At the start of the year, I said I wanted to work with more brands on the blog... this blogpost is in partnership with Femme Luxe who kindly gifted my jeans and tee, how cute are they?! They're the perfect ripped high waisted jeans, and the tee is so easy to wear, both perfect for when I'm going for a casual look. All links will be at the bottom of the post!

Life has been full and fulfilling lately. I've been completing an internship with the sustainable fashion brand Lady K Loves, in hope that it will both teach me, and open doors. In all honesty, it's exceeded my expectations - I've learnt skills which I hope will help me improve this little website of my and be valuable in my career.

On finishing my internship, I've found myself with a new job, working for a Cruise company. I'll be doing social media, working from home, with flexible hours, which is exactly what I had been in search of. I'm really excited to throw myself into it (if you're into Cruises, I'll be sharing some pretty good deals on this facebook group)

Earlier in the year, I wrote this post about how I wanted to be more open to love, which leads me to my other big piece of news - I've found myself in a relationship. It's early days, but I am very happy. It's been a long time since I've had a romantic relationship, I almost forgot the magic they hold. Recently I've been living in a bubble with my boyfriend, soaking in the details of each other. It's been wonderful. I definitely don't think the romantic relationship is a requirement for happiness, I don't think I'd be in this one if weren't happy beforehand. But still, I feel like I'm floating now, floating and falling that is, and everything about it is enhancing my life. Unlike my usual approach, but I put blogging on hold for a couple of weeks because I realised creating memories mattered more. Because I knew, that the start of a relationship, this one especially matters, and I wanted to be present in that, rather than at my laptop.

I'm trying to figure out a balance. I definitely want to get back to weekly blogpost - and from now, you can expect them each Monday at 9.30am, but I also want to be present in my own life, and sometimes that requires not documenting and just living. I haven't come to a conclusion on this really, it's just going with what feels right at the moment, and making sure I'm organised enough to make sure that's possible.


So, there are my happy little updates, as my tee says

  Life's a peach.

Outfit Details

Tee: Femme Luxe (*gifted) | Jeans: Femme Luxe (*gifted) | Shoes: H&M (*affiliate link) | Lipstick: Sleek Matte Me in Shabby Chic (*affiliate link)




If there's any blogpost you'd like to see from me, please comment with your suggestions!


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Every now and then, usually, when things feel a bit much, I like to take the time to examine the forever growing gap between who I am, and who I want to be. Look to see if there are any small things I can do, actions I can take to begin to close that gap.

So, with this in mind here are some new habits I'm trying to implement:

Earlier mornings: 

I'm at my most productive when I wake up early. Not just because it gives me a few extra hours in the day, but because that's when the motivation naturally hits me. I like the quietness of mornings, and there's something wonderful in gifting myself an hour or two, to spend on myself, while the rest of the world is still waking up. The issue is, as much as the next person, I find leaving the comfort of my bed to be a challenge, and that snooze button far too tempting. I've got to a point now, where I'm in a good sleeping pattern, where I wake up around 6.30 naturally, yet still moving from my bed requires work. But I'm learning to force myself out of bed earlier, giving myself a bit of extra time for me in the morning.

Daily Poetry:

As cliché as it may be, I've been on a journey with writing poetry. Not a straight-line journey, more of a zigzag, all over the place journey. I've been attempted to stop cringing when I admit that I like writing poetry and instead to find pride in it. I've been writing more because I long to be better at it. I want to be able to brand myself as a poet without feeling the imposter syndrome. So I purchased a  beautiful new notebook, and I'm attempting to write daily poetry, in the hope that I'll improve and find gold amongst the nonsense. Alongside daily poetry writing, I'm starting my morning flicking through my much-loved poetry books, and having a read.

Morning Pages: 

Morning pages are something I've heard about time and time again, I wrote them for a bit but got out of the habit within a few weeks, when I found myself snooze my alarm instead of embracing mornings of notebook scribbling, however with all the earlier mornings I'm intending on having, it seems like a no brainer to spend some time writing morning pages. In case your unsure what I'm talking about, morning pages, are the page you write, purely for you, with no filter and no edit when you first wake in the morning. You're supposed to write without much thought of what you're writing for three pages, I've heard about them in countless Youtube videos, but the idea originates from this book.

Couch to 5K: 

I've definitely let things slip with my fitness in the past few months. So to ease myself back into it, I've begun doing couch to 5k. The few weeks we're a little to easy for me, as running is not completely new to me, however, now I'm stuck into it, I'm really enjoying exercise again.

Aeroplane mode:

 I spend too much time on my phone. I'm on my phone unnecessary amounts, and then I wonder why I haven't managed to tick everything off my to-do list, yet I spend an hour aimless scrolling Instagram. I definitely want to start spending more time with my phone on aeroplane mode, or do not disturb, or even just switched off. I think it will do incredible things for my productivity and mental health.

More reading:

I already read daily, however, I'm a slow reader so I don't read anywhere near as much as I want to. I know, the more read, the better I write and the more inspired I feel. So I'm trying to read more. I'm trying to make use of the which was usually wasted, by taking my book on the go with me, getting it out in waiting rooms and on buses, listening to audiobooks when I run and do my make up. I'm starting my days reading poetry and magazine articles. I'm going to bed earlier so I get more time with my book. For someone who reads a lot, I've not read very much so far this year, and if I ever want to meet my Goodreads target for the year (which is only 30) I need to make sure reading became a priority.

- My top was custom made in India, similar available - Jeans - Shoes (old, similar linked) - Lipstick Nars Heat Wave - Glasses (old, similar linked) - Bag -

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Secondly, I went for this Floral embroidered mesh midi

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March this year, will mark my 5th year of blogging. Over these years, my blog has come a long way. Find myself both cringing as I look back at old posts, and proud of how far this little website has come. So I thought I share of some things I've picked up along the way, those things I do differently if I started a blog today.

Photography matters: 

When I began my blog, I used to take one iPhone photo, which little thought went into. The picture would often be poorly composed, out of focus, and basically in the dark  (see old posts here and here for a lol). Over time I've developed my photography style, taught myself to use a camera, and got better at composing images. I fell in love with photography, and my blog saw the benefits - my views went up, my branding improved, and I found myself feeling more confident when telling others about my blog. Improving my photography, meant everything looked more professional, and myself and others began to take me more seriously as a blogger. Improving and learning about photography is made accessible with the right tools. The Panasonic Mirrorless camera is at the top of my wishlist, as it's the perfect tool to keep pushing my photography further, to continue improving and create better imagery than ever.

Make friends and help each other out:

Blogging should be fun, it should be social. Find a local event to go to. Make friends, don't be afraid to reach out to other bloggers. You already know you have plenty in common, and this industry will give you so much to talk about so there is no need to worry about awkward small talk. Not all blogging friends you have will work out (have I ever mentioned the time I got ghosted by a blogger?) but the ones that do, will absolutely be worth it.  Another good thing about having blogger friends is you can help each other out. My friend Madi and I often play photographer for each other. Not only has having a blogging friend been the source of many good days and lots of laughs, but it also offered me support, made attending events less daunting, it's also allowed me to practice my own photography but also get some pretty decent outfit shots myself.

Use Other Social Media Platforms:

Post to your Instagram, tweet etc,  don't be afraid to share your work.  Nobody will know your blog exists if you don't tell them. I've often fallen into the trap of working hard on this little blog and hoping people stumble across it rather than shouting about it. Sure, it can feel a little cringe at first, but everyone starts somewhere and putting your energy in something creative, no matter where you're at with it, it's something to be proud of. I've recently been trying to interact more of my social media channels, commenting on other people's feeds, letting them know when I like their work, with the knowledge that it might just make them feel good, and in turn, I've seen my followings grow. I've also recently decided to start using Pinterest to see if that can drive a bit more traffic to my blog.

Post what you want, not what you think you should post:

Your blog posts won't be as good when you're posting for others, rather than yourself. Good writing tends to come from a place of passion. Sure look elsewhere for inspiration, but post what you're interested in, not what you think others will want to read. There are bound to tonnes of people who like the same things as you, that will want to read your blog.

Be organised, be consistent, be realistic:

Recognise when burn out is coming:

There is, of course, such a thing as too much hard work and we're all prone to burn out once in a while. Catch it before it's too late. If you recognise burn out coming step away and give yourself a break. The likelihood is, you've been working on posts so hard that you deserve one.

Do something creative when you're lacking in inspiration:

Go for a walk with your camera, paint, write in your diary, anything which doesn't require thinking about blogging, when you come back to blogging you'll be feeling refreshed and inspired. Sometimes stepping away from the computer and living in the real world for a bit is all we need to find that spark again.

Be proud.

Where ever you're at with blogging, you should be proud. Whether it's your full-time gig or you're a complete blog newbie. Blogging takes hard work, often being vulnerable online,  and putting yourself out there and that is something you should find pride in.

Outfit Details:

Photography: madeleiinegraceblogs
*The post is a paid partnership with Panasonic.
*Affiliate links are used in this post.

Recently, on my twitter timeline, I saw a tweet by Lauren which got me thinking. The tweet read:

 "The term “aspiring blogger” makes me sad. if you have a blog and you post on it — you’re a blogger!

My first thought was that I completely agree, I find it so frustrating when someone refers to themselves as an 'aspiring blogger', or an aspiring anything. I think the word aspiring, is one which puts you down, disregards all that you already do. Once you do something, you do it.  What level you're at, doesn't take away from the fact that you're doing it. And by definition, you don't have to be earning a living, have a certain amount of followers, and x amounts to success to become a blogger - the act of blogging is what makes you a blogger.

But then, the devil in my back of my mind, whispered in my ear "but you're an aspiring blogger, though really Chloe, aren't you" Why? Because despite having blogged for years, I don't feel my blog is particularly successful. I've regularly written on the little website of mine since 2014. Sure, during these years, I've enjoyed coming to this place to write, to share my photography and my thoughts. Also, in this time, I've watched the blogging industry grow in front of my eyes, seen the successes of women and men who have been working with international fashion designers, and releasing books, and my Instagram feed has become full idyllic press trips and the people who are making blogging there full-time gig, earning a pretty decent wage.

In my time blogging, I've watched others become successful in this industry. I've admired them as I worked hard, and after all these years, it's still a passion project for me, I do it for the love, and I'm still yet to earn from this blog. My life is so different from all these blogger and influencer I admire.

When I tell people I have a blog, there are a couple of questions they tend to ask... "do you get sent free stuff?" "Do you have loads of Instagram followers?" Oh, so it that your job?"

The questions are flattering frustrating and embarrassing all at once, I usually find myself blushing and mumbling something about how they're overestimated me, and it's just a little hobby.

Why? because on paper, I'm not a successful blogger. I'm not saying that so people feel sorry for me, I'm saying that because that's how it is. I know of influencers, who started Instagram accounts a year ago, and they have a following which I can only dream of. I'm as it stands, not a very attractive blogger from a brands perspective. I've not yet reached 1000 followers on Instagram, let alone 10s of thousands. I have loyal readers on my blog, but I'm not being invited on exciting press trips or meeting with impressive people, and I'm not sure anyone actually cares if I really love Gilmore Girls or my undying need to writing about my feelings.  It often feels I'm too average, underwhelming, and invisible in the industry.

Yet still, I blog.

I dip in and out of blogging purely for me and trying to make something of it.  I still blog, because I write, I'm trying to get better at writing, and improve my photography. Having somewhere to share these things makes it feel like they matter. I enjoy spending my Sundays typing and dreaming of what my life could be if I were to become 'somebody' in the blogging world. I still blog, because I read blogs when I need to escape and feel inspired, and I hope this website can be that escape someone is looking for.

I feel in the past year, especially, there were some people, I watched online, who were, and still are killing it. They've got the whole #girlboss thing down, without the slightly outdated 2014 reference. These girls made something of themselves in this social media-driven world and achieved more in a year than I'd achieved in (almost) five. I hope if I keep working one day, I can achieve so much.

Blogging shouldn't just be about numbers and brand deals, it should be about heart, enjoyment and determination - and I know I've got those.

I'm a blogger, not an aspiring one, sure. Maybe I'm not a particularly successful one, but I don't think that matter, I've got all the time in the world to build that success. I'm still showing up, and I think that counts for more than we give it credit for.

I am a blogger, but I'm aspiring to be a better one, and I think that's really something.

*Affiliate link used in this post
Photography:madeleiinegraceblog

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I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram. Although I enjoy the creative process, I find it comes with a lot of pressure. Follow counts on Instagram, seem more predominate than anywhere else, I guess mainly because having a large following in Instagram can be can money maker, and it seems brands are more and more interested in working with 'influencers' on Instagram posts than they are in long-form content, such a blog posts and youtube videos, which logically, seemed to cut the workload down slight for the influencer, and who would say no to less work and more money?


I find Instagram tricky, because, my followers rarely grow on there, and I know people endlessly say follow counts don't matter, but when they are what stands between you and your dream job, they kind of do. I don't want a career built on Instagram, not for a second, but as a blogger and a writer, my Instagram following has become something that could give me a ticket into the career I want. It's frustrating. I've said similar things to this on Instagram itself before - so I won't bang on too much about it here, instead, I want to talk about where I think the future of the platform is heading.
                                                                                 

I read something recently about how with traditional media, you get the advert between the entertainment, but with Instagram influencers, the entertainment is the adverts, which is completely true, advertising has become more integrated with the entertainment. Or is this just the first time we're realising? Product placements on TV shows have always been a thing. Is it such a bad thing that people are trying to sell us stuff? If we enjoy the free content they're putting out there, I see no reason we should not have to see the occasional toothpaste advert which is simple enough to slide into the content which is already there.

It's odd that Instagram is a career for some people, and a hobby for others, as with blogging and youtube, and many creative careers. Most of us have Instagram, some of us have several accounts. We're addicted to doing what some people get paid for, for free. Although unpaid, we might not be putting so much pressure on the images, and captions, hiring photographers and planning out our grids, but we're still contributing to that platform, unpaid. It's a place where humans are ranked by follow counts. I don't think I've ever looked how many friends somebody has on Facebook, or been concerned by followers on twitter but on Instagram, I'm more likely to interact with an account with more followers, which is absolute bullshit. I know, from experience, your follow count can be low but that doesn't mean your content is not thought out and valuable.

Something which does bother me is the idea that the print industry will one day be replaced by online platforms such as Instagram.

Personally, I've found myself heading more towards traditional media more than ever recently. Instagram can feel a bit samey, and while I have the blogs which I love, it seems bloggers are choosing more and most to posts on the 'gram rather than their own website, which is completely understandable, as writing a blog post takes a lot more time, and probably get a lot less engagement.



But lazy Sunday mornings, when I lay in bed, scrolling through insta doesn't quite cut it, and I begin to feel sick of my phone. I've realised nothing brings me the joy of a magazine and a cup of tea on those lazy. There's something satisfying in flicking pages, and the articles often tend to be a mixture of my favourite writers and some new ones. Articles I never expected to find myself reading can impact my thoughts, change my day - which I'm sure could happen with an Instagram caption, but sometimes I want it to be an event, consuming media, and scrolling Instagram is more of a habit than an event, there's nothing about it which feels special. With Instagram, it feels like something I consume when I want the minutes to slip away from me, but reading a magazine feels like a way to embrace the time I've got, and really make the most of it. It's a way to indulge in the words of others and curated imagery.

There's a pressure to post on Instagram, to create content which adds to what everyone else is posting. It's nice to read a magazine and know I don't need to worry about my input.  On Instagram you expect everyone to be relatable, real, and when they've got abs and a  new home, your average joe doesn't feel quite average which can leave a feeling of inadequacy, at least with magazines, the models printed aren't supposed to be the girl next door, they're too far from me to compare.

Having said all this, I do love using Instagram, I'm not against adverts on there if they're from somebody who's content I trust. and I think we're all smart enough by now to really, we don't need skinny teas.

I love that is something I can curate myself with who I choose to follow and I love that I have my own input in the space, but it's no replacement for the pleasure of carelessly flicking through the crisp pages of a magazine.


Jumpsuit: New Look - Lipstick: Marc Jacobs Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - i-D Magazine

Earlier this week, I turned 27, so today, I thought I'd share somethings I've learnt along the way.

1) Nothing clears the mind, quite like a walk in the woods with friends.

2) You are the most important person in your life. I am the most important person in my own life. However selfish it might seem, always put yourself first.

3) Friendships change, and sometimes you need to let go of them. Not friendship needs to last forever

4) Not everyone will always agree with you and that really doesn't matter. Not everyone will like you, and that really doesn't matter either.

5) Kindness is always more important than it seems.

6) What you wear, who you spend your time with and the media you consume will affect how you feel.

7) Just because something looks good on paper, it doesn't mean it will be that way in reality. That goes for people, jobs and the lives of others as they're portrayed on social media.

8) If someone ghosts you, let them. There's no need to try to start a new conversation after they didn't reply. There no need to dramatically ask them what you've done wrong (nothing), and don't bother to call them out on it, you're better off using your energy elsewhere

9) The feelings can't be helped, but how you react to those feeling can be.

10) Never respond when you're angry.

11) You will make mistakes, but at some point, you've got to forgive yourself. Reliving things in your head, will not change the past.

12) You can survive without the relationship you feel dependent on.

13) It's always worth making your bedroom a nice place to be. Light candles. Make your bed every morning. Put your washing away.

14) Always pee before you paint your nails.

15) Give yourself a little longer than you think you need in the morning.

16) Mediation makes a huge difference.

17) At some point exercise stops feeling like year 10 PE lesson. You're better off to learn that sooner rather than later.

18) If you're uninspired, take a break. If you're a writer feeling uninspired, you're probably not reading enough, pick up a book.

19) Love doesn't matter as much as the romcoms make out.

20) Friendships require maintenance. You need to check in with your friends, be the one to organise meeting up. Send them flowers and let them know you appreciate them.

21) Spontaneous nights out are usually the best ones.

22) You've got to give yourself a permission slip - It's down to you, to let yourself do the things you want to, and be the person you want to be, nobody else. No one else will give you a green light to go for what you want, it's all on you.

23) No one knows you, like you. Listen to your intuition over other people

24) No feeling lasts forever.

25) Feminist are not 'hairy angry women'. They are strong, important men and women who want to make the world better for everyone.

26) What others choose to do with their body is nothing to do with anyone else. Whether somebody wants to change their gender, not shaving or say goodbye to make up. It only becomes your business when it's your body and your mind.

27) You're allowed to like what you like and want what you want.

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I woke up this morning and I felt powerful. I felt positive and motivated. I practically jumped out of bed and decided I need to write a blog post about taking up space because that was exactly what I intended on doing.

I decided to do the photography first. To take on the role of model, stylist and photographer, and get the perfect shots. I used my favourite bright pink eyeshadow, I curled my hair with my chopstick curler. I put on a black jumpsuit which made me feel like a girl boss. I wanted to take up space in the images, with my bright makeup, biggest hair and my most powerful outfit that's exactly what I was going to do.

I ignored the fact, I was dressed for a different season, and the wet grass was making my sliders, well slidey. I didn't matter that I was home alone, I could shoot the photos myself and make them look good in my back garden.



Using a tripod, self-timer and phone remote at the back of your house certainly isn't the more glamour way to shoot photographs, but it was a way which was accessible to me, and I was excited to see what blogger esc images I could take. The visions in my head we're living up to the standards of famous fashion blogger who clearly have photographers they pay for and to die for locations as backdrops.  Rather than being somewhere tropical with someone snap some pictures of me living my best life, I was cold and hyperaware of how awkward I feel in front of a camera. I took pictures, but my camera wasn't playing games. Autofocus took to my mum's plants rather than me, and I found myself tugging on my jumpsuit a lot. After a while of freezing, putting on my best fake smile and placing my hands on my hips, I went to look at the results.

I was disappointed, to say the least. I spent my time taking these photos and I couldn't use any of them. I was out of focus. You could clearly see I've got a belly. I had too much cleavage out.  My hair was too big, I should have let the curls drop. My face looks... weird. I picked out endless flaws in the images. I felt defeated. I was going to scrap the post. I felt gutted I wasted a couple of hours.

And then something came over me. I wanted to write a blog post about taking space, and maybe it's more important I choose to take up this space, even if I do some imperfectly  It's the showing up that counts after all. We're all learning. These weren't the best photos, and I am the most awkward model, but still, I'm putting myself out there, and working to improve.

 Recently I've felt down about my writing, not necessarily the actual words but more that I don't recognise my spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Often I post poetry on Instagram, which is a vulnerable thing to do,  and I feel humiliated when I realise, I can't even get the spellings of the most simple words right, despite the hours I put into proofreading and redrafting. 

However, just because my words aren't always perfect and polished, it doesn't discredit their value. Trying is underrated. Putting time and energy into creating is important. Things don't always turn out how we planned, but that doesn't mean they don't matter, that doesn't mean our time is wasted.
With curated feeds, we often think negatively of imperfect imagery and try to live up to a staged perception of life, but that's not life reality, and sometimes we need to ditch the filters and remind the world of our most authentic self.

I guess the post is my way of saying, you don't have to be perfect take up space. to create, and feel good about yourself. And on looking back, I'm much happier with the images, they aren't perfect, but I'm choosing to share them here because not everything needs to be perfect. I'm entitled to take up space in whatever way I deem worthy.

I often feel inadequate, and I've still got a lot to learn, but that doesn't make me invaluable.

   

   Outfit Details

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