For this week’s Blogger Report, we talked to Laura Coronado of Lollie Shopping for her thoughts on Sofia Coppola’s personal style, finding something to blog about and using blogging and social media to give consumers a voice.
FASHIONOTES: What inspired you to start Lollie Shopping? How do you chose what content goes on the blog?
Laura: Among my girlfriends, I am the go-to girl when it comes to advice on shopping and current trends. So I started Lollie Shopping as a means of communication for them; this way they could see what trends I was wearing and what sales I was discovering. But then total strangers started reading my blog and my goal changed from sharing with my girlfriends to inspiring all people to believe that they have the potential to look good (and feel good) no matter their age, income or body shape.
Choosing content is a challenge. I have access to quite a bit of content and am inspired by many things. But basically, I choose content based on what excites me. If I happen upon an affordable fashion find, or a great sale, or a trend that I just think is fun and amazing, I will blog about it. PR people send me lots of information and pitches, and if they include brilliant images or tips that I know my readers will appreciate, I include it on my blog. Other times, I’m just trying to make shopping easy for my readers. That’s when I do blog posts where I scour the internet to find the best and most affordable fashion pieces that sport a specific trend. Let’s face it – I love to shop! And when I can curate pieces of fashion and put them together all in one blog and make it easy for my readers to shop the trend, it’s fun for me and beneficial for them.
FN: How would you describe your personal sense of style? Do you have an all-time favorite outfit?
L: I think my style is trendy, bold and sophisticated. I love to sport the latest and greatest trends; they help to keep my look fresh. But I have to balance that with an air of sophistication. I’m of a mature age and have a professional career; I have to avoid coming off silly or juvenile. Additionally, I am a very confident, fearless person. And so I tend to gravitate toward bright colors and wild prints.
I hate to admit this, but I am not fashion or wardrobe-loyal. I like to keep my looks different. Even if I’m wearing something for the tenth time, I find a way to make it look different from the nine other times I wore it. I don’t have a go-to outfit, but I do have go-to pieces and shoes in my wardrobe. Currently, my favorite pair of shoes are some gorgeous, embellished Michael Antonio Studio platforms that were featured on Refinery29.com. And my current favorite dress is a to-die-for Roberto Cavalli that I picked up for only $65. But I’m also in love with a new pair of patterned pants I bought on sale, too.
FN: What inspires you personal style? Who are some of your fashion icons?
L: Right now Las Vegas is the biggest influence on my style. After all, it’s where I live. There are a lot of talented, gorgeous, stylish and innovative people where I live. Finding a way to stand out among them all is quite a challenge, and I hate to blend in. But I’m also quite influenced by movies (even old, classic films), magazines and other fashion bloggers.
I have idolized Sofia Coppola since the 80s. Her style is so effortless, yet always so on-trend. And I think that for the most part she styles herself. Not there is anything wrong with hiring stylists, but I usually admire the celebrities who can dress themselves and look fabulous for doing so. Diane von Furstenberg is another icon of mine. The wrap dress, which DVF first created, is an all-time favorite look of mine. I believe it looks great on any figure. But also, Diane’s own personal style is just so sexy, feminine and powerful. I really look up to her.
FN: How do you use social media to help you talk about your style?
L: I’m pretty Twitter-addicted and integrate it with my use of Instagram and Pinterest. For me, Twitter is my means of instantly communicating with my readers. If I find a great sale, I can tweet it out instantly. It’s just so quick and easy. Instagram is how I share my life through imagery. I use it for more than fashion-related photos. I keep my Pinterest pretty fashion-related and use it to share the images, products and fashion pieces that move me.
FN: How do you think that blogging and social media are affecting the fashion industry?
L: I think the influence that blogging and social media have had on fashion is HUGE. It’s the smartest and cheapest way for retailers and designers to learn first-hand what their customers like and don’t like. Five years ago, you couldn’t convince most retailers that they needed to be on Twitter [or] Facebook and have their own blog. And, fashion bloggers couldn’t get a press pass to fashion events to save their lives. For example, I once took a temp job at M.A.G.I.C. just so I could get in on the inside and report on it. Now, I have M.A.G.I.C. emailing me saying, “Hey, we noticed you haven’t registered for your media pass!” The way the industry has turned around and embraced bloggers, blogging and social media is amazing and exciting. I’m really happy about these changes. In the end, it’s the consumer who benefits the most. The fashion industry can no longer dictate what we buy. Instead, consumers are telling retailers what we want them to sell us.
Images via Lollie Shopping
