In 2012, local plus-size fashion guru Pamela Kieck took her fashion, beauty, and lifestyle ideas to the World Wide Web with her blog, Diary of a Curvy Fashionista. Despite the title, she wanted her blog to be a place for women of all shapes and sizes. Just three years later, her vision has become a business, which she recently rebranded as itspamelakieck.com. She kindly let us pick her brain via email.
Why did you start blogging?
Everyone would always come up to me and say that they loved my style and that I should start a blog. I always shrugged it off, but I decided that I would take their advice and start Diary of a Curvy Fashionista in the summer of 2012. I wanted it to be a platform to empower women of all shapes and sizes to be confident in their bodies. Everyone can be stylish and on-trend no matter what body type.
[The blog] started mainly as a hobby and my followers included my friends and family. Now, fast forward three years, the blog is no longer just a hobby, but a business that I am passionate about.About how much time do you spend on it?
I spend about an hour or two every night on the blog and dedicate one day a week to photo shoots. Maintaining social media outlets is a huge part of blogging, so I’m constantly taking pictures and uploading them to Instagram or Snapchat.
Where do you shop locally?
Denim Bar MKE for jeans, Lizzibeth for accessories, and Luci for great tops or dresses. I have big feet so finding shoes is always hard for me. Shoo has a good shoe selection, if I want to shop locally. Otherwise, a lot of my shoes are from JustFab or ShoeDazzle. For basics, Kit and Ace.
What’s the best brand no one has heard of?
It has to be Rivolt Accessories. Not only are the pieces absolutely breathtaking, but they are all handmade here in Milwaukee. I fall in love with every single piece.
Anything missing from Milwaukee’s retail scene?
There are two things missing: more shoe stores and a trendy plus-size store. Women with curves like to look fab, too!
Much ink has been spilled in the last decade about the need for more plus size clothing options, and the market seems to be responding, albeit slowly. Celebrities like Melissa McCarthy and Rebel Wilson have recently launched their own brands, and sales of the former have been met with success. Have you noticed a change?
Being plus size isn’t something to be ashamed of, but something to be celebrated. Having curves is envied and the fashion industry is finally starting to take notice. I’ve noticed a huge change for the better. So many designers and boutiques are adding plus-size lines to their collections because they’re realizing the average woman is a size 14. There is a huge market for women who want to feel sexy and stylish, and in the coming years, I see the gap closing even more than it recently has.
Where do you think style blogging will be in five years?
I think more and more people are following fashion bloggers for inspiration, not only for their wardrobe but for their lifestyle. Bloggers have been taking over New York Fashion Week these last few years because they are getting the trends right to their followers who, in turn, go out and recreate the look. Five years from now, bloggers will be some of the biggest fashion influencers.
Are there any style blunders Milwaukeeans are prone to make?
Not taking the extra time to complete an outfit. We’re all busy and always on the go, so we tend to just throw on something that goes together and get out the door. It’s amazing what a shade of lipstick, a belt, or a statement necklace can do to change an ordinary outfit into something extraordinary.
Who snaps your photos?
I’m currently looking for a new professional photographer to take all of my blog pictures. Since I’m in between [photographers] right now, I have my friends, family and co-workers snap shots with my camera or iPhone whenever I get inspired.
Additional editing by Liz Chatterton.
