Idle Waters: Quaint Cottage Countryside Retreat
Why Solo Travel & Why Now? What Solo Trips Mean To *Us*
Unplugged Retreat: A ‘No Phones’ Countryside Break
New Home Tour
One of the best things about being a part of the blogging world is the like-minded friends you make. There is no greater satisfaction than sitting down for a meal with someone, and finding that you’re both hopping up out your chairs to snap your meals before they’ve even been touched (I believe the specialist term is ‘blogger relief’). And what greater pleasure is there than walking past the *perfect* rustic wall, to have your sidekick shout “OMG! Take a picture there, it’s perfect for your Insta”? Owing to the fact that only we really understand the minutiae of the industry that we’re in, it’s unsurprising that the same comments and questions tend to pop up time and time again. Whether it be in person, in the group chat or via a sneaky Snap, I’ve rounded up the 7 things that all bloggers tend to say to each other…
1. “What are you working on at the moment?” Also know as the golden question (as highlighted by Hannah Gale when we headed out for pizza last week). There’s always a slight element of hesitation before this question is asked – “shit, will they think I’m being nosey?”. This is almost never the case, however, since I’ve never met a blogger who isn’t interested in what their pals are up to. Blogging is still a super young industry, so asking this question gives us the insider scoop on how brands are working, who they are looking for and what kind of collaborations are doing the rounds. Even if we resent asking it (having asked it many many times before) we still do, because the lure of behind the scenes info is too delicious to resist. An absolute corker of a question, by any blogger’s standards.
2. “Where did you get that?” Especially true of fashion and beauty bloggers, when your type of content is so heavily based in the realm of the visual, it’s hard not to be suckered in when things look nice. Chances are as soon as we see one of our blogger friends rocking a particular item, we’ll want it too. Think of liketoknow.it on Instagram, just in real life. This chunky knit from Dash Fashion has been an absolute winner for me – neutral, chunky and with a neck that can hide a multitude of mince pie sins, it’s been my star wear for the past few weeks. Check out the rest of Dash Fashion’s new in knitwear here, or get shopping for your Christmas gifts.
5. “I’ve been invited to *insert event name here* – are you going?” For individuals that work quite openly in the public eye, it’s surprising how short on confidence us bloggers can often be. Sometimes, we just need a little back up. Blogger parties are pretty similar to work parties; we want to know our friends are going, we want to know there will be free booze and we do not want to turn up alone. As soon as an invite pings into our inbox, it’s likely that we’ll be rapidly tapping out a message to our gal pals, asking if they’ve received it too. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not attached at the hip. If an opportunity is too good to turn down, we’ll be there in a heartbeat. But events are better with friends, so if our blogging sisters are going, count us in.
6. “Coffee. Food. Cocktails. When?” We love to eat, we love to drink, and we love to document the whole thing. Blogging friendships aren’t just about blogging – often we’re lucky enough to make real friends in the process. And like any real friends, we’ll never turn down the opportunity to catch up over cocktails and a good dinner (even better if the decor is Insta worthy and we can get some feed fodder out of it). Happen to be in London at the same time? MEET UP. Both need some outfits shooting? MEET UP. At your wit’s end and facing a break down? MEET UP. Any excuse is a good excuse.
7. “Do you think I should just give up, run away and join a goat herding community?” Ah, the classic. Blogging is a strange industry where often, your whole business is founded upon your image, personality and output. When things aren’t quite going to plan and you’re congratulating your blogging pals through gritted teeth on their amazing new gig, the downsides can often feel really personal. “What is wrong with my content? Why is my engagement down? What am I doing wrong?” Sometimes the pressure is pretty fucking full on – especially when your income becomes unpredictable and erratic, but your bills remain regular and annoyingly reliable. When times like this roll around, and you feel like packing it all in once and for all, there’s nobody better equipped then your blogging sisters to get you back on the horse. They get it. They know. And that’s why they are so important.
