Velvet Sugar

by Taryn & Rhiannon Dudley

Two sisters from California are the beauties behind Velvet Sugar, a name derived from Taryn & Rhiannon Dudley’s love for velvet fabric and sweet flavorings. The self-proclaimed “newbies” (they’ve been blogging now just over a year) have a definite future ahead of them within the fashion/style blogosphere. Take a look at their blog for instant inspiration (the photos will make you want to hop a flight to the West Coast, like - ASAP!) and be sure to keep this duo on your radar for months and years to come.

  1. Tell us a little bit about Velvet Sugar! The name of your blog is so… yummy. How’d you come up with it?

    Velvet Sugar is composed of two of us, both sisters and best friends since the day we were born! When coming up with our name, we wanted something that described both sides of our style and attitude. Velvet, being one of our favorite materials, is soft yet edgy and sugar just gives everything some sweet flava. You could call our style “sweet with an edge”.

  2. What made you want to start blogging?

    It definitely just happened one day! We both always got complimented on our personal style so we wanted a way to express our unique identity and fashion statements to our fans. We are also HUGE music lovers. Our blog not only lets us share our fashion favorites but also the radical tunes we listen to on a daily basis.

  3. How long have you been blogging for?

    We have been blogging for just over a year now. Still newbies but everyone has to start somewhere right!?

  4. Do you find that you had instant success with your blog, or did it take a little bit of time to build? How do you keep your following loyal?

    Blogging is something that definitely does not come with instant success. There are so many amazing and passionate bloggers this day in age - to stand out of the crowd you really need to take that extra step. We are still trying to get our foot in the door, but Instagram has a lot to do with our incline in success. We keep our following loyal by just being ourselves and hoping others enjoy our quirky lifestyle.

  5. What blogs do you look to for daily inspiration?

    We love bloggers from Charcoal Alley, Le-Happy, and Born to Bother You… just to name a few. These lovely ladies have the edgy yet simple and “true to yourself” style that we adore.

  6. Blogging is more than just pretty pictures and posts: it’s upkeep, branding, etc. Are there any websites or online resources that you turn to for guidance with respect to blogging and maintaining your blog?

    We enjoy turning to Refinery 29 and Lookbook.nu to get guidance and but we mainly just use our creativity and our gut when it comes to new directions.

  7. Have you had to jump any major hurdles since you launched Velvet Sugar? If so, what did you learn from it?

    Hmm major hurdles, probably nothing too serious.. yet. (Going to knock on wood now! haha). So far we are just going with the flow and seeing where it takes us.

  8. "There are so many amazing and passionate bloggers this day in age - to stand out of the crowd you really need to take that extra step."— Taryn & Rhiannon Dudley

  9. If you could only wear one brand/label everyday for the rest of your life, who would it be?

    ONE BRAND FOREVER!? Oh boy… It would have to be a toss up between UNIF and Sugarhigh Lovestoned. Can we have both please? :)

  10. What quote or mantra do you live by?

    I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously you never get hurt. If you never get hurt you always have fun, and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends. –Penny Lane (Almost Famous). Best movie ever.

  11. Hair up or down?

    Definitely down! Rhi and I both have very similar hair (perks of the same gene pool) and we love to just let it run wild and free.

  12. Your photos are so bright, crisp, and sunny. Who takes your photos for you, and what kind of camera do you use?

    Thank you for those excellent adjectives! We mainly take pictures for each other, which can be a struggle since we don’t live in the same town. But we both love photography as well so it’s a treat to be on either side of the lens. We use a Cannon Rebel T3i.

  13. Instagram or Pinterest?

    Instagram all the way. Using pictures to tell a personal story is what we’re all about. Plus we owe so much tribute to that little social media master. It is a major reason for our growing success.

  14. Cupcakes or cookies?

    Hey they both have sugar - so we’re in!

  15. What trends are you seeing pop up for spring/summer?

    Big fans of sheer paneling, graphics and cut-outs. We’re also looking forward to seeing wide-leg pants make a comeback, they’re so fun and saucy.

  16. What’s one thing that blogging has taught you that you did not expect to learn?

    I think it’s really taught us how to work with each other in a less sisterly and more professional manor. Our dream has always been to start an online boutique together (which is already in the making so look out!)

  17. Taking into consideration the experience you’ve garnered over the past few years, what’s one piece of essential advice you’d give to an aspiring blogger?

    Our advice to new bloggers would be to BE YOURSELF. Why not have fun with what you love and if people like what you do, bam… personal success.