Meet Alyssa Beltempo, the stylish voice behind www.msbeltempo.com. This Ottawa-based stylist is one that I have been following for a long time. One of the top bloggers in my city, Ms. Beltempo’s style is beyond compare. Every time I see her, she looks like she was plucked straight from the streets of Paris. Basically, Alyssa is the girl who treasures a camel-coloured, high quality cashmere sweater that will be a lifetime classic while I’m the girl trying to figure out how to buy a $600 hot pink, faux fur coat that looks like a skinned Muppet.
She is both elegant and cool, incredibly friendly and you can tell after only a few minutes of talking with her that she applies her effortless chic to all parts of her life. Yeah – I basically want to be her.
Alyssa is currently in the midst of overhauling her blog to have a strong focus on sustainable and ethical fashion. She offers fashion survival tips on how to build a great capsule wardrobe, discusses how to style vintage, and how to freshen up classic pieces in order to wear them in new ways.
So, today, I’m taking the time to get to know what makes the fashionable Ms. Beltempo tick…
If you could spend three months anywhere, where would it be?
Manly, Australia.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Classic, sometimes with a twist!
What is your favourite cocktail?
Does a wine spritzer count?
What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
Put on my gym clothes.
What is your favourite dessert?
Pavlova.
What’s one skill you wish you had?
How to code – or just not be completely inept with technology.
Do you have a nickname?
No.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
Running shoes.
What one thing in your closet have you recently re-introduced to your wardrobe?
A thick black belt…I think they’re coming back…
If you could raid one woman’s closet, whose would it be?
Argh…it’s a toss up between Olivia Palermo or Emmanuelle Alt.
Who is your fashion icon?
Emmanuelle Alt.
What’s your kryptonite?
Nutella and vintage. Not necessarily together.
What’s your daily ritual?
Hmmm…it changes every day, but these are daily occurrences; some sort of work out, a cup of tea, some type of work, lots of unnecessary worry, then I cook dinner.
What styling tip is quintessentially “Ms. Beltempo”?
Rolling sleeves up…ideally to showcase something long-sleeved underneath.
What’s your secret talent?
I can sing…but I think some people might already know that.
What’s the best fashion secret you’ve ever learned?
…that confidence will make you more stylish than fashion ever will.
If you could wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Jeans and a men’s button down, barefoot.
What are three things you always have in your bag?
My wallet, a pair of sunnies, and a tampon, or like, 10…because I worry.
What’s your favourite vacation spot?
Anywhere I haven’t been yet.
What country would you like to visit that you’ve never been to?
Denmark!
Dominique is a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. Since launching her blog Style Domination in 2015, she has amassed a global fanbase. Dominique shares her life through beautiful imagery and compelling story-telling that speaks to her fans on a personal level. She’s been featured in The Guardian, Flare, The Kit and Cityline. She also hosts events for Dress for Success, the Gem Conference, and has been named a United Way Person 2 Know for the past three years.
Thank you for introducing me to her! It was really interesting to read her comments even though her style may be different from my own I do appreciate that she has a strong and keen sense of herself. It took me years to develop that. My favorite thing she mentioned was “…that confidence will make you more stylish than fashion ever will.” I love this interview!
xo Debbie | http://www.tothineownstylebetrue.com
Nutella is seriously a kryptonite and I love that she shared that along with all the other cool info about her. It’s so great to see a bit more about people who inspire you so thank you for introducing her to me this way!
Danielle | FollowMyGut.com <3
OMG you make me sound so cool. Also – the feeling is mutual – even if you did buy a hot pink muppet inspired jacket, you would make it look absolutely fabulous, fierce, elegant and timeless all in one swoop. Truly – from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. XO