We’d like to welcome Annie Chang to our Friday Focus! Through her blog Monkey Shines, Annie proves through her wardrobe that living in Durham looks no different than Paris as far as the dress code is concerned! Her ability to put an outfit together that is both on trend and functional is why you must add her as your personal stylist, follow her on twitter and of course, read and take not on her blog!
GO TRY IT ON: What is Durham, NC like? Have you lived there always? What is the fashion like there?
ANNIE: I just moved here half a year ago for grad school and I absolutely love it. Although it’s not a fashion focused city, the artists and musicians provide an artsy culture, which along with the weather and scenery, has been my inspiration.
GO TRY IT ON: What are your five favorite places to shop?
ANNIE:
- Durham: Vert and Vogue Boutique, Magpie
- Online: Nastygal, Shopbop, Romwe, Need Supply Co, Zara, ASOS
GO TRY IT ON: Where does the name MonkeyShines come from and how did your blog come to be?
ANNIE: Monkeyshines means to have fun and prank which hints at what I intend to deliver!
GO TRY IT ON: How do you manage to wear so many individual pieces together at once, without looking overdone?
ANNIE: I am a big fan of layering and found a significant part of my closet are simple, plain pieces. To avoid looking overdone with layering, I try to compose my outfits with simple pieces and play with the lengths.
GO TRY IT ON: What’s your secret to accessorizing?
ANNIE: I love bunching up bracelets but often wear one statement piece and add some fun too the look with thinner bangles/bracelets. I definitely pick most of my accessories depending on my mood of the day!
GO TRY IT ON: What’s your favorite aspect about fashion today?
ANNIE: I love the strong comeback of retro and vintage trends.
GO TRY IT ON: Who are your 5 favorite people to follow on twitter?
ANNIE: Other than all my friends, I love voguemagazine, CFDA and refinery29.
GO TRY IT ON: How long have you been a member of GO TRY IT ON?
ANNIE: About half a year. I enjoy the user friendliness, and I also like the nearly-instant responses from other users.
GO TRY IT ON: Who takes your photos (we love how artistic they are!)
ANNIE: My sister is my photographer in Taiwan, and my friend from grad school is my current photographer in Durham.
