As a child, freshman Sydney Sadick marveled at the vintage clothing her grandmother kept inside a cozy closet. Today, she admires style from seats at fashion shows.
Sadick, a journalism and mass communication major, has interviewed fashion icons like legendary designers Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg through her blog called StyleSolutions, which the New York native founded at age 16.
The self-run website, which has more than 500 posts and was featured in the Huffington Post, greets readers with images of Sadick’s fashion picks of the season – she predicts brightly colored clutches, in shades from pastel to neon, will be “in” this spring and summer. It also features interviews with fashion figures like Kristin Cavallari and images of her own daily outfits readers can mimic themselves.
“Everyone says, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover.’ But everyone does. I think a lot of people want to see how an everyday-type girl or guy can really put themselves together and how they look more relatable,” Sadick said.
Sadick’s website compiles colorful photos of her own ensembles, which showcase the latest trends, with links for readers to buy the items themselves. She also gives tips for making the most out of quick jaunts to fashion hotspots like New York and Los Angeles, noting everything from the best shopping venues to the best local bakery.
Her posts emphasize accessibility, focusing not only on what looks are in style and why, but how novice fashion enthusiasts can create high-end looks.
“To read about all these trends in the magazines or a high-power news source can be intimidating because it’s not really broken down for the everyday reader,” Sadick said. “If they’re going to look at what Ivanka Trump is wearing for a work interview, the likelihood of it being affordable is very unlikely.”
She also pays attention to modernity – when Sadick observed fashion websites and magazines opting for expansive pictures over scrolls of text, she inserted more images into her posts. When bloggers started posting videos, Sadick followed suit, giving readers an interactive tour of designer Nicole Miller’s studio.
She has tried to maintain a keen awareness of new media techniques since a summer course in the subject at Harvard University inspired her to start the blog.
Before her ventures in runway shows and designer studios, Sadick made a name for herself by persistently reaching out to new designers, New York celebrities and international fashion houses until she could secure interviews. Her first interview was an impromptu chat with singer Rihanna at a Barnes and Noble appearance.
“Just growing up and living in New York, I’ve always been exposed to this industry. My mom used to be a buyer years ago for Macy’s and Lord & Taylor, and I’ve always gone through my grandma’s closet since I was really little, looking through her vintage clothing,” Sadick said.
She will likely have to manage the hardships of the industry. Jeffrey Dagley of the GW Career Center noted the transitory nature of the fashion business, saying that fashion journalists must “be very willing to suffer a lot of the ‘hard knocks’ of this industry – intense competition, an extremely low success rate, and constant, very rapid change.”
Sadick currently writes for the Huffington Post’s style section, and has landed a summer internship with renowned stylist and designer Rachel Zoe.
“I want a brand, I want a book, I want a budget accessory line that really emulates my personal style,” Sadick said. “I know my passions are fashion and journalism, so as long as I’m doing that, I’m set.”
