Meet Olivia Noles: NC State freshman and fashion blogger

Fashion and lifestyle blogs are becoming more and more common, but when it’s run by an 18 year old it stands out in the crowd.

NC State freshman, Olivia Noles, is the mastermind behind the blog Brightest of the Bunch, where she shows off the latest fashions and tells about her own life experiences as she starts college. Olivia is a brand representative for eight different companies and has her hand in a little bit of everything. The Instagram account for her blog has 3,800 followers and she reaches as many as 7,300 people per blog post.

The Tab NC State spoke with this new member of the Pack to learn a little more about the world of blogging and where she plans to go with her hobby at college.

How did you get into blogging?

I have always loved fashion and been searching for a way to pursue that love. I started with my "blogging" Instagram account and soon realized that I was trying to share too many tips and stories for just a photo caption, so I created The Brightest of the Bunch.

Who takes your photos?

My grandmother actually takes almost all of my photos. There is currently a trend on Twitter and Instagram where bloggers refer to their boyfriends that take their photos as a "Blogger Boyfriend," and I guess you could say I have a "Blogger Grandmother." She takes most of my photos but my mom has also taken many for me and one of my friends that has a professional camera has taken some, as well.

Which brand is your favorite to represent?

The Etsy shop, Moscato and Monograms is one of my favorites and will always be special to me because it is the first program I was accepted into that I am able to be given and earn product from. However, I just recently started as a Campus Rep for Jadelynn Brooke and I would have to say that it is my favorite because it is a program I have been working to join.

If you weren’t a fashion blogger, what topic would you cover?

Although fashion is my main focus and reason for starting my blog, another category I would place my content in is lifestyle. I like to share experiences I have been through, like my days at Orientation and what I have learned in high school. I like to help younger girls be more prepared for things they are going to go through by sharing what I have been through, which I guess you could call lifestyle. I’m honestly not exactly sure what category I would place this content in, but my focus other than fashion is sharing my experiences.

What other bloggers inspire you?

One of my favorite bloggers is Amanda Miller, or @themilleraffect on Instagram. She is just one of the many bloggers I follow and look up to, mainly because she has turned her blog into a career. I can only dream of my blog one day being so successful that it can become my full time job. Another one I love is closer to my age and her name is Delaney Hogg, or @delanyhoggyt on Instagram. She is one of my favorites because she is only a year older than me and someone I can look up to. Learning about her experiences as a freshman in college last year have been so helpful to me, similar to the way I hope to help younger girls.

What made you choose NC State?

For as long as I an remember, I have loved clothing and fashion. My junior year of high school I was headed towards majoring in pharmacy and I had no idea why. I had not found a major that I felt passionate about, but I had not really looked into it much.

One day, one of my favorite bloggers on YouTube mentioned that her major was Fashion Merchandising. I never knew there was such a thing and I was intrigued so I did some more research and came across NC State’s Summer Textile Exploration Program. I instantly knew I wanted to participate in this program and began researching all the schools in North Carolina that have a fashion program, which is not many at all. My experience at STEP had me completely hooked on the textile industry. While I was there, I learned that NC State has the best public Textiles program in the United States, which is why I chose to go here.

Do you worry about numbers/views or do you do this more for yourself?

I love when I get a lot of views, but if I was only in it for that I would have given it up by now. I feel like ever since I was little I have been looking for a way to share my love for fashion with others and I have finally found it. I have an entire post about why I am a blogger, but basically I do it because I love it. For the longest time, I felt like I could not find something I was passionate about and I have finally found it.

Keep an eye out for Olivia on campus, she should be easy to spot since she really is the brightest of the bunch. See what I did there??