With the increase of sister missionaries in the field, some turn to the web for advice on how to survive fashionably.
Cheetah prints, neon skirts and layers might not be the typical description of a sister missionary, but fashion blogger and future missionary Alena Helzer is trying to change that perception.
Helzer is from Draper and is studying art history and business. After receiving her mission call to Berlin, Germany, her blog, “The Lady Lena,” turned from a lifestyle blog to a fashion blog overnight.
She first created the blog so her family could see how and what she was doing in college.
“I only posted once a month, it was kind of a failure,” Helzer said.
Helzer started by taking pictures of outfits she could take along during her mission and posting them on the blog. After knowing that she could take five to six outfits, she decided to pick pieces that she could mix and match with other items.
Helzer said the hardest thing on her list are definitely shoes, although she is more than glad to have one more excuse to buy herself a pair of Hunters (rain boots).
Fashion blogs are popular blogs among women, and Helzer thinks sister missionaries shouldn’t be the exception. Though she enjoys scrolling through other people’s fashion blogs, she had a hard time finding one dedicated to sister missionary fashion.
“I love looking at other people’s fashion blogs, and I couldn’t find any that were sister missionary ones that also had clothes,” Helzer said. “There’s not a whole lot of competition out there, so I might as well start.”
With the help of her friends and roommates, she has been able to improve and add variety to her blog.
“I have my roommates take pictures of me or I’ll take pictures of them just because of the different body types and people’s different perspectives,” Helzer said.
Her roommate, Hannah Woolley, has been chosen to run the blog once Alena leaves on her mission. Woolley has also modeled for the blog.
“We’ll pull clothes from each other’s closets, and we have all the roommates involved,” Woolley said.
Lydia Nelson is Helzer’s classmate and has been following the blog for a few months now. Nelson admires Helzer’s modest style.
“I check it out just for fun because I think she has really great style,” Nelson said. “I like to see where she got her modest dresses and clothes.”
Nelson said “The Lady Lena” is among her favorite blogs for two reasons: first, Helzer is one of the first 19-year-olds she knows who are going on a mission, and second, she writes from a freshman’s perspective on fashion.
Although Zooey Deschanel’s quirky factor makes her Helzer’s number-one style icon, Helzer has developed a style she can call her own.
“My style is vintage cozy,” she said. “I love to look classy, but it’s not worth sacrificing my comfort.”
As a college student, Helzer considers cost the number-one factor when she’s out shopping for any addition to her closet.
“Sales and thrift shops are my best friends,” Helzer said.
Helzer is expected to report at the MTC on May 1.
“It’s in like 64 days,” she said, “but who’s counting?”
