Kerstyn Inouye is a necessary person to follow if fashion peaks your interest on any sort of level. The blogger and stylist has developed a social media following with her expertise and modeling work, making her a great interview source for us at The BMF/Pop Culture Spin. Talking with Kerstyn was a pleasant experience that I was happy to have – check out our dialogue below and be sure to hit up Kerstyn’s website/social media accounts once you’re done reading the piece.
Pop Culture Spin, Kerstyn, thank you for your time in making this article possible. To begin our interview, where are you from and what was your upbringing like?
Kerstyn: I am from a small town called Tracy, California. I grew up just like any American kid; public education, girl scouts, sports, and stuffing my face with any kind of junk food I could get my hands on. I have an older brother so I always wanted to do everything he was doing, from playing the guitar to skateboarding. I was one of those – try everything once – kind of kids.
PCS: Do you remember growing up and already having a passion for the clothing/beauty worlds like you do today?
Kerstyn: I used to love drawing when I was younger and began to get into fashion sketches around middle school. I’d spend hours drawing clothes I wish I had and wanted to make. With that, I began researching fashion colleges as soon as I entered high school.
PCS: For those who haven’t checked out your website, dippedinblack.com, it’s undeniably awesome. But I was wondering about the origin of the name that’s both your site and IG handle. What inspired the tag “Dipped in Black?”
Kerstyn: I remember going for a jog one day, and having one of those ‘rethinking my life’ kind of days, and it just came to me. I wanted something with edge that fit my aesthetic and since I loved wearing black – it just made sense!
PCS: What has the response from followers/anyone else been like to your website and overall style as a blogger?
Kerstyn: I try to be as real and transparent as I possibly can so I always do my best to respond to my followers and create real life relationships with them. It seems to have a positive feedback as I continue to make new friends every single day!
PCS: Was blogging about fashion essentially the logical next step as someone with a significant interest in that area?
Kerstyn: It came pretty natural, especially as Instagram became a popular outlet for every fashionista. I began to post simple outfit pictures and got a great response from them, so I began doing it more. After a year of simple social media posts, I created a website and began to write.
PCS: Be it thrift shops, more corporate places, or online, where do you generally go when it comes to adding to your wardrobe?
Kerstyn: Some of my favorite online shops are 2020ave, Tobi, and BooHoo. All of these stores have trendy clothing that won’t clear your bank account!
PCS: What kind of statement does one make in their style and fashion choices, is it solely individual expression or can it be something deeper?
Kerstyn: What I love most about fashion is that it has no rules. You can be bohemian one day and street wear the next. For me, my personal style changes faster than the latest trends. I don’t think it should be something that defines you, but simply as a way to express yourself. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles and go for a drastic change.
PCS: When it comes to your work as a stylist, what exactly is your role/day-to-day responsibilities?
Kerstyn: For REBEL8, the process begins with the mood board. I take a look at the collection and the inspiration behind it. From there, I begin to pull images from Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. and get an idea of how I want the overall mood to be. I then buy any needed items and bring all accessories to our showroom to prepare outfits. On the day of the shoot, we will go look by look and trade things out as we go. It’s always good to bring extra accessories on set just in case the outfit doesn’t look as planned on model.
Freelance styling is a similar process that starts with a mood board collaboration with the photographer. I then take that mood board and hit up the appropriate stores to find the exact look we are going for.
PCS: Can you offer any advice for those with a fashion interest looking to someday work in the same field as you?
Kerstyn: Networking is key! Throughout college I did everything I could to dip my hands in the fashion industry. I would volunteer at fashion shows, attend any fashion event I heard of, and worked with different photographers to get my name out there. Social media is also your best friend. Use it for its sole purpose – to be social!
PCS: You’re no stranger to being in front of the camera. Have you always felt comfortable being the center of attention when it comes to having your picture taken?
Kerstyn: Hearing the words ‘center of attention’ makes me cringe. By no means do I strive to be the center of attention, but solely to express myself. Fashion blogging gives me a chance to express who I am and hopefully inspire others to just be who they want to be.
PCS: What does the future hold for you during the rest of 2016 and beyond?
Kerstyn: I plan to go 10x harder on styling. I’ve been working with a few photographers on some concepts to put together and I’m very excited about them!
PCS: Thank you once again for your time with my website. Before we finish, where can readers find/connect with you on social media?
Kerstyn: I’m mostly on Instagram – @_dippedinblack and snapchat – ikerstyn.
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