Finding Your Personal Style With Caroline Vazzana
Welcome to The Clear Cut podcast where we get down to the clear cut of all things relationships, weddings, engagements, and bridal trends. Today we're chatting with Caroline Vazzana. Caroline is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living and working in her hometown of New York. She began her career at Marie Claire, and has since spent time at Teen Vogue and InStyle magazines.
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We welcome Caroline to this episode and find her story inspiring for anyone looking to enter the fashion industry. With her accumulated experience in the fashion world, she always knew this is where she wanted to be. Caroline got her first job at Teen Vogue after she graduated from college then went to work for InStyle magazine. This was an era where social media was just on the rise. On her lunch breaks, she would pull a coworker aside to snap an OOTD picture for Instagram, tagging her photos with #whatiworetoworktoday. For Caroline, it was a fun daily routine with no pressure or strategy, simply a love for showing off her outfit.
Through this, Caroline explored her love for color and confidence to try new outfits. Since the beginning, Caroline shares that she always wanted to be her own boss despite not knowing what that looked like yet. She then quit her full time job, wrote Making It In Manhattan, book and now podcast and saw the successes she earned through social media and ran with it! Brands began to support her as she entered the TikTok scene and now has an expansive presence in the fashion algorithm.
Lots has changed with her career because of social media, especially with the avenue that Instagram has taken. Back then, there were no lives, reels or IGTV to participate in, only one square picture to post to make that statement. The opportunity that video content creates is more inclusive and interactive and Caroline is fascinated by all that can be discovered.
How does Caroline find her style inspiration?
Caroline admits that the inspiration comes in waves, where some weeks she will feel so inclined to create and build momentum then other weeks there is a phase of no creativity, but trusts the way creativity arrives.
Her own wardrobe and clothing brings her so much inspiration and finds ways to introduce them to her content. It was a challenge to be part of the conversation in fashion when minimalism was trending, it's so not Caroline's style! Her maximalist nature and colorful image has always been true to her, so when she finds an obstacle in involving herself with a trend, she remains true to her brand, no matter what the outside world is highlighting.
Where do some of us get the start in maximalism and color within fashion?
To Caroline, accessories are a great start. A colorful shoe, bag, glasses, or piece of jewelry are all great options to get a more approachable introduction to color. It's best to ease into these investments because some people aren't that willing to wear a bright neon tutu right off the bat!
Caroline recommends getting a fun top or dress, scheduling a fun dinner date and making it a point to wear that new piece! The more you wear color the more comfortable you will be. Color is very eye-catching and you will attract lots of attention in a bold hue. To truly feel your best, wear something bright around people you are comfortable with. It's best to own it and remember that you are making whatever statement you want in that outfit!
With her 2 year wedding anniversary approaching, we wanted to know how she incorporated her personal style with her bridal style for her wedding!
Lots of people assumed that Caroline was not going to wear white, she felt pressure to submit to those comments but ultimately she knew that was the one bridal tradition she did want to honor. Besides color, she loves volume. Caroline worked with Christian Siriano and designed a gown with a removable tulle skirt and floral appliques. Caroline has no regrets with her dress and loved how authentic she felt on her big day!
Tips for brides to be when choosing their dress?
There will be a lot of opinions and unsolicited advice when you are dress shopping, stick with what you want and do some research on your own. Whenever you do go shopping and decide to bring others, bring people you trust.
For as much as she loves to trust her husband for her style inquiries, she kept the entire design process a secret from him, it was torture to Caroline! She did involve her mom, her two sisters, her assistant and a good friend who also works in fashion. All she wanted was authenticity and honesty when creating her bridal look and Caroline left feeling satisfied with everything.
Any tips for finding your personal style?
Caroline advocates to not be afraid to experiment. The only way you can figure out what works for you is by finding out what doesn’t work for you. You'll learn what colors or materials you like and what flatters you, it's a journey but rewarding to stay dedicated to discovering your best complementing colors and silhouettes.
Social media is a great outlet for inspiration but it is so easy to feel overwhelmed by all that we consume. Caroline recommends following people that truly inspire you. There is no right or wrong in fashion, look through your wardrobe and ask yourself, "what do I have in my closet that is similar to someone that I get inspiration from online."
Vintage shopping is another great tip because it actually allows you to sift through what you like. These pieces are already made, worn and still exist for someone else to wear. You can discover a lot about yourself when you see what you pick.
Thanks so much to Caroline for speaking, here are a few new things going on for her in the near future.
Caroline will be recording season 2 of Making It In Manhattan, her career advice and fashion-focused podcast where she invites other inspiring fashion names to share their insight.
You can find Caroline on TikTok where she is always posting colorful outfits, and is currently working on a project which she can’t share with us just yet! Her 2 year wedding anniversary is also approaching and we congratulate her on this milestone and the rest she will accomplish.
Thanks for listening to this episode of The Clear Cut!