Your 15 minutes start now

How a 14-year-old from Lipa, Batangas became Internet infamous and trended on Twitter. 

When you’re a fashion-obsessed kid stuck in the less than glamorous confines of your province, blogs and magazines can be a particularly sweet escape — a convenient portal from your black-and-white Kansas to the Technicolor Oz of your teenage dreams. For 14-year-old student-blogger Aaron Castro, it’s everything.

While the lush surroundings and fertile greenery sure go a long way into making things shine just a little bit brighter, Aaron has periodically turned to fashion — first, blogs and magazines he read and then later, his own blog — for this. Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of imagination and a whole lot of will to live the life you want.

But on one fateful Friday, things would change forever for Aaron Castro.Through shares and retweets, his personal style blog Aaron did Fashion (http://iamaaronc.blogspot.com) slowly became the butt of online jokes, people making fun of his poses (which seemed to ape some of the A-list bloggers), his outfits (usually a mix of pieces from the thrift shop and the department store), prose (for example, “it’s time to have a skinny dip in the tub, but with a bigger tub. And this is what I wore…), and propensity for T.M.I. (“I just had my hair trimmed, and my toenails cleaned”).

If it ended there, the curious case of Aaron Castro wouldn’t have been curious at all. After all, there’s always some online sensation everybody’s bashing every week, from as big as Rebecca Black to as small as that chick who got wasted at that party last weekend (“with Facebook as thy witness…”). Aaron’s case stands out because of the unexpected — a few hours into his short life as an Internet joke, the meme grew legs and suddenly, the hash tag #TeamAaron trended on Twitter. In a moment that will renew your faith in humanity, the local online community bucked the trend of Internet bullying and came to the defense of the teenager.

In the aftermath, we tracked down the unlikely Internet sensation to talk about the perils of online fame. Picking up the phone that day was a surprise for me—you forget how young and naive 14 can be. Aaron doesn’t pretend to be some sort of fashion authority, he only expresses himself the way he knows how. Think of it as this generation’s version of dressing up in adult clothes and taking on adult poses — except transmitted to thousands and thousands of readers all over the blogosphere.

YOUNG STAR: Tell me about starting your blog. It was just last December, right? Why did you choose to put one up?

AARON CASTRO: I started blogging in December 2011. I was inspired to make my own blog by the fashion blogs I read online. When I gained enough courage, I decided to make my own blog.

Have you always been a big reader of blogs?

Absolutely, I’ve always been a fan of fashion blogs. My favorite bloggers are Laureen Uy, Camille Co, David Guison, Lissa Kahayon, and Bjorn Bedayo. I also love international bloggers Rumi Neely, Vini Uehara, and Bryan Boy. I just ah-dore them all.

Passion for fashion is something you regularly discuss on your blog. Have you always been into it?

I can’t say that I’ve always been into it, because I remember wearing Crocs for almost three years and wearing the same old style for such a long time. It’s a recent thing.

I also read there that you want to be a stylist or designer. Anyone in particular you look up to?

Yep, I want to become a stylist and a designer, I always wanted to be a celebrity stylist or fashion editor at a high-fashion magazine and at the same time I want to put up my own brand and boutique. Sometimes I also think of entering the modeling industry. (Laughs)

I have always ah-dored Liz Uy, she’s my favorite stylist, with other stylists such as Daryl Chang, Pam Quinones, and international stylists such as the great Rachel Zoe and Clinton Kelly. I’ve always loved the late Alexander McQueen’s rebel designs, and I have to say that I love Tyra Banks too, the model turned businesswoman. 

Okay, let’s talk about your style. How would you describe it?

I don’t know how to define my style. Weird, maybe? (Laughs) But I may say it’s somehow edgy and sometimes a little preppy.

Why do you wear the brands you wear? Are they your favorites?

I wear them because they’re not that expensive. I love the designs, and at the same time, I know I support the Philippines fashion industry in my own little way.

How do you buy your clothes? Do you save up your allowance?

I always go with what I want, and my parents are the ones who buy the clothes. Because I have this problem with saving money. (Laughs)

Now, when you trended on Twitter, at first it was because some people were kind of making fun of you. Eventually though, #TeamAaron trended and there was a wave of goodwill. How did you feel about the turn of events?

Honestly, I’m still in a state of shock, I can’t believe that I trended on Twitter and I still can’t believe that I reached #26 at TopBlogs.com.ph.

Did it bother you that people were criticizing you?

It bothered me in a good way, I think. I take criticism well. It’s what makes me a stronger person.

And how did it feel when you realized you had a Team Aaron?

Shocked, honored, and thankful to everyone.

Do you think blogging is for everyone? What are the characteristics of a good blogger?

Yes, it’s for everyone. It’s not just for ultra-cool, model-thin, muscle-clad and rich people. It’s for everyone who wants to try it and anyone who has passion for it. A good blogger only needs his love for what he blogs about.

What do you eventually want to achieve with your blogging?

I want a follow back from Liz Uy, plus a meet and greet with her. (Laughs) But seriously, I have always wanted to gain skills and experience with it.

So you have a little crush on Liz Uy, huh? Do you think you’ll ask her to prom when you turn 16?

This is the hardest question of all. (Laughs) I can’t wait for prom. I would rather go shopping and hang out at a café with her right now.