Blog Spot: Fresh Jess
Follow Jess Estrada as she follows the world of life, style, and the internet.
Posted by: Laura Cassidy on May 24, 2012 at 09:00AM
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SLIDESHOW: Seattle life and style blogger Fresh Jess. Here, a shot from her post about last fall’s Fashion’s Night Out.
View Slideshow » Illustration:Fresh Jess showing off some vacation looks during a late winter ’12 break.
View Slideshow » Illustration:Representin’ at the IFB conference in New York.
If there’s a Seattle style blogger with a national presence in the social media-sphere, it’s probably the subject of episode four of our Blog Spot series: Fresh Jess. She recently attended the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference in New York (it was her third year at the gathering), and moderated a panel that included Aliza Licht, the revered Tweeter from DKNY, celeb-blogger Bryan Boy, and pop culture/fashion commentators Tom and Lorenzo. Most recently she was in Santa Monica at Lucky Magazine’s fashion and beauty blogger conference, Lucky FABB, where she conferenced with Randi Zuckerberg, accesses Jessica Alba and Elizabeth Banks, and some of her favorite bloggers—Geri Hirsch or Because I’m Addicted and Aimee Song from Song of Style.
WWW: Your personal geography, please. Where were you born and raised, and where are you currently living?
Raised in Beacon Hill and Kent, now living in beautiful South Lake Union.
Your personal style in three words:
West Coast fresh.
Assuming your blog doesn’t pay the bills, what do you in order to pay the wireless bill and buy new clothes?
I recently left my day job to freelance full-time; doing social-media strategy and personal branding consulting, plus a bit of writing.
Your blogging timeline: Is this your first? What, if anything, came before?
I started FreshJess back in May 2008 as a means of sharing fun events and news about the city. I was the events director at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce back then so it supplemented the research I was doing for work. It’s my sole blog, but I also have blogged for other (mostly fashion) sites, including Moksha’s and Spun’s blogs, and an online vintage marketplace based in New York.
What was the voice inside your head saying as you were first imagining this blog?
I almost called my blog Jess in the City, to put a spin on my own Carrie Bradshaw take on Seattle. But my unique perspective as a young professional managing the Chamber’s business events mixed with things I was passionate about—supporting local designers and boutiques, my work with non-profits in the area (PAWS, Dress for Success/YWCA, Goodwill, and Bulldog Haven NW) and news I thought was cool really drove my vision for FreshJess.
What’s the hardest thing in terms of blogging about style in Seattle?
Probably just that we are limited in the different things we can cover. There are only so many events, boutiques, designers, and other industry professionals to go around.
What’s the best thing in terms of blogging about style in Seattle?
Virtually the entire world thinks we are devoid of style here, thanks to the grunge-era and now the geek culture we are getting known for. The rad thing is being able to show that there are lots of stylish people here. No, they don’t all wear plaid all the time, and yes, some of them are total geeks (me included!)
One blog that no one knows about that everyone should read:
I’m a fan of FoodHipster206.com. My friend Dave highlights his style and food adventures in the city, and it’s awesome to see a menswear and food blog. I am obsessed with SincerelyJules.com out of L.A. but she’s famous already!
What do you want to do more of on your blog? What’s keeping you from doing it?
Um, I need to update my camera already and start showing my readers more of my personal style! I get categorized a lot as a fashion blogger, though I tell people I’m more of a Seattle life and style blogger. I really need to embrace the style blogger part more.
What would you like to see more of in Seattle in terms of style?
Oh gosh. I’d love to see people just explore their personal style more! That goes well beyond trying the latest trends. I’m talking more incorporating vibrant colors, learning about the right fits and shapes for body types, and taking a holistic perspective (head-to-toe, personality, health & wellness) to how you present yourself.
