A Blogger Blogs: My Blogging Journey

An insider's guide to blogging based on a survey of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle bloggers, infographic courtesy of Farfetch. Browse their lush website here.

             This post marks my 51^st as a blogger, and coincidentally, I also have 51 followers now via Bloglovin’. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I’ve come a long way on my blogging journey, and with the help of an infographic, I would love to share it with you all. I started My London Dream in April of 2013, which coincided with the startup of my other (style) blog, A Stitch in Time. Creating a blog didn’t take too much effort, because it involves two things close to my heart: writing and exploring London.

'Tis the season for boots: you can check out my most recent outfit of the day post on my style blog, A Stitch in Time, here

             My very first post for My London Dream was about London Open Day and I actually wrote the piece for one of my courses at university. It just made sense for that to be my starting point and to go from there. If you look back through my archive, you’ll notice that I didn’t originally include many photographs. As I’ve progressed, I’ve learned that photographs are key to capturing the audience’s attention and to also accompany and complement the pieces. I understand that the world is a very visual place, so I wanted to take advantage of that. To replace a camera that I had used for years, I invested in a Nikon and was really pleased with the results (after I learned how to master it)!

I've come a long way (both in my writing and picture-taking skills) from my first post about my trip to a masonic temple for London Open Day. Travel back here.

             Blogging has become de rigueur, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd and to take the learning curves in your stride. This brings me to my next point: staying true to myself has been the most important guiding principle to keep my blog running. As I was browsing popular blogs, I noticed that there are certain key elements that are practically a given for good bloggers, such as the aforementioned quality photographs. I learned that early on and I quickly assimilated the knowledge so that I could improve my own blog.

If you want to know where to find me, try the Almeida Theatre in Islington! They very kindly invite me to their shows as press and I write reviews for them. Read my write-up of the play 1984 here.

             That being said, what (hopefully) makes my blog unique is that I write quite a lot. I know that people don’t read as much as they used to and that everyone is looking for quick fix answers. This is the generation of instant gratification after all. I came to terms with that fact and didn’t let it deter me from doing what I wanted to do with my blog. I am inherently a writer and always have been. Therefore, I don’t compromise the length of my written pieces. I like to capture the essence of a moment in its entirety and I would never omit an aspect of an event, for example, just to keep my word count down. I leave the restrictions of word counts for my university essays!

My favorite moment in London (as you can probably tell from my smile) was meeting Matthew Healy, frontman of the band The 1975. Chart the band's journey in order from unknown obscurity to superstardom across their various shows here, here, here, and here.

             I absolutely appreciate why blogging is a full-time job for some people, because the amount of effort put into it is immense and usually goes above and beyond what people do in their daily lives (myself included). As the infographic outlines, an average of 10.3 hours are spent blogging weekly, which doesn’t surprise me at all, considering I can attest to it! No, it would not be the end of the world if I forgot a comma, but attention to detail never goes amiss. Many bloggers post everyday, but I subscribe to the methodology that quality over quantity is always the better option. That’s why there might be gaps between posts, but I want to put out the best content possible and not rush any of my writing. I never publish anything that I am not proud of and I always check my work over once, twice, or even three times.

I always joke that I should have my own installation at the Tate Modern, because I am there so often! The Roy Lichtenstein retrospective was truly something to behold. Read my rave review here.

             Blogging requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but it’s incredibly rewarding. It also acts as an online portfolio of work that is easily accessible by anyone. I still find it fascinating that people all over the world can access my blog and that they enjoy reading it from, say, Poland when I am typing away from the United Kingdom! That’s not to say that I don’t feel discouraged at times, because there is an element of despondency that all bloggers probably experience at some point. It can be easy to slip into the mindset of, “Is anyone even reading my blog?” or, “What is the point of doing this?” Honestly though, I blog because it makes me happy and it contains such lovely memories for me that I can look back on fondly years from now. In addition, maybe I can shed some light on topics of interest to others in the process.

Beauty blogging: trying out the Umberto Giannini haircare range was so much fun! See the looks I created in my step-by-step guide here. 

             I first started out on Tumblr, messing around with HTML coding, until I made the transition to Blogger just this past summer. It proved to be a very advantageous move, because I quickly learned that Blogger was a community created for people just like me: writers! Tumblr is very image-based, so once I changed platforms, I felt like I had taken that “next step.” I also bought my domain name, had business cards printed, and commissioned someone to redesign my entire blog, so that the exterior matched my interior vision. Just going through those simple motions made me feel like a truly professional blogger.

Bloggers Fashion Week, hosted by Bloggers Love, is a great way to make new friends and swap business cards! Read all about it here.

             My blog is still in its early stages and I am learning all the time, constantly trying to figure out ways to connect with other bloggers and how to get my name out there. I think patience is key, because a successful blog is not born overnight. I am still in shock at all of the opportunities I have been afforded through my blog. I have conducted interviews with some visionary people, written reviews and received amazing feedback from the theatres or people themselves, and attended events to meet up with fellow bloggers - all with a few free goodies along the way! Perhaps the most touching thing about blogging has been the excitement I feel when I am approached to incorporate certain events, products, or write-ups. Just knowing that someone likes my work enough to be included on my blog really motivates me to keep working towards my end goal.

It was so inspiring to meet and interview Oliver Tomalin of beachwear brand Love Brand & Co., which donates five percent of all sales to help endangered elephants. Read about Tomalin's vision in his own words here. 

             Although I am a psychology major with a philosophy minor, my true love has always been writing. Maybe I tried to suppress this urge for a while, but it kept nagging and pawing at me, so I finally listened and embraced it with open arms. My ultimate dream is to become involved with fashion journalism, and even beyond that, my dream is to incorporate the three things I am most passionate about: writing, psychology, and fashion. There is definitely a niche in the market for this sort of thing, especially with trend forecasting. That’s my real London dream and I hope I can continue to chart my journey with you on my road towards that goal!

My love of psychology collided with my love of blogging when I visited Sigmund Freud's old home in Hampstead, where his famous psychoanalytic couch resides! Get your fix of psychological terminology here.

             My biggest piece of advice to fellow bloggers is to blog for the love of blogging. Followers may come and go, but if you abide by this, everything else will fall into place. Also, remember to keep it fun, because once blogging becomes a chore, you won’t enjoy doing it anymore and your readers will notice.

For the lowdown on the Spring/Summer 2014 Wolf & Badger London Fashion Week showroom, including an interview I conducted with designer Laura Smith, see here

             To all of my readers, your support and readership means so much to me! Even if only one person reads this post, it will have all been worth it.

Blogging has opened many doors, including meeting some very talented people, such as Oliver Proudlock (of Made in Chelsea) at his Serge DeNîmes pop-up shop on Carnaby Street. For what I thought of his cool clothing line and others he teamed up with, read on here.

             I would love to hear from you! If you’d like to share your own blogging journey or tips with me, please comment below or contact me directly. Happy blogging!

London can be very touristic, but it can also be surprisingly secretive, as witnessed with this Mexican restaurant which looks deceptively like a sex shop. Read about La Bodega Negra's scrumptious food (and how difficult it is to find!) here.

Technology Tries Fashion on for Size

findSimilar software is revolutionizing the way that we shop for fashion items, photo courtesy of Cortexica 

             Madonna said it best when she sang, “You know that we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” Never has this phrase been more true than today, but now the material world has joined forces with the technological realm. It doesn’t look as though this power couple is about to break up any time soon either.

             Polyvore and Pinterest are both websites that allow us to find inspiration from sources all over the web to compile and compartmentalize our favorite trends, looks, and wish lists. Each user is able to customize the visuals to their own specified tastes, which is perhaps why these websites, and those similar, have become so popular.

An example of a set on Polyvore entitled "how to wear whites during the cooler months," photo courtesy of Polyvore

An example of a Pinterest board, photo courtesy of Pinterest

             With London Fashion Week last month, the swell of bloggers seen live Tweeting and simultaneously writing posts from the front row has now become the norm. Online live streaming of the catwalk shows was all the rage, allowing anyone to get in on the action with just the click of a button.

             Ralph Lauren’s runway show at New York Fashion Week was a 4-D spectacle, incorporating a wall of water shooting into the sky alongside holographic effects. This allowed models to strut their stuff with a backdrop of New York City attractions, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the High Line.

The 4-D Ralph Lauren runway show at New York Fashion Week, photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

             Technology is a salient force in our lives and it really is about joining the bandwagon or being left behind. This brings me to talk about the emergence of new software that is helping to shape the way we view fashion as we know it. Created by computer science engineers at Imperial College London, findSimilar software allows you to take a photo of any fashion item, and then as the name suggests, find similar items.

Caught in the act!

My friend Florian very kindly let me "steal his style." Not just for women, findSimilar software caters to men as well!

             Fashion technology company, Cortexica, is getting ready to launch its findSimilar software within the mobile apps of some of the United Kingdom’s largest retailers. The software has already been sold to apps such as Style Thief, which is free to download from the App Store here.

 After snapping this jumpsuit from The Kooples, the results provided me with various other jumpsuit options and even showed me where to shop for them! 

             We have all had those moments where we spot someone in a crowd who is impeccably dressed. We admire their style, but usually are too timid to ask where they bought their hat, coat, cardigan, jacket, dress etc. As a woman, I also appreciate the art of a well-dressed man. Who wouldn’t fall for a sharply tailored suit? I’ll be the first to admit that I have inconspicuously snapped photos of various people’s shoes in the hopes of discovering a pair similar for myself. I usually scour various stores to no avail, but that’s where findSimilar software comes into its own.

             I tested the software out for myself to show you just how simple (and incredibly convenient!) it is to use. Whether you want to find an exact match, an equivalent with a designer price tag, or a cheaper alternative, findSimilar does all of the work for you. Women (and men!) the world over will be singing the praises of the Imperial College London team!

My outfit of the day; I'm currently loving the neon trend! Recreating my look just became easier than ever before.

             Street style is becoming an increasingly popular trend and an increasingly popular interest. Humans of New York, and the lesser-known Humans of London, both work on the principle of taking photos of people in general, not just their style. We are also shown a snippet of their personalities with the included interview exchange between photographer and subject. Everyday people can become celebrities in their own right. They welcome their fifteen minutes of fame and they have every right to! Everybody subconsciously wants to be noticed. London Fashion Week is a prime example of this. It comes with the territory that photographers will have their fingers hovering above their camera shutter, lying in wait to pounce on their next fashion prey.  

 A feel-good portrait captured by Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York, photo courtesy of Humans of New York

             I am constantly inspired by street style and by the photos I see in magazines. As a fashion blogger myself, it wouldn’t even be possible for me to post my outfits of the day without a camera, let alone a computer. My fashion blog and this blog are both forums where I can reach out to others in an online environment and connect in ways that would have been impossible before. Bloggers Love is a community that sets up events in London so that bloggers can meet face to face. They are launching the Bloggers Love Hub in November, which will be a space where bloggers can network, blog, and share advice and tips about blogging.

The Anya Hindmarch Spring/Summer 2015 collection was my favorite during London Fashion Week, photo courtesy of Anya Hindmarch

Now it's possible to shop the look and I found a French Connection replica for a very reasonable price!

             The common denominator that makes all of the things in this blog post possible? Technology. Who knows, perhaps one day you’ll end up as someone’s style inspiration. Take it as a compliment, because most likely they’re just trying to emulate your style. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and findSimilar have just made the imitating part a whole lot easier.

             Get snapping and be inspired!

I used a photograph from my style blog, A Stitch in Time, and was then matched with more luscious maroon outerwear

             Check out Cortexica’s website here to learn more about findSimilar technology. View my style blog, A Stitch in Time, here.

Greenwich Acting Navigator

             Little did I know as I made my trek to the National Maritime Museum that I would soon become acquainted with very possibly my new favorite location in London. In accordance with a history course I am taking for my philosophy minor, my intended visiting purpose was the Ships, Clocks & Stars exhibition.

             I ended up in a place called Maze Hill, which required three changes on the Underground and one on the Overground to reach. However, I quickly became enraptured with what I saw of the London skyline, just peeping above the trees in Greenwich Park. As soon as I spied the familiar silhouettes of the Shard and the Gherkin, I knew that the view had immense potential if I could perch myself somewhere with higher elevation. First, I had to attend to the matter at hand.

             The National Maritime Museum is essentially situated inside the outermost edges of Greenwich Park. I had a beautiful day for exploring, most uncharacteristic of October weather. The sun was beating down gloriously over the vast greenery that surrounded me, ideal for bouncy dogs, lazy strolls, lovers’ trysts, and makeshift picnics alike.

             Just as an explorer sets sail in search of land, I found my equivalent. The museum was landmarked with a gigantic ship in a bottle. I was sad to substitute the sun with the cooler indoors, but the museum’s main foyer was quaint all the same. To my right were numerous tables and chairs, with an inviting sign: “Enjoy your packed lunch here! And why not take in the lovely view while you are at it.” The museum seemed to share my sentiments in regards to the view and tapped into my childhood reverie of school trips consisting of clipboard questions and ham sandwiches.

             To commemorate the 300^th anniversary of the passing of the Longitude Act in 1714, the Ships, Clocks & Stars exhibition details how we eventually arrived at a solution to solve the age-old problem of navigating by longitude (distance east and west). The Longitude Act offered rewards to those who could propose such a solution, with the methods of clocks and stars emerging victorious in the end. All of John Harrison’s five timekeepers were truly a marvel to be seen together, their intricacies amplified and their inner workings fascinating to behold.

John Harrison's H1 timekeeper, photo courtesy of the National Maritime Museum

             The National Maritime Museum would not normally be my cup of tea, but as far as I’m concerned, I am always ready and raring to explore new areas of London. I once set myself a mental goal to alight at every tube station in London, but perhaps that was a little overambitious on my part. Nonetheless, I did find the exhibition interesting. I particularly enjoyed the wall-sized map pinpointing over a dozen of London’s coffee houses during the 1700s and the accompanying coffee cups on display.

This statue outside of the museum honors King William IV, who was known as the "Sailor King"

             It was and still is dangerous to travel at sea, which is why discovering better ways of navigating had been a vexing problem since the late 1400s. Advances in navigation might not have made the seas any less treacherous, but they certainly made them safer and more manageable. I found it surprising that the quest for longitude was mocked or seen as a “get rich quick” scheme. William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress (Plate 8) was particularly jarring, depicting a link between the search for longitude and madness.

William Hogarth's A Rake's Progress (Plate 8), 1735, shows an inmate of Bethlem Royal Hospital (Bedlam) sketching Humphrey Ditton and William Whiston's signalling proposal and other longitude ideas on the hospital wall, photo courtesy of Tate 

             After my tour of the exhibition, I was pleased to learn that the sun had not yet retreated behind a cloud. A group of people, looking miniscule from a distance, had already congregated at the top of a hill. Working up a sweat, I climbed that hill with fervor in anticipation of what I would see. The view overlooking the River Thames was truly breathtaking, a view to die for in every sense of the phrase. To my left, the Shard and the Gherkin proudly stood out amidst the rest of the skyscrapers, while to my right, the O2 Arena nestled itself in comfortably, looking like the back of an enormous tortoise shell.

 With the Royal Observatory seen on the right, this was my view from below after leaving my prime spot at the top of the hill with the others (left)

             This is the view that I wanted to share with you all, because let’s be honest, it’s too good not to:

I spy with my little eye...

             Not only is a fantastic view awaiting you, but at the top of the hill, you will also find The Royal Observatory, which was commissioned in 1675 by King Charles II. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich is the home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and the Prime Meridian of the world. You can snap a photo standing on the Meridian Line and visit London’s only planetarium.

             Even after two years in London (wow, how time flies!), I still experience “pinch me” moments all the time, and this was certainly one of them. Although Greenwich is quite far away from Central London, the trip is more than worth it, and I guarantee you’ll be pinching yourself all the way home. To plan your visit, view the Royal Museums Greenwich homepage here. The Ships, Clocks & Stars exhibition runs until January 4, 2015.