         Labor Day was a few weeks ago. Unfortunately it wasn't a great "last day of summer" as it was a rainy day with bad storms, so I decided to stay indoors and shoot these photos. Ana Luisa, a jewelry brand, was kind enough to send me these earrings and necklace, so I centered the shoot around these pieces. The heart on the jewelry reminded me of a playing cards, so I decided to incorporate those into the shoot. I also got inspired of a photo of Brigette Bardot in the 1960's playing cards and smoking. The combination of the rain and Lana Del Rey's new album playing in my room made me really get into this shoot, so I spent a good chunk of the day trying to bring my vision to life.
Lately I've been changing my approach to how I take my photos and share them on social media. It's no secret that the Instagram algorithm can suck, and over the summer I felt like my engagement was low, and it made me not want to post or even taken photos as much. I'm starting to feel inspired again though, so I have been brainstorming ideas for shoots. However, I've begun to change my approach more as I move forward with these ideas. In the past, when I was trying to get to 10k followers on Instagram, I posted almost every day. I would post "filler photos" of things even if I knew they might not perform as well, just because I figured any time I would post was a new opportunity to gain followers. Now I'm trying to post fewer, more impactful posts, rather than posting something every day just for the sake of it. I've always tried to post with intent, but I've started embracing carousels and Instagram stories to really tell a story, rather than posting just one off photos. I also want to continue adding as many of my photos to my blog and cross promote on Pinterest as well. Instagram is still fun, but to me, it feels like it's beginning to loose momentum a bit. Jewelry: c/o Ana Luisa If you'd like to check out the brand, you can find their website here. Beret: old; Dress: Dolly and Dotty
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         Last week, I spent a couple days in Florida with my family. These photos are nothing new, you've likely seen them on my Instagram already, but I wanted to share them here as well. Lately, I've been wanting to post as much as I can on my blog, and not just on Instagram. When I first started my blog, Instagram was my main priority and my blog took a back seat. I always knew the importance of having your work somewhere online that you actually own, but even back in 2016 when I first started, blogs were already down trending. I'd pretty much only post there when a brand would send me an item and I'd take multiple photos for them. But going forward, I want to put as much as I can on my blog.
I don't think Instagram is going anywhere anytime soon, but lately it's not been somewhere I want to spend my time. It could be because it's summer and I don't want to be inside scrolling through my phone as much, but I've just also felt very uninspired lately. I used to feel excited to get home and scroll through my feed at the end of the day, but now I'm scrolling sort of out of obligation it feels like. There's not much content that excites me anymore. I know a lot of people are struggling with engagement and follower growth as well, which also makes me want to post less. It makes me feel like, what's the point in creating content if barely anyone sees it? It's also really frustrating seeing people with worse engagement than me or people who obviously buy fake followers/likes getting paid work. Moral of the story, I'm still going to continue creating content because I love it, but especially for the summer, I'm going to take a more relaxed approach to it. I've been going out less with my tripod or dedicating chunks of my day to shooting different things, and just taking photos more in the moment with the help of friends or family. I want to work on making my blog a resource, and add more travel guides, tutorials and a FAQ page. I've also been trying to cross promote on Pinterest by uploading my more aesthetic type photos there as well. Lastly, I want to start thinking about my personal brand beyond Instagram. I have some ideas for products that I want to try to launch or host some kind of event.  Last week I announced that I was working with Grapevine to help change the landscape of social media and use my platform to help raise money for non-profits. I decided to write a little blog post with more information about what this partnership entails. What is Grapevine? Grapevine is a platform where you can donate to curated funds of non-profit organizations. The idea behind the platform is to connect with like minded people who have the knowledge and expertise to help you feel confident in your giving. How did you get involved with Grapevine? Grapevine is one of my clients at work. I connected with Emily, the Co-Founder of the company, a couple months back. After learning more about their business and how they were looking to work with influencers, she asked if I'd like to get involved and of course I said yes. I'm really excited about the opportunity to raise money for non-profits I care about and get my community involved. What's in it for you? Any donations you make would make me SO happy, but I do not financially profit in anyway from any donations. What's in it for Grapevine? Grapevine also doesn't take a cut from any donations. Similar to GoFundMe, they just charge a 3.9% processing fee for any donations. For example, if you made a $5 donation, you would be charged an additional 19 cents to process the payment. You can also leave a tip for Grapevine, but this is totally optional. What's in it for me? Besides feeling good about yourself for helping out some great causes, I'll be hosting giveaways periodically to reward those who donate. For every $1 you donate, that counts as 1 entry. If you donate $5 for example, that's 5 chances to win. If you donate, just send me a screenshot letting me know and I'll enter you in the giveaway. What are the organizations we can donate to? I have 2 funds, one for organizations who are saving the planet through secondhand style and one to protect some of my favorite animals who live on it (dogs, cats, rabbits, manatees and elephants to be exact). Organizations in the Animal Fund:
Organizations in the Thrift Fund:
Well I want to help the elephants, but I don't like dogs. Can I pick which organizations I want to donate to? Yes, you can donate to the entire animal or thrift fund, or just a particular organization. I think that's it! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask! You can check out my fund here.         I first wanted to go to Palm Springs about 5 years ago. I'm not sure how it even got on my radar, maybe I saw photos on social media or I read about it somewhere. Shortly after, in 2015, I made my first trip to the West Coast. We stayed in LA for a few days and then headed to the desert for Coachella in Indio, which is about 15-20 minutes from Palm Springs. I wanted to check out Palm Springs while we were there, but there wasn't enough time. None of my friends I was traveling with are as into vintage stuff as I am so it wasn't as much of a priority. I made a mental note that I had to make it back to Palm Springs one day.
Then it seemed like Palm Springs became extremely popular. It seemed like everyone on social media was choosing Palm Springs as their vacation spot, so many people that it made me not want to go anymore. I felt like maybe I'd seen everything I needed to see on Instagram. But after my recent vacation, I don't feel that way at all. I'm so glad I made the trip back to the desert. I think there's still something to be said for seeing things for yourself. I've seen countless photos from inside Elvis' Honeymoon Hideaway, people posed on the couch under the infamous photo of him and Priscilla locked arms with a cocktail in their hands. But the moment I walked into the house, a feeling came over me and I realized seeing a photo of something is not the same as experiencing it in real life. I think another trick to having a unique travel experience is looking for things to do outside of Instagram. According to Instagram, it seems like everyone stays at The Saguaro, so it made me think maybe this was one of the only hotels in Palm Springs. We drove past The Saguaro a few times and while it looked cute, I'm glad I did my research and found out about The Monkey Tree instead because it made for a more unique Palm Springs experience and it was a better fit for my aesthetic and personal taste too. Overall, I think social media can be a great resource to get travel recommendations or find out about a destination you might not have otherwise known about. However, I think it's important to do your research off Instagram as well. Try looking for more obscure recommendations that are off the beaten path, rather than seeking out "the most Instagramable spots". To me, these spots usually end up being the least inspiring anyway. And even if something is a tourist trap or Instagram bait, if it's something you really want to see, you should still go because no photo will ever give you the same feeling as seeing it with your own two eyes. diner drama: should business owners be okay with influencers taking photos in their establishment?3/1/2019      In the last month or so, I've been having bad luck when it comes to photo locations. Getting good photos in the winter is always a challenge because it can get bitter cold in NYC. And as most of you probably know by now, the majority of my photos are taken with a self timer and tripod. Shooting photos alone can be more time consuming as opposed to having someone on the other side of the camera. It's hard to physically be outside in the cold long enough to get a good photo when I'm shooting alone. Because of this, I usually venture indoors during the winter months and find retro inspired interiors. Yes, sometimes it can be embarrassing and people stare when I'm shooting in a restaurant or store, but I've rarely experienced the owners or managers telling me I can't take photos until recently.
Aside from 2 record stores and a magazine store, the diner I took these photos in was another place I got in trouble at recently. I met my friend here for breakfast before work one day because we both work in the area, and I figured I would have her snap a few photos of me in this dress. After we ordered, we took a few photos in our booth. Then I moved to the counter (where there was only one other man sitting at the time). Finally we went into the back of the restaurant where they had a wall of vintage decor (which was also empty at the time). A few seconds into taking photos in the back, a waiter came over and said "you know, people usually pay to take photos in here". My friend replied, "oh, we're eating here", so he knew we didn't just come into have a photoshoot. He said, "I know, they usually pay on top of that". When I looked at the diner's Instagram, I saw a few brands had rented out the space to hold a photo shoot or fashion week presentation. I totally get a brand or company paying to use the space. Most of the time, I'm not earning money from the photos I take, so it's not like I'm using their business as a way to profit and not sharing a cut of the revenue. If I'm a paying customer and not in anyone's way, what's the harm in taking a photo of my outfit? I was venting to a friend about how annoying it was that I kept experiencing push back lately and he sent me an article about a restaurant that had to enforce a "no photo" policy because of influencers. I totally get why business owners could get annoyed with influencers taking photos in their store or restaurant, especially if they're taking up space without buying or ordering anything or getting in the way of paying customers. The article said customers were still allowed to take photos of their friends or food, but influencers were not allowed to. When looking through the other tagged photos from this diner, I saw a photo of a girl, clearly taken with an iphone, posed on the stools just like I was, but she was dressed casual wearing sweatpants. I feel like it's unfair to determine who can and can't take photos depending on how they're dressed or what they're using to take the photos with. Nowadays, I think everyone can technically be considered an influencer. No matter how many followers you have, what you post on social media can influence the people that see your content. Influencer marketing has been dubbed the modern day word of mouth. I wish more business owners would realize the power of social media and by letting people take photos in their store or restaurant it can drive more traffic to their business. What do you think? Should business owners be okay with letting influencers take photos in their establishment? If you'd like to shop my dress, you can find it here: https://www.karinadresses.com/collections/ruby/products/ruby-dress-skyscraper?variant=9925652316207 Dress: c/o Karina Dresses Sunglasses: Rainbow Optx; Tights: Vintage; Sneakers: Converse Location: Square Diner (Tribeca, NYC)       Last Friday I found out that my favorite retro spot in Hoboken, Schnackenberg's Luncheonette, closed without any notice. I visited this place almost every week, whether that was to grab a doughnut before work or to sit and have a grilled cheese and milkshake on a Saturday afternoon. I shot a lot of photos for my Instagram and blog here as well. I'm upset I won't be able to enjoy their food or come here to take pictures anymore, but what makes me really sad is that a piece of history is going to be replaced by a trendy salad spot.
Schnackenberg's opened in 1931, so it was in business for 88 years. There have been a lot of articles in the past week about the closing of such an iconic Hoboken location. One article claimed "Schnackenberg's was from a different era and no longer fit in" and that a healthier eatery will be better received by Hoboken residents (even though there are plenty of juice bars and acai bowl places littered across the main street already). Since Schnackenberg's is no more, I shot these photos at my local Johnny Rockets. While I still enjoy the vintage vibes of Johnny Rockets, it's just not the same as a local place like Schnackenberg's. And while Johnny Rocket's probably has a stronger chance of survival since it's a chain restaurant, it was still completely empty on a Sunday morning (prime brunch time in Hoboken). Moral of the story, we need to support old school eateries before they all become extinct. If you'd like to shop my t shirt, you can find it here: https://www.oneroundjack.com/orj-for-women/hep-cat Tshirt: c/o One Round Jack Cardigan: Kate Spade; Skirt: Vintage; Sneakers: Converse; Headband: American Apparel; Sunglasses: Hello Holiday Location: Johnny Rockets (Hoboken, NJ)         These boots are made for walking...not running.
It's officially one week into 2019, and I can't help but feel a little aimless, specifically when it comes to my blog and social media. It could be the weather and the fact that the freezing cold weather leaves me really unmotivated to take photos. Or maybe it's the fact that I spent the majority of 2018 unemployed and hustling for a new full time job, which left me a bit burnt out. Or maybe it's because since New Years, everyone has been constantly posting about what they want to accomplish this year, which has left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. Whatever it is, I feel sort of stuck and haven't had much motivation or inspiration for how I want to move things forward. So far, I feel like everyone is off to the races and I'm just strolling behind. I think posting about your intentions for the new year on social media can be great because it holds you accountable. Seeing what other people hope to achieve also motivates me to push myself and work harder. But the last week or so I've felt overwhelmed seeing everyones posts because it was so much all at once. I've written down goals for 2019, but after seeing everyone else intentions, I can't help but feel like what I hope to achieve is not enough and question if I could be doing more. I try to remind myself that there's no timeline on life and everyone's path looks different. Just because someone I follow on Instagram is going on vacation or starting a podcast this month doesn't mean that I can't do the same things later this year, next year or five years down the road. Or maybe I'll never do those things, because it's not something I'm truly passionate about, and that's okay too. Life is a marathon not a sprint. Since I've been off to a slow start this year, I've been using this time to relax and brainstorm where I want to take my personal brand next. Now that I've reached 10k on Instagram (a major goal I had for my account) I've been thinking about my next goal. Of course I want to continue to grow my community and collaborate with brands to create content. However, this year, I'd prefer to accomplish something outside of Instagram that will still continue to cultivate my retro inspired lifestyle brand. Here are some ideas I have:
What would you be most interested in seeing? Or is there something else I didn't mention here you'd be into? Let me know, I'd love to hear it! PS if you'd like to shop my boots you can find them here: https://www.king.it/product/venezia-nero/ My dress is vintage from Mod and Fancy. You can check out their vintage shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ModandFancy Boots: c/o King Tartufoli Dress: vintage c/o Mod and Fancy Location: Hoboken, NJ        I shot these photos for a campaign for Winc, a subscription based wine company. To give you a bit of background about how collaborations work, there is always a campaign brief with visual inspiration and requirements of do's and don'ts for the post and caption. Some brands are very specific with what they want, with strict requirements of how the photo should look or a word for word caption (which are usually the types of collaborations I turn down). Other brands are more lenient and give the content creator more creative freedom.
Shooting for a campaign is fun but can also be a bit nerve wracking because you usually have to submit your post for approval before it goes live on your social channels, so there's always a chance your work could be rejected. I always reread the campaign brief and requirements before I go out and shoot to make sure I'm getting what the brand is asking for. There are a lot of BYOB restaurants in Hoboken where I live, so I thought one of them would be a great backdrop for this campaign, to get a vintage, Sophia Loren inspired, Italian vibe. I was happy with the photos and video I created, but then I decided to take a look at the tagged photos on Winc's Instagram to see what other people were posting. Almost every influencer's post I saw looked very similar, either them posing in their kitchen or under their Christmas tree with the box of wines they received from Winc. Suddenly, I started worrying if the brand would accept the content I submitted. I only featured one bottle of wine from the box, not all four. They never said all four bottles had to be in the photo, but that's what everyone else did. The brand also asked me to submit a video to post on my story. My video was more inspirational to set the mood, rather than informative, such as an unboxing video or me talking to the camera about Winc. Ultimately, the brand approved everything I submitted, but it got me thinking... Are influencers even influential anymore? The term influencer was coined because that's what influencers were, influential. They gained a following because there was something about them people liked, whether that was their style, personality, photography, etc. Now, being an influencer has become a career choice and people are quitting their full time jobs to peruse being an influencer. Being a "microinfluencer" myself, I know how much work goes into content creation, so I 100% respect it as a career. However, like any career, I don't think it's just something you can decide to be. It's something that takes practice, natural ability and a point of view. But now it feels like people who set out to become an influencer are taking a cookie cutter approach and thinking if they do x,y,z, they will in fact be an influencer. Social media critics often say the influencer bubble is going to burst. While I agree that Instagram will not always reign as king, I don't think influencers are going anywhere anytime soon. Nowadays, people are watching more Netflix than they are cable, or spending more time watching YouTube tutorials than they are reading magazines. Traditional forms of advertising like TV commercials and print ads are dying out, so it makes sense businesses and brands are turning to social media to advertise. As a consumer, I've discovered brands or bought a product after seeing it on Instagram, which proves influencer marketing works. Sponsored posts don't necessarily have to be the most creative or entertaining to be effective (how many times have you seen a stupid commercial on TV, yet the message of the commercial sticks with you). However, I think influencers should strive to truly influence and inspire their audience, rather than just following the status quo. After all, you'll never influence the world by trying to be just like it. Beret: JJ Hat Center; Top: J.Crew: Scarf: Fred & Lulu; Earrings: Vintage Location: Johnny Pepperoni's (Hoboken, NJ)       It's that week between Christmas and New Year's, when you don't know what day of the week it is or what exactly you should be doing. I've had off work this whole week, and it's been so nice to spend time with family, go to sleep without setting an alarm, and finally catch up on Season 2 of Mrs. Maisel. I'm also spending this week crossing things off my to do list, which includes boring things like going to the dentist and scheduling doctors appointments, to fun things like hemming some new vintage clothes and catching up on blog posts.
When it came time to write this post, I had a bit of writers block, even though I had several ideas for topics. I thought about writing about how to style quirky pieces, like this cat backpack I am wearing in these photos. I also thought about sharing my favorite Mexican restaurants in NYC (although this building says Corner Deli, this place is actually a Mexican restaurant and taco stand called La Esquina). Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines, so I could totally write a whole blog post on my go to spots. I thought about writing about the behind the scenes of this shoot. It was an absolutely freezing and windy day and I hurried to shoot these photos during my lunch break at work. I also thought about writing a post of blogging tips for shooting in the cold or how to prioritize creating content while working full time. I know blogs are sort of a dying art form and Instagram is where most people consume content nowadays. However, I want to maintain this platform since it is completely my own. We all remember Myspace, and I don't want to spend so much time and energy creating content for a platform (aka Instagram) that could easily become extinct someday. I want the photos I produce to be inspiring, and the words I write here to be insightful or informative. If you could give me feedback on what you'd like to see on my blog (or Instagram too), I would love to hear it! More posts about vintage clothes and shopping? Links to shop products from modern but retro inspired brands? Things to do in NYC? Personal posts? Style Tips? Blogging Tips? Or something I haven't even mentioned here? I'd love to hear from you! If you'd like to shop my backpack, you can find it here: https://www.arisbags.com/backpacks/cat-design/abc1001-backpack.html You can customize your bag with different colors too! Backpack: c/o Aris Bags Coat: Vintage; Top: Motel Rocks; Skirt: Forever 21; Tights & Thigh Highs: H&M; Loafers: Eastland Shoe; Beret: Beau xoxo Location: La Esquina (SoHo, Manhattan)        It's been a long road to 10k. I started growing my Instagram at the end of 2015 and started my blog in 2016. I know 10k isn't a big following at all, and many people have surpassed this number in a shorter amount of time. However, 10k was still a goal I was working towards, and I wanted to acknowledge it. And the fact that I hit 10k just a few days before my birthday made it even better! I wrote a little post with 10 things I learned about myself, social media and any creative endeavor on the way to this milestone.
stay true to your own style: It can be tempting to alter your style just to conform with what's popular at the moment, whether that's the clothes you wear, the way you edit your photos, how you pose, or the language you use in your captions. During the last few years on Instagram, there's been several big trends I've noticed. First it was the white/minimalist look, then it was the super colorful trend, now it's the "Tezza look" (photos inspired by, or sometimes flat out copied from @tezza) as I like to call it: overly grainy photos with an orange colored filter and editorial style poses. However, all trends are fleeting, so it's best to just stay true to who you are because no trend, no matter how popular, is permanent. If you're jumping on a trend that's not true to who you really are, it will be really difficult to evolve with it. seek inspiration elsewhere: Instagram has become so formulaic, especially when it comes to influencers. Everyone's photos, language and style has started to blend together because we're all in this bubble. It's so easy to be influenced by what we see on Instagram (even if it's subconscious) when we spend so much time on it every day. I try to get outside of the bubble and seek inspiration elsewhere. Whether that's Pinterest or Tumblr, movies or music, or visiting a museum. stay in your own lane: It's so easy to look at what others are doing and feel like you need to do the exact same things to be successful, especially when what everyone is doing is on display for all to see on social media. I've been tempted to do things like participate in loop giveaways or start monetizing my blog through affiliate sales because it seemed like that's what I was SUPPOSED to be doing to be a successful blogger. But everyone has their own path for success, especially when it comes to blogs and social media. slow and steady wins the race: I've definitely felt envious of girls whose follower counts grow in leaps and bounds. However, most of the tactics they use are not beneficial in the long run. It can be tempting to participate in a loop giveaway to see your follower count grow by thousands overnight, but that's not a good solution because these people don't engage with your posts, which throws off your numbers and looks fishy to brands. Trust yourself and the process and know that hard work pays off in the end and if it's too good to be true, it probably is. create your own opportunities: As with anything else in life, there are always going to be people who seemingly have things handed to them. But that doesn't mean that they're the only ones who can be successful. I got a "late" start to the influencer game. The girls who have been doing it longer than me of course have an easier time getting collaborations and get approached by brands more frequently or have managers to secure deals for them because they have a bigger following. But that doesn't mean there's not room for me too, it just means I have to work a little harder to get noticed. I pitch myself to brands all the time. Sometimes they say no or don't respond, but sometimes they say yes too! Which brings me to my next point... don't be afraid to hear the word no: Don't be afraid to initiate contact between a brand or person. The worst that someone can say is no or not respond. And just because someone says no or doesn't respond, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. It could be something as simple as your email getting overlooked or the brand not having a budget at the moment. Don't take it personally! don't be afraid to say the word no: When you're first getting started it can be tempting to agree to every brand collaboration or RSVP yes to every event. But it's important to be selective with these offers so your personal brand doesn't get diluted and to not burn yourself out. There will always be more events or more collaborations coming your way. When approached by a brand and given a campaign brief, if I can't think of a good idea for content after I sleep on it that night, I usually pass on the opportunity. If you have to think about it too much, it's probably not a good fit. numbers aren't everything: I often hear other influencers or bloggers say they're afraid to reach out to brands and companies because of their follower count or engagement rate. But numbers aren't everything. Brands will want to work with you if you create amazing content or are professional and pleasant to work with. Just like the film industry, you could be the most popular actress, but if you're difficult to work with, have a bad reputation in the industry, or don't deliver results, they won't want to work with you. Being extra creative and having good communication skills can make up for a lack of followers or engagement. experiment with things: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Social media is constantly evolving, so something that worked for you in the past may not work for you now. If something's not working anymore, try something completely different because you have nothing to loose. Social media, like many creative endeavors, is basically throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. don't worry about everything being perfect: I can be a perfectionist, so a lot of times I'm not completely satisfied with my work, but I still force myself to post it and move on. My boss always references this Maya Angelou quote, and I think it can be applied to anyone who has a side hustle.The quote goes, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” We're always growing and evolving and if you wait until everything is perfect, you'll never get anywhere. Photos by Madeleine https://photosbymadeleine.squarespace.com Dress: c/o Unique Vintage Tights: H&M; Bracelet: Kate Spade; Shoes: Steve Madden; Beret: Beau xoxo Location: Washington Square Park (West Village, Manhattan) |
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