-How would you describe your blog in a few words?
Quirky downtown NYC.

-When and how did StyleDefinedNYC begin?
It began almost 3 years ago. I was a big fan of Scott Schulman/the Sartorialist but felt like he wasn’t
seeing “my New York” that is a bit more urban than urbane and has a strong nightlife streak. So I decided
to start my own blog!

-What is your favorite part about StyleDefinedNYC?
Sharing my experience of New York City with everyone else. I grew up at the end of the “club kid”
era and I love giving props to the nightlife peeps and their personal style. At the same time I’m a big fan of
emerging designers so have expanded to include a new section called UP|Coming that profiles them and
that I’m really excited about.

What is the hardest part of StyleDefinedNYC?

Staying true to my vision. I get tons of requests from PR companies to cover their events or products and
I have to be really careful about what I agree to write about. It’s also really important to me to have
all original content –not just grab things from other websites.

Three favorite Fall 2011 must have items in your closet right now?

I’m kind of obsessed with outerwear at the moment, so I’d say a black leather vest with an
asymmetrical hem and big faux fur collar -it’s “instant glam”, a cropped and boxy vintage leopard coat and a
black wool Alexander Wang coat.

-What is the best moment so far that you have experienced as a fashion blogger?

Well the best opportunity that came from blogging happened last summer: J&B Whiskey was having a party in Madrid with a theme of the Manhattan cocktail. They invited me over as an “iconic New Yorker” and had my photos blown up wall sized for the party. I am far from iconic, but it was an amazing experience! That’s one big event. But in smaller ways it’s the daily connecting to different people. I’ve met so many really amazing people simply by taking their photo and I feel I can go pretty much anywhere and see people I know, now.

-Do you have any favorite fashion/ photographer muses at the moment?

My two favorite fashion photographers are Steven Meisel –whose ongoing work with Italian Vogue is off the charts– and David Lachappelle. David doesn’t do fashion so much anymore but he has a great eye for the whole photo and really plays with color in a brilliant way.

- What advice would you give to an aspiring street style blogger?

Decide on a particular “angle” that will make you unique. Advanced Style does this really well! There are so many street style sites and sites that allow people to submit their own images that you have to figure out a point of view. Alternatively maybe you can contact a fashion or style site that doesn’t have streetstyle and offer your services as the street style photographer. That could give you experience and exposure. Finally, you can’t afford to be shy – but if you are just keep doing it and work through it!

-What music are you currently listening to on your iPod?

I have given up the iPod for Pandora and am a total Pandora junkie. Right now I’m switching between
a station I made called “Katya Chills” which is an electric mix of my favorites like Thievery Corporation,
the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and old classic bands like The Talking Heads on it and a Jazz Standards station that
plays Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

-As a street style documenter, what part of NYC would you say has the best style?

Well since I kind of focus on nightlife style I’d say currently I love some of the style I’m seeing at ZigZag – thursdays at Le Bain- but this is always changing up!

-How would you describe your personal style?
Constantly evolving! I am a platform heel addict because I need the height and I prefer jeans –either
skinny or super wide– to skirts or dress although there are exceptions. I recently went to the Daphne Guiness’ exhibit at FIT and found it utterly inspiring. I’d love to be able to dress like her, but since that’s not practical it has inspired me to eliminate t-shirts from my wardrobe. They’re sooo boring!

-Where do you see your blog 5 years from now?

Five years?!? I’m not sure! But I’m interested in pushing the photography angle further. I’d love to do shoots
with some of my favorite nightlife people that are a bit more controlled as well as shooting lookbooks for designers and adding video to the repertoire. But above all I’d like it to be a little time capsule of downtown New York fashion and style.

Make sure to follow more inspirations by Katya on Twitter! @Katya_NYC and check out some original first hand glimps at the street style in New York City on StyleDefinedNYC

What are your go-to pieces for a day-to-night Fashion Week wardrobe?
A perfect fitted suit. If it’s too hot out, I wear it with shorts and high heels.

What is in your Fashion Week survival kit?
Camera (as a blogger, I’m always ready for a Kodak moment!), concealer, some rouge (long days, you need to freshen up) and a pair of flat shoes

What is your diet during Fashion Week?
I don’t diet, I do Mexican food. God I love it (we don’t have it in Sweden)! I’ve been to the same restaurant for four days in a row for fish tacos, so that is my diet – the perfect diet.

What do you love most about the Tibi collection?
Tibi designs are really something everyone can wear, from head to toe. It’s all about how you style it, what girl you want to be. For the show, it will be an Elin Kling girl!

What is your favorite Fashion Week memory?
Omg I have so many. This might not be the best memory but the strongest one. I was here in NYC for a Swedish TV station. Everything went really well, but when we got to the Marc Jacobs show, they wouldn’t let my cameraman in. And hey, if I do TV hosting from NYC, I need the Marc Jacobs show. There were only a few minutes left until they closed the doors. So I walked out with my cameraman, told him to put the camera on record and I squeezed it in my Chloé bag, ran back to the show, smiled and they smiled back. As soon as I got inside I didn’t go to my seat, I placed myself with all the photographers and pulled the camera up from my bag to my shoulder. There is nothing that won’t work for me, you just have to make it work. And hey, I was a damn hot photographer in my monster heels!

You’re a rockstar Elin!

If you have questions about Elin Kling’s collaboration with Tibi, ask me on Twitter @CrystlMeatballs.

Just you know, on the street in Milan, snapped by Scott Schuman….God.  Can Anna Dello Russo BE any cooler? Love her.

Link Love:  The Sartorialist

Yet another Satorialist picture producing bike envy. Which is really the ONLY way to travel around the city.

Link Love: The Satorialist

Last night I dreamed about an orgy party featuring The Satorialist. It was weird.

I swear to Google, I’m a total workaholic. I hit the midnight superhighway with various tasks to better Fashion Indie and bring you, our faithful readers, a little more of the best content we can find. Lately though, my work has been breaching my waking hours and invading my dreams.

Case in point, the Satorialist orgy party that I dreamed about last night. Here’s how it went down…

For some reason, it was 1971. I think that’s because that number has been in my head since seeing the new collection of Reiss denim which surprisingly is called, 1971. We were at someones house, I’m thinking it was the home Maryanne lived in when Tara first met her, some crazy mansion that was featured in True Blood that sort of looks like a Southern Plantation Era mansion ala Gone With The Wind. Anyways, there’s a party and The Satorialist dude, Scott Schuman is there, except he isn’t taking pictures of peoples style, he’s taking pictures of them nude, oh wait, did I mention that everyone was naked, cause they were. (I definitely watch too much True Blood).

Anyways, Scott was running around the party in a pair of Calvin Klein tighties, telling everyone he’s the next Terry Richardson and trying to convince people he’s good he is in bed. It would be creepy that this is what I dream about, except he has been saying exactly that in interviews lately, so I’m not just making this shit up, he really believes he’s good in bed (until I hear reports from Garance though, this is still a fact to be checked. That’s just good journalism folks.).

While this scene is unfolding I find myself in a bubbling hot tub with Becks, talking about the difference between Butterscotch, Carmel and Dolce de Leche (yes, I’m a total foodict in my dreams as well). Becks thinks they are all the same, I know they are completely different. We continue on our battle as Scott makes his way over. We fail to notice his approach cause he’s barely breaking 2 feet!!! (I know that’s not his real height, he’s got to at least be a few inches taller.) He then starts kicking water in our faces to get our attention.

When I finally carry my glaze over to him his head is doing that crazy thing Saddam Hussein’s head does in South Park. Actually, he kind of sounds like Saddam in South Park as well, high-pitched and screaming. He asks to take our picture. I don’t take pictures so I kindly refuse. He then asks again. I once again refuse.

He then starts snapping away. I become annoyed, not because this is bothering me, but because Becks still isn’t convinced that carmel is very different from butterscotch. I step out of the pool and realize that I’m not nude at all, but instead I’m wearing a Superman costume (which even in my dreams is not so flattering) and I have a camera around my neck. I counteract Scott’s attacks by snapping photos of him, each shot makes him taller, while each one he takes of me makes me shorter. After a few shots, he’s about 100 feet and I’m the size of a garden gnome, still shooting, still shrinking. The Satorialist takes one last shot and I’m the size of an ant. Scott then takes a step forward and his gimorngous foot comes down at me. I SCREAM and wake up, in a chilled sweat, freaking the flip out.

Don’t know what any of this means, but I’m definitely gonna spend less time scouting style blogs and more time talking to my therapist (his name is Jack Daniels and he often consults with his colleague Mike who makes a mean Lemonade). Any thoughts?!?

Loving the little blast of neon yellow that’s peeking out of her sleeves. It makes the whole outfit jump.

LINKAGE: On the Street……Dries Skirt, NYC