Meet Julie, everyone! If you haven't already been to her blog, Orchid Grey, you must (if only because she spells "grey" the right way, haha). She's a fun girl with a great sense of style, sure to inspire. Some of my outfit inspirations have come directly from her blog. Plus, she's a thrifting queen, which, if any of you know me, I totally dig. Now read this little interview, then head over to Orchid Grey!
DT: What is your favorite part of blogging?
JULIE: I love the community! I don't have a lot of fashion centric people around me so it's great to be able to connect with people who have a similar interest. I mean, how awesome is it that you're in Alaska and I'm in Massachusetts and we would have never connected otherwise? Blogging also forces me to take photos everyday. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with photography (it's actually what I went to school for), so blogging has really helped me get back into the habit of taking photos. There is a lot of troubleshooting that goes on when you photograph yourself in an environment, it's really helped me with the technical aspects ofmy camera and lighting- which I'm awful at.
DT: What inspired you to start Orchid Grey? Any particular bloggers who got you into it?
J: My goal is to work in Fashion in some creative capacity. I would love to be a stylist for photo-shoots or work at a magazine. And my boyfriend and I have always talked about opening up our own boutique of some sort. Right now I'm not too worried about specifics, I am concentrating on steering my career in that general direction, we'll see where I end up!
DT: Of all the places in the world, where would you like to visit or live most?
J: I don't really know where my interest in fashion came from exactly. I always felt a little out of place where I grew up because I had this innate interest in fashion that went beyond what my peers were buying at the mall. My mother took me to thrift stores when I was very young out of necessity and I also wore a lot of hand-me-downs. My mom was also very tiny when she was my age (26) so I was wearing her old hand-made bell bottoms and mini dresses in sixth grade. I was always encouraged to be creative in one way or another, and I guess somewhere in there clothes became just another medium of expression.
DT: You've mentioned that you love art, what's your favorite type or art/who's your favorite artist?
DT: You recently went to a blogger meet up in Boston, what was that like? Have you made real-life friends through your blog?
J: You know, if you had asked me this question a year ago, I probably would have answered "designer". But since I started Orchid Grey, I have completely rediscovered my love for thrifting and vintage. I think the shift was slow, I
J: My must reads change daily, and it's hard to keep track of who I'm looking at. I like blogs that are easily relatable, where the blogger isn't spending their rent on a pair of shoes just to keep up with what's hot this minute. Realistic, but still fun and different, you know?
DT: Why do you think people should bother with putting together interesting outfits or caring about what they look like?
J: You know I think a lot of people think that caring about the way you look and caring about fashion is bad, but I think wearing something great can give a person a lot of confidence.
DT: What is your favorite part of blogging?JULIE: I love the community! I don't have a lot of fashion centric people around me so it's great to be able to connect with people who have a similar interest. I mean, how awesome is it that you're in Alaska and I'm in Massachusetts and we would have never connected otherwise? Blogging also forces me to take photos everyday. I definitely have a love/hate relationship with photography (it's actually what I went to school for), so blogging has really helped me get back into the habit of taking photos. There is a lot of troubleshooting that goes on when you photograph yourself in an environment, it's really helped me with the technical aspects ofmy camera and lighting- which I'm awful at.
DT: What inspired you to start Orchid Grey? Any particular bloggers who got you into it?
J: I'm not really sure what made me actually start the blog, but I do remember sitting down and somehow coming across What I Wore and then JenLovesKev. The combination of these two blogs really inspired me. I was drawn to Jessica's (of What I Wore) dedication to her blog and to showing off what she put together and how driven she is and I loved how Jen (of JenLovesKev) writes about her style but also weaves in more personal aspects of her life in her writing, like her job and her marriage. I felt like i could really relate to these girls and also felt I had something to add to the conversation. I also needed to get on a budget, there was this whole portion of my closet that I wasn't utilizing, and I wanted to get more creative with my outfits.
DT: You're an admissions counselor at a college, what's your favorite part of your job?
J: My job definitely has it's ups and downs, but one of my favorite aspects has been the chance to travel. Every fall the admissions counselors are sent out into the world to recruit. We do this by visiting high schools, college fairs, and portfolio days (like a college fair for art students) all over the country. Since I started two and a half years ago, I've been all over the US. Seattle (x3), Detroit, Austin, Dallas, Memphis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, and all over New England. Traveling alone can be a challenging experience, but the level of independence you gain and the unexpected treasures you come across are priceless! I alsoreally enjoy being in an arts-centric community. Because I work for a fine arts college, I am surrounded by other creative people 24/7. It's inspiring and motivating to be around creative thinkers and I love having that community around me.
DT: What is your dream job?
DT: What is your dream job?
J: My goal is to work in Fashion in some creative capacity. I would love to be a stylist for photo-shoots or work at a magazine. And my boyfriend and I have always talked about opening up our own boutique of some sort. Right now I'm not too worried about specifics, I am concentrating on steering my career in that general direction, we'll see where I end up!
DT: Of all the places in the world, where would you like to visit or live most?
J: There are so many places that I want to visit. Right now I'm really interested in Iceland and Norway. I would also love to go back to Germany, I visited when I was younger but would really love to go back and explore the places where my mother spent time as a child. As far as places to live, I love Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, it would be nice to spend more time out there. I'm really interested in exploring more of America. I love driving, so it would be great to go cross-country.
DT: What got you interested in style/fashion?
J: I don't really know where my interest in fashion came from exactly. I always felt a little out of place where I grew up because I had this innate interest in fashion that went beyond what my peers were buying at the mall. My mother took me to thrift stores when I was very young out of necessity and I also wore a lot of hand-me-downs. My mom was also very tiny when she was my age (26) so I was wearing her old hand-made bell bottoms and mini dresses in sixth grade. I was always encouraged to be creative in one way or another, and I guess somewhere in there clothes became just another medium of expression.
DT: You've mentioned that you love art, what's your favorite type or art/who's your favorite artist?
J: My favorite medium is photography, which is consistent with my
background- I think I'm just naturally drawn to it. I'm really
interested in large format film work, anything really traditional. Some of my favorite artists include William Eggleston, Cindy Sherman, and Nikki S. Lee. There is a common documentary thread that runs through all of those people, though Sherman and Lee's work could also be considered performance in a way. I love anything having to do with the idea of document or archive as art.
DT: You recently went to a blogger meet up in Boston, what was that like? Have you made real-life friends through your blog?
J: Well, I had already met Jen of JenLovesKev before the meet-up, so it was nice to know someone already who would be there. She and I met when I was traveling in upstate New York for work. I was so nervous before the meet-up, I must have sent her a million crazy emails about what I was going to wear! The meet-up was fun and way less stressful than I expected. Sometimes, I don't do well in social situations and can be awkward and quiet, but everyone was
super nice and relaxed! It was great to meet people whose blogs I had been reading for awhile, and also be introduced to new faces. I really hope there are more in the future.
DT: Do you prefer vintage/thrifted or designer clothes? Why?
J: You know, if you had asked me this question a year ago, I probably would have answered "designer". But since I started Orchid Grey, I have completely rediscovered my love for thrifting and vintage. I think the shift was slow, I
started noticing more and more that the clothes I was buying at the mall were of poor quality and/or didn't quite
fit my body right and I am always a little disappointed with the selection. I love going to a thrift store and having to hunt for something, sometimes I turn up with nothing and sometimes I hit the jackpot. Either way I don't end up spending a lot of money and I have a good time. Most of the outfits on Orchid Grey cost me under thirty dollars total, I'm proud of that. I won't buy something just because it's cheap though, I look for high quality, gently worn pieces. One thing I will spend more on are shoes, I still have an "under $100" limit, but I don't mind spending a little more on good shoes.
DT: What are some of your daily must-read blogs?
J: My must reads change daily, and it's hard to keep track of who I'm looking at. I like blogs that are easily relatable, where the blogger isn't spending their rent on a pair of shoes just to keep up with what's hot this minute. Realistic, but still fun and different, you know?
DT: Why do you think people should bother with putting together interesting outfits or caring about what they look like?
J: You know I think a lot of people think that caring about the way you look and caring about fashion is bad, but I think wearing something great can give a person a lot of confidence.
