Meet Our February Guest Blogger!

Being that it’s the first week of February, it’s time to introduce you to our February Guest Blogger! This month, Jessica of Marvelous Things will be blogging here every week. Jessica is venturing into the fashion world through blogging, interning, and studying fashion at university. Check back every Friday for her posts, and look below for her Q&A!

 

 

 

Let’s start with the basics: What is your name? How old are you? What city do you call home?

Hey everyone, I’m Jessica Weingarten, the blogger behind Marvelous Things (http://marvelousthingsblog.com). I’m currently based out of Toronto, Ontario (which is a truly wonderful city if you haven’t had the chance to visit) and am tip-toeing the line between 19 and 20.

 

What is your blog about? What type of things do you usually post?

While I’m a huge fan of personal style blogging, my blog definitely has a more journalistic angle to it. I suppose my goal is to present the fast facts of an aspect of the fashion world (be it a show at fashion week, a collection, gossip within the industry) and then provide my own personal spin on it. I have a few recurring columns that I’ve kind of made my own on Marvelous Things, one being a series of How-To guides ranging from “How To Organize Your Closet” to “How To Hunt For Vintage Pieces”. Another favorite of mine is “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” where I review celebrities’ looks on the red carpet. I’m also a HUGE product junkie (I love all things hair and beauty), so you’ll find a lot of video reviews in addition to the regular posts.

 

Why did you start blogging?

I became acquainted with the world of blogging in early 2009, after discovering Joanna Goddard’s “A Cup of Jo” (joannagoddard.blogspot.com). From there, I found myself becoming more and more hooked on handfuls of fashion and lifestyle blogs. I’ve always been a writer – I’ve been writing poetry and prose for as long as I can remember, however; non-fiction writing wasn’t really my forte. In April of that year, I decided to get involved in the blogosphere and start my own blog. At first, it was a little all over the place…photographs that I’d taken, music reviews, pieces that I’d written, fashion articles. Over time, my passion for fashion fought its way through and became the focal point of Marvelous Things.

 

What is your day job?

I’m currently interning at The Peacock Parade (http://thepeacockparade.com), a designer flash sale site based out of Toronto, where I focus on social media and public relations. I was originally studying English in university, but found myself to be unsatisfied with the curriculum. I’m taking some time off to travel (I was just in Israel for a few weeks – what an experience!), focus on my internship, and continue building my fashion writing portfolio. I will be returning to school to study fashion next semester (I just got my acceptance letter today, yay!)

 

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style has, thankfully, really started to evolve this year. I became more drawn to pieces with more tailoring and sartorial flare – button-up blouses, oversized watches, maxi skirts with asymmetrical hems, cuffed menswear pants. The fabrics I’m drawn to the most are tweed and silk (silk dominates my wardrobe). As far as splurging goes, I’m more likely to splurge on clothing staples rather than shoes or a handbag. I have this black leather Marc Jacobs hobo that I’ve worn to death over the past few years that seems to be my go-to, or an envelope clutch for nights out. I’m not really a big wearer of heels. When I go out, I tend to have to do a lot of walking, so I opt for a riding or motorcycle boot or a pair of ballet flats instead.

 

What are your favorite things?

Favorite Food: Can I say macarons? I practically live in French patisseries. Definitely macarons or brie.

Drink: A vanilla latte or a London Fog on a rainy day. I also love a good Tom Collins on the odd occasion.

Movies: I’m a huge cinephile, so I can go on and on forever about which films I love. La Nouvelle Vague from France in the 1960’s is my favorite film movement – Belle de Jour, Vivre sa vie, Pierrot le fou, they’re all classics. Also, Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, and Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson.

Books: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and The Incredible Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I’ve read them both at least eleven times. I’m a big re-reader.

Music: My tastes tend to change with my mood or whatever new albums are out. My more constant favorites include The Smiths, Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, St. Vincent, Serge Gainsbourg, Billie Holiday, and Tom Waits.

 

Favorite designers?

Ooh, this is tough! I have so many for so many different reasons. I really admire Marc Jacobs for taking a stuffy luggage company (Louis Vuitton) and turning it into something very contemporary and very beautiful. I also admire Galliano…despite all of the controversy, he has more talent in his pinky finger than several of the modern greats in design have combined. In terms of creating works of art, I’m a huge fan of Alber Elbaz (creative director of Lanvin), Elie Saab, and Prabal Gurung. As far as practicality goes, I love Vanessa Bruno, Isabel Marant, Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Nicolas Ghesquiere (creative director of Balenciaga), and Jack McCullough Lazaro Hernandez (creative directors of Proenza Schouler).

 

What are your future plans?

Once I finish school, I fully intend on breaking into the fashion industry. Whether it be working as a buyer, in public relations, or editing a fashion publication, I’d just be happy to be entirely immersed in it all!

As far as Marvelous Things goes, I plan on restoring its original “glory”, if you will, and posting original and eye-catching content on a regular basis. From there, I’d love to write for more publications online and in print and continue to feature other bloggers! It’s all about giving back!

 

 

Jessica’s Blog: Marvelous Things

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Come back next Friday to see Jessica’s next post!