The Fashion Bomb

The Fashion Bomb is an explosion of commentary on fashion, news, and shopping. According to Claire, the blog’s founder, The Fashion Bomb is for “the young lady who loves black celebrity culture, fashion, and is a little voyeuristic.” That’s us! We love the snapshots of real women rockin’ the latest trends their way and the “mail bombs” that answer reader’s questions on where to find everything from Amerie’s “it bag” to Beyonce’s killer stilettos.

Claire: http://fashionbombdaily.com/

Why did you start “The Fashion Bomb”?
I was getting a website together of my personal clips, articles, resumes, for professional reasons. My website was looking a little too ‘corporate’ and I asked my web designer if I could add a personal element to my site. She suggested that instead of adding things like favorite quotes’ ‘books’ and ‘music’ to my professional website, I start a blog. I was very hesitant to do so initially because I know that some companies have weird policies about their employers having blogs. But I figured as long as I kept it clean and positive, I’d be fine. So the Fashion Bomb was born, with a lot of my personal elements as a sidebar. When I thought about what I would write about, I thought…I love to shop, why not? I also write fashion in my career, so I went with it. I started off just telling readers about my shopping trips, etc, but then started to mix in the celebrity element slowly but surely. It’s evolved a ton to become what it is now.

When did “The Fashion Bomb” launch?
I launched in August 2006, so this August will be its one-year anniversary!

Why did you name your blog “The Fashion Bomb”?
One of my goofy best friends always says that when things are great, they are ‘thebomb.com’. Obviously the term ‘the bomb’ is a throwback to the mid nineties, but my friend brought it to the ‘07 by adding on a ‘.com.’ Anyway I liked that ‘bomb’ rhymed with ‘.com’ and thought it was catchy and cute…and since my blog was about fashion, I decided to call my site ‘The Fashion Bomb.’ Now, The Fashion Bomb can be seen as an explosive, amazing, in your face urban fashion blog.

Describe the style and attitude of “The Fashion Bomb”?
The Fashion Bomb is for the young lady who loves black celebrity culture, fashion, and is a little voyeuristic. I look to black celebs for style cues because most mainstream pubs don’t, and give advice on fashion based on what I’ve learned as a fashion journalist and talking to stylists, authors, and TV personalities. I also love adding a ‘real’ element. Showcasing people in their day-to-day lives, being fabulous, dressing well, having fun is interesting as well.

Being from Atlanta, what differences in fashion have you seen while living in New York? – If any?
Atlanta is pretty fashionable, no doubt, but I feel that in New York I see more instances of seemingly effortless style. In Atlanta, it wouldn’t be rare to see a woman with a shirt with red in it with matching red skirt and red shoes. Or to see the latest trends compounded to death: skinny jeans with a long shirt and wide belt. I feel as if women in Atlanta may spend more time contemplating their outfit and also sticking to traditional rules of fashion (i.e. your shoes must match your bag, etc) whereas New Yorkers seem to break the rules in praise of style. They wear what they like regardless of what they read; they look fabulous in a sturdy ‘go with everything’ bag, and throw on a hot cocktail dress for a night out. I also think that New Yorkers have more access to high fashion. They have the luxury of going to sample sales and buying deeply discounted designer duds.

What fashion “fad/trend” do you think should be banned?
I hate high waisted jeans. I can’t see them looking good on anyone but the super skinny.

What’s one fashion necessity every fashionista should have in their wardrobe?
A vintage status bag, whether it is a Gucci Jackie O throwback from the seventies or a Louis Vuitton Speedy Bag you bought at a thrift shop. It distinguishes your look in a way that’s hard to imitate, and shows that you’re a true fashionista at heart.

How do you decide what and who to cover on your blog?
Initially my choice of subjects was quite random, but now I’ve developed sort of a schedule. Every week, I profile a black star; feature a picture of someone I saw on the street; and answer reader mail. The other two days are up in the air, but I usually like to identify a cool online store, boutique, or designer. And I also like to offer some sort of trend piece to let readers know what’s hot right now, how to wear it, and then suggest items readers can purchase to achieve that look.

Who’s your fashion icon?
I absolutely LOVE Jackie O’s style. Her trenches, large sunglasses, and status bags signal timeless, effortless, sophisticated style. She was conservative and traditional, yet chic and beautiful.

Let’s do some trend forecasting! What trend do you predict will reappear in 2008?
I have no idea! Since the 80’s are coming back, maybe penny loafers?

Name some of your favorite designers and tell us why?
I love Oscar de la Renta, I think his clothes are bold and beautifully embellished. If I were young and in Hollywood, I’d wear nothing but Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Rachel Roy, Alice & Olivia and John Galliano. I also love Marc Jacobs accessories and Christian Louboutin heels.

What is the future of “The Fashion Bomb”?
I hope that it continues to grow as a brand. I have interns as of right now, but I’d love to have a legit staff, get increased advertising, and have it become a sustainable force as the definitive online destination for black women who love style and pop culture.

Also, for the blog, I’m also going to be doing a lot of styling, and would love to see that evolve into an actual job. I’d want to be the African-American Clinton Kelly and Stacy London (from TLC’s What not To Wear).

In five words describe “The Fashion Bomb”?
Stylish. Chic. Real. Amazing. Beautiful.

Why should someone add “The Fashion Bomb” to his or her daily blog reading list?
It’s the bomb! Seriously, it offers a whole range of fashion finds. And if you have a question, you’ll most likely find the answer!