INTERVIEW

I thought I'd share the full version of the interview I did here. Some unanswered questions you all might have. I promise I'll be back with new outfit posts very soon, sorry for the delay, I've been readjusting to life in California! See you on Facebook and Twitter until then.

Tell us a bit about yourself and where you live ? 

I just turned 21, I'm studying fashion PR in San Francisco. I've lived in Paris for quite a while which is where I started getting serious about blogging, but I just recently came back to San Francisco to finish my last year of school. Now I'm spending time between California and Paris. 

Occupation? 

Full time student and blogger, occasional publicist  

Describe what the fashion is like where you are from compared to other places? 

San Francisco probably has one of the most underrated fashion scenes in the world. Everyone is so unique and eclectic here. The cool thing about this city is that absolutely anything goes. That's what inspires me most. Any given day I can walk through the city and see someone dressed in anything from a vintage wedding dress to only underwear, and they are just headed to work on a normal weekday like that. But, the best part is that the fashion scene is so unique and different from others because there isn't a set style, people dress as they want, the city as a whole is so creative and vibrant, it's amazing! 

Paris, on the other hand, has a much more distinct style. It really becomes apparent during Fashion Week, but it's much more high fashion all the time whereas San Francisco thrives on vintage clothes and individual styles.

What are your passions ? 

I love traveling and finding inspiration all over the world. I've gotten to see and live in some pretty amazing places. And of course, blogging, I get antsy if I am not constantly working on king&clutch! In my free time you can usually find me with a sketch book that's completely destroyed, overflowing with designs I've been working on forever. 

What do you splurge on ?

I think having quality basic pieces is really important. I can make any kind of outfit with a nice white t shirt. So, if I'm going to spend a lot of money, it will be on things that will last me forever, like solid t shirts, tank tops, and sweaters. I don't like any old cheap tshirt from a department store, I'm pretty picky. From there, I go crazy with all of my fun vintage outerwear, blazers and jackets I've collected over the years. 

Underrated item in menswear ? 

I always say the most underrated items in general are hats. I wear a lot of hats because I have this weird idea that my head is too small for my body so I like to think hats fix that problem. I have hundreds of baseball caps, beanies, fedoras, top hats, etc. that make outfits look a little less serious, more fun. I'm waiting for an opportunity to get some of Gigi Burris' hats and headwear on king&clutch.

What do you love about living where you are and what don't you like ? 

San Francisco is always exciting. The best part is the people who make this city as interesting as it is. I am surrounded by creative unique people anywhere I go who are proud to be themselves. The one thing I don't like, again, is that the fashion scene is extremely underrated here. The style is here, but there isn't a thriving fashion industry in San Francisco, so it makes it hard to imagine staying here permanently after I finish school.  

Paris on the other hand never disappoints me. There is always something new and exciting going on at any time of the day. One of my favorite things to do is spend the evenings with friends and a bottle of wine on the banks of the Seine, at Pont des Arts, or in the Tuileries. The one difficulty of living in Paris is the language barrier, but luckily I've become pretty good at speaking French this year. 

What's your next must have purchase ?

A beer at dinner tonight. After that, I've got my eye on some ridiculous creepers online that I can't really justify buying but it's bound to happen. 

Favourite season and why?

Fall is definitely my favorite season because I get to wear lots of layers! But, San Francisco is known for its never-changing foggy mild weather, so I can pretty much wear as many layers as I want year-round.  

How would you describe your own style?

I think I'm a little crazy. I am inspired a lot by womenswear. I love taking pieces that guys wouldn't normally think of wearing and putting a masculine spin on them. I just like to have fun with clothes and do things that make people think. One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get emails from both guys and girls, saying I want to wear that! Where did you get that?! I find it pretty cool that I'm able to inspire not just guys, but girls too. 

Favourite item in your closet? 

I spent years in San Francisco searching for the perfect leather jacket, and after about six unsuccessful purchases of leather jackets that were not exactly what I was looking for, I finally came across the perfect one in Paris at a thrift store in the Marais. It's made quite a few appearances on king&clutch, it's one of those pieces that I will have probably forever. It's actually hanging on my bedroom wall, along with a few of my other favorite pieces that I proudly display for everyone to see.  

A piece of clothing or outfit you would never be seen in?

I've been known to cross a few too many boundaries, so there isn't much that I wouldn't wear, but I do hate things with labels or tacky graphics on them. Any item of clothing that says Hollister CA or Ed Hardy on it will never pass through my closet.  

Inspirations ? 

My friends are my biggest inspirations. Two of my closest friends, Audrey of www.befrassy.com and Haleigh of www.makingmagique.com inspire me more than anyone in the world. They are extremely hardworking, successful bloggers who inspire thousands and thousands of people around the world. To me, that's pretty amazing. When the three of us are together, it's like an explosion of creativity, inspiration, and fashion madness.  

Favourite designer ? 

I will forever be obsessed with Rick Owens. He is an absolute genius when it comes to layering, tailoring, and draping. Not to mention my favorite color is black, and I think it's safe to say his is too. His clothes are super tough, almost street-smart, yet extremely elegant and carefully executed. I seriously can't get enough of this guy.  

Worst designer ? 

I don't have a particular least favorite designer, but I hate things that are generic, unoriginal, and mass-produced. Anyone who is just trying to sell to thousands and thousands and thousands of people doesn't really impress me. I think fashion is much more personal than that. 

What would you say is a must have for guys ? 

I think guys really need to get more into color! I think it's important. While black is obviously my favorite color, I always play with crazy bright colors to make things more interesting. Having neutral pieces is pretty standard for guys, I think it's important to add some form of color to your outfits. I also think a good quality everyday bag is essential. Guys seem to be afraid of carrying bags but they can make all the difference. Who wants to have their pockets stuffed with things all day anyways?

Favourite place to shop? 

I'm a thrifting maniac. From flea-markets to vintage designer shops, I go crazy around vintage clothes. In Paris, there is a place called Free'P'Star that has a few locations around the Marais. You have to be in the right mindset to go in and find good things because they are extremely cramped, over stocked, and crowded, but if you can force your way through the racks and racks of clothes to the 'one-euro bins,' you can always find some awesome treasures. In San Francisco, my favorite place to shop is a thrift store called Wasteland. It's run by beautiful people with beautiful style who know how to find worthy pieces to sell. While it's a little pricey, the clothes are usually great quality that you can't find elsewhere.  

Is there any place in the world you love people's style ? 

I'm really intrigued by the mens fashion scene in the Philippines. I've gotten to know some bloggers from there through Lookbook.nu and they never disappoint me. It's very avant-garde and creative. Besides that, I absolutely love the free-spirit southern California style that girls have going on in LA. If you can go from the beach to work to a bar all in the same outfit, you have impressed me. 

How did you start blogging? 

I had always wanted to start a personal style blog but could never really find the time to get it started. When I moved to Paris, my friends from home were begging me to start a blog so they could watch what I was up to in Europe, so I finally did it. People had been encouraging me to do it for years, but it wasn't until I was emerged into the Paris fashion world that I felt I could really do something big and exciting with it. 

Where and what do you want to be doing in the future? 

I'm studying PR, so my "real career" goal would be to be the Director of PR for a fashion magazine like Elle or someone high up in a PR agency. But, since king&clutch began, my career plans have shifted a bit, and now my plan is to turn this little thing into a fashion empire, incorporating not only blogging, but also styling, photography, designing, and consulting. So, if all goes according to plan, within the next few years I'd like to be full time in Paris expanding king&clutch into a full on brand. I've got a few projects in the works right now to jump into the designing aspect of it, so stay tuned over the next few months as they develop more!

What's your style mantra?

Just have fun and be yourself, don't worry about sticking to trends...I'm more impressed if you can put a bunch of unique pieces together in an elegant way than if you are wearing a head-to-toe H&M on-trend outfit.  

When you wake up in the morning how do you decide on what to wear?

I always start with one piece that I want to wear, like a tshirt or a sweater, and I build from there. I'll usually lay it out on my floor and add layers on top of it to get the look I'm going for. But, luckily I usually wake up in the morning with a specific piece in mind that I know I want to wear that day and that's how it starts. 

Favourite blogs you visit? 

Of course, as I already mentioned my two best friends are the masterminds behind BeFrassy.com and MakingMagique.com, so they are my first-read's every morning. Besides them, I'm a huge fan of Morven atMorven-catsandrockingchairs.blogspot.com and my friend Camille at Camilleovertherainbow.com. As for the guys, I'm most inspired by my friends Bobby of Bobbyraffin.com and Robbie of Robbiejonsson.blogspot.se

What's the first thing you look at in someone's outfit ? 

I tend to dissect an outfit right when I see it, so I look at everything from head to toe. What's most important to me is originality and creativity. Nothing is worse than being dressed exactly the same as someone else in the same room as you, and that happens all too often, so originality is key. 

If I was to go through your iPod what would I find ? 

That could be potentially extremely embarrassing! I'm not much of a music person, so there is a crazy mix of everything on my iPod from one of my favorites Bon Iver to Lana del Rey to Journey. If you were to check what was played the most, it'd probably be Diet Mtn. Dew by Lana del Rey...or her whole album for that matter...I tend to listen to her on repeat and not listen to much of anything else. 

Bookshelf ? 

How awful will it be to say I don't even have a bookshelf? I read blogs and magazines constantly. I read Vogue Paris religiously, but I like to consider that part of my job. When I do have a spare second to read a real book, I seem to always stick to classics that I've read over and over, like Catcher in the Rye and the Great Gatsby, both of which get better every time. Oh, and embarrassingly enough, all of Chelsea Handler's books. I have read them each about 20 times because she is just so damn funny. 

DVD collection ? 

Again, I seem to always get stuck doing things repeatedly, and the same goes for movies. I watch The Devil Wears Prada and The September Issue pretty often. One or the other always seems to be in my DVD player and they just never get old to me. 

Next place to travel and why ? 

I'm going to Vegas in a few weeks for a little week long getaway with a bunch of my friends, but somewhere new that I am dying to go to is actually Iceland. I've had a quick layover in Reykjavic once or twice before and though I didn't get to see much, I'm so intrigued by the culture (that you can learn all about when flying Icelandair!) and the environment. 

What can't you live without ? 

My iPhone, black iced coffee, and my car.