VOLUME: STYLE BOOK I
EDWARD HONAKER • BETHANY STRUBLE • YOSHI SUDARSO ZOE FLOOD • JENNY ONG • KAYKAY BLAISDELL • OLIVIA LOPEZ TIM MELIDEO • AMBER SAYLOR • PETER ADRIAN
Directors: Jenny Ong & Melly Lee Photographer: Melly Lee Executive Producer: Abe Lim Producer: Danielle S. Lee Directors of Photography: Nate Fu & Jason Poon Assistant Director: Nina Nguyen Production Designer: Eugene Paek Grips: Paolo Ongkeko & Sam Puefua Styling: Jenny Ong Wardrobe Supervisor: Lauren Nakagawa Hair and Makeup: Raelynne Rosales & Jennifer Pham Production Assistants: Alex Nauta & Phil Maingot Layout Design: Thanh Nguyen Interviewer: Ching-Yun Li Behind the Scenes Videographer: Jonathan Shih Video Editor: Daniel Kwan
EDITOR’S NOTE Hi there. We’re Foundry and we’re here to present you a compilation of creative and awesome individuals. What does ‘Foundry’ mean? To us, it means the bringing together of a group of people who inspire us—by pushing the envelope in new media—under one stop. We mix a little bit of good ol’ fashion as we believe style and fashion are some of the frontrunners in expressive art. Foundry is about celebrating that unique sense of individual, together. We believe in this day and age, there are many talented individuals that exist amongst us. And not just talented people, but those who continue to pave their personal road to success—to redefine what is expected of them—and to generate fresh ideas and discourse through the use of new media. With the pace at which social media goes, humanizing aspects are unfortunately forgotten. We hope to provide glimpses into personal thoughts and reminders that inspiration comes from those who we identify with. For our first volume, we brought together a group of fashion bloggers from the Southern California region. The guys and girls you’ll see are all respective Lookbook.nu members as well. The rise of fashion bloggers has been, well, on the rise over the past few years and Lookbook.nu was one of the first fashion communities that caught like wildfire. We featured both veteran and new users to showcase different experiences from both spectrums. Foundry presents you Volume: Style Book 1
EDWARD Meet the (Synthetic) Prince and His Hair What started as a mere one hundred ‘Hypes’ on Lookbook.nu snowballed a few years later into nearly one thousand reblogs per photo on his Tumblr. Edward Honaker, a photography student, has his hair (duh) and attention to detail to thank for that. Naturally, as a jokingly self-proclaimed D-list Internet celebrity, Edward faces criticism from the World Wide Web. Despite the “haters” though, blogging on Lookbook and Tumblr and on various social networks has positively affected Edward. Still, he doesn’t take style blogging too seriously and focuses on retaining his swag skills on Dance Dance Revolution (or so he says after he chuckles for the umpteenth time).
“Blogging’s a hobby, really. I’m not trying to make it a career, but it’s something I enjoy and I know others enjoy it, too.”
“I don’t know if everyone else is like this, but for me, it’s easy to get obsessive about the way things fit. To get clothing to fit right in the photo, they have to fit fine in person, so it is a challenge, you know - you’ll sew the pants just right, then you’ll wear it and have to make slight adjustments and so forth.”
Suit Supply suit, Dolce & Gabbana shirt, Brooks Brothers tie, Florsheim shoes
“I’ve met a lot of cool people. We all have similar interests and they don’t judge you for taking pictures of yourself because they do it, too, you know.”
“You get to connect with a lot of people over the Internet and it’s kind of cool. I’m not very serious on a lot of social networks—I’m just trying to make people laugh and be as ostentatious as possible.”
BETHANY Staying Humble and Unrefined Bethany Struble has been blogging for just a little over two years and has since gained such a wide viewership that she’s launched one for her daughter. Surprised she had a daughter? Although many are unaware of her motherhood, Bethany strives to display that raw and endearing part of her life because she believes her blog should remain mostly unedited. The Tennessee native is all about country music and keeping things true to her roots, plain and classic. Bethany shares with us how she incorporates her personal life into her fashion blog that’s taken her from Tennessee to California, to the fashion capital New York, and back.
“It’s amazing how many people I’ve met through Lookbook. I would follow certain bloggers and grow fond of their style and then when I finally meet them, we’re instantly friends! I feel like I know so much about them already.”
“I was in New York and I was about to miss the train. It was snowing outside and it had dripped onto the subway steps. I had on my high heels - you already know what’s going to happen. I ran down the stairs to catch the train and as I was rushing, I fell completely down the stairs!”
“If I were to be any shoe, I’d be a good ol’ trusty pair of ankle boots. I’d want to be a classic, plain, staple piece.”
BCBG Max Azria dress, Sole Society heels, Jennifer Zeuner jewelry
“I try to include the less glamorous aspects of blogging as well, such as being a mother. The challenge for me is constantly trying to be as genuine and as raw as possible.”
“I don’t want to come off as someone who spends a lot of money on clothes and travels without having to pay for anything—I’m always so grateful for every opportunity and try my best to stay humble.”
YOSHI Yoshi Finds New Heights Sharing Personal Style Having started their Lookbook.nu profiles two years ago, Yoshi Sudarso and younger brother Peter have garnered quite the fan base. Yoshi speaks only good things of his brother, whom he shares a blog with. He regards Peter as the one who completes his lack of artistic creativity, whereas he carries the athletic genes. D’aww. Blogging, filming and stunts work has taught Yoshi how to maintain a balance in his busy schedule. Although his focus remains with stunts at Torque Method and Universal Studios, Yoshi plans to edge into acting—both of which he’s learned quite a bit from his experience on posting his personal looks.
“I had not thought about doing any modeling work at first. I was doing it for fun. This [blogging] experience has helped me learn how to hold myself in a photo and pose.”
“It’s tough sometimes to find time to sit down and do this. I’m not the most technologically savvy guy so just going on the computer to figure all this out can be quite a challenge.”
H&M suit, Cole Haan shoes, vintage shirt
“Along with blogging here and there, I perform stunts, act, and play sports most of the time, so my style focuses more on comfort. If I had to be any type of shoe, I’d pick a pair of Chukkas for sure.”
ZOE Zoe, Past Face Value The Southern California born, half Frenchie, quarter Vietnamese, and quarter Mexican girl speaks four languages and loves anime. Zoe Flood currently is a full time model, plans to attend a fashion design school, and wishes playing video games all day could count as a job. As a prominent face on Lookbook.nu and respectively on her personal blog, Zoe has booked jobs for modeling and styling projects. Opportunities have opened up for Zoe despite quick judgments based on the one thing that’s brought her said opportunities.
“If I could be any type of shoe, I would be a pair of Keds in light pink because I love the idea of being young at heart. I always wore Keds when I was a kid and I’d always have adventures in them.”
“When I first started, I would get a lot of hate mail based off of face value. People see the way you look and some may be unhappy with themselves so they write something very negative to make themselves feel better.”
“It was really hard for me to deal with because I have very low self-esteem to begin with, but after a while it improved because people started to see more of my personality.”
Elizabeth & James dress, BCBG Max Azria heels, Vanessa Mooney jewelry
“I’ve built a lot of friendships from [my blog]. All the girls I’ve met are extremely nice. I’ve also booked a lot of modeling jobs from my blog.”
“Companies tend to trust me because of my blog. You really live for what you want to do. It’s awesome.”
JENNY Jenny and Maintaining the ‘Girl Next Door’ Having started her blog, “Neon Blush”, after crucially needing a creative outlet, Jenny Ong sought to offer a piece of her outlook on personal fashion and photography to inspire like-minded girls. Since blogging for a little over two years, Jenny has been exposed to the growing power of social media (she landed a full time job from it!)… along with the unfavorable aspects that come with publicly displaying oneself on the World Wide Web. In light of it, however, Jenny remains a homebody and has grown sturdier skin.
“Partying is fun once in a while but it gets old very quickly for me. I think I fit the assigned character “Girl Next Door” because I’d much rather stay at home on a Friday night and cook or bake with my friends. I’m a total homebody.”
“Because of the way technology enables us to keep in touch with people almost twenty-four hours a day, it’s almost like you’re growing alongside people you’ve never met in person.”
“In the past, there was stigma associated with meeting people through the Internet. But now people are networking this way for a multitude of reasons and it has become a beautiful thing, especially for the fashion blogging world. It’s like a tree of endless connections.”
Gryphon dress, BCBG Max Azria heels, Jennifer Zeuner jewelry
“When you start blogging, you are exposed to snarky remarks with Internet anonymity and you can’t stop it. It’s inevitable and unfortunate, but things like this have actually helped me grow a much thicker skin. It’s a good kind of skin, and it’s better not to be too sensitive to other’s opinions of me, anyway.”
KAY KAY Little Miss Sunshine Kay Kay Adds Spice to the Sugar As the source of “Spice” in her blog “Sugar and Spice,” shared with her best friend from Texas, it’s hard to think Kay Kay Blaisdell is anything but sweet. For the 19 year-old photography and design student who ultimately strives to be kind and genuine, keeping it real and being unpredictable is just part of the crucial balance in leading a publicized personal style blog.
“People say, ‘Wow I wish I could be like you,’ and I think [they] easily can. It’s hard to keep up blogging, but I like it because it’s doable and accessible to people. It doesn’t even have to be your job. It can be a hobby, something you do for fun.”
“People think that [bloggers] have that perfect life and they put them on some type of pedestal, but I’m just a normal person. That’s why I like style blogging because I’m not famous, I don’t have a stylist. I blog out of my bedroom.”
“Readers can be extremely critical. I’m still learning not to let those people get into my head. They can only bring you down if you let them, so I choose not to listen.”
Stella McCartney dress, Valentino heels, J.Crew cuff
“I love crime shows. It’s the only thing I watch. My channel is always on I.D., the Investigation Discovery Network. If I wasn’t into fashion, I feel like I’d be an investigator in the FBI. That would be a dream job.”
OLIVIA Finding Herself and Defining Her Own Meaning of Success The 20-year old blogger at “Lust for Life” was one of the first Lookbook users, ubiquitous for her edgy, rocker style. Starting her blog at the prime age of fourteen, Olivia Lopez is renown as one of the few pioneers of personal style blogging. Olivia has found tremendous opportunities and meaningful relationships through her blog and social media. “Lust for Life” serves as her reminder and metaphor for life, one that encourages her to conquer her fears and maximize what life has to offer… even if it means opposing social norms.
“I started blogging when I was in the fifth grade—I’ve always had an online extension of myself. Trying to figure out who you are while trying to present yourself in this virtual world is a bit of a challenge because who I was when I first started my blog has changed so much from who I am today.”
“I’m in a position right now where I’ve already branded myself as a blogger and a lot of people who have read my blog in its earlier stages have seen me through all of my changes and they make a lot of comparisons and judgments about me based on that.”
“Blogging has taught me that there are so many opportunities in the world and there isn’t just one formula for how to live your life and be successful. I can live a certain lifestyle and be happy and creative, waking up every morning doing what I love, versus doing something that is being molded of me by society.”
Parker dress, Sole Society pumps, Jennifer Zeuner jewelry
“Social media has totally democratized fashion. I used to believe that fashion was an industry that only people with connections of money were able to jump into. Because of blogging, I’ve been able to join that world—it’s opened up the fashion world to creative, young people who never had this kind of leverage before.”
TIM The Absolute Gentleman Inspired by his dapper looks, we thought Tim Melideo fit “The Gentleman” perfectly. It turns out, Tim really is a gentleman in every respect and enjoys being old-fashioned. From his mannerisms to the way he dresses, Tim finds that the vintage, classic style that has garnered much attention to his blog, “Stay Classic”, is really just a manifestation of who he is.
“I never used to care how I looked until I came back to L.A. from New York. Before, when I would walk my dog, I would wear a t-shirt and basketball shorts, but now I have to wear my jeans and look somewhat presentable (chuckles). I don’t know why everyone’s always in workout gear in L.A., even when they don’t go to the gym…”
“I have a tripod with a wireless trigger, so I set that up and take my photos outside of my apartment. Sometimes I feel embarrassed taking them outside because neighbors will come around the corner and see me standing in front of the camera all dressed up (laughs).”
“My style is classic, and I’m very inspired by vintage looks. I hope to inspire others who share that same style.”
Vanishing Elephant suit, J.Crew shirt, vintage tie, Banana Republic shoes, Timex watch
“Once I was approached by a reader while I was out at dinner with my wife, and he said, ‘Excuse me, sir, do you run the “Stay Classic” blog?’ and we chatted a little. I found it hilarious simply because he called me ‘Sir’ (laughs).”
“Being a gentleman is really important to me. I always hold open doors no matter for whom. I think the term is perfect because I strive to be a gentleman both in my style and in my mannerisms. I try to be respectful to everybody.”
AMBER The Beloved Rebel Amber Saylor runs her blog, “Cannibal’s Find”, posting looks of her addictive personal style. Although now she devotes more time to Instagram, it was Amber’s blog that landed her a dream styling job at PacSun. Seeing as she is regularly in studs, grungy plaid, and six-inch platforms, we labeled Amber as “The Rebel” but she could not have a sweeter persona. From volunteering to style photoshoots to warmly greeting fans from In s ta g r a m , t o be i n g c o m p l e t e l y de v o t e d t o h e r wo rk a t Pa cSun , Am ber exudes determination and heart to juxtapose her unconventional, rebellious style.
“I got my job at PacSun because of ‘Cannibal’s Find’. I began doing contractual work for them where I only came in once or twice to blog. Eventually it turned into a full-blown position where they hired me as a stylist.”
“My biggest challenge being a personal style blogger is probably my weight. People sometimes criticize that I have an eating disorder. If they actually knew me, they’d know that I have an insanely fast metabolism and my entire family is tiny. It’s not just me.”
Rory Beca dress, BCBG Max Azria heels, Jennifer Zeuner jewelry
“I blog a lot for PacSun already so when I get home, the last thing I want to do is throw up another post. I’m really trying and Instagram has been helping me out a lot. A lot of people recognize me from there. My family isn’t totally tied into what I do, so they make fun of me when I get those kinds of encounters!”
“I’m so competitive with myself. Hopefully in five years, I’ll be styling for a brand that I really love. I love PacSun and I plan on sticking around, but no one is with a company for their entire lives.”
PETER The Peter Adrian Factor Peter Sudarso, one-half of the blog “Sudarso Bros.”, of which is shared by his older brother Yoshi, keeps his style clean and classic. Maybe that’s the formula to his dashing charm? Whatever it may be, Peter found his way to fellow blogger Bethany Struble’s heart after connecting with her for a Lookbook.nu photoshoot. Cute much? Nowadays Peter is just happy to be a part of the growing community of a new wave of bloggers. In the near future, he hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps and entertain the idea of acting. For now, Peter is enjoying the ride that his charm is taking him on.
“One day, Bethany and I just met up and did a photoshoot together. I thought to myself, ‘Man, this girl is beautiful, and I just have to be with her.’”
“A large part of my readership is comprised of high school girls. A girl recognized me at Knott’s Berry Farm and asked me for a photo… and then all of a sudden, a mob of girls started coming over and asked to go on rides with me. It was out of control (laughs).”
Black Lapel blazer, H&M shirt, Zara pants, YSL tie, Aldo shoes
“I met my girlfriend, Bethany Struble, through Lookbook.nu. Another guy I’ve met through Lookbook is now one of my closest friends.”
“Some people will say things like, ‘You’re doing your style wrong. How do you have a style blog?’ or things like, ‘He’s buttoning the last button on his vest.’ People hate on these sorts of silly things.”
Wardrobe Madison Boutique madisonlosangeles.com BCBG Max Azria bcbg.com Jennifer Zeuner jenniferzeuner.com Sole Society solesociety.com
Furniture The Feed Store yelp.com/biz/the-feed-store-long-beach Big Daddy’s Antiques bdantiques.com Warehouse 1333 warehouse1333.com
Location The Hall 2701 N. Broadway Los Angeles, California 90031 United States
Craft Services Boba Bear / Pho bobabear.com
Special Thanks Yuri Tag Sheri & Adrian Angeles Khalif Boyd Garrick Fuji Justin Huang Daniel Nguyen Aiko Tanaka David Lim Steven Santos