Tell us a little about yourself.
First, hello to my fellow Kindly with K fans and thank you Kourtney for having me today! I first met Kourtney though Instagram where she posts lovely photos that make me want to take a walk in her shoes. It's such a treat to be here and to meet all of you!
My name is Anna, and I'm a blogger at Hello, Handbag. I write about a mix of fashion (like in Emma Watson, Stella McCartney and Friends Tackle Gender Inequality in Fashion) and beauty (like Cindy Crawford and the Supermodel Reunion) with a focus on important issues like body diversity and beauty standards. I'm a big fan of travel, street art, and of course bags. I live in LA with my husband and two beautiful dogs (look how cute they are!).
What inspired or motivated you to first start your blog?
I started Hello, Handbag because I wasn't finding anything non-commercial about the kinds of bags that fit my lifestyle - I could find reviews out there about Prada and Louis Vuitton, or even Target and Forever 21, but I couldn't find anything about brands I really loved like Kate Spade or Rebecca Minkoff. Hello, Handbag became an outlet for my love for handbags, and wanting to share those better quality bags with a chic community.
Actually that's only half true, and since I love you so much I'll tell you the real story. I'm a big fan of green tea and have been drinking it for so long I often have it in the evenings with no ill effects. Well, one night I tried a new type of green tea (Harney and Sons genmaicha, yum) and it kicked my butt! I have insomnia already, but this kept me up until the crack of dawn. In the wee hours I found myself doing some online shopping (can I get an amen?) which is when I discovered that I couldn't find what I was looking for. That's when Hello, Handbag was born. Fun fact - my very first post was published at 2:15am!
Do you blog full-time, for fun, as a hobby? Share your evolution!
I blog part time and I love it. During the day I work at UCLA (go Bruins!) but at night I get to indulge my passion for style and social justice all at the same time. I actually started as a blogger more than five years ago with a website focused on "saving the world." I loved what I was writing about but I found it was too specific for my varied interests. Now with Hello, Handbag, I get to write about fun things like New York Fashion Week as well as more serious topics like non-traditionally beautiful women. I find that my work community and my blogger community each influence the other, which keeps me feeling fulfilled.
What’s your favorite thing about being a blogger?
My absolute favorite thing about being a blogger is the community. I've met so many inspiring women (like Kourtney!). I'm lucky to live in LA where there are a lot of blogging events so I enjoy getting a glass of champagne with old and new friends. But this community is unique because you can create a close friendship with someone across the street or across the world! And I've never met a more supportive group of people. Introduce me to a blogger and you've introduced me to a friend for life.
What do you hope your readers walk away with after reading your blog?
I hope that when you read my blog you feel like you have permission to be you. Maybe you don't look like the people in the magazines (neither do I!) and I bet your gorgeous and wonderful. Cindy Crawford is beautiful, and so are Madeline Stuart (who has Down syndrome), Elizaveta Bulokhova (who lost her jaw to cancer), Chante Burkett (a plus sized blogger) and Sarah Kanney (who has a "port wine stain" birthmark on her face).
Are there any people, or other bloggers, you see as examples or to whom you aspire to?
I'd like to be a bit more like like Kaarin Vembar from True To Style, a blogger and podcaster out of DC. She is one of the best stylists out there because she pulls inspiration from so many places - work with her and you'll develop a recognizable style all your own. But more importantly, Kaarin suffers from excruciatingly painful nerve damage in her leg. Yet somehow she keeps posting and sharing her talents with others. Her courage and stick-to-itiveness inspires me.
If I could be a fictional person, without hesitation I would be Andy Sachs (played by Anne Hathaway) from The Devil Wears Prada. Andy is talented, good at identifying and fixing her own mistakes, and makes the people around her better. Also she gets to be with Adrian Grenier which is not terrible.
What advice would you give those who want to go into blogging?
Be consistent. The best parts of blogging, like money and new friends, come from consistency.
Five fun facts!
1 // I'm the proud adoptive mom to a baby elephant named Quanza, who lives at an elephant orphanage in Kenya. I got to visit her two years ago during a volunteer trip and my life was forever changed.
2 // I sit on the board of a nonprofit called Hats Off For Cancer, we give hats to kids who lose their hair to cancer treatments.
3 // I have two favorite bags. One is a Marc by Marc Jacobs Dr. Q Groovee satchel that my mom and sister gave me for graduation. The other is a Kate Spade Little Minka in Affogato (a delectable creamy beige color) that was given to me by my husband.
4 // I run a fashion book club and I'd love for you to join us! Every month we pick a book and get together virtually to chat about it. Our first book was Blogging Your Way to the Front Row by Yuli Ziv. If you'd like to join, send me a tweet at @Hello_Handbag!
5 // I love chicken wings. Like, really really love chicken wings. I'd love to try your favorite places, please leave a comment below!
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