The Dialogue: Lauren Caruso of Allure Magazine

Spoiler Alert: The completely fascinating people that hold some of our dream jobs are actual human beings, that drink tea, get brunch and take vacations to the beach. In a quest to dig deeper and get to know some of the talented babes from Instagram, magazines and popular blogs, I ask the big questions and the silly questions. This week (previously it was Jane Aldridge of Sea of Shoes) it's time to chat with the Senior Digital Editor at Allure Magazine, Lauren Caruso. Be prepared to fall in love with her Instagram account; she's the queen of white backdrops, dainty jewels & oversized pants.

 - Name and Occupation: Lauren Caruso, senior digital editor 

 - Where are you based and why do you love it? I live in the West Village of NYC, and it's like a small town within a huge city. My favorite coffee shop, Chalait, is right on the corner, and there are tons of stores and restaurants within walking distance. It's almost dangerous.  

- What's the best thing about your job? Because I have my hand in everything from top-level digital strategy to the daily content lineup, no two days are ever the same! Sometimes, I'll spend all day on a photo or video shoot, and other days I'm meeting with other editors to collaborate on a big project, and others I'm just writing and editing all day.  

- What's the hardest thing about your job? Figuring out what the internet wants, and delivering it consistently, in the Allure voice. It's an everyday challenge, but I love it. 

- How did you get your start in the beauty industry? I was always very into fashion, and beauty was kind of my side-hustle. When I started at Refinery29 as a market writer in 2012, one of the beauty editors left, and they were in a bind for some additional beauty stories. I volunteered, and it just grew from there. Then, when I was promoted to Contributor Network Editor in 2013, I took on a lot of beauty-centric contributors like Renee Rouleau and Kyle White, so my move to Allure just made sense.  

- What do you consider your 'big break' when it comes to your career? I'm not sure if I've had one yet! 

- What's your signature drink? An old fashioned.  

- It's Saturday morning. Where can we find you? Probably grabbing brunch with my best friend Alyssa (@alyssainthecity) 

- What are your favorite Instagram accounts? It's forever iterating, but right now I'm obsessed with @articlegoods, @thearrivalsnyc, @ohkworld, @cuyana, @shopundone, @3x1, and all of the Aussie brands, like @cmeocollective, @thefifthlabel, @tylr_aus, and @keepsakethelabel.  

- How would you describe your personal style? Minimalistic, for sure. 

- Heels or flats? Flats, always! More specifically: sneakers. 

- Favorite brand? Don't think I could ever name just one, but I'm very into everything The Arrivals is doing right now. I love Tictail for discovering new brands, and I'll never get sick of 3x1 for denim, Duo NYC for jeans, or Frankie Shop for everything. 

- Which luxury item will you always splurge on? Coats!  

- Before bed beauty routine? Oh goodness, this one's a doozy. My night time skincare routine takes a solid 20-30 minutes (even the short version takes 15), but before I even start that, I throw on some hot water for a cup of tea. Then, after I take my makeup off with Simple Micellar Water, I throw on a mask for 10-15 minutes, catch up on a couple articles I've had bookmarked, and then finish up once the mask is off. I always like to finish up my night by looking at a book or magazine, rather than a screen.  

- Favorite piece of advice you've ever received? Never, ever say—or even think—the words, "That's not in my job description." It's up to you to be forever expanding your job description, especially if you're in a creative industry. Everyone in NYC is overworked and underpaid, and if that's your excuse for staying inside your allotted creative box, then you're setting yourself up to fail. 

Follow Lauren on Instagram & Twitter

Follow me on Bloglovin to stay updated. 

The Dialogue: Jane Aldridge

Vintage beauty, Jane Aldridge of uber popular blog, Sea of Shoes, might have made a name for herself modeling her enviable shoe collection (which includes everything from Dries Van Noten to Alaia) but it's her keen eye for detail, intricate styling techniques and unique aesthetic among a sea of bloggers that has held everyone's attention over the years. She was one of the first fashion blogs I came across that I still have bookmarked to this day. Maybe it's the porcelain skin. Maybe it's the magazine worthy photography. Maybe it's the expert cat eye. However, I do know that it is definitely her vintage clad Texan style rivaling the looks seen at fashion week that has me coming back for more. 

This week, I was fortunate enough to ask Jane some of the questions I have always wanted to ask. So what, im a bit of a fangirl. You should be, too. 

- Name and Occupation:   Jane Aldridge, Blogger

- Where are you based and why do you love it?   Dallas, Texas. My family has deep roots in Texas and I have a great affinity for the character of people here. I'm an avid thrifter/junker, and Texas is a haven for that. Going out to West Texas to see the plains is a yearly pilgrimage for me. Texas is a very special place for me.

- How can fashion newbies start to incorporate bolder pieces into their wardrobes in a way that's not overwhelming for them?  I guess you have to find something you really love! If you feel uncomfortable in it, it will show. When it doubt, dress it down with jeans.

-  When did you realize that you were in love with fashion? I always loved to dress up as a kid. That's what people knew me for in grade school. I always looked at magazines, but by the time I was 11 I was memorizing the runway collections. I started learning more about vintage and my mom and I would spend every weekend at thrift stores scouring for crazy pieces and great labels. We also started sewing and dying our own clothes around that time. It's just always been my life!

- Your blog, Sea of Shoes, is one of the first blogs that gained notoriety. What made you want to start a blog in the first place?  I lived in a small town, went to a small charter school, and didn't really have anyone to talk about fashion with, except for my mom who loves and has a deep knowledge of fashion. I was 15 and honestly just was hoping to connect with a few people who loved it the way I did. It was such a small close-knit community then. I miss that. It made me so happy that even one person read it!

- If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be? Haha, Thom Browne! He's incredible. I want to help him design his runway sets. That's my dream!

- Neutrals or brights? Brights, every time!

- What's your signature drink?  A cup of Yorkshire tea with lots of cream.

- It's Saturday morning. Where can we find you?  Up at 6 AM, because the dogs never let us sleep in. Then we start to cook! My boyfriend Jeff and I have a food blog (Thyme & Temp) that we love doing together and it's a huge source of joy for us to spend time on that! It's funny, even on weekends I am still blogging non-stop. Do what you love!

- What are your favorite Instagram accounts?  I love Douglas A Hart and Camille B Waddington's accounts for inspiration. Laura Kitty has an amazing eye for vintage cataloguing. I'm also so inspired by the_corner_store's take on vintage.

- How would you describe your personal style? I prefer to wear mostly vintage! I have pet relationships with all the clothes I own. My personal style is based on whatever I've found lately.

- Heels or flats?  Heels! 

- Favorite classic brand? Favorite emerging brand?  My favorite classic brand is Giorgio Armani. He designs with such a singular eye and runs his company with such integrity. More than ever his clothes look fresh to me. I love his color palettes, always. My favorite emerging brand....Faustine Steinmetz.

- Which luxury item will you always splurge on? Shoes of course!! 

- Before bed beauty routine? I use all Korean products I buy from Memebox.com! I start with a lemony cleanser, pat a toner on, mist on an essence, massage few different serums in for a few minutes, then finish with a rich oil or heavy night cream. 

- What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Always trust your instinct, and don't worry if other people don't get it yet!

- You travel a lot. Which place have you traveled to that inspired you the most? Tucson, Arizona is this amazing hub of young creatives, artists, and history. I am obsessed, I could totally move there! The beauty of the desert landscape was breathtaking. I am so glad I got to see it and I can't wait to go back.

-  What's your favorite novel? Publication? Website? Let's say Dog of the South by Charles Portis, it's a great dark comedy and I just love everything he's written. My favorite publication is CR Book! And my favorite website..is eBay.

Follow Jane on Twitter & Instagram 

Check out her blog seaofshoes (as if you hadn't already!)