Interview with Liz Best, Fashion Blogger and Stylist
Me: Hey Liz! Thanks for making time to talk with me. I really appreciate your help.
Liz: No worries! I remember how hard it is to nail down interviews; I’m glad to help.
Me: So what have you been up to since you left Grady?
Liz: Well, you remember I left when I started getting styling jobs for Atlanta Magazine and whatnot. I had felt like I needed a master’s to sort of prove myself, but when I started getting jobs it seemed smarter to walk away. Sometimes you have to just jump at an opportunity. But since then I’m still styling. I try to update my blog at least every other week or so, and I’ve had images of my styling (sometimes on me, sometimes not) on the New York Times site, The Huffington Post, and Refinery29.
Me: It seems like it’s really working out for you!
Liz: So far so good, yeah.
Me: Well, I always enjoy seeing your posts on Facebook and whatnot. I have what you might call kind of a casual interest in fashion. I know what I like and what I think looks good on myself or friends, and I always click through the fashion albums posted during the Oscars and stuff. I know the September issue of Vogue is always a big one. I know some things, but I’m by no means an expert. So when I was assigned this beat on fashion and lifestyle, I immediately thought of contacting you as a first step.
Liz (laughs): Totally! So what did you want to know, specifically?
Me: I guess I’d like to know where to start. What do you, as a fashion blogger and stylist, see as big trends or topics in the fashion world right now? What should I be reading? Are there stories that you think should be covered but aren’t really getting covered? Do you have any ideas on how to localize stories on what’s happening in bigger cities? Any words of wisdom appreciated.
Liz: Ok, that’s a lot—
Me: I know, sorry—
Liz: No, it’s cool. I’ll do my best. First I’d recommend you look more at Vogue, because that’s going to be different than a magazine like Cosmo or something. You know, more actual writing, less clickbait on paper. You’ll see stories about what’s coming for fall, new designers and all that, and maybe some of those could be localized somehow. Like, do you see trends for fall reflected in what girls are wearing in Athens. Still on the whole what to read thing, I’d also recommend Atlanta Magazine, because that’s more local and has a good fashion section. You might get ideas about upcoming events you could write about or something, and then that could maybe be a place you could pitch or publish a story. I’ve worked with them a few times now, I’ll have to send you some contact information later.
Me: That would be great!
Liz: No problem! As far as story ideas go, I think the whole “sorority girls in workout clothes and what is appropriate on campus” has probably been done too much, but I could be wrong. But I do like stories about fashion that really show how much what we wear matters in our lives, in how people perceive us or how we perceive ourselves. I think maybe you could do something interesting relating to the whole burkini ban thing, have you heard about that?
Me: In France? Yes.
Liz: Yeah, exactly. There’s definitely a Muslim population at UGA, I wonder if you could do a piece relating to religiously-inspired fashion choices. Like, that would be timely with the burkini ban being in the news right now.
Me: That’s a really great idea.
Liz: Glad you like it! And then the last thing I can really think of at the moment would be that it could be cool to do a photo series of fashion in Athens. I feel like when you’re sitting outside a café or something you see a lot of people in workout clothes or whatever, but also some people who have made these really interesting and creative styles work for them. I think a cool photo series could be made just of people you see downtown in an afternoon, get a statement about what they’re wearing means to them. I don’t know if that would work for your assignment. I just want someone to do it.
Me (laughs): Downtown really is its own little fashion parade. I don’t know if I’d be able to do that as an assignment, but even if that didn’t work out for class purposes maybe that’s something I could do just for my own portfolio.
Liz: Yeah, I saw you’ve kept working on your site!
Me: I’m trying! I think this class is really going to help with that, actually. I’ve done more in the last week or so with it than I have in a while, which is good. Anyway. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, but I do want to thank you for all of your insight, and one last thing I always ask people is “Is there anything else you’d like to say that I didn’t give you space to say? Anything I should have asked you?”
Liz: Hm. I guess I would say, and it’s just something I think about sometimes, is that it’s really hard to make fashion both art and like…relatable? You know? Like, you have all these ritzy articles by Vogue and stuff talking about how so-and-so’s Fall collection is reminiscent of so-and-so other designer back in whatever time, and there’s an audience for that, just like there’s an audience for the NYT book review. It’s art critique. But there’s also an audience who still cares about clothing and how they look, and they have their own look, but they’re not interested in the jargon. They like what they like just because they like it. And that’s cool too. But I wish you could write for people who aren’t looking to hear the jargon without it turning into “people of this body size should wear this silhouette” or “this style skirt makes your butt look good.” I would like to see more depth in fashion coverage without it alienating people.
Me: Wow. That’s pretty deep right there.
(both laugh)
Liz: I’m not trying to be, I guess. It’s just something I’ve thought about personally.
Me: No, I like it! That definitely gives me something to think about, and it touches on something I was thinking about myself. I know I don’t have the resources to do “high fashion” coverage, you know, but I didn’t want to do just another piece on whether leggings are pants, either. I didn’t describe that as eloquently as you did, but I think I’m maybe describing that quest for middle ground that you were referencing.
Liz: Yeah, I think we’re kinda touching on the same idea. I’d love to see what you’re able to do with it.
Me: Well, I really appreciate your confidence in me! And your time. I really appreciate your time.
Liz: No problem! It was great to chat with you again. Hit me up if you think of anything else you’d like to ask. I’ll do my best to answer.
Me: I may just take you up on that! I’ll let you go for today, though. Thank you again!
~Awkward “ok, bye! Yeah thanks! Ok bye!” at end of recording~