Balancing Act with Isabel Tan
New York City-based beauty and fashion content creator Isabel Tan has always known that she was destined for a creative life. From perfecting the optimal “cat-eye” to easy cooking recipes and creative portraits, you can find a myriad of unique and aesthetically pleasing content on Tan’s social media pages. In her own words, Isabel stays true to her online message saying, “enjoy the process of life, let it inspire you, and love the experiences that shape you.” This type of positive affirmation and forward-thinking content is what makes Tan more than our resident “It” girl, but rather our “internet friend.”
Photographer: Will Luo
Singapore-born turned New York City native, Isabel Tan grew up knowing and owning that she was a creative at heart. “When I was twelve my mom gave me my first digital camera,” Tan reminisces, “so I’ve always had an interest in creating content.” Her journey to the fashion industry began when she took a solo trip to LA, London, and Sydney, connecting with locals and fellow creatives along the way. “Seeing London and Sydney Fashion Week happen in front of my eyes was so inspiring, and I knew I had to pursue a career in a creative industry.” And from there, the rest is literal history - expertly sourced and documented in the archives of her digital platforms. Tan started cataloging her outfits and travels via popular visual sites, like Instagram, and as her audience grew online so did her opportunities as an influencer and creator. “I loved the idea of building a community and being able to share the experiences that I genuinely loved and the people I enjoyed,” heartened Tan. After landing her first paid partnership, the influencer proceeded to expand her passion and educated herself on personal branding, opting to turn her creativity into a lucrative career.
Of course, with online success comes the need for balance and we were eager to divulge the insider know-how to managing life behind the screen, and how Tan’s privacy has been affected by her rise to online notoriety, if at all. “I’ve managed a pretty good work-life balance so far,” says Tan, “people are respectful of my privacy for the most part.” Further noting that the only time privacy has proven challenging via this line of work is when the influencer features a partner in her content, and then the relationship does not work out. “People feel invested in the relationship and some want closure, so I’ve learned to keep my private life off of my page for now,” she expresses.
However, Tan is the first to admit and offer gratitude for the integral role that social media has played in allowing her to become an entrepreneur. “Social media taught me about making authentic connections and gave me the freedom to decide my schedule, which I am grateful for,” shares the content creator. That schedule, of course, has changed in recent months since the historic pandemic halt, but Tan maintains a routine of morning managerial calls, campaign planning, and content shoots throughout her day-to-day life. Her career as a content creator began offering only the highlights of her life, but as time went on Tan became less focused on showing the “perfect” side of herself and leaned more toward authenticity with her online audience. “People want to see vulnerability and they want to see that you’re a real person,” revealed the branding-savvy brunette. “I found that when I keep it real and show that I’ve had a bad day or I’m breaking out, people love to see that because those are things they can relate to.”
The best advice Tan has received in the industry is to “never be afraid to put yourself out there.” It may be intimidating to be in a room full of older, more talented people, but that most of the people you look up to are kind and happy simply to connect. “Knowing what I know now,” states Tan, “I’d say to remember that everyone started somewhere and no one knows exactly what they’re doing all the time. So be brave and don’t be afraid to fail, because that’s how you learn.”
Circling back to the many perks of this unconventional career path, Tan has developed a layered and unique sense of style from examining how women around the world dress, thanks to her stamped passport and mélange of worldly, traveled-to destinations. “I’d say in Europe women are effortless, confident, and relaxed,” reveals the influencer, “and that translates in the way they dress – minimal makeup with the occasional red lip and clothes that just fit well.” Going on to note that in Asia women are more feminine and that whenever she travels back to Singapore she finds herself donning more dresses. As for her sense of style at home? Tan describes herself as “feminine, but practical,” and reveals that her go-to fashion look is a pair of white sneakers with a pastel dress and a cozy cardigan. These days she is tending to gravitate more towards color and flowy summer dresses since the weather is starting to warm up in New York.
A sense of style is important to most women as it feeds into their sense of self and confidence. In these times of home-bound social distance and pandemics, Tan is taking moments to create content that provides a positive message regarding body image and mental health in the fashion industry. “I love sharing things I’ve read about [like] healthy habits to keep my mental health in check during the pandemic and reminding people that we are all a work in progress,” shares Tan. Whether this self-made entrepreneur with the well-versed fashion sense posts about styling, face masks, or her favorite snacks, Isabel Tan is constantly looking for ways to relate to her audience and provide them an outlet away from everyday life.
It is always interesting at the end of a session to see what the future holds for a creator. Tan tells us that she is exploring many new avenues for her brand, and is even thinking about starting a loungewear collection. “I love lounging in silks and robes and lace lingerie,” hints Tan, “That’s something my audience has been pushing me to do and I’m working on it!” That being said, this influencer known for her authentic pledge and expert balancing act is looking forward to continuing to challenge herself and further growing her online community. “I’m unapologetic for being a work in progress,” Tan tells us. “I’m not perfect, I’m growing and learning every day, and sometimes I make mistakes.”
“There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long, so don’t expect yourself to, either.”