Ire Aderinokun’s passion for fashion is most evidently demonstrated  in her blog, Voguish. An admirer of all things stylish and fashionable, her appreciation for fashion ranging from catwalk styles to high street chic is vibrantly expressed and enjoyable to read.

What inspired you to create your own fashion blog?
My sister introduced me to the fashion blog, Karla’s Closet. From there I viewed loads of different blogs, and I thought starting my own would be a fun way to explore the fashion world.

Why the name ‘Voguish?’
It took me quite a while to settle on a name. I was browsing the Aldo shoes website and one of the shoes I really liked was described as being “voguish”, that’s where I got the name.

What other fashion blogs do you like to read?
I really like fashiontoast (http://www.fashiontoast.com/), Vanillascented (http://vanillascented.freshnet.se/), Zanita (http://zanitazanita.blogspot.com/) but my favourite is Chicmuse (http://thechicmuse.blogspot.com/).

Who is your style icon, and why?
I can’t say I have one style icon, at least not yet. I do like Alexa Chung though. There’s something refreshing and effortless about her style.

What’s your fail-safe fashion tip?
I think you can always look chic wearing mostly monochrome colours with either an accessory or shoes in a more eye-catching colour.

What current summer trends do you like, and why?
Surprisingly I really like the clog trend. I never thought clogs could look good but Chanel and Jeffrey Campbell definitely proved otherwise. I really like how the fashion industry can re-invent anything.

Where do you hope to take the blog in the future?
I guess I’d just like it to be a source of inspiration to others, like the blogs that inspire me.

http://voguishblog.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/ireaderinokun

Ambitious, open-minded, and outgoing, blogger Georgiana is not one to shy away from matters concerning fashion.  In addition to running her own personal style blog Vintage Traffic, she is also the owner of the fashion blogging community, Vogueicon.  Koko Magazine caught up with the savvy fashionista to find out more about Vintage Traffic and her hot style tips for this summer.

Tell us a bit about yourself – where you’re based, what you do.

I am a 22 year old dreamer with Romanian roots, living in South France for almost one year. I will be licensed in Journalism and Communication studies this year and I will be taking up a challenge in Fashion Marketing and Management, next year in Paris.

Why did you start your blog?

I started my blog almost two years ago and after few articles with my opinions on different aspects of fashion industry, I decided that it’s the time for me to step up in another direction, which is personal style and things I experience through life. Therefore, I think the main reason why I started to write a blog was my need to express myself.   I felt I can write about things in my life that others will find interesting.   Writing, photography and music have always been something exciting, to which I am profoundly attached.  I like to reinvent myself, it’s the perfect opportunity to occupy my spirit.  Fashion and music are vital factors, without I just can’t live.

Where did the name come from?

I was living in Bucharest at the time and I have to say I didn’t rack my brain too much, I just wanted to start a fashion blog and while I was wandering the crowded streets it came out to me.

I associated my passion for vintage fashion with the idea of traffic: wherever you go you find yourself in traffic and it’s kind of ironic, but fashion is at any step, people are connected to it more than they think.

What trends are hot for summer?

I have to mention the nudes for this season and floral prints. I am personally a big fan of pastel colours – they bring a freshness to the idea of summer.

Light textures such as chiffon, silk, lace are always a good choice for the hot summer days.

Denim with some romantic maxi or short dresses, with Aztec prints are so much fun. You can wear them for almost any occasion and you won’t be something else, but very chic.

As for the accessories for this summer, I am absolutely in love with massive jewellery, such as cuffs in any shape, tribal inspired necklaces and so on.

I believe that accessories can change everything in an outfit, a pair of wood wedge platforms, as well as an oversized clutch will always make a statement, even if you wear them with basic items of clothing. It’s not all about the trends, it’s mostly about what makes you feel confident and beautiful.

Who is your fashion icon, and why?

I have so many fashion inspirations, from fashion bloggers all over the world, to IT girls and celebrities such as Sienna Miller, Kate Bosworth, Alexa Chung, Chloe Sevigny, Marion Cotillard, Olivia Palermo, Miroslava Duma, Jessica Alba, Rachel Zoe, who is also my top favourite stylist.

Of course the legendary fashion icon Audrey Hepburn and the timeless image of Coco Chanel, along with so many other women, who remain in history because of their beauty, have to be mentioned.

What’s your No.1 fashion tip?

Fashion is a language as a lot of people say, and style is a very important part of it, but what I find amazing about the freedom in choosing your style is a great attitude that marks your personality.

As a tip I would say that you have to be daring and confident.   Trendsetter or not, you still have to do your best and take care of your overall look.  That’s what a strong woman does.

A long lasting lipstick, a delicate blush and a good powder to refresh your make up, some mints and a cereals bar for boosting the energy:  these would be some tips I use each day.

Recently you took trips to Paris and Saint Tropez.  What have you seen that is common to French style, and what differences did you notice about the two locations style-wise?  Do you prefer the fashion scene of one of these locations over the other, and if so, why?

True, both of these experiences were great and I was very delighted to see such amazing places, I’ve been to Paris three times already and I can’t wait to move there next year.

As for Saint-Tropez it was the first time, but hopefully not the last one.

It’s not the first time though when I visited Cote d’Azur, absolutely divine for summer days, you have to go there at least once in a life time.

Everywhere I go I feel inspired and street style is one of the best things out there to be seen.

There are of course some slight differences between the way people dress in Paris in comparison with how people dress in Saint-Tropez, but the French style remains the same in one way –  always captivating.

Women are very chic and they have the notion of how looking stylish, in their blood. They will always wear a beautiful coat, a very natural make- up (black eye liner and some blush cheeks), always great bags and shoes and why not some bohemian pearls, beautifully matching a well cut dress.

In Saint-Tropez I saw some ladies in their 50s that literally took my breath away, the same way as some young women in their 30s did that to me, when I was in Paris.

All in all, I think it’s a matter of personal style and not necessary where you’re living, but it’s very true that on the wonderful streets of Paris you will always find some people with great sense of fashion.

I guess deep down I was always a romantic, but rough at the same time and the way I dress reflects very well my way of being so I would say that I fit the Parisian style.

I see myself wearing a trench coat with a dress and very high heels, as well as a pair of blue classical jeans, a jumper and a pair of flats.

How important is confidence in fashion?

As I said before confidence is an essential part, not only in fashion, but whatever you choose to do.

I think what is happening in today’s fashion world is overwhelming, so many talented and creative people that is really hard to enter and be successful.

It is a really hard field and before you decide to open your heart towards it, you have to think twice if it’s really the right thing for you.

If it is, then you should do it and you should try your best to succeed and make something that you really like.  There are a lot of successful designers, stylists, editors, photographers, so why not be part of the list?  When I decided to take my chance in fashion I was really determined and I knew it is for me.

What current item of clothing or accessory are you loving at the moment?

I would definitely say dresses, in any shapes, prints, colours or textures.  I just love wearing them in any season and at the moment I enjoy wearing them with short jackets or blazers and wedge shoes.

http://vintagetraffic.blogspot.com/

http://www.vogueicon.com/

Maria Hansen Troøyen is a fashion blogger from Norway with oodles of style and an entertaining and insightful outlook on all things fashion.

Find out what she has to say on the relationship between music & fashion, styles for this spring/summer and how Norweigan chic is taking to the world stage.

Why did you name your blog ‘Lost In A Spotless Mind’?

It’s a combination of the titles of two of my favourite movies: “Lost In Translation” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”. Movies and fashion to me have always had a strong connection, and I liked how my made-up title was so suitable for a blog – a place where someone can look into my mind (though it’s far from spotless, I must admit… I was being ironic).

How would you describe your blog to a new reader?

I think it’s a rather  personal fashion blog. I don’t write as much about celebrities or the most current trends, but more about my own fashion issues/tips/opinions. I also try to inspire my readers a lot, both with pictures and with tips about how to think differently about clothes and fashion.

Why did you start blogging?

Well, apart from music, fashion and writing have always been the things that interested me the most. Because I study music it would have been hard for me to write (about fashion, or anything else) professionally, but a blog seemed like a good way to satisfy the fashionable part of me. An added benefit is that it turned out to be much more sociable than I’d first imagined, since blogging has more two-way communication than a magazine. I’ve made some very sweet and supportive acquaintances through my blog.

What makes your blog unique from other fashion blogs?

Firstly, the combination of my fashion life and my music life, though I rarely write about music without linking it to a fashion issue. I sometimes write about the challenges of finding the right thing to wear on stage, for instance, or how it can be difficult to define and express a public image. This is something anyone can be interested in, I think, since we all portray an image of some sort with our personal style. Second, since my blog is so strongly flavoured by my personal opinions and style, it is probably a bit unique simply because there’s so much  me in there.

On your blog you describe being part of your band as your ‘other life’. Why is this?

I decided early in life that it would be difficult to focus equally on music and fashion, and chose music as the area I wanted to work with professionally. Even though I’m happy with my choice, it’s been impossible not to think about fashion: I’m just as thrilled about a new issue of a fashion magazine or a blogpost as of a new CD, and my fellow students often comment on my outfits. Having two rather different interests also makes sure I don’t tire of either. After an intensive week with band practices and being surrounded by four guys, I can snuggle up with a magazine or book, paint my nails and try on all my shoes. Creates a nice kind of balance, you know?

What would you say are the hallmarks of the Norwegian fashion scene and style?

Generally I think Norwegian designers have made great progress these past years, both with the designs themselves, but also with how they present themselves to the world. Norwegian fashion today feels much more equivalent to the international fashion scene than it has ever done before, but fortunately they still maintain some of the Norwegian fashion trademarks (such as knits and processed fabrics). I’m also quite proud that the world’s first organic Fairtrade fashion label was Norwegian, and that we have contributed to the fashion world with people such as Iselin Steiro (model), Kristian Aadnevik and Iselin Engan (designers). When it comes to the Norwegian fashionistas I would say our specialty is to keep warm – it’s pretty much required when living this far north, but we do it with  style .

Do you think your style is influenced by music and being part of a band? What else influences your style?

It has definitely made me more aware of the concept of image, and how what you wear speaks volumes of who you are (or who you  want to be). Also, being in a band with four guys has made me a bit more conscious of the amount of time I spend getting ready for, say, a concert – it’s not very tempting to spend all my time backstage putting on makeup, so I tend to go for the quick fixes. Though when I’m not “band-Maria” it’s wonderful to spend a lot of time dressing and really go for a certain look. Most of the times my outfits start with a movie, actually. I listen to the soundtrack or keep the film running in the background, then try to recapture the feel of the movie. Typical trend reports in magazines are fun to read, but I often find them a little too impersonal for me to copy.

Who is your ultimate style icon and why?

I’m going to cheat a little and pick three characters from movies: Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) from “Lost In Translation”, Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) from “Sweeney Todd”, and Vera (Keira Knightley) from “The Edge of Love”… and I must admit that I frequently google’ both Scarlett Johansson, Christina Ricci and Kirsten Dunst for inspiration.

Any spring/summer style predictions?

I think this season might be very interesting, because there are so many different looks to choose from. Everything from the traditional laydlike look, via luxurious folklore, to androgynous simplicity can be found – but also fresh  combinations of more stereotypical trends. So many of the past decades have been worked almost to death, so it’s so exciting to see how the designers are now making an effort to create something entirely new.

Do you have any fail-safe fashion tips?

Yes, quite many, and you can find them in my blog! But the one trick that never fails me is a coat of red lipstick. It always makes my day a little more interesting.

www.lostinaspotlessmind.com