Meet the blogger | Melodic Thrifty Chic
Anna is the blogger behind the lovely Melodic Thrifty Chic blog – she has an amazing and unique style, not only showing her clothes, but also writing. She teaches how to wear a dress as a shirt and loves colorful socks. She loves thrifting and she shares so good finds! Her accessories are always very nice, with beautiful necklaces and satchels, as well as sunnies and interesting hooded capes. She has studied Japanese and spent some time practicing and studying it in Japan, how cool is that? So, please, meet Anna, the lovely blogger interviewed this week:
1) Stylishly Beautiful Team (from now on SBT): Tell us a few things about yourself.
I’m from the United States. I live in the Midwest with my partner of 12 years and my cat, Bonaparte. I have a law degree and I’m pursuing a career in teaching U.S. law to international students. I studied Japanese for about 5 or 6 years and I attended a university in Japan for about a year as an exchange student. I’m proficient in the language, though I could always use more practice. Japanese speakers aren’t exactly plentiful where I’m from. Haha.
2) SBT: How did you decide to create your blog?
A good friend of mine suggested that I start a fashion blog, because he liked how I dressed. I dismissed it for a while, but eventually I gave in. So, I started my blog about three years ago. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know what a ‘style icon’ was. I didn’t know what ‘oxblood’ was. I didn’t know there was such as thing as famous fashion bloggers. I don’t even own a fashion magazine. Haha. I really went into this knowing next to nothing about blogging, let alone blogging about fashion. So, it took me a long time to get acclimated to this scene that I’ve now become a part of. Over the years, I’ve had some ups and downs, but the former seems to have outweighed the latter. The relationships that I’ve cultivated have made it all worth it. It’s nice to have a relatively safe place on the internet where you can talk about yourself and things that you like and not get flamed. Haha. I’m still continually amazed by how kind people are when they visit my blog. It has become a place where I can truly be myself. I’m always grateful.
3) SBT: What inspired the name of your blog?
Ahh. It was really hard trying to figure out how to encapsulate the focus of my blog in just a few words. Eventually, I went with Melodic, Thrifty & Chic, because I love music. I listen to it all day, everyday. I can talk about it for hours. Hehe. I knew that I wanted my fashion blog to have a musical component, so I added a music blog to it. Also, I’m kind of a cheap ass. I don’t like spending a lot of money on my clothes. I’m poor. What can I say? The thought of spending $50 on a pair of shoes or $60 on a pair of jeans makes me ill. Haha. This is especially the case when I know that I can go to my local thrift store or vintage joint and get a new (or close to new) item of similar design for much less. So, I knew that most of what I wore on my blog would be items that I had thrifted or otherwise obtained in a very cheap manner. Hehe. Finally, I always try to be true to my personal aesthetic. I’ve always known that I think about style differently than most people. I don’t know if my style can be considered ‘chic,’ but I’d like to think that I can pull off a chic look every now and then. I guess it sounds better than Melodic, Thrifty & Geek. Haha.
4) SBT: How would you describe your style?
Eclectic and unique. I’m always doing something different and I’m always trying to be the only one doing it.
5) SBT: What’s blogging for you?
Acceptance. It’s about putting yourself out there for scrutiny and hoping that people understand where you’re coming from. I feel a twinge of nerves before every post I publish.
6) SBT: Do you think that fashion blogging has changed you somehow?
Holy Zeus, yes! I think much differently about the pieces that I add to my wardrobe. I’m much more calculating about it, so I’m a better, smarter shopper. Also, I feel like my sense of style is evolving more rapidly and it’s always going in a positive direction. Basically, I’m a much smarter dresser than in years past. My standards are even higher, because I have come to expect scrutiny.
7) SBT: Have you encountered any difficulties since the day you started blogging?
Well, I guess I’ve learned that there are people out there who are not your friend, even though they portray themselves as such. There are people out there who want to make money off of you and exploit you. There are a lot of people who seem to want a lot from you, but will give you little or nothing in return. It’s more of a jungle than I initially realized. So, I have to learn when to say, ‘no,’ and do so as often as is necessary to keep my faith in the blogosphere. I have to respect myself and what I do. It’s easy to lose your integrity when money and free stuff is involved.
8) SBT: What would you advise someone who who wants to start blogging?
Figure out why you want to blog in the first place and stick to that reason, no matter what. Hopefully, it’s a good reason. 😉
9) SBT: What would you say is the best and the worst part of blogging?
The best part is being told that I’ve changed the way a person thinks about style. Knowing that I’ve made such a palpable impact on another person is really inspiring. The worst part is the time consumption and unreasonable expectations that may be placed on me. If I could just update my blog twice a week, that would be great. However, I can’t do that. I have to be active on social media and I have to make sure that I engage my readers, because I want them to know that I appreciate them and that I’m thankful for their support. So, this means that I spend about 50-60 hours a week interacting with my readers (and non-readers alike) and maintaining a presence on various social media platforms. Sometimes, it can get really overwhelming, but I try to make time for people who genuinely took time for me.
10) SBT: Which is your favorite item in your closet (among clothes, shoes, bags or accessories)?
11) SBT: What are your future plans/dreams in general and about blogging?
I’d love to have a better looking website. I see myself moving away from my current platform and building a much nicer site, once I can afford it. Also, I think I will continue to blog well into my old age. I’m quite curious to see how my style will evolve over time. Will I be a hip granny? Time will tell. Haha. 😛
