Meet Dana Straut, the progenitor of fashion magazine The Fashion Tag, which discusses the latest industry trends, news and events. The Fashion Tag isn’t just about Dana’s personal style- it is about dissecting and analysing the wider trends within the fashion industry. It’s about collating all that information and breaking down the technical jargon for her readers, so that they too can participate in the wider fashion discourse. The beginning of it all The Fashion Tag primarily focuses on trend reports and street style inspiration, but also covers major events like the Oscars and the Golden Globes. Dana’s voice is authoritative without being pushy, fun without being fake, and opinionated without being judgmental. It is clear from any article of hers that she has a wealth of genuine fashion knowledge and expertise. And where does all this experience come from? In her 20s, the Romanian born blogger decided to pursue her dream of fashion writing and moved to London to study Fashion Journalism at the London College of Fashion. It was during this time that The Fashion Tag was born. I started my blog as a school project to write and keep an eye on fashion all the time Dana graduated university with a degree in Business Law and Advertising, and ran an advertising agency. Yet she states that her greatest personal achievement was making the decision to quit her job to pursue her real passion. Having a real chat with myself and listening to what I had to say about what I wanted to do in life and follow that- that was a big milestone for me I think With around 400,000 visits on her blog each month, and thousands of followers across her social media platforms, Dana’s decision has paid off. She’s been featured in the Huffington Post and The Epoch Times and has worked with numerous brands. Now back in Romania, Dana juggles with the demands of the blog and flying back and forth to London to keep up to date with different events. I love what I do. And I really feel like I’m so lucky to be doing this Okay now that’s proper morning start. ☕️ #coffee #morning #thefashiontag #tablescape #work #flowers #fashion A post shared by FashionTag (@thefashiontag) on Feb 20, 2017 at 12:25am PST When you miss your weekend. 🍎🐸 #aboutsaturday #look #outfit A post shared by FashionTag (@thefashiontag) on Feb 20, 2017 at 1:26am PST The challenges & rewards of online life As a first-time blogger Dana had to start learning the business from scratch, from how to talk with brands who wanted to collaborate with her to how she wants herself and her brand to be perceived. It’s still a work in progress and it will always be so because online media is in constant change, and it’s always new and invents itself, so we have to keep up Blogging is a peculiar occupation because it relies solely on an individual putting himself online, and creating a marketable brand around that identity. Whilst Dana undoubtedly loves what she does, there is a darker side to the online world. She describes how after a photoshoot for a blog post, she can’t help but scrutinise and find every little flaw with her image, picking it apart. It’s the dark side behind the little glamour. But then I remember I’m just a regular person like my readers, and we’re all in the same boat For Dana, blogging is more than just a fashionable hobby or the occupation du jour- it is a way to express her creativity. It’s a fashion writing and then photos journey, in this exact order. I LOVE writing and making people laugh or wonder about even trivial things like shoes or tops More than this, blogging is a mirror that reflects her mood and passions at a particular point in her life; an online diary of sorts. Blogging has opened doors to adventures around the world, as can be seen on Dana’s Instagram account. The blogger chronicles her trips abroad with enviable, softly filtered photos; sitting outside a shabby-chic café in a fur coat and red lipstick is enough to make anyone jealous. Looking towards 2017 like 👑😉 #wegonnadogreatthingstogether #look #fashion #newyeargotmelike A post shared by FashionTag (@thefashiontag) on Jan 5, 2017 at 1:09pm PST #stunning 🇮🇹❤️ A post shared by FashionTag (@thefashiontag) on Jan 1, 2017 at 11:32am PST Inspiration & hobbies Dana describes her personal style as a mixture of “70s wild child, other times I’m super minimal and polished, sometimes I’m full on glam and makeup, other times I’m such a fashion victim”. A self-described risk taker, Dana’s style encapsulates the modern woman who is too busy, and likes too many different aesthetics, to be held down to one particular stylistic label. This sense of eclecticism is reflected in her style icons and inspirations. She quotes Madonna as her earliest influence, and it’s easy to see how the bright, clashing neon appeal of the singer has inspired her style now. More modern influences range from Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Kate Moss. When she isn’t pressed into the screen of her computer or out on photoshoots, Dana is your everyday girl; savouring summer and beach activities, watching films and reading detective novels. But even in her down-time, Dana still can’t escape the fashion bubble. Either I’m on Instagram or Pinterest or Tumblr and I’m researching for some new looks I’d love to write about or capture Eyewear trends Eyewear cannot be overlooked in terms of its importance to an outfit- it has the ability to dress up or elevate even a simple pair of jeans and a hoodie. Dana picked the Celine Baby Audrey Sunglasses as her personal favourite, stating that “they are the perfect mix of wayfarer and cat eye, of classic with a twist”. Celine Baby Audrey Gucci GG0024S 001 I love to wear big glasses that give a look a certain relaxed retro sexy vibe to it. Tom Ford’s frames, Gucci and the classic Burberry wayfarer frames you guys have are amazing Check out a few of Dana’s favourite eyewear styles below (click on the glasses to see more info): Le Specs Tom Ford Ray-Ban Tom Ford Versace Ray-Ban We asked Dana for her recommendations for sunglasses trends over the coming months, and she gave us a very comprehensive list: 2017 is the year of small tiny sunglasses a la 90s Liv Tyler and Drew Barrymore […] It’s the time of glam geek eyewear, not so heavy, but more dainty, 80s inspired. Thin metallic frames, rounder shapes that were so Andrea from Beverly Hills 90210 style Check out Dana’s fabulous blog here and check out some eyewear on our website here. (All photos curtsey of thefashiontag.com and Dana Straut) Share this:FacebookTwitterPinterestTumblrLinkedInReddit
