Story by Dahlia Dandashi
Video and Photos by Helen Fernandez
With a hint of an accent and a whole lot of bleach blonde hair, it is no surprise that Norwegian blogger Emilie Frøyland is just as sweet as the desserts inside Royer’s Pie Haven. It is a hot Friday afternoon and Frøyland is wearing a black leather skirt and a navy striped blouse. Her blue nails reflect her blue eyes, and she models a pair of white pumps and a black Prada bag. With wide eyes and a big smile, the blogger proclaims her love for bags: “I definitely have a purse obsession!”
Frøyland says that she was always interested in fashion, even at a young age. She would change her outfits frequently and coat herself in glitter and blue lipstick as a child. She took up photography in high school as a way of documenting her day-to-day outfits. “I thought that if I started taking photos and showing my looks, then I would begin to evolve in my style,” the blogger says. In December 2012, she posted her first blog entry onto her website, “Fashion Conspiracy.” The blog consists of classic, yet colorful, looks. Each blog post describes the outfit in detail and includes a bit about her day.
To fit blogging into her busy schedule, Frøyland photographs six or seven looks a day, rather than one outfit per photo shoot. Frøyland’s boyfriend, Alexander Thorstvedt, helps her by photographing every look and creating beautiful images that capture the effect of the outfit. “With my clothing, I try to experiment with layers and textures, like leather or lace. I have a very classic style, yet I’m colorful,” she says.
According to Frøyland, fashion in Norway is very different from the fashion in Austin. “The fashion in Scandinavia is very minimal, due to the fact that it’s dark seven months of the year,” she says, adding that Scandinavians wear little jewelry and a lot of black and white.
Frøyland moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas after completing a foreign exchange program in Dallas during high school. She was attracted to the Lone Star State because of its southern hospitality, weather and style. She believes the fashion in Austin has helped her own style to evolve. “When I first moved to Austin, I thought, ‘What is going on? Why are people wearing hats inside? Are they wearing pants under their oversized shirts?’” Frøyland says, laughing.
Since moving to Austin, she says she now has the courage to incorporate more color into her wardrobe. “Austin has a very bohemian, down to earth and relaxed style. I love seeing people’s fashion on the street, especially through street style blogs. They inspire me to try new things and incorporate different clothing in new ways,” Frøyland says.
Frøyland says that a lot of fashion bloggers model extremely expensive clothing, alienating people who cannot afford the pieces for themselves. She says a good fashion blog must be approachable and open to all. “I find myself more inspired by the everyday people I meet on the street and my travels than by editorials,” she adds. Instead of buying expensive clothes, Frøyland buys trendy and affordable pieces from stores like Forever 21 and Asos, but she will drop a dime on a good accessory. “I invest my money in classic purses that can work with all outfits,” she says.
When asked of her family’s opinion on all of her fashion endeavors, she throws her head back with a laugh. “Actually, my mom doesn’t like fashion at all! She doesn’t really get it, but she’s supportive no matter what,” Frøyland says.
The communication studies sophomore has big post-graduation plans. She intends to get her MBA with a degree in corporate communications. Then, Frøyland plans to return to Norway, but for now, the entrepreneur learns about branding to combine her degree with her love for fashion. And, although she is unsure whether or not she will come back to Texas after college, she knows one thing is for certain: She wants to inspire people back home to experiment with brighter clothes, no matter how dark the Scandinavian sky may be.
