Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Published fashion writer???


Dress: Wet Seal $17
Tights: Target $5
Flats: Burlington Coat Factory $13
Scarf: Target $5
Total: $40

(Sorry for the gross picture. I hadn't applied make-up until after I took this picture! gah!)

Today was a huge learning experience in the realm of fashion and fashion writing. I've probably spent more time today and last night on my blackberry and email then I have all semester. I've been in correspondence with The Daily Texan, the student newspaper on campus, because I'm writing a spring style predictions piece as a try out to become a staffer. The world of journalism is intense! I had a different phone call or voicemail every 10 minutes offering a new bit of information or instruction on the piece, with a deadline of less than 24 hours.

I made phone calls to resale shops while sitting at the Which Wich patio, camped outside vintage stores waiting for them to open so I could interview employees, typed up my article at a picnic table and finished just 15 minutes before the deadline. It's crazy!

I think I work best under pressure though. It inspires me to work my ass off. I like the chaos.


Part of all that collaboration included getting together with a Daily Texan photographer, (the amazingly talented Mari Kang), and taking our model, Zephyr, to back alley record shops, little pastel houses, octopi grafitti, and parking garage with amazing shadows for the photo shoot.

It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the company of those two classy, artsy ladies. We talked music (hipster slowdance! ha!), the importance of personal style, and our love for Austin.

Later, I got a phone call from the Life and Arts editor, Ben, asking me to come to the office. We went over edits together. He was pleased and had little he wanted to change -- only structural and style stuff (journalism-y things I never knew of before!) Honestly, I learned more about journalism and fashion writing in that 30 minutes than I ever have in my life. So cool.

Ben was just so chill about everything, I was almost convinced I mis heard him when he said he was going to run my piece in the DOM SPOT. See, you're probably wondering what the dom spot is. I did too until he showed me. We're talking front page, center. Woot woot! Not sure if that will actually happen, but I guess tomorrow when I wake up I'll just have to check the news kiosk myself and see.

I hope to get permission from Mari to post some of the pics of Zephyr up here so you can see her beautiful work and how we spent the day. It was really amazing.


But on a tangent: As I'm gaining writing experience and personal confidence, I wanted to make an even greater effort to make this blog successful! It's only been 2 weeks or so since I've really started working on Austin Etc, and it makes me feel really good and creatively stimulated in a way I feel like I've been missing for a while. Please be patient as I, little Bambi, try to stand up on this slippery ice. Give me some time and I'll make this something you can wait to get your little paws on and comment, subscribe, interact, and ENJOY. Optimism!

5 comments:

  1. AHHH,I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS ARTICLE!!!

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  2. That's so exciting! Congratulations!

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  3. I just read your article and I loved it. Congratulations Kayla! I <3 you

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  4. This is so exciting, Kayla! Ahh! It sounds like you're on your way to being successful! Congratulations. =]

    And I read the article, and loved it.

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  5. It sounds like this whole thing is up your alley! Good luck with it :)

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