Inside the closet of Hong Kong's hottest fashion blogger Cindiddy

Cindy Ko takes photos of herself in pretty clothes while striking a narrow variety of poses -- mostly standing pigeon-toed and staring into the distance -- and posts the pics on her blog Cindiddy.com ... of which we are guilty of obsessively following.

The 24-year-old has a keen eye for interpreting hot trends and it makes her readers (such as us) very envious yet grateful (so that's how you pull off wearing an oversized white shag jacket). We sat down with Ko to chat about the Hong Kong blogosphere, her fashion loves, and her son.

CNNGo: When did you decide to start your fashion blog?

Cindy Ko: It was around 2008. I was reading Vogue and at the back of the magazine they have a few pages detailing the hottest fashion blogs at the time. And I realized that while there are a lot of personal blogs in Hong Kong, I’ve never come across a fashion one.

CNNGo: What is style to you?

Monogram accessories are the beginners' approach to fashion. — Cindy Ko

Ko: I think essentially, style is about being able to let your personality shine through your clothes. Style is not about just a great outfit, but the whole package. It can be jeans and a tee, but there are so many different kinds of jeans and tees, and about a million more ways to wear it.

Finding something that oozes your personality is the hard part because most of us don't even know what that might be-- that includes me!

But that's what fashion is about-- trial and error. The more you try, the better you get, because you know what is 'you,' and what isn't. That's why you can see in any fashion blog that the blogger's style will "evolve." Sometimes I look at my earlier posts and I cringe at some of the outfits I dared to put online!

CNNGo: Who and what are your style inspirations?

Ko: [Girlfriend of celebrity photographer Terry Richardson] Jen Brill! I stalk her online for photos [of her outfits]. Her style matches with her personality. She's flawless with her flaws-- that, I love.

The way I dress is also affected by the things around me-- a touching movie may inspire an outfit. These days my outfits are inspired by spreads of 1970s supermodel Gia Carangi, and [25-year-old editor at Harper's Bazaar Russia] Miroslava Duma.

CNNGo: Tell us your favorite shopping spots.

Ko: For big brands I like Joyce, Lane Crawford, and On Pedder. For edgier clothes I prefer Shine and Liger. For flea-market finds I go to Me and George.

I also love hunting for vintage clothes all over Tokyo. On my latest trip I made a killing in Harajuku.

CNNGo: Who do you think is stylish in Hong Kong?

Ko: I think [Hong Kong style icon and Liger owner] Hilary Tsui is stylish, although hers is not necessarily my style. She has the ability to carry a lot of different styles and moods of dressing very well.

CNNGo: What are the fashion blogs do you regularly follow?

Ko: Fashion Toast, Style Bubble and Karla’s Closet are my favorites.

CNNGo: How does being a young mother affect the way you dress?

Ko: I have a two year-old son and it's changed the way I dress a lot. For instance when I'm picking him up from school, I won't wear such wild outfits. I also like dressing up my son, mostly wares from H&M. I'd love to get him more designer wear but he outgrows his outfits so quickly!

CNNGo: What do you think are the most inexplicable Hong Kong fashion trends?

Ko: Trucker caps. The way they perch it on top of their heads is not flattering at all. I'm also not a fan of the skimpy 'leng mo" look championed by Angela Baby and Janice Man.

Also, anything with monograms and too many logos. Everyone from 17- 26 years old carry Gucci and LV monogram bags here, especially mainland tourists. It's not fashionable. I think fashion-wise, they lag behind us three to five years. Monogram accessories are the beginners' approach to fashion.

CNNGo: Hong Kongers generally take a timid approach to fashion. Have you ever felt constricted dressing up in Hong Kong?

Ko: Definitely! In Hong Kong I don’t wear very high heels because I’m naturally quite tall, and everyone will look at me like I’m a giant. Also, in Hong Kong, I won’t wear dresses that are too colorful or long.

I love it when I go to holidays, because then I can really flex out my shoe collection and wear my three, four inch Givenchy, Nina Ricci heels.

CNNGo: Any plans to advance into the fashion industry?

Ko: Well, I'm currently a part time model, does that count? I'm also planning to set up an online shop, with the feel of [online fashion stores] Pixie Market and Nasty Gal, with some vintage clothes as well. The design of the website is underway.