All eyes on Edmonton

WORDS BY MONA BULTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREVOR TSOI

Amber Scott puts the eyes of the world on her local favourites

With the amount of followers she’s gained, Edmonton’s Amber Scott falls well within the category of influencer, as hundreds of thousands of people flock to her for her OOTDs, beauty tips, or to take comfort in her slice-of-life posts about her day-to-day life.

Amber’s online roots started in 2014 in the form of

fashion blogging and posting some of her photos. As the internet moved through its phases, so did her content. From experimenting with 2015’s bokeh trend to 2018’s photo preset obsession, she’s tried them all. About a year after starting to blog, Amber adapted her content to post on Instagram. From there, her career has exploded: working with international brands, attending NYFW, while always delivering high‑quality content without any outside help aside from her husband.

Amber, how would you describe yourself? Without sounding too forward, I'd say I'm ambitious and driven. I thrive on challenges and am constantly setting goals for myself. I'm also quite introverted. While I enjoy the occasional night out with friends and spontaneous get-togethers, I feel my best when I'm alone in my cozy environment. People are often a bit taken aback when I say I'm introverted since I'm so open with my online world.

Did you ever think you'd amass such a large following? To be honest, I try not to think about the number too much because whenever I do, I get stage fright, if that makes sense. I'm extremely grateful for the audience I have. Sharing my life so candidly and having others be able to relate is such a wonderful feeling. I always do my best to keep my content positive and light-hearted; I think with everything going on in this chaotic world, being able to laugh and forget about problems for a bit can be refreshing.

Living your life very publicly often invites a lot of hate online, how do you handle this? This took me a long time to learn but now I just simply don't respond. While I understand wanting to be understood, the truth is, people already have a version of you made up in their minds and nothing you say will change that. I also believe there is a block button for a reason and I'm not afraid to use it. Dwelling on someone else's opinion of you is only a waste of your precious time and energy. ‘You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world and there will still be someone who hates peaches.’

People have a very narrow idea of what an influencer is, what would you say is the most misunderstood aspect of your career? The fact that I sit around and just take photos of myself (and it's easy to misunderstand because that's the only part people see). People in my industry get this all day long and those who aren't running it as a business will never understand without being in one's shoes.

You create a lot of content around beauty and fashion. People definitely love your style! How would you describe it? I always say "classic" with a modern twist. While I enjoy dabbling in trends here and there (loving the trending colour, Lavender, lately!), my go-to is always blue jeans and a button-up or tee. I feel my best when I'm wearing my favourite pair of denim and a button-up. Lately, I've really been loving that oversized button-ups are trending - they go with nearly everything and there are so many ways you can wear them!

Where do you get your outfit inspiration when you’re in a slump? If I'm in a slump and feeling uninspired, I'll browse Pinterest for outfit ideas. I love Pinterest for all things fashion, home, and beauty related!

Putting fashion and beauty aside for a moment, what would you say is the most unexpected thing about you? I can make a fire with my bare hands: hearthboard, spindle, sage, etc.

If you had all the time in the world what would you do? Read books. Every day, all day long.

You’re really well-travelled, you’ve seen so many different places! Which one sticks out to you? Italy, two years ago for our honeymoon. Out of everywhere I've ever been, including this recent trip to Greece, Italy takes the cake for #1 best place I've ever been to. The culture, food, architecture, unique experiences Italy has to offer, and the people! Each part of Italy is so different too — it's incredible! I could be in the city of Florence and then go down to Puglia and it's like an entirely different world. Closer to home now, what local spots are you loving? My absolute favourite right now is a home decor shop called The Artworks! And I’ve sold a lot of my clothes with Wrinkled, a second-hand shop. Some favourite food spots include Sober Cat Cafe for the brunch/ coffee and overall vibe. It’s probably my favourite hangout spot in the city. The people who work there are all so lovely, the music they play always has good vibes, the food, coffee, and cocktails are great! I also love a new spot, called Dalla, for their Italian food, and the interior design is a major inspiration for the new home we’re building. Some other favourites are Mosaic Cafe and El Cortez — a pet-friendly patio and their coconut margaritas are one of my favourite cocktails ever!

@ambervscott

Amber's Top Three Luxuries

1) Candles "I started collecting luxury candles a few years ago. Whenever I'd take a trip somewhere new, I'd bring home a newly scented luxury candle. There's just something that makes me so happy when lighting a luxury candle, I can't quite put my finger on it."

2) A super-soft, luxe bathrobe "Honestly, out of everything I own, I wear my bathrobe the most."

3) Good quality basics "I've said it before but spending a little extra on quality fabric is so worth it in the long run. Never underestimate the power of basics in your closet - they are the key building blocks to your wardrobe and if you treat them right, they'll last you for years and years."