To continue our series of Hot Bloggers, in which we interview some of our favorite tastemakers from around the Web, we're talking to the lovely Viv of the blog Ish and Chi. Viv is based in Australia and her blog documents her experiences turning her cottage house into a home. It's also sprinkled with her amazing personal style beyond décor and we recently asked her about that and more.

Kaboodle: From fashion to decorating, how would you describe your personal style aesthetic?
Viv: I like to have a casual approach to fashion and decorating and I tend to buy things I love without thinking about whether they are "the latest trend" or "in fashion." I enjoy a mix of old and new and having a bit of fun with color in both my wardrobe and with decorating. I try not to take my style too seriously.

K: While your blog is primarily about home décor (your house is tremendous, by the way!), we also love your “Fashion Friday” posts.  What are your favorite online stores to shop for unique pieces?
V: Thanks! ModCloth  is one of my new favorite stores and I recently purchased a skirt and accessories which I know a lot of people in Australia wouldn't have, being a US website. They have a section with one-off vintage items that I can actually see myself wearing but they tend to sell pretty fast though so I'm going to have to investigate when they list new items and try to snap some pieces up before others do!


I also like ASOS for their range of dresses and accessories that again, a lot of people wouldn't own in Australia because it is a UK-based website and a lot of their clothes are affordable too. My fave from ASOS at the moment is this striped jersey dress (pictured below, right) which is so incredibly comfortable to wear.

K: Your style seems so effortless; with spring in the air, what would you say is an essential piece for shoppers to pick up for a quick and easy glam look?
V: White is lovely to wear in spring and I recommend a white dress (ed. note: we like this one from Delia's) that can be worn casually or dressed up with heels and accessories or a white full skirt (ed.: try this one from ModCloth) that can be paired with colorful tops and belted cardigans for those chilly spring evenings.

K: Do you have a signature piece of jewelry or type of clothing/accessory you find yourself wearing most often?
V: A white skirt that I have worn so many times I fear people may think I don't have any other items in my wardrobe (pictured below) ! It is actually a dress but I tuck the top part in to wear it as a skirt.


K: You’ve got an 18-month-old. Do you find your style has changed at all since you had your son?
V: It hasn't changed too much although I don't wear heels nearly as often as I used to and I wear jeans a lot more because I don't have as much time as I once did to get dressed in the mornings and jeans are easy to match with just about anything. My favorite jeans are Joe's Jeans and Nobody jeans and the jeans I have been wearing most often are these Nobody jeans (pictured above, left)

K: Speaking of your adorable little boy…  We have lots of moms on Kaboodle—where do you find yourself doing most of your online shopping for him?
V: I haven't had to do too much shopping for him because he has been given so many beautiful clothes and toys as gifts. When I do shop online I like Seed, Baby's Got Style, Mooo, Cocoon Couture, Etsy.

Check out all of Viv's faves and let us know what you think of her style in the comments!