It’s an honor to say that Kiara King, being one of the most beautiful and stylish bloggers on Instagram and beyond, is my special guest on the blog this month! Whether you’re in the mood for fashion, lifestyle and travel inspiration, cozy home shots, and great taste in general, she is your girl. With her husband, Brad, by her side, she has created a lovely online space I love going back to (and I’m sure you will, too). Also now, when they’re about to become a family of four (yes, I’m including their adorable cat as well!), there will be many more stories to share. But first of all, let’s see what Kiara had to say about her life so far…
What was your dream profession as a child?
All I wanted to do when I was young was to be a fashion designer. I would spend all my spare time styling outfits using my mum’s old scarves and sketching my own designs. I even went as far as getting sewing lessons, only to realise it was to be the bane of my existence – I was just terrible at it no matter how much I tried. So I ended up studying Creative Advertising Design instead.
When did you start your blog? How did you come up with the idea of the name?
My blog www.lioninthewild.com was born in late 2011, with the name deriving from both my own name, Kiara Michelle King (every part of my name coincidently has a connection to The Lion King), and a time in my life when I had just finished university and felt like I was finally in the ‘wild’ world.
When did you decide to turn this hobby into a full-time job?
I’ve been working as a creative director and content creator for about five-years full-time now, and I’ve not looked back since.
I just graduated from university so I’m in the mood for the following question: How did your degree in Creative Advertising Design help you with the job you have today?
To be honest, there’s not a lot of difference between working for an advertising agency and working as a content creator, so what I learnt during my degree most certainly helped me to establish Lion in the Wild and eventually partner with some of the biggest global brands. A lot of what I do now though has been self-taught, as social media has truly changed the way we live and consume content since I graduated almost a decade ago.
Which are your happiest and hardest moments that blogging has brought you?
Being a blogger and, in a broader sense, content creator has definitely been a difficult journey.
“From the uncertainty and self-doubt when starting a business to the long working hours and lack of work/life balance, but they’re more than offset by the huge list of positives.”
This journey has been an incredible learning opportunity. I’ve met some of the most wonderful people, had experiences I never thought possible, had the opportunity to travel the world with my husband, and worked on exciting national and international campaigns. None of these things would be possible without the hard moments, so I’m just grateful for both.
What does being a blogger in Australia mean? Do you sometimes have to skip events that you cannot attend because of your location?
While I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to events over the years, living in Perth, Western Australia, one of the most isolated capital cities in the world, has meant I’ve had time to focus on content creation and building my own brand as a creative. Lion in the Wild begun as a creative venture and that is where my focus still lies. So while I enjoy going to an event or two, I just love being in the office, on location, or on set producing content.
How has your style evolved throughout the years – from being a teenager to this day?
My personal style has evolved hugely since I was a teenager and I believe that mostly comes down to two things; accessibility and confidence. Social media, blogging, and Instagram have meant the world of fashion is now approachable and attainable, whereas for me growing up, the only way to see the trends was in glossy magazines and storefronts. And I didn’t have the confidence to wear anything deemed too ‘different’ as a teenager, whereas now, being almost in my thirties, I’ll wear whatever makes me feel good, regardless of whether it’s trendy or not.
How different do you think your style would be five years from now?
I’m sure it will develop even more so as it has over the last five years, while also staying true to my style roots, which I sometimes define as feminine with a touch of masculinity (although those definitions are blurred at the best of times).
What’s your go-to styling tip?
Wear what makes you feel good, whether you’re in a tracksuit or a gown. I truly believe that’s the most important styling tip for everyone.
1 trend to ditch and one to stay:
Ditch the micro bag trend (it’s cute, but not practical in the least)! Keep the chunky boot trend (I’m a sucker for anything that’ll edge up my look).
You can enjoy Kiara’s content by clicking on the following links:
Blog
Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
YouTube channel
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Take a look at the rest of the interviews on the blog here.
