Tell us what motivate you to start blogging. Were you
following a lot of personal style/fashion blogs before you started blogging?
I followed “the big ones” like Kendi Everyday, Cupcakes and Cashmere and Atlantic-Pacific for about
a year before I started to think, “I need a hobby, maybe I could take pictures
of my outfits everyday!”
But I’ll be honest, starting a
blog seemed like a big step. So I got my
sister involved! I knew she was interested in blogs and so our initial plan was
to start a lifestyle blog. It’s since
evolved to mainly fashion/outfit posts but that’s ok.
Which blogs do you read every day?
There are so many lovely blogs I read everyday, I wish I
could list them all! I love Crazy Style Love, Delusions of Grandeur, Because of Jackie, Because Shanna Said So, Camo Meets Couture and Dreaming in Cashmere to name just a few.
Who takes your pictures? What camera and lens do you use?
Have you ever been caught in the act of taking these?
My husband takes my pictures! We use a Canon Rebel XSi camera and Canon
Zoom Lens EF 70-300mm to take outfit pictures.
He had spoiled me with the camera and lens for Christmas and my birthday
before I had even started blogging so I’m lucky on that end. I am super camera
shy which does not mix well with living in an apartment in a city! I have to
take my photos on the sidewalk with neighbors and cars passing by. Awkward! Although, people don’t usually stop
and stare which is nice.
Do people in real life know about your blog? What were
their reactions when they found out about your blog?
My immediate family knows about the blog and they are
supportive. I also told my two best friends and I think my sister has told some
of her friends. But I guess I’m too
scared to tell my other friends that I have a website where I post pictures of
myself!
How has your style changed since you’ve started your blog?
I have definitely become more adventurous with my style
since I started blogging. I used to be a
“jeans and a tee” kind of gal before I started. (Hence part of the inspiration
for our blog title…Jeans and a Tea-cup!
hehe) But now I’m not afraid to try mixing prints, different styles/trends and pants
other than denim jeans! I can also say
that I have an easier time “shopping my closet” and mixing things together that
I would have never thought of before.
Many fashion bloggers hop from one trend to the next. How
do you manage to stay on trend without breaking the bank and just blindly
following each trend?
I don’t think it’s bad to follow trends. You can usually find things at Forever 21 or
Target without breaking the bank (especially in the clearance section)! I also
make sure that I can wear that “trendy” item a couple different ways. For example, I bought a pair of floral pants
in the fall but I made sure the print worked well in other seasons and I could
wear a lot of different tops with it. I
also only spent $20 on them!
However, stay true to yourself and don’t buy something
unless you like it and can incorporate it into your wardrobe. You will never see me wearing a pair of wedge
sneakers! It’s just not me!
Putting yourself on the internet comes with the
expectation that not everyone will always love what you are wearing and
writing. Have you encountered any of these criticisms, and if so, how do
you handle it?
I have been lucky so far to not get any negative comments!
I’m actually surprised since I know people can have strong opinions. But I also
don’t post controversial/negative material on my blog so the comments I get are
positive.
What has been the best thing to come out of
blogging?
It’s given me something to do! But seriously, blogging has
been such a fun hobby. I never expected
to “meet” so many cool ladies and find so much inspiration out there in the
blog world. It’s also been really great
to collaborate on something with my sister.
We weren’t super close growing up and now we live in different states so
this blog is something that we can work on together!
When it comes to promotion of your blog, what methods do
you use? Do you spend a lot of time commenting on other blogs, pinning your
looks, doing link ups?
I do spend a lot of time visiting and commenting on other
blogs. Maybe too much time! My degree is in music performance and I’ve
definitely been neglecting my clarinet in favor of blogging…oops! But blogging
is my hobby and I love spending time looking at other people’s outfits and
finding new blogs. Link ups are a great way to participate in the blog
community and find new blogs. However, I
don’t want people to follow me just so they can get a follow back. I’m hoping for genuine followers which might
mean my blog grows a little more slowly since I don’t necessarily respond to
“I’ll follow you if you follow me” comments.
I also try to keep up with my social media accounts by
updating and promoting my blog on facebook, twitter, and pinterest. However, I don’t have a smartphone which can
make it difficult to “keep up” with social media. It also means I can’t
participate in Instagram (I feel so out of the loop! Haha)!
I promised my husband when I started this blog that I
wouldn’t have to spend any money to do it! So far I’ve been able to keep that
promise. That means I can’t spend money
to buy ads on other blogs. Maybe one day
if my blog generates any money I’ll be able to do that!
What tips or suggestions do you have for your fellow
bloggers?
If you are posting outfit
pictures please make them as large as you can! I get so disappointed when I
visit a fashion blog and I can’t see what you are wearing because your photo is
so small!
Work with what ya got! I believe
you don’t have to have an expensive camera, Photoshop or designer clothes to
have a good blog. It might mean you have
to put a little more time and effort into finding alternatives or teaching
yourself how to make your “point and shoot” take good pictures but it’s worth
it!
Thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions Jessica! Please go visit Jeans and a Teacup and don't forget to follow them on bloglovin to stay in touch!
