Fashion Icon of the Month

Introducing our FASHION ICON for the month of April: Nicolina!

Insta: @nicolinataylor

Tell us about yourself!

"Hi! I’m Nicolina, a 20-year-old currently living in Los Angeles, where I attend UCLA (I’m in the process of getting a Communication and International Development Studies double degree). I grew up in San Diego, which is where my love of fashion and blogging began. If you meet me, chances are you will find me sipping an oat milk latte, rushing to Orange Theory Fitness, or making my friends/family take photos of me for my blog, nicolinataylor.com."

-Nicolina Taylor

Why did you start your blog?

"Throughout high school, my friends would always ask where I shop and how to put outfits together as I was the go-to fashion guru. I also loved writing and had a passion for writing articles that were more story-like, personal, and informal. Additionally, I fell in love with creating content (i.e., take photos, edit, photoshop). Bloggers were becoming big, and I wanted to blend my love of writing/content creation with the desire to answer my friends’ questions on all things fashion and get on this whole blogging train. Nicolinataylor.com became a site where instead of asking me for tips, I wrote them all down on one platform for my readers. My blog is for those who are new to the fashion world, those who are interested in the trends of today, and even for those who consider themselves the experts in the field and want a new perspective."

-Nicolina Taylor

How did you get into fashion?

"I have always been drawn to fashion ever since I was a little girl, whether it was looking through Vogue magazines that my mom had lying out or putting together outfits for fun. Growing up, I went to a school with uniforms, so my weekends were spent expressing myself through my clothes. I even remember in middle school, my best friend and I started our own fashion line with scarfs! I got a job working at a local Fashion boutique (Mabels in Solana Beach) and learned the ins and outs of creating the perfect outfit, styling to one’s personality, and all the dos and don’ts of the fashion world. After that, I was sold in wanting to devote at least some of my life to fashion. As of right now, that is nicolinataylor.com but in a couple of years, my dream would be to turn this passion into a career."

-Nicolina Taylor

What’s your go to outfit?

"My Agolde ripped boyfriend-jeans, a plain white t-shirt, an oversized blazer, and my Jefferey Campbell slides! Add some gold jewelry and a wide brim hat and you are ready to take on the day! Simple, basic, chic and is truly a timeless outfit."

-Nicolina Taylor

How long have you been blogging for?

"I have had my personal blog (nicolinataylor.com) for a little more than 3 years! I also write blog posts for our Fashion Club at UCLA (https://fastatucla.com/) for a little less than 3 years. It has been fun to watch both platforms grow as well as be able to write for different audiences."

-Nicolina Taylor

What are some tips for new bloggers?

"1. Keep writing and creating content. I know it can be discouraging if your reach isn’t increasing or you feel like no one is reading your posts, but diligence and commitment to your blog are key in growing your audience over time. 2. With that being said, write about topics that interest you. If you are beginning to blog, chances are you have a small audience, so I encourage new bloggers to write articles that showcase the topics that they are passionate about. As an avid reader of fashion bloggers, I can always tell when bloggers are writing about topics that don’t interest them vs. topics they care about. The latter is way more compelling to read and will grow your reach/audience overtime! Once you have a consistent audience, then you can start to cater to your followers’ questions/interests."

-Nicolina Taylor

April 11, 2020

Introducing our FASHION ICON for the month of May: Tika!

Insta: @tikabobika

Tell us about yourself!

"My name is Tika, a lifestyle blogger from Southern California. I love creating bright fashion forward content while incorporating lifestyle and travel. My goal is to inspire my followers to explore, while doing it stylishly and confidently."

-Tika

Why did you start your blog?

"I have been blogging for a little over 2 years. It started as a creative outlet to distract myself from my day job. Now, it's turned into something that I dedicate a lot of time and energy to. I would say my niche was more focused on travel in the beginning and has started to shift towards fashion in the last year or so."

-Tika

How would you describe your style?

"I would describe my style as bold and colorful. It took me quite a few years to really get confident in wearing the things that truly make me happy. I love incorporating bold prints and statement pieces together!"

-Tika

What’s your go to outfit?

"My favorite go-to outfit is my highwaisted Lulus striped pants! I like pairing with either oversized sweaters slightly tucked in during the winter or a cute crop top for the summer."

-Tika

What are some tips for new bloggers?

"As far as my tips go, I recommend creating a weekly plan. For me, I shoot during the weekdays (usually during a lunch break or in the evening) and dedicate my Sundays to editing/ planning my feed. I also recommend staying consistent (try posting at least 5-6x a week in the beginning). Having a blog/Instagram should be fun! If it becomes stressful, then take a break :)!"

-Tika

April 23, 2020