On her website, A Fluffy Blog, style blogger Eline describes herself as “a 21-year-old colour-obsessed illustration student” who worships “cats and meaningless fluff.” Her daily outfit posts, usually consisting of lots of vintage and DIY, are an explosion of all that is colorful, fuzzy, and upbeat, interspersed with her own intelligent musings on clothing (and the occasional requisite cat pictures).

What did you dress like as a girl? Were you always so into bright colours?
As a little girl my mother used to dress me up in an abundance of all sorts of brands and designers because we had the money and my parents loved living the good life in every aspect, I guess. They were very close to what I wear now, actually! Bright coloured dresses with poofy skirts and all sorts of quirky prints and stuff attached. I especially remembered this one Prussian blue dress with tiny mirrors attached! I also still have a hat that has a complete country scene on it, with trees with apples and fields with carrots all 3D sewed into the scene. It’s amazing!

I wasn’t always this into bright colours but I’ve always been extremely interested in the effect of colours and most of all contrast colours (red-green, orange-blue, yellow-purple). I remember suddenly realizing I could easily implement this in my wardrobe and got so excited about the red vs green combo I wore it for over a year. In the end I got sick of that and started experimenting with other contrast colours as well as other kinds of colours vs colour. And now I’ve ended up as this jumbled up rainbow mix of colours.

Do you find people tend to be more creative with their outfits at an arts school? Does what you wear stand out?
I think people in an arts school are very focused on aesthetics and so it’s unsurprising that most end up outing this in their wardrobe as well. Strangely back in my arts high school when you did this you were kind of seen as a traitor because people were still under the delusion that an artist doesn’t care for material possessions, and especially not such a commercially influenced thing as fashion! Teenagers! Now, pretty much everyone cares for it, whether they’re dressed in rags or not, most of them are making a fashion statement in my mind.

Not everyone gets equally creative but there are certainly a lot more people than in other schools. There are probably only a handful that really stand out though and yeah, I guess I’m one of them seeing as I often get recognized outside of school when people are drunk and come up to me asking me to touch my hair, haha.

Your ensembles are so [awesomely] bright and eye catching; how do you deal with people who stare or make comments?
Well, most of the time I’m very oblivious towards what’s happening around me as I’m always in this self-absorbed bubble. Though I do notice it when people go out of their way to let me know they find the way I dress ludicrous, such as actually jumping in front of me and laughing out loud. I just can’t believe people like that, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that someone actually minds that I dress differently. They make me feel as if it’s a very offensive act to not follow the majority and I find that just completely ludicrous. I believe that the only way to achieve happiness is to completely be yourself and dressing in full on colour is a part of who I am right now so a couple of silly teens or closed-minded people are not going to change that.

Do you think fashion and style can be used to make a feminist statement? How so?
I think fashion definitely could. YSL definitely did, though I wonder if something that is so inspired on men’s clothes should have made such an impact and should have empowered women? Why is it that someone dressed up in frilly things for instance can’t be seen as someone strong? Fashion could play with this in shows and editorials but fact of the matter is that these notions are strongly implemented in (most) people’s minds so though fashion can make a statement it can’t change the way people think.

I think no matter how you face it appearance will always say something about someone before they can speak themselves. And you could definitely play with that, if you wanted to be perceived as a strong woman you could wear bold colour(s) in perfectly shaped clothing. Michelle Obama is obviously doing that, as well as Hilary Clinton and people have been consciously doing this for centuries. But I don’t agree with certain clothes always saying certain things. Why am I seen as exuberant and sweet when I am so obviously not when you get to know me? Fashion should start playing with those aspects… or maybe rather, people should start realising the difference between appearance and personality.

How many different colours has your hair been, and which shade was your favourite?
I honestly can’t remember! That’s pretty bad, isn’t it? I’ve started dying my hair just a while before my 18th birthday (I’m 21 now) and since then my hair has been all kinds of shades of natural colours (from blonde to red to black in all tones), though mostly red. Pink is my first unnatural colour if you don’t count that one time I accidentally ended up with orange hair… and then that time I purposely dyed it orange because I decided orange hair is AWESOME. I think pink is probably my favourite ever because it’s just so silly! Whenever I look in the mirror now I can’t help but smile at myself.

What are your favourite types of places to shop at?
I really love that type of shops chock full of indie designers dedicated towards the cutely and brightly coloured style with a vintage twist that I’m into, but sadly I can’t ever afford them so I just stick to all kinds of flee markets and second hand shops/charity shops. Also, I don’t ever mean to because I think their quality’s lacking but I always get sucked into H&M buys. Sometimes they just have great stuff and sometimes they brainwash me.

Eline’s Top Ten Style Icons (in no particular order)
Yuki from Judy and Mary (an awesome upbeat Japanese band from the 90s)
Cher from Clueless
Chuck Bass
Frida Kahlo
Bubbles from Ab Fab
tinytoadstool
Prince
Patrick Wolf
Bjork
Tilda Swinton

-Anna Fitz

Zana of Garbage Dress fame is a DIY kind of gal. Everything she creates, from her handmade harnesses sold on etsy to her ode-to-shoes video shot in an airport bathroom, leaves your mind astir with inspiration.

What drew your attention to blogging and convinced you to start Garbage Dress?
My relationship with the internet began back in middle school when I discovered a community of kids who made personal websites. From this I ventured into livejournal, where I kept a daily blog as well as posted in fashion communities. Right as I was finally slowing down with that whole LJ mania, I noticed the rise in blogspot popularity and found fellow livejournal posters (childhoodflames & dustydress among others) developing strong projects of their own. Just like how I all of a sudden decided to cut my hair short, I came to a flash decision that I needed to have an all-or-nothing blog. Garbage Dress was born.

You have quite lovely and intriguing hair. Can you go through the history of your previous hairstyles? And what was your thought process like when you choose your current hairstyle?
Well I’ve had crazy curly hair for my entire life. However before the age of 14, I didn’t know what to do with it, and neither did any hairdresser that I ever went to. For that portion of my life, I mainly wore my hair in braids or pulled back somehow. Ever since I learned that I could wear my hair down, I experimented with whatever seemed interesting at the time. A few years ago I met a girl who seemed excited to try more experimental cuts on my hair, and seeing that I had been butchering my own locks for the past years, I decided to give over all control to her. Over the years we went more and more asymmetrical - which seemed to suit me well. While I was in Berlin, my hair kept getting more massive to the point where the hot weather got really uncomfortable. One day I couldn’t take it any more and just chopped all of my hair off. Right now it is the shortest it has been since I was a baby.

Coming from the perspective of a complete colour lover I can only describe you and the colour black as being in a committed relationship (with the few understandable exceptions). What is it that makes you so allergic to colours?
I never intentionally stopped wearing colour - I really do love colours! However I am also extremely attracted to shape and texture, which are easier to play with when sticking to a dark palette. You can wear five black garments simultaneously and still maintain a fluid appearance, but if I were to wear five garments of different colours I would feel like a fool. This being said, I am ready to re-embrace the color red for wintertime!

What was the first thing you ever made? Which item of clothing was the most complex?
The first piece of clothing I made was a shorts-jumpsuit from a 70s pattern made in brown linen. Mind you, this pattern included a zipper, pockets, collar, interfacing, and topstitching. Maybe this was also the most complex thing that I sewed…

If your name ever comes up the things that come to my mind are black clothes, black hair, and dark lipstick. Do you consider yourself goth and what do you think of fashion labels in general?
From time to time I will throw around the label of “goth,” but this is mostly for playful nostalgia and to convey the sense of humour that I always have about my outward aesthetics. Personally, I find it impossible to associate with any sort of conventional label since my look is always evolving and growing through all sorts of diverse influences.

I can imagine that you had a very interesting life growing up. Do you have any siblings and how has the atmosphere of your family influenced your style throughout the years?
I had a fantastic childhood. I come from a very artistic, creative, and — most importantly — supportive family. No matter what I was interested in — from ballet, to snowboarding, ultimate frisbee, tae kwon do, painting, etc — my parents would encourage me to explore and flourish. I would definitely say that my mom is a huge style influencer, as her taste in clothing is impeccable. I have an older brother who is an actor, singer, and food aficionado, among other things.

-Valentina Wornette

Fashion royalty Queen Michelle will make even the most sartorially shy among us want to rock a pair of black lamé leggings. She showcases her dark, experimental style over at her blog, Kingdom of Style.

What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?
At the moment it’s a dress Angie from Norwegian Wood and I collaborated on to design.

Do you ever try to evoke certain characters when you get dressed?
Sort of. Sometimes I might say to myself, “I’m feeling a bit gothic today,” so I would wear layers of black and other days I might feel a bit hippie. Music influences me a great deal, more so than characters.

How did you dress when you were in high school?
I was a total heavy metal kid at high school in the 80s, so lots of black, studs, tight black jeans, and band t-shirts. Luckily my school wasn’t strict about wearing the school uniform!

What is your day job, and does what do you do for a living affect what you wear?
I’m a graphic designer, which means I can wear whatever I want to work. It’s a creative environment so self-expression is usually encouraged.

What was the inspiration behind the t-shirt you did for Borders and Frontiers?
I was thinking about how youth subcultures are good examples of people who use style to express themselves. So I used a photo of my uncle Billy who was a Teddy Boy in the 50s. I thought the image was amazing, and the fact that he has “True” tattooed across his fingers was perfect - he was always true to himself and his look, which is what real style is about.

You blog with a partner (Queen Marie) – what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of blogging in a pair? Do you find that the two of you tend to influence each other’s style?
The main advantage is I get a break from writing on the weekends, which is when Marie writes. Having someone else write for the blog means it brings another voice and style to the table so, in theory, we should have something for everyone. There aren’t really any huge disadvantages other than the fact that a lot of people still don’t even realize that there are two authors! We don’t influence each other’s style at all. Style-wise we have pretty much nothing in common - total polar opposites!

What do you think the relationship is between fashion and art?
Fashion is art since art is a mode of self-expression. Britannica Online explains art as “the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.” Fashion ticks all those boxes. Of course it will never attain the high-brow, chin-stroking status as painting or sculpture for example, but for those who have experienced or appreciate higher forms of fashion, such as couture, there is little doubt it is an artform.

Queen Michelle’s Top Ten Up-and-Coming Designers
Holly Fulton
Gemma Slack
Mark Fast
Iris Van Herpen
David Koma
Onhe Titel
Louise Goldin
Jakub Polanka
LF Markey
Claire Tough

-Anna Fitz

interview by Anna Fitz
On her blog, Geometric Sleep, Laia takes an intelligent approach to fashion. Rather than focusing on outfit pictures (although she does occasionally take some), you can find her deconstructing runway shows or pursuing various creative projects like her zine, the Holy Child.

Where did the name for your blog come from?
I lived in a crappy mice-ridden apartment in Philadelphia my junior year of college. To make matters worse, I slept on a futon that was essentially on the floor so I was always paranoid that a mouse was going to get in bed with me. So one night it got to be too much and I ended up crashing on my roommate’s bed. I guess I was so worried that I wouldn’t hit her on the face, or accidentally spoon her or whatever, that I had these crazy dreams where I had to accommodate myself on the bed like a Tetris piece. INSANITY! When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I thought was, “man, I just had such geometric sleep!” I thought that was a really weird thing, so when I started the blog a few months later, that’s what I called it. I’m glad I didn’t overthink it and just went with it.

Who are your style icons?
I have women whose style I admire, but I don’t know that I would say they are icons (at least not yet). Visionaire editor Cecilia Dean always looks amazing, and even if she’s wearing a total runway “IT” piece, she always makes it her own. And, you know, the usuals like Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou Doillon, the Olsens (although lately it’s been mostly Mary-Kate, haha) and Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo. I guess it’s really just women who wear whatever they want and shy away from wearing a head-to-toe “look”.

In an age where independent fashion publishing is dominated by style blogs, why did you feel it was important to make a print zine? Did you ever make zines before when you were younger? Were they always fashion related?
I love magazines. It’s really that simple. I studied graphic design in college and became totally obsessed with making/designing magazines after I took a publication design class junior year. I was feeling like an uncreative bum since I finished school and needed something to feel productive again so the zine was the next logical step. Funnily enough, although when I was little I was always “planning” on making zines, I never actually made them. I was always cutting up magazines and making collaged journals, though, which seems like kind of a zine-y thing to do. They weren’t solely fashion related, but it was definitely a prominent component.

How did you get involved with Pop Magazine and what exactly are you doing with them?
Pop contacted me a few months ago because they wanted me to blog on their website, which seemed totally crazy at the time, but I’m super psyched about doing it. And then in a separate (but I guess related?) incident, I got to go to London and meet up with Tavi, Elizabeth (White Lightning) and Eden (Large Prime Numbers) and work on a poster zine for their new issue. It was an incredibly amazing and super fun experience. I still can’t believe it really happened.

You’ve been blogging for a few years now (since 2006); how do you think your style or tastes have developed since you started?
I’d like to think that I’ve become a bit more sophisticated. Not in the sense that I only wear expensive clothes and eat caviar, haha, but I think my tastes are more defined and I feel more comfortable experimenting with different things that I may not have 3 years ago. I don’t know that this is a result of blogging as much as it is growing up probably.

Laia’s Top Ten Fashion Designers (in no particular order):

1. Olivier Theyskens : I have been enthralled by his work since his beginnings, pretty much. No one can bring such a spirit of romanticism with a dark side like he can. He is just on another level of being entirely.

2. Marc Jacobs: He just has IT, you know? He gets inspired and changes completely every season and it always feels relevant but long-lasting. His work for his namesake collection is definitely one of my favourites; I think he has the most European-ish sensibilities out of all the American designers, but he still keeps his work firmly grounded on American traditions.

3. Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez: They just always manage to make super cool stuff and even though they are young designers their clothes have a vibe of instant classics. I always find stuff I’d love to wear now and stuff I’d like to wear when I am a lady of a certain age. Something for everyone.

4. Hussein Chalayan: The man is just a genius, let’s face it. I wasn’t so keen on his fall collection, but usually everything just blows me away. He definitely has a very unique point of view in the industry.

5. Miuccia Prada: Miuccia is everything. She’s a major influence in the development of my aesthetic and I’ve been enthralled with her since I was like, 10 or 11, when I really started to get into fashion.

6. Raf Simons: I always love what he does at Jil Sander. It’s modern minimalism at its best with a sense of secret luxury (which is something I’m kind of obsessed with). And his use of colour is always right on point.

7. Tom Ford: He’s not designing anymore but I definitely have to include him because, along with Miuccia, he was a major influence when I was growing up. His clothes were always so DECADENT, all luxury and sex and mystery. I still hope that he’ll start doing a women’s line again.

8. Christopher Kane: He’s the newest designer on the list, but he’s just GOT IT. I particularly look forward to his shows every season because he always comes out with something new, crazy, and awesome.

9. Laura & Kate Mulleavy: Rodarte makes stuff out of dreams and fantasies. I wish I could even think to create things that are so beautiful.

10. Alber Elbaz : I don’t think anyone else does such SUPREMELY womanly clothes like he does.