GIRLBOSSINSTYLE: @ALICIATIVANE on HER SMALL BUSINESS, STYLE AND BEING CREATIVE 

Could you tell us a bit about you, for those who have not been following your IG? 

Hi! My name is Alicia. I live in the small country Denmark, in Odense! I love being by the sea and my puppy Benji. Being creative with everything is a part of my DNA, haha. I always want to have some kind of project (I recently build my own table for my living room). I post whatever I want and often on my Instagram, because I don’t like to have limitations.

Are you currently studying/ working and is it in anyway related to fashion and your style? 

Right now, I’m working a full-time job at a video production company in Odense. I am social media and marketing manager. This has been my dream job for as long as I can remember. It is not related to fashion, but I’m still so happy I ended up here after working too many hours in places that didn’t fit me. I would absolutely love to work with fashion, preferably in the social media and marketing field – at least right now! And a big thing for me is to be at place where I can wear exactly what I want and never be judged.

Could you tell us a but your small business and how is it to be small business owner?

Yesss! I started my business aluus. last year. After covid shut down our country, I felt an urge to be creative and to ground myself in some way. I was really stressed at my old job and wanted to find some peace. For a while I wanted to take a ceramics class, but everything was booked and they didn’t take in new people. So I contacted a local potter to get some advice and then I just started. I watched a lot of youtube videos and learned the basics of ceramics. To be able to sell what I created I wanted to do it right from the start, with taxes and so on, so that’s how it became a real business. I know nothing about being a business owner and I suck at numbers, but I just had to do it. I could feel it in my entire body.

What I love the most about my business is, that it’s mine. Everything that’s happening is because I think it should happen and I decide everything - It’s a creative universe created by me and to see people love it is the best feeling ever.

Being my own boss is something I am trying to manifest!

Another thing I noticed you also have your own Youtube channel! Could you tell us about it?

Yes, I do have a youtube channel! I talk about different topics I’m passionate about- mental health, spirituality and fashion and I do vlogs too, where I share stuff from my business and my life. I started up again this year, wanting to create videos and have a creative outlet. It is a tough world though and it is hard for me to keep it up, as it can be a scary place to be sometimes. It is also a great place to learn and connect with other people, and I would love to be the person I needed, for someone else. But as I said, it can be difficult to keep up when nobody is cheering for you other than yourself! But I am trying my best.

Your thoughts on fast fashion/ slow fashion/ sustainability/ thrifting? 

Personally, thrifting has become a bigger part of my closet lately. I am trying to be more sustainable by buying second hand a giving old clothes new life rather than only buying new items, but I also enjoy purchasing new clothes. I try to buy items in good quality which lasts longer but it can be expensive to buy good quality items all the time.

When I didn’t have the money I saved up and bought one expensive item a month or one every other month (to keep up with my horrible addiction, haha)

From which places/brands do you buy clothes? 

It’s really a mix for me! I see no problem in mixing expensive items like Ganni or Stine Goya with less expensive items from Asos or Na-kd fashion. If you are trying to build your wardrobe it can be limiting to only wear expensive items. Sustainable/small business clothing brands are often super expensive, so I try to save my money if I find a piece I want.

If you do find a piece from a small brand that is too expensive at the time, the worst thing you can do is to find a cheaper rip-off of the design. Rather save your money and support the smaller business.

They put so much work into their designs and their business. I also understand the works of a small business, because I now have one myself!

What is your opinion on shopping in 2021, any thoughts or advices?

Shopping has definitely improved in the last years. Thrifting has become much more available to all kinds of people and more and more thrift shops are opening up, at least here in Denmark. There are many ways to thrift and especially high end brands are becoming more available in secondhand. It is a great concept to give old clothes new life.

How would you describe your style in few words?

The words that come to mind are personal, colorful and comfortable.

How your style evolved, if it evolved, during past few years and what affected this change?

My style has changed a lot throughout the years. I went from wanting to wear only white, black and grey, to never wanting to wear black and only wanting bright colors to wearing all colors of the rainbow now.

I’ve also decided to wear what I think is cool and learning to wear what I think looked good was really great for me and my personal style.

Do you dress to impress/ for yourself/ to impress yourself /other?

I am dressing for myself and hope other people like it too. So maybe both? But first of all myself.

What are you thinking about when choosing outfits? Do you rely on mood or weather or occasion? Is weather something to consider when you live in Denmark?

Usually, I think of how I feel that day. And the weather plays a big role too. I think of my mood first and then the weather. The weather can change so quickly here in Denmark, so if I wear shorts I always pack pants, if I wear t-shirts I always pack sweaters and so on.

Could you tell us about your latest favourite outfits? And where is it from?

I recently purchased a denim dress/vest with buttons from a secondhand store and I want to wear it everyday, haha! When I don’t know what to wear that item is my go-to. It can be paired with almost everything and still look cool! I’m also a little late to the party but shirts with big collars are a favorite right now.

What is your craziest latest clothing discovery or re-discovery?

The first thing that comes to mind is zebra prints. I just bought a pair of tights with zebra stripes from Stine Goya. Felt kind of weird loving them haha! Also, t-shirts with prints of drawings on them. Realization Par has many of them.

Are you or were you ever shy about rocking extra outfits or colors?

Yes!! The feeling of being noticed was really difficult for me in the beginning. But I took my time into wearing different outfits and feel confident.

First trying to wear a bold shirt, a different hairstyle or a bold color/print and then becoming more and more comfortable in trying new pairings out.

Also, just not caring about what others think can help you in soooo many aspects of your life!

What would you recommend to people who are looking for their style?

A good place to start is to know where your inspiration comes from. Is it from a celebrity, the nature, the 90’s or someone on insta?

And then ask what about it/them you like – from then on it can be a bit easier to tell what your personal style is. Maybe find your source of inspiration and turn to it/ them to see if you have clothing that match the style.

It’s definitely a process and it can take a while to know what you like – so enjoy the journey of figuring it out. There’s no right or wrong – just have fun with it!

What/who are your style inspirations? 

Right now I am loving the casual vibes on Instagram. The “post whatever you want” vibe is amazing.

People like @noamianwerr and @lunaklestrup are my favourites to follow just because of their being and their style is amazing too. @michellemdriscoll and @matildadjerf for good vibes. @selflovesupply @wetheurban and @anewspecimen for everything self-love and spirituality! That was hard to choose, but to name a few!

 How your relationship with thrifting started?

I wanted to buy higher quality clothing, but it was (funny enough) too expensive. So I turned to second hand. Later many different types of thrift shops opened which made it much more appealing to different types of styles.

Can you tell about your best and most favourite thrift finds?

That denim dress I told you about earlier. I love it to death!

Any tips on thrifting in Denmark or would you rather keep it a secret?

I’m a big fan of “Reshoppit” in Odense right now, it’s a great concept. There’s also a lot of different big ones in Copenhagen, Episode is really popular.

Also, just take your time when thrifting though! It can be overwhelming to look through so much clothing at once, but if you just take your time and look closely you can find some hidden treasures!

Your thoughts on how the future of thrifting looks?

The future of thrifting looks bright to me. In Denmark at least. It has become easier to find higher quality clothing in thrift shops and it has become much more available.

Also, I am selling my clothes in a second hand shop, so a tip: you can also earn a little money on your pre-loved items if you sell them second hand! Maybe save up for a good quality item you want for the money you earn?

Any closing message to readers? 

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope I gave you some tips to try and maybe gave you a little nudge to explore the world of fashion and how fun it can be.

Have fun and enjoy the process! Hope to see you on my Instagram <3

- Alicia, @aliciativane

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