I interviewed fashion blogger and founder of Fashion Sensored, Alyssa Amato, who just happens to be a Marymount Manhattan College student majoring in business and minoring in fashion studies. She currently interns at Harper’s Bazaar fashion magazine and has even had designers gift her with jewelry. She’s a pretty big deal! Here’s what she said:
KG: First, tell me a bit about your own personal style?
AA: My personal style is a combination of mixing masculine and feminine styles. I love stripes on any piece of clothing. My wardrobe probably consists of 60% stripes—I blame it on my Florida roots!
KG: Your blog has a large focus on ‘street style’ — tell me a little bit more about it?
AA: Ever since I moved to NYC I became fascinated with street style fashion. Being from Florida the term “street style” consisted of a bikini, denim shorts and maybe a t-shirt. Compared to street style in NYC, I quickly realized this type of fashion is a whole genre in itself. Basically any style on the streets of NYC is deemed as an art form and I love that sense of free expression.
KG: Exactly! Tell me a little bit about the inspiration behind your successful blog Fashion Sensored?
AA: I knew I wanted to create a blog to center around my perspective of street style. My boyfriend gave me the idea of the name Fashion Sensored. He’s the one who encouraged me to start my own blog and express my personal style. We came up with the vision for my blog over dinner one night in the West Village in Manhattan. I wanted the name to be a play on words and kind of funky. I spelled “censored” as “sensored” to have it read more like fashion-sense. I was able to create my vision for the blog based on my past experience. I interned for an online fashion magazine, Stylish Sophisticate, for over a year where I was given the opportunity to redesign the site and publish articles. The experience at the company taught me the basics of web design, SEO and photography.
KG: I love the name and its unique spelling. Fantastic idea. How much content do you post per week? Tell me a little bit about what you publish?
AA: I publish two posts per week. My posts include street style outfits, collages of current trends or products I love, and articles I feel to be relevant to the 20 something’s who read my blog. I usually publish my posts on Mondays and Fridays. I’ve been involved in many collaborations since the launch of my blog, ranging from iPhone case companies to jewelry designers. I also did a collaboration with Warby Parker to promote their summer sunglasses. I only accept collaborations with companies that I genuinely like and support and know my readers will enjoy as well.
KG: That’s wonderful! What inspires you in terms of fashion and art?
AA: I’m inspired by subjects that are simple, true and inviting. I love to share brands that have a meaningful story behind them and stand by a cause. I’m captivated by designs that seem simple, but are unique and hold value.
KG: Beautiful. Who are your personal favorite designers and why? What are some of your favorite trends that you like to emulate?
AA: My favorite designers are Mara Hoffman, Joseph Altuzarra and Kenzo Takada. Mara Hoffman’s prints are something out of a fairy tale. I seriously love each and ever pattern and they’re perfect for the spring/summer months. Altuzarra has some of the most beautiful structured blazers and the shoes are beyond elegant. Kenzo is street style wrapped up in a brand. His graphic tees and bomber jackets are my guilty pleasure. One favorite trend of mine is wearing bandanas as neck scarfs. I love the rugged casual style the piece gives off. Another favorite trend of mine is open, off the shoulder necklines. This trend highlights just the shoulders and makes the garment feel effortless and breezy.
KG: Those are fabulous choices. The fairy tale-like patterns are perfect for our upcoming warm weather, and you can never go wrong with a structured blazer. What things catch your eye?
AA: Bright, vivid patterns and stripes are things that instantly catch my eye. I love when clothing can be easily transition into a day or night look, because everyone loves a good versatile piece!
KG: Right on! How do you feel about fashion and technology merging in the fashion industry today?
AA: Because of the rapid rise of technology there’s no doubt that soon technology and fashion will be intertwined. Major fashion brands have already teamed up with technology companies to expand this undiscovered territory. I wonder if someday everyone will have their own 3D printer and be able to design and produce their own clothing! I think that day in age may be far off, but who really knows! I’m studying Business specifically Entrepreneurship at Marymount Manhattan College and it’s helped me understand the basic principles of what makes a successful company. Fashion blogging is essentially a PR and advertising company and the blogger is the boss. Part of the reason why I started my blog is because I wanted to be in creative control and learn how to build a successful fashion blog. I started Fashion Sensored, seven months ago and I’ve already received so much positive feedback and collaboration interest that it makes me excited for the future!
KG: You have a bright future ahead of you with Fashion Sensored. It’s amazing. I know we also have in common that we’re in the Hearst family, you intern at Harper’s Bazaar and I’ve interned at Marie Claire. How is what you’re learning there corolating to your fashion blog?
AA: Yes!! That’s right. Along with being a full time student, I am currently interning at Harper’s BAZAAR in the ShopBAZAAR department. In my short two months at BAZAAR I’ve already learned so much. Basically a fashion blog is a fashion magazine on a much, much smaller scale. Just like BAZAAR has deadlines to meet, creating articles, filling advertising slots and producing sponsorship content, so do fashion bloggers. It’s been interesting the see the crossover between a prestigious fashion magazine like BAZAAR and fashion bloggers.
KG: What do you think about working in fashion in the future in our present society?
AA: I’ve noticed some people’s responses when you tell them you’re interested in fashion or are working in fashion. Their noses crinkle up and fake a smile and quickly change the subject. I feel like a lot of people have this notion that if you’re interested in fashion your categorized as a vapid, unintelligent person who only cares about materialism and that’s simply not the case. I view fashion as an art form. Fashion is a way to express yourself without saying a word. Fashion is a way to outwardly show who you are or simply who you want to be for the day.
KG: Do you have a favorite fashion quote?
AA: My all time favorite fashion quote is: “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” —Miuccia Prada
KG: Can you give advice to people pursuing this industry like you and I are?
AA: My advice to anyone interested in working in fashion is two things: 1. Talk and be kind to everyone. Connections are everything in this world and you never know who you could be talking to and who they know. Also, no one wants to work with someone who isn’t easy to get along with and fun to be around. Trust me, being genuinely kind will always get you so much farther. 2. Ask questions! People are impressed with those who ask intelligent questions. Plus when you ask questions you understand what the other person is telling you. Asking questions is a skill that is always noticed by employers. Even if you may not be all that into fashion, you still get dress and pick out what you want to wear for the day. My tip to you would be to wear what you feel the most confident in. If it’s that little black turtleneck—wear it—you may opt for high neckline garments. If you find yourself reaching for similar styles or patterns chances are that’s what makes you feel most comfortable and confident.
KG: Great advice, Alyssa! What are your future plans? Can you share any upcoming exciting projects with us?
AA: Within the next month or so, I’m planning on starting an interview section on Fashion Sensored centering around fashion professionals and how they rose to the top and what they learned along the way. I’m always fascinated to hear other people’s stories and I believe others would share in my enthusiasm. It’s hard to start out in fashion because there really isn’t a blueprint to enter into this industry. I want to help bridge the gap between the known and the unknown in the fashion industry and help share tips to others interested in fashion.
KG: I couldn’t agree more. Thanks again so much for this interview. Congratulations on Fashion Sensored and to your continued success!
Be sure to check out FashionSensored.com and follow @FashionSensored on Instagram.