Randi's Milk and Twee has barely been up seven months, and already she has garnered thousands of followers and a single outfit post has racked up 51,000 notes. Indeed, it isn't hard to see why! Randi's vintage meets modern aesthetic, well thought out writing/musings, and jaw-dropping eye for photography makes for the perfect combination. Not only is Randi absolutely gorgeous and extremely talented, but an absolutely lovely human being! I had the pleasure to interview her - here we talk inspirations, photography, and movies...!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hey everyone! Randi is my full first name. I grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York. I had childhood aspirations of being a concert pianist, children’s book author or the President. Sun in Capricorn, Moon in Libra, Rising Aries. INFJ. Vegetarian for 12 years. I can’t whistle and I spend an awful lot of time in my head. Wow this sounds like a dating profile so far.
Why did you start your blog, Milk and Twee?
I was a part of/admired the fashion blogging sphere since around 2009 and watched it change and grow. However I felt like as social media exploded it became less like a personal community and more like a vanity contest of who appears to have the most envious life. I remade my blogs over and over trying to get a fit in to this demographic but I finally decided to not care anymore (to make it blunt). Even in the mainstream fashion industry itself, which I got a taste of after attending a fashion college and interning, “acceptable” diversity in terms of ethnicity and style are very limited. I was hoping I could resonate with other people who felt like me. Longing to see examples of “other”. I do this for me (it’s an outlet from the mundane, creative rut I’ve been in), but in a weird way I kind of do it for others.
Your blog photography is some of my absolute favorite! When did you become interested in photography?
I don’t think you know how big a compliment that is haha. I started photographing when I was 13 or 14. I was one of those Myspace chicks who coded and made layouts/graphic design things, but started really adoring the photography the popular ones used. When I found out we lost most of our older family photos in house fires, I wanted to create memories that my family in the future could have to enjoy. I started documenting my daily life. One day my camera broke, and I felt like I went insane. I started downloading pictures I thought were inspirational and researching photography every day for about a year until I got my first DSLR and started freelancing. My senior year I won a silver national medal for digital media in the Scholastic National Art & Writing contest as well as 15 regional medals. I decided to go to school for fashion photography instead of neuroscience because, hey, Andy Warhol and Silvia Plath won this so maybe it’s a sign. However I’ve currently been having a lot of issues with the photography world and it’s preventing me from making meaningful work.
Describe your favorite article of clothing in your wardrobe.
It’s always, always changing but I think my leopard fur coat! It’s so soft, timeless, and such a statement. I feel like I’m in a movie when I wear it, which is pretty much the goal whenever I make an outfit! This question made me sweat a little bit though Kailey oh god why.
What are your top 5 favorite movies?
Amelie, Almost Famous, 500 Days Of Summer, Populaire, The Dreamers. (AGAIN VERY DIFFICULT -mention to My Girl, Mean Girls and Thirteen because they were detrimental to my preteen upbringing.) Also if this was TV Shows the answer is Mad Men…..forever.
What would your dream outfit look like?
A concept: It’s a Sunday autumn afternoon. After washing our faces, rouge on our lips, we put on our Mary Janes and leave the apartment to meet up with boys at the cinema. When we get there, they don’t show up, so we have a cigarette and catch the latest flick then go to the old diner for milkshakes. We walk the long way home, blast Sam Cooke records, give each other makeovers and sip rum and coke until 3am. Breakfast At Tiffany’s plays quietly in the background.
If you could invite 5 people, living or dead, to dinner - who would you invite?
My grandparents, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding. An odd cast but let’s go with that for now!
