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Madtown Momma’s Authentic Fashion: Seven Questions with Alicia Hazen ’00

Lifestyle influencer Alicia Hazen ’00, a.k.a. Madtown Momma, shares some insight into her style as both a parent and a fashionista.

Alicia Hazen

When she started blogging as Madtown Momma, Alicia Hazen ’00 wasn’t thinking about fashion or lifestyle or any of the topics that she focuses on today. She was thinking about how hard it was to become a mother.

“My journey to parenthood was really challenging,” she says. “When I was going through the different things that I was going through — like miscarriages, like really complicated pregnancy — I would go to the internet to see who else has been through this. I was inspired to share my story so that other women could find people who had gone through something and [to share] that there was light at the end of the tunnel.”

But over time, she found that her readership wanted to hear more about other aspects of life. They responded to Hazen’s genuineness and wanted to read about her views on clothes, food, and shopping.

“It seemed like people were really responding to the fashion side of things,” she says, “and so it’s evolved, giving the people what they want.”

Madtown Momma began in February 2019, and through the last six years — the pandemic, a growing child, a journey to a graduate degree — Hazen has kept her readers engaged with a series of articles about how to be authentic in Madison.

What inspired you to start Madtown Momma?

Initially, I reached out to Madison Moms Blog, and I just inquired. And she said, “Yeah, if you want to start writing for us, that’d be great.” It was all volunteer. So, I started blogging for the first time working with them, and I learned a lot in the two years that I did that. And then enough people told me I should have my own blog, and I thought, “I don’t know. It seems like a big leap.” But I kept feeling that pull. So, I branched off from there.

How did it evolve into a lifestyle blog?

One reason why I wanted to go off on my own was because Madison Moms Blog was very much focused on parenting and motherhood, and I felt like I had more to say and share with the world. I was chatting with my hairstylist at the time about this idea, and she said, “If you have a lifestyle blog, you can talk about anything.” I thought, “Yeah, I’m going to start a lifestyle blog and talk about everything under the sun.”

How would you define your fashion sense or style?

I’ve been asked that before. It’s a hard question to answer because it can change on any given day. Sometimes it’s really bold and colorful and a little eclectic or boho; then other days, it’s really more on the edgy side of things — a moto jacket and moto boots, looking like I’m going to hop on a motorcycle. And then there [are] days I’m wearing a Wisconsin sweatshirt and some slouchy jeans and Adidas. It’s a mixed bag. I like to dress based on how I’m feeling. If I’m doing something where I want to step it up a notch, then I might come a little bit more correct. Whereas if I’m just sitting at home and wanting to be comfortable and nobody’s going to see me, then it’s definitely more casual.

How would you define Madison’s fashion style?

Madison’s definitely more casual. Maybe if I lived in a different city where fashion was more focused, I might dress differently, but I feel like the whole Midwest is really laid-back, and Madison definitely has this casual, cool vibe. There [are] some people who [are] just a little bit more hipster, and other people who don’t seem to care as much about fashion. And then there [are] people like me who are in the middle. We definitely want to look put together and stylish but don’t necessarily have to dress to the nines every day. That’s just not what the culture is like here.

The blog has changed a lot over the years. Do you like the changes?

We should constantly be evolving. That’s my opinion. But I also always want to be authentic and honest and up-front. What brought me to blogging in the first place was something that was pretty raw. Being open is who I am. I’ve always been that person, and I want to be the same, in person and online. But I look back, and people are still clicking on one of the very first articles I wrote for the blog. It’s about anxiety — how my anxiety was really spiraling over a set of dishes that I bought at Goodwill. And that caused me to go into a downward spiral because I was fearful of lead dishes. I took to Google and started freaking myself out. And I wrote about that experience, and there is obviously something relatable in there.

Do you know what your next post will be about?

I have had a post in draft for probably a full year that I’d love to finish. I started it during Women’s History Month last March. It highlights women business owners in Madison. One of the things that I’ve focused on over the years is highlighting small businesses and the things that make our community unique — and also trying to elevate women-owned businesses, BIPOC-owned businesses. I would love to actually finish that post.

What advice would you offer to those who want to start a blog?

There are never too many voices out there, and your voice is unique. When I was looking to get started, people told me, “Oh, the market’s so saturated, and it would be really hard for you to break in because there [are] just so many people doing this.” Yes, and I also have something different and unique to offer the world. Don’t let someone silence you. If you feel compelled to get started, get started. I’m glad I didn’t listen to those voices telling me “No,” and instead listened to the ones that were saying, “You can do this.” Including that internal voice that said, “Yes, this is scary.” I feel like I’m being drawn to share my voice with the world in this way.

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