Thursday, June 23, 2011

Interview with J's Everyday Fashion

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd
























I first "met" J. via a webinar by J. T. O'Donnell on CAREEREALISM.com. J. is awesome at making great looks accessible to those without big budgets and fashion stylists. She is the "Stacy London" of generation Y. But, instead of telling people what not to wear, J. shows people how to put together affordable looks inspired by the big label ones. Meet J's Everyday Fashion.

Will: Everyone has that aha moment. That flash of inspiration and clarity about what they want to do in life. What was your aha moment? What is J's Everyday Fashion? Where did the moniker the “Rachel Ray of fashion" come from?

J: My aha moment came a few months after starting my blog. It was originally a hobby, but then the style questions started rolling in and I realized that there is no one out there to help these women with their questions! That’s when I got the idea of being the “Rachael Ray of fashion” – she is so relatable, down-to-earth and makes cooking seem easy. I am seeking to do the exact same thing with fashion! I want to break it down for people, show them that fashion doesn’t have to be expensive and inspire them to give it a try.

Will: For those who don’t know, you take pictures of yourself in the outfits you coordinated based on high-end looks. What got you modeling those looks?

J: My blog is meant to be a how-to blog that helps women with their fashion questions and inspires them. I think the best way of doing that is to lead by example, so I show different outfits from my closet as a way to illustrate different fashion “lessons” each day. The idea to use inspiration photos came into play because I was looking for ways to come up with new outfits, and thought it would be fun to show where I was getting my ideas from.

Will: What do you love most about your job?

J: Feeling like I was born to do this. J’s Everyday Fashion is my absolute passion and I wake up everyday excited to work! I hope everyone gets the chance to feel that way at some point in their life!

Will: What are the 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own?

J: I get asked this question all the time, but I really think that “basics” means something different for every woman depending on her occupation, climate and personal style. One thing every woman should own though – a great pair of jeans that makes them feel really good about their body.

Will: From doing the work you do, what have you learned about style that you didn’t know before?

J: I have learned so much! I have learned that it’s possible to anyone to be creative if you just give yourself some space and time to do it. I’ve learned that it’s fun think outside the box and go for the unexpected. I have learned that style is definitely something you can learn, and that you don’t have to be born with it.

Will: What is your favorite outfit? Describe your personal style?

J: I like to dabble in all styles and I love trying new trends, but my staples are usually preppy and girlie. And I love color. Mixing colors in an outfit reminds me of mixing paint for art class and it immediately brightens my mood!

Will: You have your website and a new online TV show coming. How do you see your career evolving in the near future?

J: My dream is to do anything and everything that helps women with their style questions –take my show national, write a how-to book, have a column in a magazine and continue to blog.

Will: How are you using social media to build your brand?

J: In some ways, my brand is social media. I made the decision early on to use Facebook as my main blogging platform – which is something I don’t think many other bloggers are doing. I love that it makes blogging more of a two-way street, and the ease of sharing things on Facebook definitely helps with getting the word out! I also use Twitter to network with other bloggers and companies, and talk to my fans.

Will: Thanks for taking out of your schedule for this interview. Do you have any final thoughts?

J: Thanks for having me! Please check out the pilot episode of my show and visit my blog to join in the fun!

J's Everyday Fashion shows women how to bridge the gap between fantasy fashion and clothes for real life! J. is on a mission to help woman everywhere with their fashion questions! J’s Everyday Fashion was started as a how-to blog to prove that fashion doesn't have to expensive, to inspire women everywhere to give fashion a chance, and to addresses the serious lack of practical style advice in America. Most people can’t afford a personal stylist, and fashion magazines and blogs are full of fantasy fashion that is too expensive and not obtainable for 99% of women. Where does a woman go who loves fashion, but has questions on how to put things together? Or the girl who only has $50 to spend on clothes, and can’t figure out how to make the most of what she has? Enter J’s Everyday Fashion. Check her out Facebook or on Twitter.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for having me on the blog! - J.

    ReplyDelete
  2. J.,

    You're welcome. Thank you for doing the interview. I wish you much continued success. Good luck with the new TV show.

    Will

    ReplyDelete