Inspirational Blogger of the Moment
Why her?
Bianca, along with her friend Dani Roche, have worked together to maintain a fashion blog and online store. Their passion for fashion and friendship since grade ten have led them to create what is now their blog and brand Kastor and Pollux. Ever since I stumbled upon their lookbook.nu accounts, online art portfolios, and previous online business (Plastic Skyline) during my sophomore year in high school, I have been inspired to dress outside of my comfort zone and experiment with different pieces of clothing. Bianca was also probably one of the first fashion bloggers to introduce me to the world of "thrifting". The way she explained how thrift shopping was not a dirty, boring job but an exciting, thrilling treasure hunt for amazing bargains made me excited to go out and try thrifting myself. As I continue to follow Bianca through her fashion endeveours, her eccentric outfits and witty blog posts never cease to amaze, influence, and inspire me.
Bianca, along with her friend Dani Roche, have worked together to maintain a fashion blog and online store. Their passion for fashion and friendship since grade ten have led them to create what is now their blog and brand Kastor and Pollux. Ever since I stumbled upon their lookbook.nu accounts, online art portfolios, and previous online business (Plastic Skyline) during my sophomore year in high school, I have been inspired to dress outside of my comfort zone and experiment with different pieces of clothing. Bianca was also probably one of the first fashion bloggers to introduce me to the world of "thrifting". The way she explained how thrift shopping was not a dirty, boring job but an exciting, thrilling treasure hunt for amazing bargains made me excited to go out and try thrifting myself. As I continue to follow Bianca through her fashion endeveours, her eccentric outfits and witty blog posts never cease to amaze, influence, and inspire me.
Name: Bianca Venerayan
Nickname: I don't have any!
My portfolio - biancavenerayan.com
My online shop - kastorandpollux.com
Age: 20
College: Ryerson University School of Fashion
Job: Blogger/Freelance writer/Jewelry designer
Country: Canada
1. What made you decide to showcase your love of fashion with the rest of the world by creating a fashion blog?
Kastor & Pollux was the motivation for starting my blog alongside Danielle Roche. The business and the blogs go hand-inhand because we believe it to be really important for people to connect with us, and sort of know our personalities.
2. How did you start and what made you decide to create a co-partner fashion blog/store?
Danielle and I met on music website Last.fm and after realizing we had way too much in common (including attending the same high school), we met up and immediately came up with the idea of starting a business together. It only made sense because our talents compared and contrasted - she's a whiz in graphic design, I'm HTML-savvy, and we're both interested in fashion. We ran a very kitschy and youthful website called Plastic Skyline for two years until we moved on to Kastor & Pollux. It was a necessary change as we grew older and our target market shifted.
3. Any tips or advice on becoming a fashionista without breaking the bank?
I have so many! I can be so stingy sometimes! My first and foremost tip is THRIFT STORE (almost) EVERYTHING. If you want something cool, unique, and - most importantly - cheap, sift through the stinky racks. It's worth it. I would say a good 25% of my wardrobe is thrifted.
My second tip is buy local! Not only are you supporting your city's economy and general social health, it's bound to be something designed by a super awesome yet overlooked designer/god resulting in a (hopefully) lower price point. You might also want to try your luck with local vintage or consignment shops - vintage (especially designer vintage) is almost always cheaper than contemporary styles.
My last tip is to buy on sale. I'm lucky because I like silly-looking things like sequin bodysuits and iridescent spandex booty shorts, so I always find these types of clothes rejected by the masses in the sale section. I'm always like, "WHOA THIS IS SO FUN. AND IT'S 50% OFF?! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER."
Of course, being frugal has a time and a place. I'll splurge on shoes and great basics because I know I'll wear them a ton of times. Being conservative with your shopping money only makes sense when you're buying a totally weird season trend as opposed to a closet staple.
4. What are your opinions on the growing trend of “thrifting” ?
All for it! It makes each look more diverse. I also love hearing people say "I GOT IT AT A THRIFT STORE FOR $2.99!!!"
It's so refreshing to see people gloating about cheap finds rather than their shiny, boring Michael Kors watch.
5. Any advice on those starting out their blogging careers?
My first tip is obviously to wear and write whatever you want. Find your own voice to set yourself apart from everybody else. My next few tips are strictly technical: 1) Update regularly. You might need a boyfriend or your mom every few days to take your pictures (assuming you're starting a style blog). 2) Network. Meet other bloggers, hand out business cards, etc. 3) Have a good, clean layout that's easy to navigate and read through.
6. What are your favorite go-to beauty products?
Moisturizer is my best friend!!! I use Lancome's Multi-Vital SPF 30. I also recently bought NARS blush in Orgasm and I'm in love. Finally, it's weird, but Vasaline petroleum jelly. I'm allergic to pretty much all types of lip balm so it's the only thing that keeps my lips soft.
7. What can you say to those who are bullied and made fun of for having their own amazing, eccentric, and unique sense of style which is not understood by their peers?
I still often get teased and laughed at by strangers for how I dress. I'll be sad for like ten minutes and move on with my life. That's what everyone should do! Look back on what people have said or done to you, consider why they've decided to say or do that to you, ask yourself if it's worth it to change your ways and/or fight said people, and then just be like, "SCREW IT, I DO WHAT I WANT!!!" and walk away really sassy.
8. What are your future goals, dreams, and aspirations, whether fashion-related or not?
I just really want to have a nice condo with wood floors with my boyfriend. I want to decorate it with sporadic dangling lightbulbs and faux fur rugs. To achieve this goal, I will co-own a brick-and-mortar boutique in Toronto with Danielle, with Kastor & Pollux on the storefront and maybe a water bowl for dogs in the summer. I want two sons so that I can dress them like Alexander Wang dresses his niece. And I want shoes. And ample closet space to store said shoes.
9. Thoughts on the importance of being educated as well as being fashionable? Can only be one or the other? Important to be both?
Of course it'd be nice to be both, but the two are irrelevant to one another. You don't need an education to be fashionable the same way you don't need to be fashionable if you're educated. Even in situations where you're trying to make a living off fashion, education is only second to passion.
No comments:
Post a Comment