With an Instagram bio that says, “Let’s have some wine & pizza and tell each other our most embarrassing stories,” Desiré Falk is the blogger next door. She started her blog, Darling be Daring, roughly two years ago, and her radiant personality, friendly tone and unhindered drive have earned her over 10,000 followers on Instagram alone. In the midst of her rise to fashion stardom, 303 talked to Falk about her blog, her inspirations and the Denver fashion scene.

Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desire' Falk.

Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desiré Falk.

303: What motivated you to start your blog?

Desiré Falk: I was reporting; I was working at a small news station in Bend, Oregon. I was doing a lot of technical writing and a lot of what I was doing was in a box. I kind of missed the creative writing from college, and I missed when Tumblr was cool. So I started my blog at first as an outlet, and then I was like, “Wow, there is something to this.”

303: How did you come up with the name of your blog?

DF: I wanted something that encompassed the person that I want to be. I always want to be sweet, nice, caring, nurturing and motherly in a way. But, I also want to be a woman who’s boss at stuff, and that doesn’t worry about what other people think – someone edgier. So, I tried to come up with two words that described both of those people, and that’s how I come up with Darling be Daring. Darling is sweet and graceful. Daring is edgy.

303: Why Denver?

DF: I’m Arizona born and bred, and I went to college in California. I got my first job in Oregon, because as a journalism major, you often start out in a small network. Me and my husband got married, and the end of my contract was coming up, and I was like, “I just kind of want to move again.” We were deciding between here and Dallas, and Denver worked better. I love it. It’s such a fun city!

Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desire' Falk

Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desiré Falk

303: What is your favorite thing about the fashion scene in Denver?

DF: It’s growing. I do feel like a lot of my growth has been because of Denver. I feel like because it’s not a saturated here, a blogger can grow and find a spot in it. And, it still has that authentic sweetness to it. When I went to fashion week last year, it was crazy; it was so competitive, but Denver is smaller and still has an authentic feel to it. Oh, and the style here is really diverse! I’ll see a guy in a suit in a place and another guy in North Face.

303: What are some of your favorite styles to wear this fall?

DF: I’m really excited about velvet.  I think that the big sleeve trend is going to be really heavy in the fall, and I love sleeves. Booties are always going to be one of my favorite things about fall. I’d say that those are my top three – velvet, sleeves and booties.

Photo courtesy of @darlingbedaring on Instagram

Photo courtesy of @darlingbedaring on Instagram

303: What are five staples in your wardrobe?

DF: I have so many – let’s see.

  1. Black dress. I always say that. If I don’t know what to wear, that’s what I’m wearing
  2. Right now, chokers for sure – I’ve been wearing chokers all of the time.
  3. Frame jeans. My frame jeans are on repeat right now. I don’t even know when I wash them, because I wear them so much.
  4. I just got this really amazing tinted moisturizer from Tom Ford that I really love. It’s so light that you can wear it without any other makeup, or with other makeup, but it makes you look so pulled together.
  5. It’s so hard because my five things change all of the time. I did just get a pastel leather jacket, and I love it.

303: What is your goal with your blog?

DF: First, I want a consistent readership. I always want people who read my blog to feel like they know me, that I’m their friend or that they could ask me anything. Secondly, I want to continue to monetize and grow my content.

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Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desiré Falk

303: What advice would you give to aspiring fashion bloggers?

DF: Not to get discouraged, and not to compare yourself to other bloggers.

303: Who are your style icons?

DF: I have a lot, but right now, I have been obsessed with Olivia Palermo. She’s everything. As far as hair and makeup and vibe, the Hadid sisters – Bella and Gigi are the cutest sisters.

303: Who is your favorite designer at the moment?

 DF: Alice and Olivia — I’m obsessed with them right now.

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Photo by Brittany Renee Photography, courtesy of Desiré Falk

This interview has been edited for length.