Cityline Featured Blogger: Kendra from Curated Taste

We love reading about this fabulous fashionista's amazing finds and seeing the stunning outfits she wears!

There are so many fabulous bloggers out there, and we want to highlight them on Cityline.ca. We’ll be profiling different lifestyle bloggers from month to month — they might write about food, fashion, beauty, décor, parenting, entertaining, gardening, you get the idea! For June 2014, we’re putting the spotlight on fabulous fashionista Kendra from Curated Taste. Run by Kendra Hagerman, we love reading about her amazing fashion finds, her interviews with creative women in the fashion industry, and, of course, seeing the stunning outfits she wears! Here’s our Q&A with Kendra:

kendra-blossomsWhen did you start Curated Taste and what was your inspiration behind the blog? How did you come up with your blog’s name?

It was actually my mom that encouraged me to start Curated Taste (Van City Pretty at the time). I’ve always written in one form or another, and she suggested it as a way to share my passion for fashion and beauty. Whenever I discovered a new product or brand, I would share it with my family and friends, so it was an organic and natural progression for me. It was a match made in heaven, and over three years later it’s my every day labour of love that I’m very grateful to have.

I decided on the name Curated Taste after months of brainstorming. I wanted to choose a name that was global, sophisticated, but also personal. All of the content on my website is selected by me (curated, if you will), so Curated Taste was born.

On your blog you write a range of different posts, from showcasing what you wore, to rounding up your fave finds, to interviewing people in the fashion world. What do you like about writing a variety of types of posts, and what’s your favourite type of post to write?

My favourite thing about writing a variety of posts is that I’m the boss! In addition to Curated Taste, I also write for a number of media outlets, so owning my own website and having full creative control is really fun for me. My only self-enforced rule for Curated Taste is that I only write about the things that I truly love, so every topic that I write about is hand-picked by me.

My favourite type of post to write about is my “Fashion Femmes” feature, where I interview interesting, driven, and creative women in the fashion industry. I love hearing real-life stories about success, challenges, lessons learned, and always get so much inspiration out of every interview. Sometimes I think the feature is more for me than my readers!

kendra-closeup

What’s your absolute favourite item in your closet?

That would be my $2 Gucci clutch. Yes, you read that right. When I’m able to squeeze it in, thrift store shopping is a weekly activity for me. One of my favourite finds is a vintage Gucci clutch (I even had it authenticated) that I purchased from the Salvation Army for $2. I love the thrill of the hunt, and I often incorporate my thrift store finds into my “What I Wore” posts. Keep an eye out for the post that features my $2 thrift store score in the upcoming weeks.

Tell us about a post (or two!) that you’re particularly proud of and want to share with Cityline.ca readers.

While I love reporting on fashion and beauty news, some of my favourite posts are when I get personal or share some of my favourite things:
1. My advice and goals on perfectionism;
2. Some seriously stylish headphones;
3. A very colourful day trip and dressing for a cause.

kendra-greenpants

What do you hope your readers get from visiting your blog?

I want them to get inspired by strong, independent women, discover a new product worth spending their money on, learn about the latest fashion/beauty news, relate to things I’m experiencing or going through, read about a new trend they are excited about, get the courage to try a new style, or perhaps just escape the everyday for a few moments by browsing some of the things that catch my eye and steal my heart.

kendra-pinkscarf-cropWhat are some other blogs you love reading?

My New Roots, designlovefest, Cupcakes and Cashmere, Goop, Man Repeller…the list goes on.

What’s your top advice for other bloggers?

Be kind, be patient, and committed to following your passion.  It may be daunting in the beginning when you’re first starting out, but take it one step at a time.  Whether your interest is in fashion, beauty, décor, food, or muscle cars, write about it.  Surround yourself with inspiring people and do it because you love it. Listen less to naysayers and more to your heart.

We want to hear from you! Do you know a blogger we should feature on Cityline.ca? Maybe it’s you! Email us at submissions@cityline.ca and include “Cityline Featured Blogger” in the subject line. And don’t forget to include a link to the blog! Look forward to hearing from you!