Collingswood Blogger Spotlights Hilariously Harsh Realities Of The 'Average' Fashion-lover
By Chelsea Karnash
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Kate Concannon was 16-years-old and changing in her high school locker room when she had an epiphany: Life sucks in a strapless bra.
"[I] was standing there in the agony of my strapless bra suffocating me and not supporting me all at the same time, leading me to exclaim, "For the love of God, LIFE SUCKS IN A STRAPLESS BRA!" she recalls.
Flash forward nearly a decade and years into writing freelance, and Concannon's high school realization became the name of her hilarious, confessional-style blog, which focuses on the unfortunate realities of life as a fashion-loving woman who is all too aware of the discomfort staying in style can bring.
A self-professed "lover of four inch heels…hater of short men" and "investor in an all-black wardrobe" who can't deny her attraction to all-things shiny, Concannon isn't afraid to curse, rant and divulge the secrets other fashion blogs seem to want to gloss over. One post, "Why I Would Be The Worst Victoria's Secret Model Ever," focuses on VS angel Adriana Lima's sadistic-sounding diet and workout regimen in the months leading up to the annual fashion show. In another recent post, titled "A Very Braidy Christmas," Concannon admits to "sucking" at doing hair while still effusing over the gorgeousness of all the braided styles on the runway.
In fact, the draw of Life Sucks in a Strapless Bra – aside from Concannon's witty, self-deprecating writing -- is that real women can relate. And that, the author admits, is what's made her blog so successful.
"I saw a void in fashion blogs the average lady could relate to. You could find the look for the less, the hottest trends for the season, fashion bloggers doing street style shots, but never once could you sit down and read a fashion blog and say, 'holy lord, that's me on an average Monday,'" Concannon explains. "I try to keep it real with my readers…to give them the relief of knowing they aren't the only ones going through these things or thinking these thoughts [about fashion]. And of course, I do touch on the trendiness of all things fashion."
One thing the Collingswood-based Concannon rarely does, though, is photograph herself.
"I want to highlight my writing as well as the topic I'm focusing on, and not my modeling skills ... or lack thereof," she laughs.
Her signature mix of snark and style seems to be working. Since its inception in 2011, Life Sucks in A Strapless Bra has been featured on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, and Concannon has been a panelist on a Huffington Post Live segment. The blog was also voted #3 on the 2014 Philly Hotlist for Best Local Blogger. And since social media continues to grow, Concannon has an Instagram account, a Facebook page and Twitter handle. In the year ahead, she plans to launch a "Twitter Chat series" that will help her readers connect with the latest trends and products and collaborate with both local and national brands.
As for her inspiration, Concannon points to her mother, who she says subscribed to "every fashion mag on the planet" and "is still my guru and inspiration when it comes to looking timelessly chic."
"Thank you for teaching me to like different things in fashion and in life," she writes of her mom, Lois, in a special "Dedication" section of her blog. "Thank you for my dry, sarcastic and sharp sense of humor…and thank you for being the most bad a** woman I know."
She's also thankful for her readers:
"Seriously, nothing in life gets better than my readers," she says. "They make me keep on keepin' on."
And for all of us who love fashion but have to laugh at what we go through for it, let's hope she does.
For more of Concannon's sassy musings on style, visit her blog, Life Sucks in a Strapless Bra. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.