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Before Lauren Conrad or Whitney Port, there was Cupcakes and Cashmere’s Emily Schuman. The LA-based guru behind the popular lifestyle blog is a tech-savvy entrepreneur who was able to transition her approachable-glamour hub from a hobby to a full-time job that boasts more than 6 million readers a month.
Emily Schuman’s motto on Cupcakes and Cashmere is to 'Elevate Everyday Life'Photo: © Cupcakes and Cashmere
Emily, 31, is also a best-selling author who just released Cupcakes and Cashmere at Home – the follow-up to her 2012 must-have lifestyle guide Cupcakes and Cashmere: A Guide for Defining Your Style, Reinventing Your Space, and Entertaining with Ease. After teaming up with Birchbox to curate a gorgeous limited-edition package featuring her beauty essentials this past May, she's just revealed that she's now set to take on the world of fashion design with a line of clothes, all priced at $80 to $180, that will be sold exclusively at Nordstorm and ShopBop starting July 6.
Emily's new clothing range will launch on July 6 Photo: © Cupcakes and Cashmere
Oh, and somewhere between penning award-winning books and taking over the blogosphere, Emily managed to give birth to her daughter, Sloan Fuller, now 4 months old. Here, the new mom shares her philosophies on beauty, blogging and motherhood.
When you started Cupcakes and Cashmere well before the lifestyle boom, did you realize you were tapping into something? I started Cupcakes and Cashmere out of boredom, purely to expend some creative energy. I didn’t think anyone was actually reading it, but the more followers and comments I got the more I realized that I had struck a nerve. I think a big part of it has to do with the fact that most everything on the site is aspirational, yet attainable. That’s the brand ethos: Elevate Everyday Life. I live a normal life – I just try and include a thoughtful twist to the things I do day-to-day.
People who follow you and your site feel as if they know you. How do you balance what to share and what to keep private? I don’t know if people would want to see me in my pajamas, so I make sure that the content that is going up on the site is truly aspirational. If you want to see a less curated version of me, I think I portray that on my social media channels. Many fans have told me that I’m much funnier in person, which I take as a compliment.
Are there celebrities or other bloggers you look to for inspiration? I like stylish celebrities that seem comfortable in their skin. My favourites are Sarah Jessica Parker, who accessorizes really well, Kate Hudson’s minimalist but impactful red-carpet looks, and I love that Lupita Nyong’o takes risks.
Her style inspirations (left to right): Sarah Jessica, Lupita and Kate Photo: © Getty Images
What is your earliest beauty memory? My earliest beauty memory is my mother’s scent. She’s big on perfumes and I can still place specific childhood memories to the fragrances she wore.
Is there a piece of advice your mom ever gave you that stands out? “Nice is not subjective." My mom taught me that almost every quality in a person is subjective. Whether someone is perceived as attractive, witty or funny is based on opinions rather than facts. But if you're genuinely nice, in the way that you interact with those around you and how you treat yourself, that's something that can't be debated.
Speaking of motherhood, congratulations on recently becoming a mom! Thank you! I was not feeling like myself when I was pregnant; I was tired, nauseated and miserable half the time. To that end, I actually leaned heavily into my beauty products to give me a boost when I was feeling low. A great sheet mask or fun lip was sometimes what I needed to feel better, along with a nap, of course.
I imagine your beauty routine has had to evolve since giving birth as well? Since giving birth the time I spend on my beauty routine has dramatically decreased. If there is a multi-tasking product, I am on it. A two-in-one cheek and lip tint is a lifesaver. I use the same pencil for my brows and my eyes, and seek out the items that I know will save me time. I dyed my hair darker to be less high-maintenance. But, on the flip side, the three minutes that I get to put on some makeup seems much more indulgent now. It’s nice to be reminded that I can find a little “me time” in something that I used to take for granted.
Emily gave birth to baby Sloan in February Photo: © Cupcakes and Cashmere
How much do you think motherhood will impact the content of your site? Being a mom is a huge new chapter of my life, as was getting married or buying a new home, but they don’t change the core of Cupcakes and Cashmere. Just because I’m a mom doesn’t mean I’ve given up the things that still inspire me. I am still sharing those things with the readers.
You look so fantastic since giving birth, what was your post-pregnancy plan to get back in shape? Thank you! I’ve been going on my daily walks and also started circuit training for about 15 minutes, 3 times a week. I haven’t changed my eating habits at all and am just taking it slow.
What lessons do you want to pass onto your daughter? What’s more important to me is the responsibility I have as a mother to show her that beauty is about loving yourself. That being said, I hope she likes some of the jewelry and handbags that I will inevitably hand down to her.
Cupcakes and Cashmere at Home is available for purchase now on birchbox.com.