Thursday, March 28, 2013

behind the blog: fizz & frosting

This week's Behind the Blog features Lauren from Fizz and Frosting. Lauren has a style that I find really aspirational but attainable - she's just so darn cute and always pulled together. Plus her legs were made for skirts and heels - look how long they are! 
Tell us what motivate you to start blogging. Were you following a lot of personal style/fashion blogs before you started blogging?
I actually started blogging purely to document my wedding on Weddingbee, but once the wedding was over, I didn’t want to quit writing. Shortly thereafter I started Fizz and Frosting without ever following a personal style or fashion blog! It’s been a learning process, but I love it.

 Which blogs do you read every day? 

There are so, so many it is hard to keep up, but a few of my favorites are The Glossy Life, Respect the Shoes, Life Unsweetened, Always Maylee, The Other Side of Gray, Still Being Molly, Because Shanna Said So, Glossy Blonde… I could really go on and on!


Who takes your pictures? What camera and lens do you use? Have you ever been caught in the act of taking these?

I use a D5100 with the kit lens for all of my photos and take my own outfit pictures with a tripod and remote. You can actually see the remote in my hand in some of my photos, but I quit caring about that pretty early on! Since I take most of my photos in front of my house, I’ve definitely caught my neighbors watching me before. Now that I’ve been doing it for a while, they pay me little mind. I guess the crazy girl taking selfies in the front yard is old news. ;)


Do people in real life know about your blog? What were their reactions when they found out about your blog?

My close friends and family know about my blog, but I really don’t talk about it all that much. I think my husband mentions it to more people than I do! When they do find out, mostly people are really just curious as to what I write about and where they can read it.


Your style is very much “The All American Girl”. What are some of your closet staples?

Classic pieces are very much the staples of my wardrobe. Pencil skirts, button downs, and great-fitting jeans are the starter pieces for the majority of my outfits. To make things more modern I try to sprinkle in fun pieces like bright colors or prints.

 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’ve never considered myself “trendy” probably because I’m naturally drawn to classic, timeless pieces. In fact I typically feel like I’m the last one to jump on the bandwagon of a new trend. In some ways, I’m probably missing out on something I might end of loving, but at the same time I’ve never found myself with a closet full of dated pieces!

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’ve actually been very lucky in that I’ve never received a truly hateful comment on something that I’ve written; however, I know I won’t always be so lucky. Criticism is an unfortunate part of putting myself out there, but it’s not something that I can really prepare for. I can only hope that I will take it in stride and handle it with grace!

What has been the best thing to come out of blogging? 

Besides “meeting” so many great women who share similar interests, I’d say that blogging has allowed me to truly define my personal style. I’m more confident about trying new things I wouldn’t typically wear. Even shopping has become easier now that I have a better understanding of what works in my wardrobe.

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’m relatively new to promoting my blog. Previously my only promotion was from commenting on others’ blog and from social media.  More recently I started participating in a couple link-ups a week and I have noticed a little bit of increased traffic. I’m still kind of at the trial and error phase, trying to figure out what methods produce the best results for me.

What tips or suggestions do you have for your fellow bloggers? 

Blogging is such a personal experience, and I don’t really think there is a magic formula to being successful. I’m just trying to enjoy myself and stay true to who I am. I would just encourage fellow bloggers to do the same. 

Thank you so much Lauren. I really appreciate your casual and organic process of blogging. Please go visit Fizz & Frosting and then come back next week to learn about Sue from A Colorful Canvas!