It's no secret that I get by with a little help (okay, a lot) from my friends, and one of my besties is Kendra L. Saunders. She writes, she's a fashion blogger, and she makes a mean latte. In fact, she's so awesome that I made her a character in my contemporary romance, Changing Scenes. Read on, and find out why her fans adore her so.
JAP: Let’s start with fashion! You’re a fashion blogger, have attended NY Fashion Week, and you’ve got a unique and very photogenic personal style. Have you always been interested in fashion?
KS: I've been into accessories for as long as I can remember! As a kid, I was already trying to make weird and exciting jewelry, usually by taking things apart that I shouldn't have been touching! As I got older, my love for fashion expanded to clothes, and at 17 years old, I got my first subscription to InStyle magazine. There was truly no going back then. I'd also like to credit much of my love of fashion to my best childhood friend, Sarah, who was in love with the luxe life from a very young age. She taught me so much about fashion, makeup, and everything, really.
JAP: In Changing Scenes, you’re an up and coming designer who’s not afraid to take risks. Tell us about a risky move you made that paid off.
KS: One of the riskiest moves I've made actually relates to fashion! Years ago, I reached out to a fashion designer and asked him if I could interview him. I had almost no credits to my name in the world of interviewing, at the time, and was running entirely on confidence. It worked! He said yes, and I began interviewing people from all aspects of the fashion world. That led to attending New York Fashion Week, and I hope will eventually lead to Paris and London Fashion Week as well!
JAP: Rumor has it that Viktor Arson, the male lead in The Unlove Spell, is loosely based on a fashion designer. Any truth to that?
KS: He is! Dmitry Sholokhov is a fashion designer from Belarus who has appeared on and won two seasons of Project Runway. He's also probably a magical being. In late 2012, I wrote The Unlove Spell, and a lot of Viktor's character sprang from a certain photograph of Dmitry and his Project Runway model! I still love how evocative that picture is. He has one of the oldest printed copies of The Unlove Spell that exists, many edits ago. I can't wait to get him the edited, shiny, pretty copy!
JAP: Engaged to an Alien Pop Star, the sequel to your wildly successful Dating an Alien Pop Star, releases soon. Tell us about it!
KS: I'm so excited about it! Engaged to an Alien Pop Star is sexier, funnier, and even more wacky than Dating. Griffin makes an album for his fans, a romantic proposal takes place, and the gang has to face off with some giant alien bugs. What's not to love? I can't wait to hear what fans of the first book think of this one!
KS: For style bloggers, your presence in the world of style is your business card, as it were. Make sure you're dressed how you want others to perceive you, whether it means wearing vintage, lots of accessories, minimalist pieces, designer pieces, or cheap clothes that you've spun into your own new piece. People will come to expect certain things from you, and come back to see what other styles you've created from your signature palette of ideas, colors, or vibes. All of those things make up your “brand”, and you want your brand to be as consistent as possible.
For instance, I'm over the top in fashion, but also very feminine, and love outrageous accessories and makeup. My personal “brand” is one of luxurious eccentricity... but that doesn't usually reflect how much I actually spend on my wardrobe! It's almost always possible to find pieces that fit your vibe but are a fraction of the price of designer, without giving yourself away. I've made it a goal to share amazing style for fashionistas on a budget, which is also inclusive of average and plus sized gals (and guys!)
I admit, I don't actually take many full body pictures of my outfits, because my accessories and makeup are usually the focus of my fashion-y posts, but having a good quality camera is, of course, very important. Document as much of what you wear as you can, and share it liberally. Make sure to credit the creators of your accessories and the brands of makeup you're wearing. Brands love getting shout-outs on social media and blogs, and will often share your posts with their followers if they like them.
As for writing about fashion, I suggest you read as much as you can about fashion, go to fashionable events, keep an eye on sartorial trends happening in your local area, and start your own trends that you can tell others about. If you're hoping to interview people in fashion, do what I did! Be brave and confident, and ask if you can interview someone! You never know who will say yes! Just make sure you have some questions ready to go in case you get a yes. You don't want to be unprepared, and look unprofessional.
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Like I said, Kendra's awesome! Have any questions for her about writing, blogging, or meeting sexy rockstars? Leave 'em in the comments!
About the Author
Kendra L. Saunders is a time-and-space traveling fashionista author who writes books about magical, dark-haired men, interviews famous people,and suggests way too many bands to you via whatever social media platform she can get her hands on. She writes with good humor because humor is the best weapon for a girl who can't learn karate (or ballroom dancing). She's the author of the Alien Pop Star series, magic realism novel Inanimate Objects, the dark comedy Death and Mr. Right, and the poetry collection Geminis and Past Lives. Connect with Kendra online at www.kendralsaunders.com/
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