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It was only two years ago that Shea Marie started her blog, Cheyenne Meets Chanel. What began as outfit posts and inspirational images has turned into a full-time job that has the almost 26-year-old fashionista flying all over the world for photo shoots, brand meetings and other collaborations. "In the past two months I've only been in LA for two weeks," Shea explains after coming off a trip to Europe that found her in both Milan and Paris for the first time.
Shea grew up in Valley Center, California and moved to Los Angeles after finishing a communications degree at UCSB. After working for a movie studio and realizing it wasn't the business for her, she began working for a denim designer. It was a year into trying to balance the blog and her day job when Shea hired a manager who encouraged her to take the leap. She quit to focus solely on Cheyenne Meets Chanel.
Shea now gets up every morning around 6am to make sure the day's blog post, which centers around what she's wearing, goes live without a hitch. "My style changes so much," Shea admits. "What I wore yesterday, I feel like I don't like today." We caught up with the busy blogger at Earth Bar to talk travel, Halloween and of course, style.
What are you drinking today?
"I created my own. I have acai, papaya, blueberries, rice milk and usually ask for kale."
Where is your favorite place to vacation?
"Harbour Island in the Bahamas. It's a small island and everyone drives golf carts. It is the only place in the world with pink sand because the reef is a really pink coral and breaks off into the sand. Out of anywhere I've been, it's my favorite place."
What is your standard Saturday night out look?
"I'm always wearing black. I usually go for something short but loose, short and tight can be a little trashy. I like simple but then I'll add something like gold cuffs or maybe a statement necklace."
What is your go-to wardrobe piece?
"I would say a good blazer. I have a few blazers from Helmut Lang that I love and you can really wear them with anything. Throw it over jeans and T-shirt and your outfit is suitable for a meeting. I always suggest that if you're going to save up for something, buy a good blazer."
Who are your favorite musicians?
"I really like the Black Keys, Florence and the Machine and Lana del Rey."
Where do you draw inspiration?
"I love reading street style blogs. I'm interested in what real women around the world are wearing. I think that's why blogging is huge, because people feel like they can relate; because what a model is wearing isn't usually attainable for most people."
New York, Paris, London or Milan?
"I am the most welcomed in New York because I know a lot of designers there but I love Milan. The people on the street are all dressed beautifully. Whereas, you walk down the street here and people are in flip-flops and they don't care; maybe they haven't changed in four days. In Milan, everyone cares. You can just feel it in the air."
Cheyenne or Chanel?
"Cheyenne at heart, but Chanel for fashion."
Sale or new arrivals?
"I get a lot of stuff sent to me so I try not to spend too much on clothes. I try to find stuff on sale; I think if I can get some kind of discount then I feel better about buying it."
What was your Halloween costume this year?
"My best friend and I went as Romy and Michele—I'm Michele. We had our costumes made. We got the exact fabric and got our hair done to match the picture. We also got hideous, '90s shoes from Goodwill. We were really excited about the outfit."
What's your favorite day of the week?
"I'm the one weird person that likes Mondays. Every Monday I set all the goals for the week and maybe I don't get it all done but at least I have a plan."
What is one thing you wish you knew then, that you know now?
"The more I've gotten to travel and see how other people live I've realized how much there is out there. I wish I would have left San Diego sooner and moved to a different city. I'm happy the way things turned out but if I were going to tell anything to younger girls it would be that there's a bigger world out there."
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