One day at CHA last week I sported one of my Monica Burnett head bands and I have never had to write a website down so many times. Everyone adored the headband and wanted to touch it, ask questions about it a few even took pictures. That being the case I thought I might share with you my lovely Craft Gossip readers an interview I conducted with Monica Burnett earlier this summer on my personal blog when one of her amazing outfits won the Polyvore contest I was running. So read on to learn about the woman behind the most a-doorbell headbands you have ever laid eyes on.
I see that you learned to knit and crochet from your mother as a little girl. When did you start using your needle skills for the betterment of the fashion community?
My first crafty web shop was full of a crazy mixture of things, and my crocheted hats sold the best, by far! So I decided to revamp. I launched monicaburnetthats.com in 2005
What are you best sellers? I am partial to the headbands and love the custom one you made me, but I have noticed that loose crocheted berets have been all the rage so I bet they sell like hot cakes for you!
It’s always changing, but right now the “cadet” hats with the little button flaps are hot, but I would have to say my headbands are usually the favorite.
What are your favorite fashion magazines or blogs? Any that you subscribe to or have to read regularly?
Adorn (rip), teen vogue, nylon, paper, Japanese magazines, bits and bobbins, n.e.e.t, face hunter, and of course I read your blog for brilliant business advice!
What are some trends you are seeing in the fashion world right now? Anything you are loving or hating? Any fashion predictions?
I have a theory…when we are kids the teenagers have the BEST style, we envy it, we can’t wait till we are teens to wear it, we just want it.
Of course when we become teens, there is a whole new set of rules, and we wear what’s current.
When we branch off and become “grown ups” we are still engrained with that bizarre yearning for the teenage fashions of our childhood… and THAT’S why fashion is cyclical.
For example, when I was a little bird, the teens were hitting grunge, hard.
Now I make slouchy hats, obsess over plaid, and live for my doc martens.
What piece of clothing and or accessory do you find yourself wearing all the time?
I’m a skirt or dress kind of girl. I have maybe 2 pairs of pants and they only get worn on laundry day. Oh and tights! I love tights, I have maybe 8 pairs, mustard yellow, purple, bright blue, white…
You recently moved from the Los Angeles area to Portland. Have you noticed any major differences in street style? For a big city Los Angeles always seems subdued in their fashion to me. I hear Portland is a sister city to Austin and if that rings true in the fashion community I am assuming there is a pretty eclectic sense of style there.
I had always heard that Portland was 2 steps back fashion wise and I’m about 2 steps sideways, so I get a lot of looks when I walk outside…
Portland is not as trendy as LA/Orange County. The kids love their vintage, I see lots of jeans, sweatshirts, there is a distinct lack of makeup (a welcome change). I would imagine “do you have this in green?” is a question the sales people hear often. Portland loves its nature colors.
Who are some of your style icons? Any favorite designers, rockers, Etsy sellers – who’s style or wares you admire?
I love the personal style of: Vivianne Westwood, Jean Seberg, cast of gossip girl, Heath Ledger, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Johnny Depp, Betsey Johnson, Frida Kahlo, my sister. Some of my favorite designers are: Anna Sui, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Luella, Missoni, Karen Walker, Kenzo.
I see that your bio says you are a Sex and the City fan. Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think of the outfits? Sarah Jessica Parker sports a sequined beret in one scene!
Ooooh yes I saw the movie. My buddie and I bought tickets in advance, got dressed up, did the whole thing.
I dug the outfits. My only beef is that Carrie seemed to ditch her love for vintage. Like what, now you are “successful” and you can afford real clothes…so I suppose she only shopped vintage because it’s what she could afford at the time? I like to think of her being a little more creative then that.
I know that your headbands have been featured on shows like Your LA and iCarly and in print places like Adorn and Metro Pop Magazine. How does one get their headbands into the hot little hands of say the stylist for Zoey 101 like you did?
Actually she found me! I was a vendor at Felt Club and she was a shopper. Of course she did not introduce herself, she just bought a headband and scampered away as stylists do. Later she purchased another headband off my website and the shipping address was the Zoey 101 set, that kind of tipped me off.
She called me a while later to do a custom hat for iCarly, you can actually see my hat in the opening credits of the show! You have to look pretty hard…but its there
On a scale of 1-10 how addicted to Polyvore are you? Are you on any other fashion related websites like This Next, Style Hive or Iqons? Which is your favorite.
I would say a solid 8, my favorite thing is when people use my hats to create outfits, I live for that.
Yes I believe I am on all those other sites as well, I don’t really understand how to use those sites though, I don’t check them too often, just for marketing purposes.
Polyvore is definitely my favorite!
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