Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristine Pagel.
Kristine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Transitioning from the small town of Ingram, TX, to the diverse city of Houston, one thing has never changed –my passion for fashion. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved pairing outfits together for myself and friends. In high school,, I was known as the “Fashionista” to my peers, teachers and the principal (keep in mind I graduated with only 86 people in the Hill Country so everyone knew everyone). When I went to college nothing had changed; I was voted “Best Dressed” in my sorority and I was that girl who always dressed up for class.
After years of contemplating whether or not to start blogging, I decided to turn my Instagram page of @kristine_janice into my influencer page and Kristine’s Kaleidoscope came to life February 2017 with the help of my boyfriend, who came up with the name. To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of the name in the beginning, but I came to realize how perfect of a fit it was for me. A kaleidoscope is often denoted as a child’s toy, but the name is derived from Ancient Greek meaning observations of beautiful forms. Kristine’s Kaleidoscope is all about seeing fashion through my eyes and embracing the double entendre of keeping my styles fun and youthful, yet sophisticated and elegant.
It has been quite the journey for my first year, but it’s been amazing. I hosted my first blogger event, attended NYFW, collaborated with brands I would have never imagined, and have met an amazing group of empowering women I now call friends.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m sure y’all have all heard the saying “nothing worth having comes easy” and that couldn’t be truer. Just like everything in life, if you really want to be successful, you have to put 150% in. Let’s face it, the blogging world is extremely over-saturated and Instagram’s constantly changing algorithm makes it very difficult for smaller influencers to go viral or to even be discovered. But if you’re going to push through, which I encourage you to do, then consistency is key. Consistency in posting regularly, the aesthetic of your Instagram page, building that connection with your audience and pitching to brands. Also, a huge issue everyone in life struggles with is comparing themselves to others, but it’s simple – don’t do it! That’s something that I struggled with that a lot when I first started out blogging; I thought I could be Wonder Woman with my full-time job and having a blog post up every single day, but I quickly learned that I was asking too much of myself. You have to figure out what you can successfully manage to take on and what your audience responds best to.
The Houston blogging community has been nothing but a positive experience; the girls are always willing to help, whether it’s taking each other’s photos, sharing advice or explaining the best way to do something. I try to meet up with fellow bloggers every month, usually with a brunch (who doesn’t love brunch?!) and we discuss how things are going for each other, questions we may have, upcoming events and potential collaborations. Immerse yourself with the blogging community, whether it’s in an online membership like Style Collective, which is the best resource for female influencers or find meetups in whatever city you live in.
Please tell us about Kristine’s Kaleidoscope.
It’s always about finding the perfect outfit at an affordable price that everyone will ooh and aah over; every outfit I wear goes through a thought process. My boyfriend and I try to travel often, so I’m constantly trying to find and plan out the perfect pieces that go with that particular city and the adventure it entails. I’ve always been an over a dresser and I can’t help it; I’ve tried to go casual, but it hardly happens!
I mostly share about style and travel, but I post just about everything – from travel ootds to city guides, beauty, food, my adorable Goldendoodle and everything in between! I like to have that personal connection with my audience, so they can relate to me and see that I’m an ordinary person just like anyone else. The only difference being that I’m the resource for finding the outfit that won’t break the bank! I’ve always been asked “where did you get that?!” and I absolutely love that I can now share on several platforms where I got something and how to wear it. The experience of Kristine’s Kaleidoscope has been a whirlwind but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Who have you been inspired by?
I discovered Olivia Palermo after watching “The City” when I was in high school and she’s been an inspiration to me ever since. Even then, her style was impeccable and it’s continued to be over the years. She is such a fashion icon and trendsetter, I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving her chic style and be inspired by her outfits. I’m also inspired by the first blogger I ever started following – @cmcoving with “Southern Curls and Pearls”. She’s one of the biggest reasons I started my blog; I followed her on her journey for years, liking, commenting, and reading every blog post. Her style aligns perfectly with mine and her success is what I can only dream to have. If you aren’t aware of who she is, definitely look her up, she’s so close to 1M followers!
Contact Info:
- Website: KristinesKaleidoscope.com
- Email: KristinesKaleidoscope@gmail.com
- Instagram: @kristine_janice
- Facebook: @kristineskaleidoscope
- Twitter: @kristine_janice
Image Credit:
Aria Shirani, Haley Freytag
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
