Wow it’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these… I’ve mentioned here and here that I’m blessed with some hella fashionable friends and they inspire me every day when it comes to fashion. But this time I want to talk about more than just fashion.

I met Jordan over a year ago and we instantly bonded over being lifestyle bloggers and both having an obsession with fashion, coffee, and food. We love doing fashion posts together, making cocktails together, and having stimulating conversations over coffee or beer. I always leave her home with my head overflowing with ideas! 

And here is what is so cool about Jordan: She can put together a killer outfit PLUS her home is an interior designers dream! I love stepping inside her home and seeing the progress she has made with the various plants perched on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. Her fluffy cat, Thor, always greets me at the door (before deciding he has better ways to spend his time). Along with the atmosphere being incredibly comforting, Jordan has always, without fail, offered me a pour over upon my arrival. Featuring either Stumptown or Stirling coffee. Sometimes, in case I want a taste from her hometown of San Diego, there is Zumbar as well.

Not only do I like how she styles her clothes, but her life… So we got together to do a little interview!

Why honey and lavender? When did you come up with this name and start your blog?

The name Honey Lavender came from a favorite ice cream flavor of mine that I remember eating while I went to college in San Francisco. I used to frequent this ice cream spot called Bi-Rite where I’d have honey & lavender-flavored ice cream and thought to myself that would be a cute blog and handle name it’s short and sweet and fits me perfectly. I started my blog back in 2015 while I was still finishing up my last semester of college and working part-time. I found myself needing a creative outlet where I could share my unique thoughts and display of style. At the time I was very inspired by a few bloggers that I still follow till this day who helped me see the potential and power of what a fashion blog could be.

Your style is so broad and encompasses so many vintage and bohemian elements. What would you say is your biggest inspiration for fashion? 

Oh, that’s a loaded question for me because I can find inspiration in everything from anywhere. But to narrow it down I would say, my mother has had the biggest influence on me. She went to FIDIM when she was my age for fashion design but ended up going to beauty school instead. Now she’s a hairdresser and has taught me the ways of the beauty industry. I get my creativity from my mom no doubt about that. Although growing up I loved the Olsen twins style and started looking to the past eras for fun ways to mix old with new. The concept of mixing looks and feeling a certain way because of your clothes is fascinating to me. Reading magazines like Vogue, watching Project Runway, learning how to sew and thrifting also are crucial things that have shaped my style through the years.

How did beauty school affect your style now?

You know, it’s funny because I’ve never had time to reflect on this…until now. Looking back I think that it’s safe to say that I definitely learned a few things like how to properly apply makeup and how to do a blowout or style my hair or a clients hair just the way they want it. I think during the time I was in beauty school I also allowed myself to go through some changes which show through my hair and makeup, which you can certainly see in past blog posts. My sense of self or aka “style” has always reflected the way my hair, makeup, and clothing appeared to the world. If sometimes I want to feel put together I’ll dress preppy or if I’ve been going to the beach and want to be comfy and carefree that would probably look different than a date night look. Having the knowledge now from beauty school gives me more confidence in the way I dress and present myself now than ever.

Now let’s talk about your home! You wrote about each area of your house on your blog. How did you plan each room? Was it just about finding a way to fit all of your treasures around your home or did you have a solid plan for how you wanted it to look?

Wow, that’s yet another great but loaded question. Let’s see how I can break this down… In regards to how I planned each room I would have to say that I did a lot of envisioning, meaning that I could see in my mind the way I would set up my space. I thought about functionality as well as beauty referencing to all my Pinterest images that I could study from. Sometimes I would draw out the layout of the room in my notebook and sketch in the things I wanted in the drawing creating a blueprint to the interior I was working with. Most of the things I own I have collected over the years from vintage shops, thrift stores, my family and so I began to not care about just getting and having the newest and latest things in my space but rather things with a story, historical reference or even yes a bit of sentimentality. Luckily when my boyfriend and I looked at the apartment I fell in love with the vintage building elements that made it charming. With each room in our one bedroom apartment already painted I had to work around the color schemes that were in front of me instead of trying to create my own.

What are your plans for you and your blog in the new year?

I would like to grow my blog more into a business as well as a personal journal for me to save and share my content that I happily create. I truly get a lot of joy collaborating with other creatives so I definitely would like to meet and work with more uniquely talented souls. I hope to do more traveling and plain old adventuring around Portland. I’m going to step up my iPhone game and get a new iPhone soon as well as to start saving for my very own professional camera. Currently, I work with photographers for creating my photography content so it would be nice to shoot my own work and play with my own photography skills. I’d love to go to more blogger meet-ups and meet other like-minded women trying to give this blogging thing a shot. 

A huge shout out to Jordan for taking the time to let me do this interview and, of course, for inspiring me every day with her style, creativity, and ambition! Thank you for reading and go check out Jordan’s blog:

http://www.misshoneylavender.com/