Big Hair and Bikinis::Tayler

Tayler won 3rd place in our Visions of Green contest! She shared with us that 80% of her wardrobe is thrifted and that she never spends over $20 on a piece. She enjoys the fact that shopping for vintage means your overall look will be more unique.



Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve lived in Portland, OR all my life. My dad has his own construction business which has always inspired me to have my own business one day. Next year I will be attending OSU to study fashion design and international business.

When and how did you become interested in fashion?
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, so my mom took to me goodwill to shop. I didn’t realize other families didn’t do that. In middle school I found out my friends didn’t go thrift shopping and so I refused to continue to shop at goodwill. In high school, I really got into my creative side and I started loving the idea of thrift shopping and finding unique pieces. Then I started reading teen fashion magazines online, where they introduced me to blogging. I was really inspired by other people’s blogs so I started my own blog to share my style and the things I make.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
I want to start my own line of clothing, then my own boutique where I sell my own clothing and other designs from the community, as well as vintage. I would also love to sell my own jewelry. This has been my dream for the past 2.5 years.

What made you start a blog?
I started my blog (Big Hair and Bikinis) last August, when I was house sitting and didn’t have anything to do. When school started in September, I started doing outfit posts every other day. Then I started to post things that I actually made; art, jewelry, sketches. I would spend about 4 hours a week just going through blogs and connecting with other bloggers. I’ve been blogging a lot less because I’ve been dealing with the college admission process, finding scholarships, and graduating high school.

I really liked the idea that your blog could become a business. Originally, that’s what I wanted to do, but then I realized how much time needs to be put into it.



Do you have an absolute favorite piece?
I love my light purple Eddie Bauer button-up. It’s actually what I wore in my Visions of Green entry photo.

Who is your inspiration/role model?
I like Marilyn Monroe for her grace, confidence, and feminine style. I adore my grandma! She’s a huge vintage collector. She collected everything from jewelry to dolls, all over her house. She’s inspired me to collect and sell vintage.



What advice would you give fashion bloggers in terms of publicizing themselves?
If you want your blog to be seen or known, go through many different blogs and try to connect with them. Leave comments, leave your link, and eventually bloggers start listening to you.

Tayler also told us that vintage sellers usually hand-pick the items they put in their store. The fact that the items are good enough to be sold again, means they must be of high quality to have lasted that long. You’d be making an investment as well as recycling!

Saint Lace

Lace won Second Place in our Visions of Green Contest! She wore an amazing BCBG green dress that she found at a thrift store. She wore the dress to many social functions, and thought that it was so rare to find that type of item for a great price, that she wanted to share it with others, so she gave it away on her blog!



When and how did you become interested in fashion?
I was made fun of a lot when I was younger because my family didn’t have a lot of money and I couldn’t afford nice clothes. Now I work full-time and have some money, so I can actually afford decent clothes. When I shop, I try to find pieces that are versatile and can be worn many different ways. I like to show others that they can be stylish and not have to spend a lot of money. I take inspiration from the runway and make it wearable for the average girl, because I create a toned-down version of the runway outfit.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
I’d like to go to cosmetology school because hair and makeup have been a passion of mine. I haven’t had time to go yet because I’m working full-time and the cosmetology schools here are all full-time programs. Hopefully, I can move to another area that offers a night school program.

What role does your blog play in your life?
I’ve only been blogging for almost 2 months. It’s something to do between my busy schedule. I didn’t start the blog (Saintlace.blogspot.com) to take me anywhere or to become famous. It’s a way for me to show how I style and make things affordable, because the places I shop at are places anyone can go. I like to help people take something not expensive and make it look great. Nothing I wear is ever over $30. Since Forever 21 is an hour away, a lot of the pieces I wear are from Walmart.



How would you define your current style?
The best thing about clothes for me is that you can be whoever you want to be. You can be edgy or rock & roll, and then the next day you can wear something that’s really sweet. I just like all styles and I’ll try different things. I could wear leather pants with studs, but it just depends on my mood. I’m pretty simple and don’t accessorize much.

What was your inspiration for style?
I take inspiration from magazines, sometimes from articles about certain colors. NY Magazine shows all the latest runway looks, and I can search for a color and it will show me pictures of clothing with that color. I take inspiration from those outfits, but make it wearable.



How has your style evolved over the years?
When I was in high school I didn’t dress up at all. I just threw something on, like jeans and a t-shirt. I just didn’t care. When I got older and started working at a loan company, I needed to start dressing professional. At the same time, since I was working I was making more money and was able to afford better clothing. So now I care more about what I wear and I have more options.

We love that Lace can take a runway look and create an affordable outfit from it. It just goes to show you that you don’t need to spend a lot to look stylish.