SHOPSTYLE COLLECTIVE: BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT

Dress: ALC / Shoes: Rag & Bone

Photography by Meg Niemann | @MSNPhotography

My Interview with Shopstyle below!!!

Tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an actress, writer, and (of course) a lover for all things fashion! I grew up about an hour outside of the city in Long Island, so it’s always been my dream to live in New York as a young professional in the fashion world. I’m also a total eBay addict, bargain shopper, and Broadway musical fanatic.

When did you start blogging and what made you want to start a blog?

I created HonestlyKate at the end of last year as a platform I could use to reflect my journey as a young woman in New York City. I know so many people in similar positions — and let’s face it, we all want to look good whether we’re on the subway, at a job interview, or just out for the night with our closest friends. From the beginning, it’s been my goal to inspire girls to curate their own futures and let them in on my fashion secrets along the way. What better place than New York to do it all?!

So many bloggers have set goals to blog FT, how do you feel about this, what are your big-picture blog goals?

Blogging full time is a big deal, and I admire anyone who can do it! Right now I’m juggling a lot with school, acting, and blogging, but I could definitely see expanding my blog into a larger business down the line. Whether it’s full time or part time, I hope to continue inspiring girls to feel confident to share their sense of style and stories like I do.

How do you stay true to yourself while continuing to evolve, and be relevant in the blogger community?

Staying true to myself is basically my brand, but it can be hard not to get swept up by the glamor of it all especially as things grow and evolve. I think it’s key to have people in your life that really ground you and remind you of what’s important. I always remind myself of the core reasons of why I started to blog: my love for fashion and my passion for helping people be their truest selves. I think as long as you’re true to yourself and your mission, you will always be relevant.

How do you balance your blog life, theatre life and personal life all at once.

I’m not going to lie — it’s really hard. Some days I feel completely overwhelmed, but my trick is to stay positive, keep my life organized, and remind myself of the bigger picture and why I started it all in the first place. One of my favorite ways to stay organized is through content calendars and to-do lists — they are life-savers!

Has there been that moment where you felt like you made it, and what was that like?

To be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve made it yet, but I’m so grateful for the community HonestlyKate has created and every day I look forward to what’s to come. There’s truly nothing better than hearing people respond to what you are saying, and I love connecting with girls from all different areas of the world.

How has your style and blog evolved since starting your blog journey?

HonestlyKate has been a total style journey for me, and I learn more about what I like every day. I’ve noticed that since starting, my preferences have definitely gotten more girly and whimsical. I’ve also become more experimental with colors and patterns (my new favorite spring color is mustard which you’ll see in a lot of my posts). It’s really awesome to get to try new styles and uncover more about my own personal style as I do.

What does the next year look like for HonestlyKate? The next 5 years?

I finish up my graduate program this June for acting, so I’m hoping that I’ll have more time to collaborate with different brands that I love and host more events. In the future I hope to mix my love for acting and my love for fashion together to create more of a personality for HonestlyKate. When I first started the blog I thought of HonestlyKate as more of an outlet from acting, but now that I’ve really started to love blogging and the influencer world I want to figure out a way to really combine the two.

Do you have any fashion or lifestyle bloggers you admire and follow yourself?

Of course! I always get inspiration from different bloggers. I have been following Chiara Ferragni forever. She’s fun, out of the box, and true to herself. I love that she really prioritizes spending time with her family because that’s super important to me. I love following Amber Fillerup Clark of BarefootBlonde too. Her kids are just too freaking cute!!! There are so many bloggers I love, so I could go on forever. Each one is different in their own way, and that’s what’s so great about this community.

Any advice for bloggers on networking, or pitching themselves for a project who aren’t so comfortable with it?

Everyone has been in your shoes. Of course, everyone gets nervous about being shut down but you have to remember that the worst anyone is going to say is “no.” Reaching out to other women in the industry, for example, has been by far the most rewarding part of starting HonestlyKate. One of my favorite quotes to live by is “if you want it, ask.” You’re not going to get anywhere if you never try.

Do you have any tips for bloggers starting out or bloggers looking to focus on a vertical like fashion and lifestyle?

Just be yourself and have a clear vision. Of course, this vision can evolve, but it’s good to start with a direct message for your audience and have a good sense of what you want your brand to showcase. Don’t be afraid to take risks in your style. Don’t be threatened by numbers of followers. Stick to looking at your engagement and find the link between what you love and what your audience wants to see or hear from you.

What’s the one thing you constantly try to do during the year as a blogger to better promote your blog/brand?

I think that it’s important to show up to events you’re invited to – you have to get yourself out there! It’s true that you never know who you’re going to meet and have a connection with. You have to work hard at promoting yourself and it’s not going to happen over night, so every opportunity that you get to meet others in your field – go for it!

As a blogger you get to wear some great brands, which are some of your favorites?

I love Ramy Brook. Ramy was the first brand that took a chance with me as a blogger before I had any followers. She let me style her clothes for a shoot and I will always be extremely grateful for the opportunity she gave me. I’m constantly in Rag & Bone pieces too – I especially love their shoes! I’m also very into Saloni and Harvey Faircloth – both these brands I’ve only just discovered since I started HonestlyKate, and I would wear anything in their new lines. But honestly, I could go on forever!

What are some of your favorite brands you’ve gotten to collaborate with? What was it like?

I’ve been so grateful to collaborate with some of my absolute favorite brands. In November I hosted an event for Rebecca Taylor which was a dream come true, as I’m obsessed with everything they make. I recently did a spring campaign with Shopbop too, and it was so much fun to curate my favorite spring trends with colors and styles that I love.
I also did a really fun girly Galentines day shoot with Ramy Brook this winter. Really all of the brands I’ve worked with thus far have been extremely supportive, helpful, and informative in this chapter of my life. I couldn’t be more grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given.

What is the one thing most people would be surprised to know about you?

Although I’m extremely social and talkative at events etc I’m a total introvert at heart. I’m also always hungry, and as a result am always on the hunt for new off-the-grid restaurants in NYC. For some reason people are often surprised that I’m short, too! I’m 5’3 and it’s the thing people always bring up when meeting me in person!

Insta-stories or Snapchat? Your social media handles?

Definitely Insta-stories. Although, I do LOVE the filters on Snapchat, there’s just something about having all your things in one space that makes things so much easier.

What do you love about ShopStyle Collective?

Oh my gosh where do I even start?! Well, for one ShopStyle makes it so easy to shop people’s looks! It’s one of my biggest pet peeves when influencers don’t upload their looks via ShopStyle so people can shop them ASAP! I also love that you can sign up for sale alerts — this is really a game changer, especially if you’re like me and are always looking for a bargain.
Everyone at ShopStyle is so beyond helpful and friendly. My favorite part of NYFW was hanging at the ShopStyle house with the SS team! And, of course, when I shot with the legendary girl boss Candice Lake. It was an absolute dream.

Kate, we love having you be a part of the ShopStyle Collective community and are looking forward to your continued growth and success! If you have a blog story you want to tell and have tips to share with our community on how you got your blog start, leave a comment below and we’ll contact you if you want to feature you in an upcoming blogger spotlight.

xo,

Carlina