The Muse Project - Volume 3

Oh how I wish I could remember how I found WAKING LIFE.  If I could figure out whose blog led me there I would hunt her down and give her a big, fat kiss on the lips. And I'm totally heterosexual AND married... so, are you starting to get how appreciative I am?

Caitlin is the lovely style maven who illuminates the pages of WAKING LIFE.

And when I say "illuminate", can you see what I mean?

Caitlin's style is what I consider fearless.  Her outfits are edgy but her silhouettes are classic.  She mixes prints, textures and bold colors with such ease I'm often left wondering, "Why didn't I think of that?"

AND HER HATS?!?!

Lordy, lordy, lordy her hats (& other hair accouterments) will make your mouth hang open in sheer awe and utter amazement.  It's as if Caitlin was created to wear big furry, beautiful, vintage hats.

I'm so excited that Caitlin agreed to participate in my Muse Project, mostly because I learned so much about her through her answers to my questions.  OK, so, enough out of my big yapper ... here's the interview.

Q: What inspired you to start your blog?

A: I had started a new office job where we had a lot of free time to browse the internet.  One day I ran into a co-worker at the coffee machine and she told me that my style really reminded her of Jessica's (What I Wore), and that I should check it out.  I was hooked.  I started reading fashion blogs religiously, and finally decided it was time to get in on the action :)  That was that!

Q: Do you have a style Icon?

A: I wouldn't say that I have any single style icon, but I've always loved the fashion of the sixties and seventies, so the "icons" of those eras really inspire me.

Q: How would you describe your personal style?

A: My personal style is very thrifty.  I live in a small town on an even smaller budget, so I have to get creative--but that's the fun of it!  I troll Goodwill and other thrift shops weekly and I'm not afraid to buy something that looks ridiculous on the rack if I can visualize its potential (I'm slowly improving my alteration skills).  I keep track of trends but I definitely don't chase them, and if a particular trend isn't in line with who I think I am I don't try it.  Style should be an expression of who you are, not who everybody else is.  I do think that fashion is an art form, and I can appreciate some of the crazy clothes that come down the catwalk--but I'm not going to wear a Renoir to work.  You have to be realistic... so I interpret!

A: Something that I love about your blog are your gorgeous pictures! Do you have any tips to share or are there any "rules" that you stick to when shooting?

Q: It's funny that you say that because I always feel like my photographs are sub-par!  I was a film major, so I am very concerned with composition and if I had the time I would plan out elaborate shoots around the state-- but I just don't. I work a full-time job and generally just stop on my way to work and set up my tripod (an ancient wooden wonder that I purchased from an antique store to hold a vintage film camera) with my little Nikon CoolPix and shoot away (in ten-second intervals).  I try to take at least 20 photos of each outfit, and always get detail shots.  I was so glad that I found the abandoned driveway that I usually shoot in, because I wanted to showcase the Vermont landscape without going too far out of my way.  I would just say, especially for bloggers who work full-time and don't have willing photographer boyfriends/husbands, having a single spot that you shoot at on a daily basis eliminates a lot of the stress and allows you to really get into a rhythm.  Plus you can anticipate what the lighting will be like from one day to the next and adjust accordingly.  I know that if the sun is seriously shining I have to go to one of my backup locations.

Q: It's award season!! Since there are so many red carpets out there to walk, and many have a different vibe or feel, which one would you most like to walk and what would you wear?

A: Well, of course, as a would-be filmmaker I would love to walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards.  Since I spend most of my life in thrifted, repurposed clothes, I definitely take special occasions very seriously and tend to splurge.  I would love to wear yellow--I adored Michelle Williams' yellow Vera Wang at the 2006 Oscars--but as a young person I might go short and funky.  If it's not too presumptuous, I think it would be fabulous to wear the little butterfly dress from Sarah Burton's first Alexander McQueen collection.

image

Caitlin explained, "I love how the butterflies seem to be escaping through the neckline."

So, have I convinced you to check out WAKING LIFE? 

Wait, who am I kidding? You're already a huge fan aren't you? Caitlin really does have an amazing blog and her personal style isn't the only thing that it's about.  She writes movie reviews, makes book recommendations and even shares yummy recipes.

All that AND style like this?  I dare you NOT to check it out!

Thank you much for participating, Caitlin.

I look forward to continued inspiration.