Every week we bring you a featured blogger or talent who inspires us. This week we’re so excited to share with you one of our all-time favorite life and style blogger, Kathleen Barnes of Carrie Bradshaw Lied! Raised in Mississippi but transplanted to Southern California, Kathleen has a knack for style. Her creativity and remarkable ability to perfectly accessorize any outfit are easy to see when you stalk her website and Instagram – make sure to follow! Learn more about Kathleen here.
Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your background?
I started Carrie Bradshaw Lied as a way to stay connected with my girlfriends who I often dressed and styled in college (I graduated from The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss). I realized life after college wasn’t as effortlessly fashion fabulous and sprinkled with sparkle as Carrie Bradshaw led me to believe post-grad life might be… and so it all began!
I consider myself a budget-friendly fashionista and love sharing my discoveries in not only fashion, but also home, travel, DIY and more. I was born in Nashville and raised in Mississippi, and I’m currently living in Southern California while my husband completes his medical residency. I like to blend my Southern roots with the laid-back West Coast style, and most importantly, I love sharing and connecting with my readers!
What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?
This is always so hard to do about yourself… right? I asked my husband and he said, “self-motivated, independent, magnetic.” Interesting!
What Profession other than yours would you love to attempt?
I’ve actually always joked that I wish I had been a bartender in college so I would be the friend who knows how to make all the cocktails! That or a DJ!
What is a quote you love?
“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” – Henry Van Dyke
What inspired your Carrie Bradshaw Lied?
Really just sharing my personal style and shopping strategy with friends… in 2010 blogging wasn’t as strategic as it is now.
What is your favorite social media platform and why?
Right now I would definitely say Snapchat because I think it’s the most authentic way to learn more about someone. Plus – I just think it’s hilarious! Those filters are ridiculously amazing.
Where do you find inspiration for blog posts?
This is a great question. I’ve really tried to always stay true to why I started this blog in the first place – to share the things I’m interested in with anyone who cares to read! I try to cover all kinds of topics – fashion, personal life, home decor, travel, food, health, beauty – I don’t want to stay in one category. So with that, I really just share the things I’m interested in! Of course, from there you see what kind of topics bring more engagement and what brings less – that alone lets you know what you’re audience is more interested in.
What do you think it is about your Carrie Bradshaw Lied that keeps people coming back for more?
Oh gosh – I’d like to think it’s that my readers find me relatable, like one of their girlfriends. When I’m out and about and meet readers, they almost always say, “I just feel like we’re friends!” That makes me so happy – because that’s the kind of relationship I want to have with my readers!
What do you love most about blogging?
It’s a space where I can be my own boss. I can share what I want to share, have total creative freedom, take on as much or as little as I choose – after working in the corporate world for over five years, that is bliss! I’ll never take that for granted.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Oh wow – you know, surprisingly I don’t really set many long-term goals. I’m much more of a short-term goal person. Maybe Christian and I will have a few children, hopefully we’ll (finally) be homeowners somewhere with a backyard and a really big closet! And of course, if CBL is still bringing me as much fun and joy as it is now – who knows, maybe it will still be around!
If you could spend an entire day with one person, who would it be and what would you do?
Oprah – my queen!
