Featured Article

The Best Bloggers

In our quest to find the bloggers who best share their genius with the world, ELIZA Magazine has searched, sifted, and corralled those who shine. As we traipse through the social media outlets that have taken over all traditional forms of communication, these bloggers speak loudly and clearly about who they are: designers, style mavens, artists, taste makers, and romantics.



Mireia Oller
My Daily Style
www.mydailystyle.es
The style maven

Tell us about yourself.
I’m from Barcelona. I work in a communication agency that I started with a college friend. We mainly organize fashion events.

When was your “I’ve made it in the blogging world” moment?
The day that Spanish Elle magazine asked me for an interview.

Do you have a role model? Who and why?
Yes, my mother. I hope to be as strong and smart as she is. She’s the classiest woman alive. She can top every “best-dressed women” list.

How do you begin to build the perfect outfit?
I always begin with a pair of shoes, a skirt, something I really want to wear, and then I choose the rest.

What’s your philosophy about personal style and fashion?
Don’t follow all the trends, only the ones that suit you and go well with your personality.

Describe your personal style.
I love being feminine, I only wear clothes that fit me. I cannot understand trends that make women look ugly. And I always add some rocking accessories! I try to look simple.

What are your 5 wardrobe essentials?
A pair of skinny jeans, a black blazer, a white T-shirt, a pair of ankle boots, and a LBD.



Naomi Reid-Davis
Rockstar Diaries
taza-and-husband.blogspot.com
The young romantic

Tell us about yourself.
I have a BFA in dance from The Juilliard School in New York. I teach dance, I do fashion styling, and I sell handmade headbands and accessories on Etsy.

What is the goal of your blog?
I hope my blog reflects positively on marriage.

What inspires you?
I love to observe people and wonder about the lives and stories behind their faces.

What advice can you offer those interested in pursuing the creative arts?
Do what you love and don’t give up! The arts world can be intimidating and cruel. But all my failed attempts have helped shape me. If you love it, it’s worth persevering.

Describe your personal style.
I love everything vintage: my favorite pieces come from thrift stores. I find a lot of vintage dresses on Etsy and mix a lot of Anthropologie, H&M, and Zara pieces into my look.

What are your 5 wardrobe essentials?
I’m a little obsessed with dresses and skirts, so my essentials are pieces that complement them: colorful tights, a pair of heels, a few basic t-shirts, some cardigans, and a big belt.



Gabrielle Blair
Design Mom
www.designmom.com
The mother, designer, and purveyor of social media.

Why did you start your blog, and what is it about?
My 5th baby had just been born, and I was looking for a creative outlet. My blog is about the intersection of motherhood and design.

What is the goal of your blog?
To portray the idea that style and self-identity don’t have to disappear when you become a mother.

You are incredibly popular and have an enormous following. How did this come about?
My readership has grown day by day. There was never a big jump in traffic or trick I figured out. One person tells another person, and on and on. If you’re writing about things that you’re thinking about anyway, and keeping at it with some consistency, you can get an audience. Blogging in general has grown exponentially over the last few years, so maybe I’ve just been around for the ride.

When was your “I’ve made it in the blogging world” moment?
When I received free tickets to take my kids to see J.K. Rowling read Harry Potter at Carnegie Hall, my kids told me I was a hero. I definitely felt like “I’ve made it in the blogging world.”

It’s obvious you are committed to your many roles. How do you manage it all?
If I do manage it all—and that claim is highly debatable (I don’t believe anyone really “does it all”)—it’s in large part due to my completely supportive husband--and keeping a flexible schedule.

What advice would you offer to other mothers on raising kids while also fulfilling their creative pursuits?
If you’re the sort of person that needs a creative outlet to be happy (like me), do whatever it takes to make it happen. Trade babysitting, ask favors, or move next door to your sister—whatever! Children need their mother to be happy, period.



Adam Michel
Joe Odea
Cute Girls Playing Love Songs
cutegirlsplayinglovesongs.com
Clever guys, cute girls, and love songs

Tell us about yourselves.
We’re just two guys that love music. In some ways, we’re the missing characters from High Fidelity.

Why did you start the blog?
Adam: We cooked up the idea of the blog to evangelize the ever-expanding and talent-laden pool of female singer-songwriters that seems to exist just underneath the public consciousness. We find new artists all the time; we just kept coming across the eponymous cute girl playing love songs. For every talented artist that gets the requisite boost into the popular zeitgeist, there are dozens of equally talented acts getting passed over; we wanted to recognize good work and bring it to people’s attention.

What inspires you?
Joe: For the most part, I’m inspired by my subjects. As an artist, if you’re not able to connect with your subject in a meaningful kind of way, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Adam: I get my best ideas from the people around me. The exchange of words, the act of conversing, that’s what does it for me—that, and a really good sandwich.

How do you find new artists, and how do you select the ones you feature?
Adam: New artist mining happens all over the Internet. Choosing who gets posted is truly an act of pure instinct. When I turn on new music, I generally know immediately if they’re going on the site. When I get the feeling that I’m hearing something noteworthy, I put it up so others can hear it. I don’t post anyone I don’t feel strongly about.

Joe: Tucson’s surprisingly extensive live scene, which I partake in whenever possible, provides ample opportunities for musical exploration; we get loads of acts from all corners of the globe.

What are your top five albums of all time?

Top Five CGPLS Albums of all time, in no particular order:
Katie Herzig - Apple Tree
Rachael Yamagata - Happenstance
A Girl Called Eddy - A Girl Called Eddy
Brandi Carlile - The Story
Feist - Reminder



Megan Arquette
Beach Bungalow 8
beachbungalow8.blogspot.com
The designer by the beach

As a mother, blogger, radio show co-host, and partner of online magazine Balustrade & Bitters, how do you manage all your creative pursuits?
I don’t think that I could be doing all these things if my kids weren’t in school most of the day. When they’re home, I stop working to be with them, make dinner, and do mom things. After they’re in bed, I work late into the evening.

What’s your style philosophy?
Work with what you love, and paint. Paint is your best decorating friend. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to change the mood and personality of your rooms.

Your home is fresh and beautiful: tell us about it.
My house is “city meets beach.” I have all the expected beach elements: light colors, linen slip-covers, sea-glass–green walls, and wood paneling painted white. I have added a few things that are more likely to be found in older urban homes: dark brown floors, formal fabric drapes over woven blinds, and European antiques that are a bit more formal. In the breakfast nook, I used bold wallpaper and a great coral-colored birdcage-style chandelier. Although you’ll find a large potted bird of paradise, you won’t find a vintage surfboard or any “coral” motifs anywhere in my home.