Interview: Meg from All About Appearances and The Bargain Queen Saturday, November 10, 2007

Interviewing Meg from All About Appearances (her personal blog) and The Bargain Queen.

About the Author (Meg) from All About Appearances

My name is Meg. I’m just a 20-something-year-old woman with a little experience, an open ear, a good imagination, and a lot of wonderful friends and family members to keep me going. I’m a college graduate with a background in linguistics, which may be related to why I am interested by the ‘messages’ that we send, whether or not they may be verbal. I see a lot of parallels between style and language.

My personal style has changed a lot of the years. A few years ago I was wearing baggy t-shirts and my husband’s jeans. Nowadays, I love wearing dresses, pretty shoes, makeup, and glamorous hats. It’s been a drastic, but very fun transformation. My style is heavily influenced by the summer heat here in Florida as well as by the need to make it on a modest income. Until recently, I would have thought that I would be the last one to be giving anyone advice on image, but my own metamorphosis has also given me a lot of insight on how great an impact appearance does make in human interaction, and even just on one’s perspective on oneself.

I also write for The Bargain Queen — one of the top shopping blogs, I’m proud to say. I highly recommend checking it out. There’s plenty of style and shopping advice there, as well as great featured bargains.

About Florida's Bargain Queen, Meg

I'm in my mid-20's and working on updating my own look from college casual to urban professional without loosing what makes my style personal - or sweating to death in the Florida heat. I've learned the importance of making a sharp first impression, and I'm trying to take it up a notch by building a versatile wardrobe full of quality pieces that are both sophisticated and fun. That's hard enough, but I'm also on a budget. Even though I've completed my degree, money is still tight. Fortunately, I've learned the value of great pieces that I can count on wearing for years to come.

Believe it or not, I used to hate shopping. However, in the past year I've started to take an interest in style and the result has been that I now see shopping as a fun way of transforming my image and changing how others perceive me. Now, I'm ready to help others find their own style that makes them look and feel great without breaking the bank.

I hope you enjoy my posts here on looking fabulous for less. For more information on my personal transformation and making good impressions, check out my personal blog All About Appearances

And for this interview, she writes....

I'm definitely curious and creative. Perhaps that's why I ended up writing professionally. I love glamor, but I'm also very practical and price conscious -- which no doubt influences my choices on thebargainqueen.com.

Why did you pick your blog name, is there a story behind that?

To be perfectly honest, I started thinking about words beginning in "A" because I knew that would put my blog at or near the top of most blogrolls. "Appearances" came to mind quickly because it was related to the topics I wanted to write about, but I needed more than that, so I decided on "All About Appearances" because it still started with "A" and it rolled off the tongue. I hesitated, though, because I didn't want people to think that I'm all about appearances. Unfortunately, I have had a couple people throw that back at me which was very hurtful. I don't regret the name, though.

How did you get into blogging and what motivated you to begin in the first place

(Warning, this is a rather long answer, but I can cut down to focus on whatever parts you think are most pertinent. To be honest, it's nice to be able to tell someone the whole story.)

FB: I wouldn't dream of chopping this story!!!

While it wasn't a blog per se, I started my first web site, Sax Appeal, back in 1997 when I was a freshman in high school and wrote on it for about four years. I hadn't written much since 2001 except for class assignments in college. I graduated college last December and started All About Appearances on May 15th. There were several factors behind me starting up the blog.

First, my interest in personal style was kindled by a breast reduction that I had a few years ago to reduce back pain. Before, I had been living in baggy t-shirts and jeans. Since I had shop for almost an entirely new wardrobe, I decided to put some real thought into it. Dressing my new shape was also a lot more fun.

It was a while before I settled into my final size, which meant that I ended up doing quite a bit of shopping. Fortunately, I had a very dear friend who didn't mind inheriting some of my clothes. She eventually moved in with my husband and I, which was great because it was like having a younger sister to share clothes and makeup with. In fact, one of the best days we shared was getting makeovers at the mall. I never expected her to enjoy it as much as she did because didn't wear much makeup, but she surprised me by declaring, "I like this girlie thing!" Less than a week later, on March 1st, we got the call that she had been in a fatal car accident on her way to work.

I was devastated, as was everyone else who knew her. Part of the healing process for me was to create a memorial site. That's how I discovered WordPress, a blogging system that made making a blog easier than coding by hand in Notepad (which is how I wrote Sax Appeal). It took a while, but when I started to feel productive again, I decided to use WordPress to create a blog of my own. I decided to focus on personal style and making good impressions, having inspired by my own transformation and the transformation that I had seen in my friend. I published my first post on May 15th. I allude to my friend in a post I published on May 22nd.

Why is fashion and style such an important subject for you?

Having made-over my own look, I know first hand that what someone wears does make a difference in how they're perceived by others. That's really powerful. While I'm mostly interested in personal style, the comings and goings of fashion are still part of the equation since fashion determines what's in stores and, to some degree, how certain styles are perceived.

Name your 3 best fashion buys, and why (either emotionally or otherwise), do you consider them so?

Oh, goodness! It's hard to decide. I'll get back to you on that.

What would you say have been the 3 WORST fashion trends to have hit the scene?

I must say that I'm very open-minded when it comes to fashion. I believe that most trends look good on someone, somewhere. The problem is when people try to wear a trend that just doesn't suit them -- or when they wear things that are inappropriate for their situation.

That said, there are plenty of fashion trends that I would be happy to never see again. On the subject of shoes alone I wouldn't miss Crocs, Uggs, or Oxford pumps.
I'm also not crazy about ultra mini skirts, ultra low rise jeans, and ultra high waisted pants -- or just about anything with "ultra" in the description.

Do you have a signature style, fragrance, accessory? If so, why, what made you choose it, and how does it make you feel?

I love glamorous accessories and dressing up in general. My own style includes a lot of knee-length dresses and skirts. I love how they hide my thighs, plus jersey dresses are so comfortable and easy to wear that I hardly ever wear jeans. As for accessories, I love hats you can see part of my ever growing collection here and clutches. They're not just glamorous, they can also be very practical -- and I'm all about combining the glamorous and the practical.

What are your top 5 fashion tips for combining the glamorous with the practical?

1. Never buy anything that doesn't fit perfectly unless you will definitely have it tailored, and only buy things that flatter your body. If you can do that, your clothes will look like they were made for you by the designer. If that isn't glamorous, I don't know what is.

2. Start with no-fuss basics, especially in solid neutrals or very simple patterns. Neutrals tend to look classy and if most of your wardrobe is made of neutrals, you'll never have trouble making an outfit.

3. Once you have a base outfit, add in fun accessories to add color and interest. Go beyond shoes, jewelry, and bags. Try hats, gloves, scarves, and other accessories that many people don't think to wear. Don't just buy the first hat you see, though. Find a great hat and make it part of your signature look.

4. There is a lot of stuff between flip flops and 4" heels, or between gym clothes and formal gowns. Don't hesitate to dress up your casual look. Do casual with style and you'll find that your outfits are more versatile. Try wearing a skirt instead of jeans, a blouse instead of a t-shirt, and ballet flats instead of sneakers. Be prepared to step it up a notch at a moment's notice; bring a clutch in your work tote and keep an extra pair of dressy shoes in your car.

5. Don't be afraid of being more dressy than those around you. Dress with some glamor and you will be noticed. Enjoy it.

Hey, I still need your 3 best fashion buys..!

1. I have a pair of black ballet flats that I bought at Payless during one of their "buy one, get one half off" sales. I have worn them everywhere. They are so comfortable, and they're cute, too. They have a black ribbon laced around them which ends in front with a bow. I wore them for my weeklong in London where I walked about 35 miles in them without any problems. And I felt so much more stylish than I would have in sneakers or... shudder... Crocs.

2. I bought a strand of pearls and some matching earrings to wear at our wedding. That was nearly six years ago and they're still favorites because I can wear them with just about anything and instantly class up the outfit.

3. I have a short black cardigan that I got at White House Black Market. It's definitely the most expensive cardigan that I own. I was in there to buy a dress for my college graduation and the saleswomen added the shoes and cardigan so that I could see the dress as part of a complete outfit. My husband liked the look so much that he said that we'd take it all. I'm glad we did because the cardigan has held up exceedingly well over the past year despite all the wear that I've gotten out of it. I frequently toss it into my tote bag because it's perfect when I'm just a bit too cold.

You mentioned 'living in baggy t-shirts and jeans' before you had your breast reduction, and you go on to say that buying a new wardrobe was what sort of sparked an interest in fashion. Why do you suppose you never had an interest in fashion before that point?

To begin with, it was very difficult for me to find nice clothes that fit before my reduction and I didn't have a lot of time or money to hunt down clothes that would fit. There weren't a lot of plus-size clothes in my area that didn't look like granny clothes. It was discouraging, to say the least. Also, my chest was so large and the rest of me so skinny that it was hard to wear clothes form-revealing clothes like knit tops without looking, well, a bit like a porn star. Honest to goodness, I caught strange men taking photos of me from their vehicles. It was creepy.

Of course, if I knew then what I know now I could have dressed better for my body -- but I didn't.

What is your go-to, fail-safe outfit for work, and for play?

I can go just about anywhere in a knee-length, jersey dress in a dark color. My fail-safe accessories are a pair of neutral ballet flats, my pearls, and my pink Longchamp bag.

What is one gadget or item that you absolutely could not live without? This can be a cellphone, laptop, whatever!

I don't know what I'd do without my laptop. My job is online, I communicate with many friends online, and I love being able to learn about all sorts of topics online.

You have $1000, where would you go (which stores), why, and what would you look for?

It may be boring, but I'd probably stick pretty much to my usual routine. I would probably still go to discount stores and T.J. Maxx. It might take me a while to spend that much, but I could definitely do it given a few shopping trips. I'd look for the same things that I do now: fun accessories like brightly colored shoes, classy blouses, versatile dresses, jackets and cardigans in great colors, the rare pair of pants that fits, and basic skirts.

What's on your "need-to-buy" list at the moment?

I really would love to find some more jeans that fit. I don't wear jeans often, but when I do I want them to fit perfectly. I would also love to find some slacks that fit, but those are even harder because the material is usually so thin and unforgiving.

What are the top 3 most frustrating things about going shopping?

1. I hate finding clothes that look great on the hanger but that turn out to be shoddily and/or cheaply made. Recently I found a beautiful green and purple plaid skirt in my size for a great price, but the seams were awful. Most slacks I've found are made from such thin material that every lump shows through and button-up shirts almost always gape in front because the clothing companies don't want to spend money on a couple more buttons.

2. It's so hard to find something that fits right and labels don't help much. I know that it's impossible to make clothes that fit everyone and still look good, but I wish that sizes were more standard. I have to take at least two of everything I like into the dressing room.

3. It can be difficult to find nice, basic clothes. Instead, the stores are filled with fussy clothes in hard to wear styles and busy patterns. I look at a lot of the clothes on the rack and have to ask myself, "Who did they design this for?"

Name ONE dish you'd pick to eat for the rest of your life

Assuming that health wasn't an issue, I'd have to have dark chocolate. I can't live without chocolate.

Best Beauty Buys

While I love makeup, my best buys would have to be those that help the skin underneath. Those are the things that make me feel really beautiful. Then I can enhance with makeup, without feeling like I'm just covering up.

#1 is my Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch sunblock.
Before this sunblock, I hardly ever put sunblock on because it felt and smelled so nasty. For the most part, I try to stay out of the sun, but since I'm very fair-skinned and live in Florida, it isn't surprising that I have still had a lot of very awful sunburns. After I became more interested in skincare, I knew I had to find a sunblock that I could use. I decided to try Neutrogena's because it's a brand that I've had good luck with in the past. I was amazed! It doesn't feel or smell like I have sunblock on, so I can wear it whenever I need to.

#2 is my Prescriptives All Clean facial cleanser.
I had always hated how red my face got. I thought it was normal for me and that I was just stuck with it. But last December, I switched from washing my face with Dove body wash and occasionally, St. Ives Apricot Scrub. The difference was clear after just a couple days. And even though Prescriptives is more expensive, I've been using that same bottle since December and it barely looks used because I can wash my face and neck with a small, pearl-sized amount.

#3 is my Prescriptives Vibrant-C Skin Brightening Eye Cream.
Thanks to my fair skin and a general lack of sleep, I get dark circles under my eyes. This stuff is great for that, plus it reduces the puffiness I sometimes get as well. A friend asked me if I was pregnant because, she said, I was glowing. I told her it was the eye cream that I had started using.

That said, getting custom blended foundation from Prescriptives was well worth the cost since I can never find foundation that blends well when I get out into natural light. I'm also having fun experimenting with white eye liner. Strategically placed and well-blended, it makes my eyes look really big.