An interview with Veronika of Girl and Closet

Today we have a lovely interview with Veronika of Girl and Closet. Veronika is the sweetest lady, and such a classic style. She is known for mixing patterns, and is always thinking about other ways her outfits could be styled up.

Meet Veronika:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

-I would love to. I’m a Canadian gal living in Vancouver, BC... but originally from the Czech Republic. I’m happily married to my best friend and still SO in love! We’ve been together for 13 years... no babies yet, but we are proud animal parents to an adorable dog (Scout) and our chubby orange cat (Pumpkin). I work as a freelance photographer and I’m just in the midst of developing my own online store. I also keep busy with my personal style blog, which is such a huge passion of mine. I’m a pretty busy gal, which is exactly how I like it. Life is such an adventure and I never like to take it for granted!!

2. What got you interested in blogging, and how long have you been blogging for?

-I’ve been blogging for about 4 months, so it’s still just a baby blog. As for the motivation behind it all? Well, I had just spent a year working from home. Fashion translation? I was living in a pair of tights, a tank and a cardy. I was needing more fashion in my life, a reason to get dressed, and found myself craving a sense of fun & adventure -voila, a blog was born! I love doing all the photo-shoots, picking locations, styling outfits... it’s a great excuse to be creative and have fun!

3. Can you tell us about your style?

-Lately, I’ve been loving clothes that have a vintage vibe, and I’m currently crushing on anything floral. My current fashion uniform seems to be... a cardy, floral print dress, belt, patterned tights, and ballet flats. I love adding textures to my outfits and mixing patterns. I’m a huge fan of modcloth, ruche, j.crew, anthropologie, and I love thrifting! And as for style inspirations? I always favour personal style bloggers over shiny magazines -it’s so much more relatable.

4. In all of your daily outfit posts you give a remix option, explaining another way yourself or someone else can style the outfit. How did you come up with the idea to start giving remix options?

-I’m not even sure how it happened. I’ve been doing it from the beginning. It just popped into my head one day. My mind always seems to be buzzing with ideas, usually when I’m trying to sleep -haha. But I’m a big fan of remixing and it’s something that I do a lot of in my own life. I’m always amazed at how many different ways I can style a dress and I find it really challenging & creative. I also have a new remix project that I’m working on for my blog and can’t wait to share it with my readers.

5. What are your favorite trends for spring?

-Vintage inspired florals prints. Love of my life! I’m also smitten with skinny belts. I usually wear mine knotted with skinny jeans or a dress. I’m also stocking up on wooden platforms and wedges, totally loving the retro vibe. And I also can’t get enough of lace, wide stripes, and rompers... for both spring & summer!

6. When you're not busy blogging, what can you be found doing?

-Oh my goodness, this sounds so bad... but I spend most of my time working. However, when I do sneak away for a few hours, then my fave things usually include being curled up on the couch with my hubby at the end of a long day; we check our emails or chat about our day. I also love making dinner with friends and enjoying a fantastic bottle of red wine. I definitely love the simple things in life.

7. With regards to fashion, what do you draw inspiration from?

-Hands down, other bloggers. I also adore Liv Tyler, Zooey Deschanel, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. And I’m inspired by everyday street style, music, and art.

8. If you had to pick one outfit to wear the rest of your life, what would it look like?

-ooh, that’s a tough one. But I would have to pick a vintage cable cardy, satin floral print a-line dress, wide belt, textured tights, and vintage knee boots. And I’d throw in a few bangles for good measure.

9. You seem to have a great love for mixing prints. What are your favorite prints to mix, and what do you think they add to an outfit?

-I do! I adore mixing prints. I love it because it’s quite daring and can add a certain edge to an outfit. It’s something that I love to experiment with especially since I’ve started blogging. I’m glad to know that my love for prints is apparent! I’m also planning on doing a “how to guide” in the next month, which will be SO fun and hopefully informative.

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring fashion bloggers? What about someone interested in wearing and mixing prints, but doesn't know where to start?

-Well firstly... I think it’s important to start a blog that is aligned with your true passions. Focus on original and quality content. I also think aesthetics are really important; things such as great photography, blog design, and over all presentation. I would also tell aspiring fashion bloggers to not be afraid to connect with other bloggers. It’s such a warm & friendly community and I so appreciate all of the wonderful connections that I’ve made since starting my blog.

And as for mixing prints? I have a few rules I abide by... 1) Use one colour to tie it all in 2) Pair a bold print, with a smaller, finer print 3) Experiment 4) If you are starting out, a fool-proof way to mix patterns is to pair hues from one main colour family. Happy mixing!!

Thank you so much Veronika for doing this interview! Don't forget to check out Veronika's blog for some daily mixing inspiration and a peek at her always pretty photographs.

-Chelsea xo