So, I need to get something off my chest. It's a blogging gripe- stay with me kids- that has seeped into Instagram- seemingly on the daily. Even if you're an observer and not a creator (*pompous word alert) you can't fail to have noticed it too. What am I banging on about? Let's cut to the chase here- the thing that is pissing me off is that.....bloggers will not stop asking questions. Now, admittedly this may sound very minor on the general life scale of global warming, terrorism, rising knife crime and the surreal alarmingness of an abnormally dumb orange person running America; but if you are dipping your toe into IG on the regular it may well be bothering the hell out of you too. Essentially, the questions DO.NOT.STOP.COMING. 'What would you like to see?' is the most frequent one (and many variants thereof). And it enrages me. Market research (for that is what it is) is fundamentally the enemy of creativity. I used to work at a glossy fashion magazine- and yes- it was almost exactly like The Devil Wears Prada. (But much much worse). We were constantly indoctrinated with weird maxims to try and make our output more 'suitable'. And one of these has always stuck with me, namely- never ever give the public what they want- give them what they didn't know they wanted. I still totally believe in that premise. Do you think that Alessandro Michele sits around the Gucci office going 'Ok, let's ask a sample group of five thousand customers whether they want a blue printed loafer with pineapples all over it next season, or a pink one with cherries?'. No he does not. He goes with what he feels. He lets his imagination flow. Run wild. Which is why Kering's profits (Gucci's parent company) were up 120% in 2017 and Gucci's sales alone were worth six billion euros. (Hey Google, how you doin').
Now, I totally understand why a YouTuber might wanna know what their audience would be more interested in seeing- a haul or vlog let's say- (although, I think even the cat's mother knows that Zara hauls smash it out the park every time) because, well, it's bloody annoying putting blood, sweat and tears into a video that no-one watches. I get it. But chasing views (or likes on The Gram) is a reductive business. A nice hashtag has popped on IG recently- #postwhatyoulove- and I'm down with that. Not everything can be targeted, and researched and perfectly tailored to appeal to your 'audience'. Literally, stop the insanity. Throw in a curve ball, have the courage of your creative convictions and for the love of God and all that is holy- please stop asking me questions. My brain is over fried with fashion images, new-ins and well, life just generally. I've got nothing for you. Go and pump some poor other bugger for ideas. Actually, don't do that either. Just go with what you feel. It works for Alessandro.
If it's one thing I never thought I'd be wearing it's white shorts. I haven't ever felt thin enough to venture into such- shall we say- 'Hey Look At Me!' territory before; but this year I've lost some weight and I'm going for it. (Not to say you have to be 'thin' to wear anything you god damn want to- and what even is thin anyway? I'm guessing everyone has a different definition). I picked up these shorts in Topshop with low expectations (mostly coz of the aforementioned), but when I got them home and tried them on I was pleasantly surprised. I've teamed them here with a simple men's black shirt (I prefer the fit) to counter balance the 'high exposure' factor. Would you wear short shorts? Let me know x
They say it's all in the details, and in this case they're not wrong. Allow me to introduce you to my latest obsession....hair clips. They might seem insignificant, maybe even just a touch twee, but I've fallen hard for them lately. (It's literally me and hair clips sitting in a tree RN). The doyenne of this particular accessory is the incredible French jewellery designer Charlotte Chesnais. Her beautiful egg-shaped slide is top of my wishlist ATM, but all her work is dreamy AF. Gucci have dropped their own cult crystal-embellished clip, but if your budget doesn't stretch then Mango have got some nice ones, as do Accessorize (they're the ones I'm wearing here). Are you sliding into this micro-trend? Let me know x
There's probably nothing quite as tempting as the prospect of reading someone else's diary is there? So in honour of nosey parkers everywhere (Confession: I'm very much one) here's a day in my life.
7am
The struggle is very very real for me to get up. I am most definitely not a morning person. My brain needs time to wake up, and so does my body. The very first thing I do is charge my phone, and my two (count 'em) iPads. I then dive straight into brekkie. I actually have the same thing everyday coz a) I'm dull like that, b) I'm obsessed with it and c) appaz everyone does it. So what is my breakfast of choice? A bowl of organic oats, some organic oat milk and a mug of organic decaf black tea. I like to read the T2 section of The Times while I'm eating, and not hurry. (I'm trying to make myself eat more slowly at the moment).
8am
I try and catch the news headlines on tv (generally the BBC for me), and have a glance at the Daily Mail's sidebar of shame. I'm totally addicted to the comments on there (anyone else?), and then I tackle Instagram. I go through the whole overnight feed and reply to any DMs. I also check emails (real life ones, not blogger ones) and then start to get ready.
9am
My outfit is the easiest part of getting ready for me, but my hair and make-up take foreverrrrr. Wash and go I am not (sadly). Having a combination of bad skin and crazy frizzy hair means that my work is cut out. I usually pop in a tooth whitening strip while I'm putting on my face, and also use the time to try and get my mind ready for the day ahead.
10am
I have a ritual of doing errands at around this time, and I combine it with walking as much as I can. Once I've done my post office/supermarket/smoothie stop-offs then I can settle down to work. I write all morning, (in my other guise as a journalist), so everything bloggerish has to wait until lunch.
SHOP THE LOOK
1pm
Then I start shooting pics through lunch. I always feel like the clock is against me, and I'm constantly frustrated by so many factors- that I have no-one to shoot my images for me, that I have a very basic camera, an old phone (that hits storage on the daily) and an even older face. But I just adore clothes, and I'm constantly excited by the thought of new outfits, new hauls and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to come up with a cool(ish) photo now and again. So I keep coming back for more. (This lack of logic puts me in mind me of the old joke- a woman goes to the doctor and says 'Help me, my husband thinks he's chicken!' and the doctor says 'Just tell him straight- he's not', and the woman replies 'I can't, we need the eggs').
3pm
I finally have lunch at 3, (sometimes it's even 3.30pm to be honest) and it usually comprises of a bowl of organic quinoa, and some organic greens- either broccoli or spinach. I then get as many mugs of organic decaf green down my neck as poss (I'm totally addicted to the stuff), whilst going through blogger emails. Sometimes I get a lot, sometimes I get hardly any, but I do try and reply to everyone. Then I start thinking about what I wanna put on InstaStories that day. I have totally mixed feelings about Storying- sometimes I feel like it's fun and more of an opportunity to have a laugh and some #bantz with everyone, but more often than not I just feel enormously pressurized to come up with something, anything. Because I don't live a particularly riveting life (no shit!) I feel like what I churn out is embarrassingly repetitive and limited, but the risk is that the algorithm will start hating on you if you don't play all the silly games that Zuck wants you to.
5.30pm
At this time I start to prep my main IG post of the day. I'll already have it filtered and saved and have gathered as many RewardStyle links as I can in order to share what I'm wearing in a shoppable way. (Hark at me, the little selling robot). I scroll through the whole feed before I post and I honestly get scared every time I put a new pic out there. Why? I dunno, it just gives me the fear. I'm rarely proud of any images I come up with, and if I do actually like summat I've done, chances are, everyone else won't. (I believe Alanis Morisette wrote a song about this once). At this point, I'm so done with IG (well, for a while). I need a break and I don't look at it again for a few hours. (That's my version of so done anyway).
6.30pm
I break for supper now (I never ever look at my phone when I'm eating), and I generally have avo on organic rye toast with a green salad. At about 8pm I come back to IG and look how my pic is doing, and then start planning out my picture for the next day and editing that. (And trust me when I say I need a lot of editing).
9.30pm
I'll run a bath while I'm still prepping snaps and then hop in at 10pm. I like to soak and relax and wind-down. Hell for me would be to get into bed covered in the day's dirt. I absolutely cannot contemplate going to sleep without a clean face, a clean bod and my hair up and out the way.
11.30pm
By this time I'm usually going through everyone else's InstaStories. I like to get the full sweep of someone's day- it usually makes more sense to me that way. (That's the other thing with my own Stories- I feel like I can barely post them without people jumping straight on them- and whilst it's lovely to know that everyone is interested- it's that pressurized feeling that freaks me out a bit). I then get into bed and read a few pages of Vogue or Elle. Finally, I play a very silly (and some would say greedy) little game. I compile a wish list of bags and shoes and anything I've seen in the mag I'm reading that I love and wish that it appears beautifully wrapped at the end of my bed by the morning. That normally helps me drift off and have very sweet dreams. (I'm still baffled though why nothing is actually there for me the next day).
When I say people- I mean girls. Mainly. I do get the odd- shall we say- perv, but mostly it's lovely galdem sliding into my DMs. So what are they hitting me up about? Let's get into it....
Do You Have The Link For That?
Yes! I do! Generally I have got a handy link to whatever I'm wearing and I'm very happy to share. I know you may think you're bothering me, but genuinely, you're not. Please feel free to contact me as often as you like. I also frequently get asked 'Can you pleeeease get swipe up?'. And trust me when I say this is probably my biggest Insta-Dilemma. I've wrestled with it, but bottom line, I do not wanna have a business account on Instagram. There's actually a multitude of reasons for this- number one being- I hate Zuck and his stupid money making games. (How amazing would it be if Facebook actually did fall to their digital death? And yeah, I am aware that I'm totally part of the problem by continuing to use IG). I know swiping up makes things a hundred times easier, but soz, I just can't go there (I'll doubtless change my mind in a hot minute so stay tuned #fickleaf).
How Do You Edit Your Pics?
I should almost certainly do a separate post devoted to this whole topic, but we're here now so- a mini-tutorial is in order. I start with Touch ReTouch (this is super useful for changing room selfies where the tag is dangling off whatever you're trying on and bugging the shit out of you and you just want it gone), I then go to Facetune where I mostly use the Filters section (especially the Lighting bit), and I also bring up Details. Then I end in VSCO (A6 is my weapon of choice).
What's Your Diet And Fitness Regime?
Again, this is probably a subject I should go into in a more thorough way, but- here's the basic lowdown. I'm beyond lazy and I loathe exercise so I don't do much of it. (Twenty press-ups and twenty sit-ups every night is my limit). As for food- I eat three clean, organic wheat-free, dairy-free, meat-free, corn-free, soya-free meals every day. I don't snack and I don't drink and I don't smoke. It may sound hellish but I actually love it. (Treats include Booja Booja ice-cream, Pana Chocolate and homemade Banana Bread).
Did You Know You Could Be Top Of The Explore Page?
Why is it always Russian girls asking this? And every five fucking minutes too. Anyway, please piss off luvs.
To Conclude
So, now you know. I'm sure your DMs are very similar, but if you'd like a more expansive version on any of the above, let me know x
So, the simple answer to my question, I guess, is yes. (You're here! You're reading! Thank You!). But maybe it's a little more complex than that (bear with). Perhaps you like to click onto blogs but just look at pretty pictures, and shop a bit? Or, you could be the kinda gal (or guy) who always has the intention to read a blog post, but can never quite find the time. (Feelin' you, and I absolutely love blogs). Whichever way it plays out for you, it is a question that bloggers seem to be grappling with on the regular. (Nil points for originality to me- clearly this is not the first blog post to navel-gaze on the subject). I have to confess that I don't actually wanna be a micro-blogger, although life is certainly a lot easier "just" Gramming. The best bit of advice I ever read on this whole topic came from Lucy Williams. She said- you never ever know what's gonna happen with Instagram (or indeed YouTube). Give or take, you own your blog- (Big Bad Facebook own your Instapics, and Google own your vids)- so you have to keep your own space going. Otherwise, you are basically at the mercy of some deeply unsympathetic geeks in Palo Alto. I like reading blogs (especially if they're well written), I like seeing someone's creative juices flowing and I like scrolling through lots of big pictures one after the other (not just swiping through multi-posts on IG- and just how ugly is that white square thingy anyway?).
I could blather on about this outfit now, or how I lost my mind in Celine recently and bought this Alphabet Necklace that I can ill afford, but that might be just a touch too much reading even for the most devoted blog addict to bother with. Let me know your thoughts.
There comes a moment in every girl's life when resisting your inner Liz Hurley becomes futile. And that moment has arrived for me- yes- I'm embracing the white jean. The depths of Winter might seem an odd time to turn to the palest and most impractical piece of clothing on my floordrobe, but on the other hand, why not? I picked up these skinnies from H&M (where else), but there's some excellent white jeans out there RN including these Topshop ones and these ultimate dreams by Balenciaga.
Winter vibes for this look are coming care of my fave Chelsea boots from And Other Stories (can't recommend them enough), and this new in knit from Zara. Are you feeling white jeans? How you styling them? Lemmie know x
Truth be told, I went a little batshit cray on Black Friday. For me, it's really the only time of the year that I can actually afford to buy my one true love- handbags. And I went in HAAM. So, I can therefore now proudly present my brand new baby- the Mansur Gavriel Circle Bag. I'd actually been thinking about this cutie for a while, but when I saw LuisaViaRoma were doing a very welcome 30% off I happily leapt. My main concern was that I wouldn't be able to get a lot in it, but actually the size is perf, and you can wear it three (count 'em) ways. (The red is also pretty spesh). I also managed to nab the last one of this amaaazing Ganniesque H&M red knit- it was sold out last time I checked, but H&M tend to do restocks at fairly regular intervals, so it's worth keeping an eye out. There's actually quite a few good red sweaters out there RN if you can't track it down- including this, this and this. Did you land anything good in Black Friday? Lemmie know x
Earlier this year, Pandora Sykes- whom I adore and worship- declared the trainer to be dead. To be honest, I could totally see where she was coming from. In pure fashion terms, the Stan Smith, the Superstar and even the Old Skool had all been very much gobbled up by the mainstream, and had seemingly had their moment. Me personally? I'm a sneakerhead, and will always be so. Thankfully, Scandi gals weren't having any of this death thing- they embraced kicks again- and where Scandis go, everyone else follows (even Pandora agrees), and so, at the moment I'm eagerly coveting a list as long as my arm (the Balenciaga Triple S, Eytys Angel, Stella's Eclipse, Acne's Manhattan and Louis Vuitton's new offering for S/S18); but my latest additions to my collection are on my feet as we speak- the Clean 360 from Axel Arigato. If you like your kicks simplified but bold, these are your babies. (You can also shop Axel Arigato here and here). What are your current fave kicks, and which ones are on your wishlist? Let me know x
I'm so, so happy cord is a thing right now- and if you're of the same mindset- you need to act fast as the key pieces are getting snapped up. The H&M suit I'm wearing is pretty much sold out everywhere (I stumbled upon mine in store- if you do happen to find it anywhere, then size down- I'm wearing an 8). Luckily, Mango have dropped their latest Committed Collection (which is, as always, sick), and they have some excellent corduroy pieces (yessss) including this blazer and these pants. (I also love love love this jacket and trouser combo). There are also some beaut higher-end versions around, most notably, this Acne number (matching pants here), which you've probably seen on Amanda Shadforth and drooled over. Is cord doing it for you this A/W? Are you ready to unleash your inner Annie Hall? Lemmie know x
As tragic and deeply impoverished as my love life is, I ain't bovvered, coz I always have handbags. So, say hello to my new lil' baby/boyfriend-substitute- the Balenciaga Bazar Pouch. I love that it's not chic (in the basic sense of the word) and that most people will probably think 'what the sweet Jesus is she carrying around that stripey rectangle for?'. I also like that is clashes with almost everything and that it doesn't NOT text me back. Result. If you're thinking that it's cute but you might like another slightly lower-key colour-way then try this or this. (Dupe-wise....jump on this or this). Let me know if you're feeling the Bazar stripes (and also if you know any cute single guys with tattoos- thannnnnnx) xx
