuania. Whilst the city may not be as pretty as Tallinn or Riga, again the nightlife is amazing, and it’s such a cute little place. I’ve been twice, and I’d love to go back again!

Do you prefer solo travel or with a group?

I’ve yet to travel solo by myself, and whilst I’ve heard amazing things from solo travellers, I’m not sure it’s my thing… I think I’d like to share those experiences when travelling with family or friends.

Saying that, I don’t particularly enjoy travelling with a large group of people because I think you have to make a lot of compromises and if you’ve only got a short amount of time whilst on holiday, it can get quite frustrating.

My favourite way to travel is with a close friend who has similar interests to me – that way, we both get to do everything we want to, without worrying we’re boring the other one!

Elle in Trondheim

Who’s your ideal travel mate?

My ideal travel mate would have similar interests to me, so we wouldn’t be arguing where to go and what to do!

I’m quite organised and like to plan in advance what I’d like to do, but I appreciate it when others help too and don’t expect you to do all of the work!

However, I think it’s important that alongside the planning, my ideal travel mate would also have a sense of adventure and like to be spontaneous sometimes because that’s often when you have the most fun.

… So not too much to ask for then!

How long have you been a blogger?

Not very long! I set up my own blog when I was at University back in 2012 (it was a .wordpress blog), but my posts were very sporadic, and I didn’t have a content plan in mind – I was merely blogging for blogging’s sake.

I decided to give it a proper go at the beginning of the year, and Dressing Danishly was set up in February 2017 with the help of a friend.

Having worked in digital marketing for the last few years, I’ve managed company blogs in all of my jobs, so I’ve had plenty of experience and know the do’s and don’ts in terms of writing interesting copy, SEO optimisation and the importance of social media.

It’s been nice to be able to take what I’ve learnt professionally; and create my own blog where I can write about what I’m truly passionate about: travel and fashion.

It is however, a lot of hard work and long hours – but you kind of forget about that when you enjoy it! I’m really looking forward to building my blog over the coming months and years.

Elle at the Winter palace, St Petersburg

How do you like to plan adventures?

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m quite an organised person; and because the majority of my trips are short city breaks, I like to have a clear plan in mind as to the things I’d like to see, so I don’t waste my time.

I’ll do some research a few weeks before I go away: the sights to see, the shopping, the bars… to be honest, I spend most of my time researching the best cocktail bars! Then I Google map the distance of the bar from my hotel so I can plan which heels to take with me, and whether I can walk or will need to order a taxi!

I hate not being able to go on holiday for any longer than three months at a time; and I always make sure that I’ve booked another trip so that I don’t go away on holiday with nothing to look forward to when I’m back!

I spend a lot of time researching where to go next and trying to convince people to come with me… I’d love to go to Kiev, it’s just a case of finding someone else who wants to go too!

Elle in Vilnius

Do you think there is any difference travelling as a woman?

As a woman, you’re taught to be more careful when you travel: but I think in terms of a different experience, it all depends on the countries you visit and the culture there.

My family went on holiday to Morocco when I was 14 and I hated it – despite being a child, men in the streets leered at me, made rude gestures and even spat at me. It was awful, and I hated leaving the hotel. My dad and brother however, had a completely different experience, and weren’t treated with such disgust.

Visiting European cities however, I can’t imagine that I would have any different experience to men. I think you need to be careful about things like walking alone at night and getting into taxis by yourself – but that’s just the same as being back at home.

Do you have any advice for female travellers?

I’m aware I’m sounding like a broken record, but I think you just need to be careful! Let friends and family know where you’re travelling to, and don’t put yourself in a situation where you could be vulnerable.

I think the worst thing you can do is be put off travelling (especially solo travelling), as it’s such an exciting thing to do. But be careful!

Want to learn more about Elle?Elle in Copenhagen

Dressing Danishly

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