Curtains up for Style East!

Frock&Roll is happy to announce that we have a new member, Jennifer from the street style blog StyleEast will have a regular appearance wih her snaps of the stylish in the East of London. To give you a better idea who’ s standing behind the inspiring shots we did a little interview with Jennifer.

source: Platform Princess

Frock&Roll: You call your blog StyleEast. What represents the style in East London?

Jennifer: For me, East London fashion is all about experimentation,confidence, references to the past, and individuality.  And lots and lots of vintage.  

F&R: You take pictures of people that cross your way and wear interesting gear. Where does this idea come from?

J: I’ve lived in the East since i moved to the city 7 years ago and have always been an avid people watcher.  You can’t help but be inspired round here, there’s such a variety of styles.  In the last couple of years, I’ve got really into other people’s blogs and my favourites are always the street style blogs from around the world.  So I thought, why not bring a bit of east london style to the blog world too! 

F&R: What are you aiming for with your blog?

J: I started it as an outlet for my love for local style.  Every week I’d walk around Spitalfields, Victoria Park, Brick Lane, Broadway Market and wish I had someone to tell about the amazing outfits I’d seen.  I want to give people who’ve never been here a taste of the area – the biggest compliment I’ve had so far was from my favourite blogger, in the US (Another Day to Dress Up), who said my blog made her want to visit London.  So that’s the best I can hope for, something that inspires other people and makes them see the reason this part of London has the reputation it does for being stylish and creative. 

F&R: What are you doing apart from the blog?

J: I have a day job, of course, and it’s the least ‘fashion’ career you could imagine.  Nobody there knows I do this, so I think I’ll keep it under my hat for now!

F&R: So you see someone with a cool look on the street what happens next?

J: I’ve kicked myself too many times for missing a great shot, so now I try to be as reactive as I can – as soon as I see someone I want to photograph, I go straight over, introduce myself and ask to take their picture.  I’ve chased people down the street on more than one occasion and I’m not averse to following someone for a while, waiting for a quiet enough stretch of road to get the shot, often essential on busy Sundays on Brick Lane where there’s no room to move.

F&R: Does it take a lot of negotiation to approach people on the street?

J: Not at all.  My approach is to get it done as quick as possible, bearing in mind that my subjects are standing in the middle of a busy street, being asked to relax and look natural while people swarm around us.  And I try to put people at ease, chatting to them, telling people what it was about their outfit that caught my eye.  Distraction is the key, so they don’t realise there are lots of people watching!

F&R: And how are the reactions of the people you ask?

J: Almost everyone says yes straight away, though of course I’ve had a bit of attitude from people on occasion.  Most people are flattered and I hope it gives them a confidence boost – I mean, who doesn’t want to be told they look brilliant?!

F&R:  At which places do you take the pictures?

J: My favourite spots are on the long stretches of Brick Lane as the walls, all brickwork and grafitti, provide a great background  to the shots and, as my blog’s evolved, the background has become almost as important to me as the people I’m photographing. 

F&R: Would your street style blog look a lot different if you’d take it in another area in London?

J: I wouldn’t want to pigeonhole any particular area but I think that anyone visiting London for the first time would see a clear sense of identity in different parts of London, for example, Camden has a real hippie and goth vibe, and a style tied to its music scene.  And in west London you’ll see more designer labels, classic dressing and clean lines.  I’m personally drawn much more to the style in the east, and of course I live here, so I wanted my blog to capture what I think sets it apart. 

F&R:  How long does it take you from spotting someone until the finished photo?

J: Ideally as little as 20-30 seconds maximum, from introduction to snapping a few shots.  I don’t want to disrupt people’s day, I just want a quick shot that we’re both happy with and then we each go on our way.

source: Polka Dot

Thank you, Jennifer!

words by: Kat Ober