''Cause we are living in a material world...'

I, like most of you, am somewhat obsessed with fashion blogs. And there are some that I always keep on going back to, the addict that I am. Continuing my series of delving into the minds of bloggers, today I'm interviewing the lovely Kirsty from Fashion Champagne, one of those blogs I can't get enough of...

Has fashion always been a big part of your life?

I've always loved fashion for as long as I can remember. It's inspiring and I love shopping. 

What made you start blogging?

I started blogging as soon as I found out blogs existed. I was already scrap booking pictures from magazines, so this seemed like the next step and I am so glad that I did it. 

Have you found your professional career has developed with blogging? Your wardrobe is on fire and you can grab one item, what do you save?



100%. I wouldn't have had as many opportunities that having the blog has brought to me. I've been able to start my own mini company and also work freelance for fashion brands to help them develop their social media. 
  
Has blogging had an impact on your life as well as your style?


It's had a massive impact on my life as it is now such a massive part of my life. I never stop thinking about what I'm going to blog, what outfits I want to appear on my blog and I also document nights out with friends on my blog. I guess blogging is a lifestyle.

Your wardrobe is on fire and you can grab one item, what do you save?

It would have to be my Louis Vuitton. I've had it for 8 years and its as good as new. I do however think it might be indestructible, so maybe I'd save my vintage Chanel bag. Oh the decisions.

Get to know... Fashion Champagne

 Vogue or ELLE? Vogue.

Heels or flats? Heels. 

High street or high end? High street.

Topshop or ASOS? Ahhh that's a tough one- ASOS. 

Winter dressing or summer dressing? Summer is my favourite season, but I'd have to say winter dressing.
 
Find Kirsty's blog here, and her twitter here.

'We move like cagey tigers...'

 Today, I'm continuing my series of interviews with my favorite bloggers, attempting to figure out just what makes the blogging world go round and just how they achieve content I want to read again and again. Next up is Helen from the lovecats inc, who has amazing hair and clothes and is basically my new style crush!

 

Your photos of products are always so beautifully arranged. Do you have a particular process you follow to create these images?

first of all, thank you! secondly, i don't necessarily have a particular process for all photos. my 'makeup series' posts (which are still ongoing) have a certain layout as i wanted the images to look like they were part of something, so are similar in style. everything else is a case of throwing the products down on my windowsill and shuffling them about until they look presentable.

Your use of only lower case letters could be quite controversial. It creates a standout aesthetic on your blog, but do you think it affects your readership?

i'm not 100% sure if it affects my readership, as i haven't had any direct feedback stating so. i mean don't get me wrong, i've had people tell me they wish i would use capital letters where appropriate, yet they still read and frequently comment on my blog. to me it's just an aesthetic thing, i like the letters being on the same level as much as possible (maybe it's borderline OCD, who knows?) but i doubt i'll change any time soon, as it's my personal blog.

How would you describe the aesthetic of your blog? Is the design of your blog important to you?

i've just changed the layout of my blog which i think has made it more 'me', to be very cliché. i'm not sure if i have a specific aesthetic, as my last layout was a million miles from this one, but i'd like to think clean and simple is the thing i'm aiming at for now. i think the design of any blog is so important. big, clear images, access to all important features (social media, categories etc) and an easily readable blog are the main things i look for in a blog. for example, if your blog has strange text, in a bright colour, on a black background with tiny images, who is going to come back to read it? your blog design is your first impression, so you need to make it as easy as possible for a reader to take everything in as they don't want to have to hunt around to find info - they'll just go somewhere else!

What is your favourite part of the blogging process- the writing or the photography?

i like a mixture of the two, as there's nothing more rewarding than seeing a whole post come together and getting feedback from readers. i wish i was a lot better with my camera than i am, but that (along with my writing) is something i can improve over time. 

Do you think doing a degree related to blogging has helped you move your blog forward?

not at all. i genuinely wish i hadn't bothered going to university as, to me, it has been a complete waste of time. i have learned more through my blog than i did in my full three years of my magazine journalism degree. they don't teach you how to network, promote yourself or anything related to actually getting a career in journalism in university and there's not enough feedback to know if your writing is improving or not. maybe it was just the university i went to and perhaps i should have went to london or another major city, but i would say don't do a journalism/media degree unless you really have to.

How do you think writing a blog post differs from a magazine article? Which medium do you prefer (print or online) overall?

i think it differs massively as magazines depend so heavily on advertising that what they say is heavily edited (hence why you rarely see a strongly negative review in a magazine). blogging offers the opportunity to be constructive and honest, regardless of if the product has been gifted or not. it also offers a more personal aspect to the journalism world which makes readers want to come back instead of a faceless writer in a magazine. + even though i have mag subscriptions, i still much prefer the online world.

 

What are your favourite types of posts to write?

i like putting together outfit posts, as i'm a huge fan of seeing personal style on blogs and they're the posts i get the most positive responses from. though, deep down i do really like writing beauty reviews as i am a beauty junkie and the beauty blogging world has helped me so much with my skin etc, so i enjoy sharing what's worked for me.

What has been the main benefit of blogging for you?

i know a lot of people say the opportunities are fantastic but being up north i have to turn down a lot of press invites which does make me sad! i do really enjoy working with PR's though as some are absolutely lovely and you discover a lot of brands and products that you might not have otherwise. it's not the be all and end all of blogging, but it's certainly a nice perk!

Do you see your blog as a long term career prospect?

at the moment it is my sort of my job as i've just finished uni and haven't started a 'proper' career yet. you can't guarantee any money that comes in from blogging each month, so, just like freelance writing, it's quite risky as a permanent long term job. i am happy to do it part time along with a job when i get one (which should be soon) and as long as my readers keep reading, i'll keep posting.

Where do you see yourself, and your blog, in five years?

i honestly have no idea as no one can predict the way the internet is going to go. new trends and ways to publish content keep coming up all the time, so who knows if blogs will even be as popular as they are in five years. i'd like to think people will still be blogging and it'll be interesting to see who continues on though. when i started taking my blog seriously in may 2012, i never expected to stick at it but i have, so i will continue to do so even if it's just to prove a point to myself. we'll just have to see what happens!

Check out Helen's blog here, or tweet her at @thelovecatsinc.

(All picture credits go to Helen). 

'Never met a girl like you before...'

New feature alert: The Interview


Now there are many things that I love about blogs- the fact that I can get some awesome style inspiration quicker than I can skip down to my local newsagents, how easy it is to gain great, knowledgeable advice on a range of products and discover great new writers with a simple tap on my keyboard. But I think often the most interesting aspects of blogs are the people behind them. So today, I'm starting a new series of posts interviewing some of my favorite bloggers, to find out just a little bit more about them and give an insight into the blogging world. First up, the lovely Em Sheldon from EmTalks, a beauty and lifestyle blog that's one of my must-reads...

There are many lifestyle blogs out there, but yours definitely has a personal touch that makes it stand out. Do you think this has contributed to your success, and how do you achieve this?

I just write as if I'm chatting to my friends, I guess that's what a blog is all about. I don't think a blog should be like an English literature essay, it should be easy to read and relaxing. I read blogs which have nice photos and where I can really connect with the author. I like to think that I'm really down to Earth on my blog, so hopefully people can connect with me too. A blog really is just your own little space on the internet though, so you can write it however you like. I know that a lot of people do enjoy my blog because of the personal touch, I’ve had a lot of emails from lovely readers about that so I guess it has helped yes.

The aesthetic of your blog is very clean and simple. Do you think this is important for attracting readers?

Thank you, yes I do. When I first started blogging my blog was so ugly, so I decided to just make it modern and easy to use. I think ease of use is really important. But again, it’s your personal space so it depends - if you love pink, go for a bright pink blog - your blog should show your personality and in terms of decor/interior/design, I've always been a minimalist.

 

You seem to have achieved the tricky job of balancing your blog as both an online diary and a place to post honest reviews. Do you ever worry about blog posts becoming too personal, or too generic? 

 Ah, yeah this was difficult to do, but to be honest, I never wanted to be just a beauty blogger. I feel like I do so much stuff that I want to share with the world. I absolutely love beauty blogs, but I feel like as a girl, we do so much more than just use make up. We go out for nice meals, cocktails, dates but also we have horrible experiences which if we discuss them, can maybe help other girls in the same situation. I decided that most girls who love beauty, will also love going for drinks and will appreciate nice food, so I generally do around 80% beauty and the rest lifestyle. Primarily I am a beauty blog, but I love to dip into lifestyle posts here and there, it also makes my blog more personal. I did a post about how I overcame bitchiness and bullying which was very well received and it took me a lot to write it. 

Do you like to write when you get inspired or stick to a strict blogging schedule?

It really is just when inspiration comes. I've done a lot of scheduling on the train before and then got home and deleted it all and started again because it's just too robotic, I like to just go with the flow and really go off on a tangent.

What are your favorite types of posts to write?  

I like doing in depth reviews, but then at the moment I’m loving doing travel, I love taking my camera out and taking lovely photos and letting people see a place through my eyes. Watch this space on the travel front!

Do you feel doing a media related degree has benefited your blog?

Not really whatsoever, I started my blog to get into Uni. It's a bit of a random degree and we don't really do much about the media, it's more law, politics and then TV and radio. I wish we did blogging but no one on my course has a blog either which surprised me, just me I think!

You've been quite pro-active in the blogging community, organising meet-ups. What has this been like?

 

I've met some great girls. I didn't get anything out of organising my meet up in terms of money, I purely organised it for other girls in the North;  I brought together girls who had been speaking online for years and it was worth it all just to see how well everyone got along. It was nice to be able to bring such a large community together but if you set your mind to it, you can do anything. I've always loved organising things and helping people so I thought that was a great opportunity to have a great girls day, I didn't realise just how many people would turn up. I'd love to do another one but it really was a lot of pressure/stress organising the whole thing by myself for over 70 attendees so maybe in the future we will have another #northmeetup!

For you, what has been the main benefit of blogging?

I think the main benefit of blogging is been able to get my truthful opinion across. There are too many celebrities who are paid to tell you that something is good and magazines are probably the same in some ways. I just feel like you shouldn't trick the consumer, particularly when they're loyal readers who put their faith and trust into you, so that's why I am always 100% honest on my blog with everything I review or discuss. Also, I've met some absolutely lovely friends through blogging which really makes it great. I've also been lucky enough to go to some fantastic events and work with some lovely brands but seriously, meeting some life-long friends through blogging has to be the top of my list.

 

  

Do you plan on developing your YouTube channel alongside your blog?

 

Yes yes yes! That's my goal this summer. I'd love to know what people want to see from me. I've been doing fitness videos at the moment as lots of people requested them.

Where do you see yourself and your blog in five years time?

 I will have finished University so hopefully I will have done a year abroad, gained lots of work experience and have grown my blog enough to be doing it as a full time career and living the life of a freelance journalist!

Check out Em's blog here at EmTalks, her YouTube channel here, or tweet her @emshelx.  

(All picture credits go to Em.)