CuppaJyo

by Jyotsna Shankar

An aspiring stylist, Jyotsna Shankar of CuppaJyo wanted to share her beauty and fashion advice with the masses. She covers lifestyle, food and fitness, but ultimately focuses on her greatest passion – clothes! See Jyotsna’s varying outfit repertoire, take a peek at her beauty favorites, and get a behind-the-scenes look at her fashionable life. Learn more about her blogging journey with Blogspotter.

  1. How long ago did you start Cuppajyo?

    I started Cuppajyo in November 2013.

  2. When you started your blog, what did you have in mind? Has it stayed pretty true to that original idea?

    I was always passionate about fashion and all things related to lifestyle from fashion and beauty to food and fitness. This is the reason I called my blog Cuppajyo; literally meaning a cup of Jyo  (everyone calls me that) so that I could write about everything that inspires me in fashion, beauty and lifestyle. So far, I would say I have been true to the original idea since I make sure to have different categories like outfits, beauty tips, DIY, beauty/product/service reviews, etc. But I predominantly focus on fashion.

  3. Why did you want to share your outfits, inspirations, and style advice with the world?

    A couple of my friends have always asked me for fashion and beauty advice whether it was being a shopping partner, suggestions for outfits, makeup tips etc. It gave me great joy to help them out as well as satisfy my ultimate wish to be a stylist. This is when I started posting outfits on Chictopia and Instagram, which got good response, ultimately encouraging me to start Cuppajyo!

  4. How has blogging gone for you so far? Do you feel it was a worthwhile endeavor?

    It’s been a great experience so far. I have met and worked with so many interesting people through blogging! I have developed so many skills and gained a lot of valuable experiences through blogging as well.

  5. If you could start your blogging journey all over, would you change anything?

    For now I think I wouldn’t change anything since my blog is just around 6 months old, and I hope I can give the same answer even a few years down the line!

  6. How would you describe your personal style?

    I tend to gravitate towards more feminine and colorful attire, both in clothes and accessories. However, I love to be adventurous in my style, so I am not afraid to try other styles like bohemian, minimalistic, etc. It all depends on my mood! But at the end of the day, its all about me being comfortable and feeling like a million bucks in whatever I am wearing!

  7. "If you want to make a name for yourself, be prepared to work hard, be consistent and persistent."— Jyotsna Shankar

  8. What are your favorite colors and patterns to wear?

    I have so many favorite colors: aquamarine wins first place, but I also love red, coral, mint, cobalt blue, black, ivory (the list can go on but I’ll stop there). I love adding bold pops of color like a bold lip or a bold statement shoe or clutch.

    As for patterns I absolutely love leopard and stripes; I consider them neutrals! They are so versatile. You can dress them up or dress them down, as well as use them as a base for a pattern mix. I also love floral patterns and any statement pattern likes a gorgeous graphic print.

  9. Where are your favorite places to shop and why?

    Some of my favorite places to shop online: Lulus, Nasty Gal (they have an amazing selection of clothing, shoes and accessories); Etsy, Ebay (for accessories); Sheinside, Romwe (amazing selection of clothes for incredible prices!) Some of my favorite physical stores to shop at: Marshalls, TJMaxx ( love me a good deal! And you can never go wrong with these two!); H&M, Forever21 (again I’m all in for looking trendy without breaking the wallet!); Jcrew, Zara.

    I also love shopping at a lot of local boutiques in Boston. I think it’s important to support local stores. Also, the added advantage is that you will always find unique, one-of-a-kind pieces in boutiques that would be sure to stand out in your outfit.

  10. Which item(s) in your wardrobe could you never live without?

    If I were to pick 5 items I cant live without: my favorite pair of jeans, LBD, basic white tee, nude flats and my Ray-Ban aviators!

  11. Does social media play a big part in your blogging process?

    Yes, it definitely does! Social media is such a powerful tool when you are trying to get your name out there. There are so many blogs today, and the only way to can get known or be noticed is being consistent and persistent, both on social media as well as other online communities relevant to your genre of blogging. Social media definitely takes a lot of time, so my advice would be to concentrate on the 1 or 2 platforms that you want to market your brand on the most. My favorite social media platform is Instagram.

  12. About how long does an average blog post take?

    If its an outfit post, the cumulative time of taking pictures, editing them and writing the post takes me about 2 hours. If it’s a just a review, a DIY post etc where its mostly just pictures and written content, the post takes me about an hour.

  13. What is your favorite subject to post about?

    Fashion is undoubtedly my favorite subject to post about. I love to put together outfits, and I hope that my readers can gain some inspiration from them!

  14. What has starting and maintaining a blog taught you?

    I have learnt a couple of things being 6 months into blogging now. First up, blogging is a lot more than just looking pretty and rosy, it is a lot of work from the very first step of building your website and it is always a work in progress. Being true to your goal, being patient and not getting bogged down by numbers and delivering good content is key to maintaining a good brand image. Networking with other bloggers and industry professionals is very helpful in getting your name out there and growing your blog. Seriously there are so many amazing bloggers out there, every time I meet someone new I am so inspired by them! Finally, being engaged and interactive with your followers and supporters is also very important.

  15. What main message would you like to convey to your readers?

    I am extremely grateful to all my readers and followers both on my blog as well as on social media. The support has been incredible to a newbie like me, I am so deeply appreciative. I hope I can continue to inspire you all and a lot more with my cup of Jyo!

  16. Any advice for aspiring bloggers?

    If you are really passionate or motivated about starting your blog, there is nothing stopping you! It took me a couple of months to contemplate and muster the courage to take this step, but I am really glad I took the plunge! But as I had mentioned earlier, if you want to make a name for yourself, be prepared to work hard, be consistent and persistent. Of course there are a lot of freebies and small bouts of fame, but that shouldn’t be why you are in it. Being patient, dedicated and passionate about what you do will definitely give you a lot more pleasure and a greater sense of fulfillment. I wish all the aspiring bloggers the best of luck! xoxo