To Vogue or Bust is Vancouver’s most beloved fashion blog. Since its conception in 2010 it has taken on quite the following. The blog chronicles Alexandra Grant’s daily outfits along with relevant and profound writing pieces. Her posts feature lush photographs that also showcase the multifaceted beauty of Vancouver. She has collaborated with big names like Roots Canada, Aritzia, FASHION Magazine and Club Monaco, while also being profiled in various online fashion websites such as Who What Wear, Vanity Fair, The Province and iVillage. We chatted with Alexandra to get an insight into how she created a name that has become synonymous with Vancouver fashion.
You were pursuing a career in law before you made the switch to becoming a full-time fashion blogger. Was the transition to To Vogue or Bust smooth? What made you finally take the plunge?
I was still in school when I started the blog, so it’s something that really began just as an attempt to chronicle my career as I focused on breaking into the fashion industry from a total beginner and outsider’s perspective initially. The blog grew with me as I went back to school for journalism, interned in the industry, worked in communications and ultimately decided to focus full-time on the blog, so it’s always been a passion project more than anything.
How did you come up with the name for the blog?
I initially wanted the blog to simply chronicle my career development (it wasn’t even intended to be about personal style at first!) so to get To Vogue or Bust seemed like a natural choice.
To Vogue or Bust is not just about fashion, you also share stories from your real life and give concrete advice on blogging, photography and beauty. Do you think this sets you apart from other fashion bloggers by allowing you to connect with your audience on a more genuine level?
I’ve always had a lot of interests outside of fashion so it’s only natural for me to share some of these passions with my readers – I’ve been pretty lucky that a lot of my other lifestyle content resonates well with my readers, and has helped to foster a closer relationship with many of them.
What is your style philosophy? How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style philosophy is that you should always be comfortable in whatever you wear. Whether it’s for a girl’s night out or for a quick coffee run, you should always feel confident and comfortable in whatever look you have on. For some people, that might mean sky-high heels, for others, more of an athleisure vibe. Personally, I’m most comfortable in a tomboy-meets-femme blend!
You recently came back from a trip to Europe. As a frequent traveler do you find that travel reinvigorates your fashion inspirations? Tell us a little about trips that have largely influenced your work and your life.
Absolutely! I think it’s so important to see new places, meet new people and open your eyes to stay inspired in all areas of life. Particularly when going to fashion capitals (Paris, London, etc), you see style that is really so unique to the respective city – it’s incredibly inspiring. It’s also amazing to connect with brands that embody different cultures and cities as you travel around.
Are you currently working on any exciting projects outside of the blog?
I’m moving more and more into fitness, health, travel and beauty content that’s done through a lens of style, so I’m excited to work on new projects that encapsulate these new passions with my love for style.
Which direction do you see To Vogue or Bust heading towards in the near future? What creative projects are in store for you on the horizon?
I want to infuse more of my favorite passions into the blog and to give more value to my readers through new, more integrated content in the future.
Vancouver gets a pretty bad rap for being a lululemon city. Why has fashion taken such a backseat in Vancouver? What can the common woman/man do to combat this sad state of affairs?
I actually don’t think fashion is lacking in Vancouver – there is a ton of great fashion here and so many stylish people. Unfortunately, we just somehow missed the memo on workout wear boundaries – I’m all for running to yoga or a fitness class in my full workout look, but I do think that workout wear all the time is something we could nix!
Dressing for the rain while simultaneously staying fashionable is a tough egg to crack. Any tips on how to mix things up and make them interesting?
Don’t be nervous to mix your wellies with dresses, skirts, etc! Playing around with color and pattern is also a great way of keeping some visual interest going on grey, gloomy days.
You publish posts almost daily and your posts are distinctly different from the subsequent and consequents posts. What do you do to keep your well of inspiration so full?
I try to stay organized with an editorial calendar and definitely map out seasonal trends and focuses – also, there’s nothing like a coffee shop brainstorm to just punch out a bunch of new ideas!
What, according to you, is the secret to running a successful blog? What qualities do you admire in the fashion blogs that you follow?
The blogs I most love are not the ones with the most followers, the most expensive pieces or even the most frequently updated content – they’re the ones that are authentic, true to themselves and have an interesting take on fashion and lifestyle. I gravitate to blogs that don’t try too hard and that are reader-focused.
Finally, how has life changed since you started the blog? How has it affected your growth as an individual? Have you seen a shift in your style? And how does the blog feature in your life as a source of happiness and inspiration?
My blog began during a pivotal period of my life during my early-mid ’20s so it’s really helped me navigate life in general in such an amazing way. I’m so grateful for the career opportunities that I’ve had, but more than anything it’s just the experience and the connections I’ve made that have made life so remarkable!
-Prachi Kamble
(Printed with the permission of Fame Blog Canada where it was initially published).