Meet Caeli Goodson of THESTYLIST | Men’s Fashion Blog in Compton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caeli Goodson.

Caeli, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Compton with my three sisters and my mom with hardly any father figure in my life. One thing my mom always instilled in me as a kid was to take pride in how I look when I step foot out of her house. My mom was the most fly when rocking her Baby Phat and BeBe clothes. I admired her fashion sense, but I never felt comfortable wearing the same style of clothing she wore—I hated dresses, glitter, and the ruffle clothes she bought me. I played basketball all my life, so to stay out of the girly clothes I would always wear basketball shorts and a t-shirt. As I got more involved in basketball, I became more of a tomboy. When I started shopping for myself in the 9th grade, I always wore a simple shirt and loose-fitting jeans with a pair of Chucks or Blazers. I wasn’t entirely comfortable buying clothes from the men’s section since I still had not come out to my mom yet.

Gradually, throughout high school, I started to dress more like a guy. However, it wasn’t until junior year when my mom went through my phone and found out about my sexuality that I became comfortable dressing in menswear because I was no longer forced to hide who I was. My love for fashion blossomed and I embraced my sexuality as a “stud” in the LGBT community. I was happy in my skin and gained the confidence to know I could look just as good, if not better than a man in men’s attire — my friends, coworkers, family, and people who saw me out and about always complimented my outfits. I have become known as the friend who is always “overdressed”; but I tell everyone all the time “this is just me and how I was raised.” This is what inspired me to become a fashion influencer.

I often have people reach out to me for advice on where to shop and what clothes pair well with others. So in January 2019, I launched “THESTYLIST”, a men’s fashion blog from a lesbian’s perspective. I wanted to create a platform where I offer pointers on all things fashion and what can make or break an outfit. I discuss topics such as grooming, accessories, fragrances, budgeting, and many more. I also provide one on one styling sessions where I revamp individuals’ appearance or completely give them a wardrobe transformation.

The end state for “THESTYLIST” is to find other passionate fashion influencers and stylists to become contributors and authors so they can provide their outlook on style and fashion because “style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
A challenge I’ve faced with trying to start my blog was procrastination and self-doubt. I had a goal to start “THESTYLIST” back in 2018, but I could never bring myself to it due to me being overseas in the military. While living in Italy, although a great opportunity, it was hard balancing work and my passion because I spend the majority of my time in uniform and can hardly showcase my style.

I’ve struggled a lot with my appearance due to the stigma that fashion carries – being “skinny,” being the ideal height, having the perfect teeth, etc. Representation is essential; unfortunately, there are not a lot of “studs” in the fashion industry. Have you ever seen a female model men’s clothing for major retail sites like Fashion Nova? Nope, not at all; men model the men’s clothes and woman model the women’s clothes. This is a challenge in its self, trying to break the barriers and present myself in the male fashion world. Clothing should not be a gender basis, whatever someone is comfortable in they should be able to wear.

Another challenge I’ve faced is trying to build my brand and business. I battled between being a wardrobe stylist or just a fashion influencer. Cause as a fashion influencer, I give people the outlook of what fashion is but wouldn’t necessarily style a person. While on the other hand, as a stylist, I select clothing for another person’s image and appearance. And that is the challenge I face as a stylist, understanding that everyone does not dress the same as I do.

And of course, there is Social Media. Social Media is a great platform; however, it can also be hard gaining followers and building a fan base. I’ve thought about changing the name because trying to find the perfect name and logo to express who I am and what I do in a very few words can be challenging, but building my brand is still a work in progress. It has not always been easy, but I wouldn’t change anything.

THESTYLIST | Men’s Fashion Blog – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
A blog is an informational website that consists of a list of articles. Thus, the name was derived from me being inspired to create a blog that lists discussions about style, and then THESTY” list” was born. THESTYLIST is a site where you can find out all those small fashion details about men’s clothing and fashion from the outlook of a woman. On the blog, you’ll find posts about Event Styling, “How-To” Guides, Accessory Styling, and so much more focusing on all types of different styles and fashion trends for menswear. The motto for my blog is “I AM A FASHION STATEMENT” because I want to inspire everyone to be a fashion statement when they step on the scene.

I’ve always had a love and passion for fashion. I started THESTYLIST because I wanted to show people that having “style” can be easily accomplished. My target audience is anyone looking to build a better wardrobe, refine their current style, or find money saving techniques while still accomplishing the look they’re going for without having to break the bank for designer clothes. Clothes can speak volumes for a person. I strive to help elevate my reader’s overall style and confidence through advice and tips to suit all styles and please all budgets.

During the summer when I was presented with an opportunity to collaborate with a major UK-based online fashion retail store, boohooMAN. They reached out, asking if I would be interested in creating an article for the release of one of their signature tracksuit campaign. I shop from them all the time, so I was not going to pass on an opportunity like that one. I was blessed to have written an article for boohooMAN, making that is one of my proudest moments since the launch of my site.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success, to me, isn’t measured by status or income. It’s going after what you believe and doing what you need to do to achieve your goals; may it be small or large milestones, you never stop living in your purpose. And when I say purpose, I mean maintaining a certain level of productivity, always expressing your passion, influencing others, and striving to accomplish the next target. However, throughout my journey, I am fully aware that there will be some failures. So, to be successful with my business and fulfill my purpose, I have to learn from both achievements and failures.

My criteria for success: remain humble and never forget where I came from, always look for feedback and constructive criticism, ensure appropriate focus, have my supporters continue to push me because I can get in my head a lot, and believe in God’s plan. If I stick to those things, I know I will come out on top and be destined for greatness.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thestylist101.squarespace.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceegood/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CAETHESTYLIST/?ref=bookmarks

Image Credit:
Angelica Gardner
Elliot Youngblood
Von Robinson
Matteo Reed

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