March was one of the hardest months for me, I struggled to keep afloat and the promise of breaking my blogging targets failed at the last hurdle. March started off strong and I was confident that it was going to be the best month so far and it was in some ways. I was approached by big brands and given more sponsored posts than the previous months but my health was on the decline once again. I started off with weeks to spare after scheduling masses of posts in advance but then in the last two weeks of March everything fell apart. I was faced with some personal issues that needed addressing including my health, living arrangement and workload and had a huge surge in the amount of events, work and press I needed to write about and attend. It was intense, I was not (and am still not) getting home until 10/11pm sometimes later and starting early morning meaning that I am falling behind and it is the fear of failing that makes me scared. My workload is going to increase even more and I am worried because if the intense workload I have already is unmanageable how will I cope with the next influx of work?
But it was not all doom and gloom, despite being ill I was approached by huge brands including Chi Chi London, House of Fraser and Boohoo all brands I wore outside of the blogging world. I have also been asked to model for a new African start up brand which I am excited to be a part of because her designs are exceptional and suit my colorful aesthetic and have become brand ambassadors for brands like Coconut Lane. Alongside my sponsorship deals I have had the chance to network with new brands at press events and been introduced to realms I did not think existed in the real world.I am pleased by how far I have come in such a short space of time and in eight months I get 12 K views & visits a month, have a DA score of 32 and a combined social following of 11 K with the most being on my blog.
It is incredible to think that eight months ago I was sick, depressed and sometimes too tired to leave my house and now I say f***k it because life is too short to focus on pain. Yes I write about it and am open about my personal struggles but your pain does not define you. There is a life outside of pain and although it might not ever leave you have comfort in the fact that you still push yourself to achieve. Running up the escalators you will think that I am athletic and in good health but I am not. I run because feeling the painful burn in my thighs and the sharp pain in my chest reminds me I am alive, feeling sick on my constant travels shows me that I can still achieve my dreams even when my body is telling me something else and the exhaustion after pushing my personal and physical boundaries does not scare me off but makes me determined to keep going. Life is too short to focus on pain. 1st February Recap The leap year month proved to be listless but there were a few events and brand opportunities including Panasonic and Panasonic while the Replay Perfume launch event took top spot for best event this month.Read more HERE
2nd Behind The Brand: Coconut Lane Interviewing Coconut Lane’s founder Charlotte Stagg was like talking to an old friend; Charlotte was warm, friendly and dedicated to running the venture alongside co-founder Jess. Passionate about developing Coconut Lane there is no doubt that the business will become successful.Read more HERE
3rd Brand Spotlight E-Spirit My first sponsored post of March, E-Spirit was a brand I had admired since I began to be interested in fashion and inspired me to be more aware of ethical clothing choices that were both environmentally friendly and supported minority groups. Read more HERE
4th New Chic Wishlist I was a little dubious to be sent products from New Chic at first as my last experience with a cheap retailer did not go according to plan. However I always give brands a chance regardless of preconceptions and I am glad I did. Reviews coming soon.Read more HERE
7th Living Life To The Full Sometimes we take life for granted and forget how lucky we are to be alive, myself included. But that all changed when I met G in a coffee shop and having been given only 2 years to live the bleak reality of impending death is approaching and it touched my heart. Despite his diagnosis he lives life to the full and brings positivity to the people he meets.Read more HERE
8th International Women’s Day As a Liberal Feminist I support the rights of men and women because gender disparity exists in both genders but women as a whole face more discrimination and prejudice for being ‘female’. Even if you do not call yourself a feminist acknowledging that social change needs to take place in order for gender parity to exist is essential.Read more HERE
9th Blog Against Poverty With OxfamI am proud to stand by Oxfam because their mission and manifesto to provide sanitation, education and empowerment are all manifestos that I represent. Through compassion and love we can help others and in turn feel better about ourselves. So will you join me in the fight against poverty and stand for the rights of civilians like us?Read more HERE10th Lets Talk About Rose Gold: WishlistThere is no doubt that rose gold is my favourite metal so find out what rose gold pieces made my wishlist in March.Read more HERE
11th Friday Lookbook Monochrome Classic, timeless and quintessentially British the monochrome trend has been popular since the introduction of Chanel’s Little Black Dress in 1926 which transformed the connotations surrounding the colour black.But it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the monochrome trend took off ; the era of ‘op art’ was famed for breaking all the fashion rules and the emergence of ‘Mod Culture’ saw teens and adults alike wearing monochrome as a rebellion against ‘colour clashes’, geometric prints and bright clothing.Read more HERE
12th Stop Online Abuse I did not know the true meaning of online abuse until March where I was threatened, teased and sent inappropriate or hurtful messages that made me feel like utter s**t. As a blogger our job is to be a role model to our readers so what kind of person would think that it is ok to be deliberately spiteful in order to pave the way for their own success?Read more HERE
15th Replay Stone Review Perfume has always been a central part of my lifestyle and helps me feel more complete, confident and above all alive with every spritz. To me perfumes are spiritual and at the core essence of every human being. Having attended the Replay Stone launch event I was pleased that the perfume for ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ lived up to expectations. Read more HERE
16th 5 Bloggers That Inspire Me Sometimes as bloggers we forget that we are a community and many cut down their competitors to rise to the top. But I am not like that; Bloggers should support, love and understand each other but many do not know and seek to destroy others self-confidence because they feel insecure in themselves. That is why I decided to highlight five bloggers that have helped shape the blogger that I am today and taught me that being open and honest though terrifying is liberating and empowers you in ways that you least expect.Read more HERE
17th Irresistible Me: Review I was delighted when renowned hair brand Irresistible Me contacted me to review their hair straighteners and as someone who has frizzy, curly and thick hair it can be difficult to find products that manage to tame it. Read more HERE
18th Friday Lookbook: Dungarees Having originated in 1792 dungarees have come a long way from its humble beginnings as ‘protective’ wear for slaves, farmers and manual laborers and was exclusively consigned to men. Today dungarees remain a staple in both men’s and women’s wardrobes and its unisex appeal is what has kept dungarees as an iconic timeless classic.Read more HERE
21st It’s Ok To Not Be Perfect
Why do we feel the need to put on a front? Is it because we are too scared to reveal our real selves, terrified that they wont like the person behind the mask?I am the definition of imperfection but I have learnt that our imperfections are what makes us beautiful and its ok to not be perfect.Read more HERE
22nd Joy Review They say British labels are the quirkiest and they are completely right; meet Joy the fashion and lifestyle brand with a passion for challenging fashion norms. Renowned for their innovation of eccentric womanswear, menswear, accessories and gifts the self inscribed ‘achingly cool’ brand is the go to for quirky yet lovable products. Read more HERE
25th Spa London: Review
For the past year I have been suffering with chronic back pain that stems from genetics, bad posture and illness that worsened after I became seriously ill last year. So when Spa London contacted me to offer me a treatment of my choice and three hours in the thermal spa I accepted without hesitation.Read more HERE
27th The Blogger Hangout: Fashion Week Greeted by the soothing scent of citrus, rose and natural soap I entered The Blogger Hangout with my girls in tow, overwhelmed by the stalls begging for my immediate attention. Where should I start when each brand permeated expertise, exuded glamour and caught my gaze with a twinkle in their eye? Read more HERE
28th Living With An Invisible Illness
The pain begins the moment I wake up, like a rumble of thunder it hits me hard and I struggle to breathe. Every action, every thought and every word is a struggle and I drift through peripheral wastelands trying to make sense of this hazy, dream like world I enter. This is what it is like living with an invisible illness. Read more HERE
29th Joe Browns Review
Like a tropical summers day Joe Browns injects some much needed Vitamin D into British fashion. Inspired by casual days lounging at white sand beaches, the theme is undoubtedly tropical mixing bright colours with floral, leaf and palm frond prints. Sip on your raspberry mojito and drink in the sweet scent of unbridled summer as Joe Brown’s S/S 16 collection sashays onto the beach with a warm inviting smile. Read more HERE
Top 5 Posts
1.Its Ok To Not Be Perfect2. Stop Online Abuse3. Living Life To The Full 4. 5 Bloggers That Inspire Me5. International Women’s Day
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It’s absolutely incredible how far you’ve come in 18 short months! In so many ways .. personally and professionally. I’m amazed at all of the different brands you’re partnering with and the variety of posts you’re writing. Promise to take good care of yourself along the way .. as you get older your body will become far less forgiving (take it from a type-A perfectionist herself)