The Beauty Behind The Blog - Mel

What do you get when you mix a great sense of style, a warm heart & a knack for DIY? Mel Sonier. This lovely lady was the first to add me to her blog roll and quickly became one of my favourite reads... I simply had to know more about her, now you can too!

If your life was a movie, what song would play the opening credits? Have you seen in your dreams by Miracle Fortress.

What made you start your blog? I was always talking about starting one but didn't have the time so when I broke up with my then boyfriend in June I decided to really get into it. I was already posting my looks on chictopia so when I knew that I would have a few readers I thought I'd give it a try.
How does working in the industry affect your style? It pulls me in two seperate directions actually. If I didn't work in the fashion industry I think my wardrobe would consist of mainly vintage/thrifted pieces but since I do, I try to mix it up with more contemporary pieces. Luckily, with kensie, the prints sometimes have a vintage feel to them but with updated silhouettes so it is something that I would definitely wear even if I didn't work there.

Where do you go for inspiration? Most of my inspiration comes from classic foreign films or styles geared towards the 1950's when women were showing off their femininity and it was all about glamour and elegance. I also do love visiting style blogs and seeing what other likeminded ladies are wearing. Some of my favorites these days are: A thought is the Blossom, Blooming Leopold and The Snail and the Cyclops for their amazing vintage finds, Day dream lily for the pretty pictures, and Le Love for the hopeless romantic in me.

Do you have a favourite item of clothing? O.k. this is such a hard question but the more I think about it, I'd have to say my denim jacket? It's the item I've owned for the longest time and that means alot since my closet is in a constant rotation. I struggle with space in my apartments and moving all the time that I'm always getting rid of stuff or consigning old items to acquire new ones. The jean jacket has been a staple in my wardrobe for over 10 years now so I think it deserves a mention!

10 years and counting...
This denim jacket is still a wardrobe staple.

How cool is it to live in Brooklyn? Very cool! I remember my first weekend here, walking around the neighborhood and thinking: "Yoah, I live on the set of The Cosby Show!" I love the brownstones, the community feeling, and the fact that it's much quieter than Manhattan.

What do you love the most about it? I've mentioned numerous times on my blog how much I love Beacon's closet and both locations are in Brooklyn. To eat, I go to the Vspot, a latin vegan eatery or if I'm in Williamsburg, I love grabbing a slice of vegan pizza at Vinnie's. The guys there are super nice and helpful and the toppings are very creative! In the summer I can ride my bike to Prospect park and listen to an outdoor concert or watch a movie on a big screen, sorta like a drive-in theatre but without the cars.

Biking in Brooklyn, strutting down the street -

Mel always looks effortlessly chic.

How did you get into DIY? I really was a crafty kid growing up, always painting or cutting and gluing stuff. I guess as I get older my diy's have gotten more intricate and now when I look at things in stores, I think: Hey! I can make that! And then I go home and try it. It's much more rewarding that way and makes gifts a little more thoughtful.

You constantly remix items into completely new gorgeous outfits! How do you do it? Well first of all, thank you! And second, when I really like a new item I've bought I want to wear it as much as possible, which is why I try out different ways and combinations. It's basically out of selfishness and trying to get away with wearing it yet another time and trying to fool my blog readers into thinking that I never re-wear anything!

What are you waiting for? Go check out her stuff! (Click the top pic) All photos courtesy of Idee Geniale. Do not re-produce without her permission. Thanks for reading :)