Let's get RETRO with Heather Whitsett | #FoxFamily
We chatted with the illustrious Heather Whitsett @howtobefancy and learned all about how she got her magnificent vintage vibe. Read on!
You have a wonderful, distinct vintage/retro fashion sense that you seem to love sharing with the world through your vlogs, blog, and Instagram account. But who did you get this on point fashion sense from?
I've always been a collector of vintage fashion. I dug through thrift stores and my grandma's closet as a little girl, spending hours planning outfits for pretend parties. My influences come from all over the place - classic film, books, music icons all inspire me. I get crazy excited when I find a way to take all this inspiration and re-imagine it in a way that fits my style.
Your hubby is awesome! How do you and Brent work together to create such great content?
He IS awesome! He's also freakishly talented in his own work and always encourages my big weird random ideas. While I run most of How to be Fancy solo, he's always been my sounding board and is totally willing to step in when I need an extra hand or seven. He should basically win all the YouTube husband awards!
How would you describe your style in a sentence?
Well, a dummies.com quiz just said my style was "generic", but what do they know?? Today I'd say 1940's unicorn-chic but that changes as much as my hair color!
How many times have you changed your hair color?! When did you start coloring your hair?
I have no idea! I've been coloring my hair since I was 13, but about 6 years ago I decided to go pink on a bit of a dramatic whim. The first time I went out in public was interesting (the midwest is a fun place to try new things!!) but I've never felt more like myself.
Your Instagram account is consistently bright, colorful and super aesthetic! What advice would you give to others in beautifying their own accounts?
PLANNING! I'm a bit obsessive when it comes to my Instagram feed - I lay out a week or so of photos in separate app before I post anything to social media. It's still a work in progress but I'd say take notice of what you personally like - bright colors, dark neutrals, outdoors, shoes, whatever your thing is - and work that into your feed. As much as people want to see pretty photos they also want to know what matters to YOU. So take the opportunity to show it off! Oh! And don't facetune yourself into a little smudge! I LIKE seeing your face - imperfections and all.
How does one be "on-the-cheap" and still have as much style and class as you? What's your secret?!
For me, it's been about learning what things make me happy. I try to never buy something based on what's trendy - I always have major regret when I do. Because I like to wear a lot of vintage, I'm not worried about things going out of style so I can take my time and find pieces that I love. I shop everywhere but my favorite style moments are often made in the aisles of my favorite thrift stores.
Do you have any pets and what's their names and what's cute about them?
Heck yes! We have three cats and are huge animal lovers. Our oldest is Spoon, she runs the place and judges us all from her favorite shoe box. Mr. Jones is my bestie. He's practically my shadow and always up for a good head boop. This summer, we adopted Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy from a Cat Video Festival (yeah, we're THOSE people). He likes to play fetch, wear bowties and spends most of the day sitting near or around my lap. He's also the only one of the cats who's interested in internet fame - he's working on his Instagram strategy as we speak.
What's your favorite find of 2016?
I just purchased on a hand painted 1950's cheongsam wiggle dress that is divine!!
What's next for How To Be Fancy?
I'm full-on into a few projects right now, but I'm most excited about working on some how-to videos for girls (and guys) who want to make a style change without killing their bank account or their self-esteem in the process.
You can find Heather at howtobefancy.com, @howtobefancy on Instagram, and be sure to watch her on Youtube for beauty and fashion reviews, looks, hauls and more!