My failed Baltimore Style Magazine Interview
As you all know I was pretty heated yesterday and ranted about the Baltimore Style Magazine Interview that Kay Wicker wrote on me for their April issue. You can read my full clarification post HERE. Today I had full intentions on not speaking on it and instead just going back to my outfit posts when a loyal reader of mine brought up a great point. She told me to use this a teachable moment and re-write the article with my true words and stay within a 350 word limit. Oh- to keep you all abreast, after my clarification post I received an email from Kay Wicker stating that she feels she wrote a great piece and that she used what she felt was the heart of the matter and she only had a 350 word limit to do so. Her email was full of excuses and no sincere apology, not that she owes me one AT ALL.
Again I am still honored to have been chosen but I still truly feel as if she got lazy while writing my piece or her journalism skills are just not strong enough to be writing for a big publication such as Baltimore Style Magazine.
I do believe that everything in life has a teachable moment. We can learn from our triumphs and our failures. I certainly learned from this to be far more direct in expressing my vision and that my next interview will be me writing out the answers to the questions or voice recording the session. I still do not believe that she had any malicious intent, I think she just did as best as she probably could with her skill level. I just strive for FAR more for myself and my message within my blog. I hope that other bloggers learn from my experience and make sure to give very clear, direct and short responses to the questions. Being verbose is not always the way to go as it may confuse some journalists. I hope other bloggers learn that ranting is not always the best way to solve a problem as I did but that they should not fear standing up for themselves and what their beliefs. We deserve respect as bloggers and it is ok to ask for it!
I rewrote my interview within 350 words and here it goes…..
À LA MODE
Jennifer Jean-Pierre, 34
Comme Coco, established in 2011
Some keywords: Personal style, body positivity, empowerment.
Why do you blog? I was looking for a way to express myself, catalogue my outfits and show women who look like me (not quite thin but not the fashion industry’s version of “curvy”) that looking stylish is easy no matter your figure. I continue blogging because I am able to help motivate and empower women to make clothing choices based on their personal style rather than fashion trends.
What influences you? Everyday people on the streets aka the runway of life as I call it. I am heavily influenced by those who express their personality through their clothing choices. College campuses have some of the best inspirations!
Walk me through your process. It starts with my notebook that I jot all outfit ideas. Then it’s scouting locations, shooting with a photographer or a tripod, editing the pictures with Adobe Lightroom, writing the post and then heavy social media promotion.
What has it been like blogging in Baltimore? Baltimore is in its infancy when it comes to recognizing the power of bloggers. It is our job as bloggers to show how we can be valuable resources to changing the style landscape and offer exposure to not only brands but local businesses. I believe that many events, fashion or just social, are still very exclusive in Charm City and are attended mostly by the same people. Baltimore is still learning the value and importance of bloggers.
Has blogging changed the course of your life? It’s forced me to be more mindful of what I wear out in public—you never know who you’ll run into. This one time I was in a CVS—I think I was sick or something because I was in, like, sweatpants and hair was uncooperative—buying tampons when I see this girl taking a picture of me. Finally, she asks, “Are you Comme Coco?” In my head I’m like: “Oh, God.”
What’s next? My dream is to work for a magazine, styling and directing photo editorials.
*Please keep in mind that I am not a writer by trade and have never taken any journalism courses*
I understand your sensitivity on this topic since this is YOUR BRAND, but, honestly, she didn’t need 350 words. She could have simply typed, “she’s dope” and I would’ve thought that it perfectly summed everything up.
hahah THANK YOU! I needed that reason to smile! I appreciate you lol
Im still laughing and smiling