Introduction to Fashion Daisy

I went to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, last night because my mum was giving a lecture. A student asked her about artistic block and she said you have to find what lights your fire, something that you are burning to paint, or in my case, write about. It could be as simple as a peach, she said. Find it, capture it using the medium that suits you.
I was laid off from my job as arts writer at IN This Week, part of The Salt Lake Tribune exactly three months ago today. One of my goals at that time was to start a personal blog, about my life, looking for a job and roller derby. I'm embarrassed to say that since then, though many blog entries have started to write themselves in my head, I never sat down and actually lit that fire. I have to have a clear day, I would tell myself. To write a blog? Really? That's bullshit. It takes, what, half an hour, tops. I should have started right when I was laid off, I convinced myself. How would the journey make sense otherwise? Poppycock. Bad excuse.
I have been having a lovely time rediscovering my family, my friends and derby, and by the way I haven't applied for one job yet. But even as I watch my bank account diminish, what's really burning in me is that I want to be writing.
A few days ago, one of my best friends posted on Facebook a picture of a dress she had found at H&M for $10. Glittery, deep blue, beautiful. She said she wasn't sure if she'd have occasion to wear it but she loved it. I replied that she could wear it anywhere she wanted, and wrote down a few style ideas for if she wanted to wear the dress to work, or for a more formal occasion. How to dress it up, how to dress it down. My feeling is you can wear glitter anytime you want, you just have to be chill with the rest of the outfit. Her sister then commented she'd love me to be her personal style consultant. What a nice thing to say.
All the way down to Ephraim, the flames of an idea were smouldering in my head, and in the middle of the night I realized what my peach was. I wanted to write a blog about fashion called Fashion Daisy.
It would be a place where girls or guys could email me or leave comments and ask questions, about style, beauty, what to wear with an outfit or whatever else they wanted to ask. At times, I'd like to ask questions too, like whether I should bother investing in BB Cream.
The blog would also be a place where I could post about fashion; the best recent bargain I've found on the net (a dress for a wedding for $26.99 reduced from $89.99 at ModCloth, anyone?) or the latest fun look from somewhere here in Salt Lake City, or about my obsession with Knickerocker. Sometimes when I see an outfit I really like on the street, I'll write about that, to give readers and myself ideas.
Finally, the blog would have interviews with people I love that love fashion. I'm going to work on Stella McCartney. Also other designers, models, and people that I know whose style I admire. If you would like to be interviewed, contact me.
Please let me tell you also, I do not have a degree in anything fashion related. I studied theatre, and journalism. My entire family are visual artists of some ilk. This has made me aware of colour, line, and form, what pops and what doesn't. My mum has worked a great deal in cloth and started sewing her own clothes at the age of eight. She has taught me some fantastic, simple rules and ways to break the rules that made looking good much easier. I religiously read fashion mags and am pretty obsessed with style and beauty.
Another thing I do most nights (yes, I have chronic insomnia) is design my outfit for the next day. Those who know me will probably go, so, that'll be jeans or skinny jeans then? But I always carefully plan what shoes, what top, what jewelery, what make-up. It's fun. I do it for me, to feel sassy and in control.
This blog is a work in progress, so if you have feedback, comments, or things to add to what I write, I'd love to hear them. Same if you'd like me to write about something in particular. Just like in fashion itself, there are no rules. So let's start this fire.
You can email me at fashiondaisyblog@gmail.com, or find me on Facebook at Daisy Blake Perry and soon on Twitter.

My wedding, inspired by The Great Gatsby

Derby: photo by Jason Santti

Some early style!