The Blogger by Olivia Stocks

Fashion 4

Our editor loves- Olivia Stocks shows us what she’s been loving this issue

How I wear- Sophie Etc styles up stripes

Send us your #OOTDsYou are a fashionable lot aren’t you?

Lifestyle 8

How to take your blog to the next level- Think your blog has some serious potential? We reveal how to make it happen Serious case of FOMOSometimes social media gets all too much

Beauty 16 27 28

Food 13

A few baking ideas- Recipes to challenge even Mary Berry herself

We love newness!- We investigate who’s the newest kid on the beauty block

Food that makes us feel fabFood nutritionists give us the lowdown on what makes our bodies smile on the inside as well as out

5 best meals to ‘gram- Because life is better when you share your dinner with the world

Skincare sorted- Skin woes? We’ll have you sorted pronto

Spotlight on....- Every issue we send a foodie blogger to review UK restaurants for you lot

Note from the editor

Hi lovely readers! This is the first ever The Blogger magazine and I really hope you enjoy it. As you probably already know, bloggers have become so influential in recent years that we’ve created this magazine with you, as aspiring bloggers in mind, to encourage and inspire you to better your skills in order to excel in your own little corner of the internet. We’re not telling that you must to this, or you must do that, we just want to be a friendly place where thoughts can be shared between readers, along with a handful of tips exclusively being shared by industry insiders. I really hope you like this magazine; give us a tweet to let you know what you think of us Lots of love,

{ Follow me on Twitter @livistocks and Instagram @oliviastocks. Tweet us at @Blogger_Mag }

Career

What Olivia Did

We caught up with the adorable Liv Purvis from What Olivia Did and she gave all you lovely lot some exclusive blogging advice.

Image credit: WhatOliviaDid.com

What was your first blog post on? I think it was on photography as I started my blog when I was at college studying art so I think I uploaded loads of photos of my friends, in the park and stuff like that- very arty.. not! What are the pros and cons about blogging? There are so many pros such as meeting so many amazing people in the fashion industry such as journalists, and being introduced to so many cool brands. But not being able to switch off and feeling consumed by social media 24/7 is a negative as I’m constantly checking my phone for updates. Any highlights from having your blog? Gosh I’ve had so many! But a standout one would be when I was at university when I found out that I was shortlisted for the Cosmo blog awards, it was so exciting as I realised that people actually read my blog! I was over the moon.

When did you know the right time to go full-time? There’s never been an actual point it’s been a steady growing thing. After being doing it for 3 years, after dedicating so much time for my blog, I thought I would take the What’s been your best collaboration? plunge. I must’ve had bravery to take that leap. The most surreal project I worked on was with Kate Spade when I went out to New York when fashion How did you learn to take such good photos? week was on, it was so exciting and so much fun! I studied photography at A-Level but I wouldn’t It really pushed me to work harder on my content. say I’m an expert! I collaborate with my boyfriend Joe and we often work it out together really. If you never got into blogging, what do you Where do you get blog post inspiration? From reading other blogs and keeping up to date with what’s out there really and putting your own spin on things.

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think you’d be doing now? I wanted to be a fashion designer at one point and fashion journalism was another area I was interested in, however, blogging gives me the space to try everything out- I love it. Read Olivia’s blog www.whatoliviadid.com and follow her on Twitter @livpurvis

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Cover Star

“I’ve been motivated to succeed for as long as i can remember” 19

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here’s something that struck me when meeting the creator behind Love Icon Fantasy Ego, aka 23-year-old Hannah Court. I was instantly drawn to her cool girl appearance of leather-look skinny jeans, quirky silver jewellery and those studded ASOS boots that would’ve given Kate Moss a run for her money. “Hi lovely, nice to meet you!” Hannah breezes in her razor-like cheekbones were quite remarkable the art of contour perhaps? I was soon to find ou Birmingham born and bred, Hannah first set up her blog in 2013 after working as a fashion buye for a number of years but now works as a freelance digital marketing assistant and as a parttime blogger. “I’ve always wanted to work for myself as I grew up watching my dad set up his marketing business. I must’ve been motivated and determined from an early age as this is what I’ve always eve wanted to do.” Love Icon Fantasy Ego originated from Hannah’s college project of rediscovering identity, an acronym of ‘LIFE’, and is a place to document her love of photography, her interest in fashion and her place to “ramble in my own corner of th internet” as she calls it. “It’s funny actually because although my blog is purely about fashion now, back when I started out, it was about travel and lifestyle. It just show how I’ve evolved as a person.” With a growing readership of 2,000 readers a month and just over 1,500 followers on Twitter and Instagram, Hannah accepts the fact that she’ not as big as the likes of InTheFrow or Samanth Maria but stresses that life’s far better with a bit of competition and a need to challenge your own growth. “The blogging industry is so saturated these day and it’s challenging but I enjoy doing it and bein creative so that’s all that matters. “Although I do check my stats sometimes, they don’t really mean anything so don’t bother me too much.” Bloggers, in the past couple of years, have exper enced negative backlash and ‘trolling’ on social media, such as Velvet Ghost being criticised for “using” YouTubers such as Zoella (aka. Zoe Sugg) for her own personal gain or Tanya Burr being called “fat” by viewers.

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“I do see negativity on social media but I stay out of it to focus on my own work. “There’s room for everybody on the internet and we should be positive towards other bloggers and not hating on them.” Since Love Icon Fantasy Ego was launched, Hannah has been involved in a number of projects including becoming a brand ambassador for Designer Exchange, collaborating with The Bullring and attending the Clothes Show Live, whilst having the opportunity to interview fashion extraordinaire, Caryn Franklin MBE. “I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved already- it makes me literally want to burst with pride when people comment on my posts saying how much they enjoy reading my blog. “Even when brands contact me saying that they want to work with me, it’s still so exciting.” For all of the perks of the jobs, there are also some challenges. “I find it quite challenging to keep organised really, although now that I’m not working full time I have more hours available for planning and actually doing stuff. “However, I am happy to spend hours working on a photo or on a blog post as I’m a perfectionist but it’s not an effort for me as I love doing it.” And it clearly shows as Hannah’s Instagram is always full of inspirational style that could rival any other major fashion bloggers. “I wouldn’t say I’m a social media addict but although I am known to delete photos if they don’t fit to my Instagram theme so I suppose I am aware of my social media presence. “There’s nothing wrong with having an Instagram theme as I have a monochrome one at the minute, it’s just a reflection of my blog, another creative outlet.” With bloggers choosing only to show the ‘high-

lights’ of their daily lives, some viewers are quick to suggest that these lives are purely made up for the exploitation of more viewers and increased ‘likes’. Hannah, however, disagrees. “It doesn’t mean that my life is not real, it’s just that it’s a curated feed for the benefit of my blog. “There’s a place for everyone on Instagram, theme or not.” Inevitably, with the constant demand for fresh, new ideas, Hannah admits to reading her favourite blogs for when inspiration grows thin. She regularly calls upon What Olivia Did and Wish Wish Wish for their “amazing photography”, Pages by Megan and The Little Magpie for their “quirky yet ultra-cool outfits” and EJ Style“she’s such a babe.” So has the fashion blogger ever had a fashion fail? “Of course!” she laughs. “When I was in college, I wore these hideous gladiator sandals that were knee high, complete with tassels, and I thought I looked cool wearing them over jeans- that was definitely in my experimental phase! Seeing celebrities as inspiration and as an idol to copy their fashion senses has firmly become a thing of the past for Hannah as she stresses that she doesn’t like to follow what other people are wearing. She is a firm believer of having her own style and doing her own thing. Although Hannah insists she’s a high street girl at heart, she can’t resist a splurge on designer labels- it’s all about the “statement pieces” she says. “I think my best fashion investment would have to be my All Saints Leather jacket as it’s just so versatile; it can be worn as a waistcoat too and it’s just a great all-year-round wardrobe staple. “I also have an unhealthy obsession with de-

“There’s room for everybody on the internet... -we should be positive towards bloggers, not hating on them” The Blogger

Travel

Sun, Sea and Sombreros

Broaden your holiday horizons with a trip to blogger fave, Mexico as Sophie Hack visits the place famous for it’s tacos and tequila For the avid beach holiday maker, the typical staples of Tenerife, Ibiza and Santorini may become a bit of a bore. But, before you pack away your deck chair and chuck your impulse airport read, why not consider Mexico as your next getaway? Nestled amongst the Gulf of Mexico, the Carribbean Sea and North Pacific Ocean, explorers and relaxers alike can happily call this destination home for a week or two. With a pic and mix selection of city breaks, couple retreats or ancient history expeditions, the choice really is yours. Mexico City and Cancun are the place to be for the party go-ers who like to stay in the centre of the action, but that doesn’t mean further afield is baron. I stayed in the famous Riviera Maya, a melting pot of white beaches, water parks, shopping districts and ancient heritage. For couples or weddings, Riviera Maya is one of the most popular places, as spa resorts are by the dozen along the coast line, for your own little taste of luxury. re undecided on what kind nd of holi iday you re after, this area of Mexico will If yyou’re holiday you’re deliver. Out along the coast awa ay from the th hustle and bustle, but only a two-hour away drive to the centre of Cancun. all-inclusive drin nk on a cabana by the sea, or finished your After relaxing with your all-inclusive drink a-la-carte three course meal, stretch sttretch yourr legs in the famous Fifth Avenue. Outlet stores of your favourite brandss amongst bustling b bars and restaurants, some with the traditional Spanish touch. One O bar on the top of my list is Fa, close to the more thhat boasts great g burgers, nachos and traditional Tebuilt up side of the avenue that

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quila, alongside weekly live music and talent local to the area. Mexico takes pride in keeping its Mayan heritage alive, with some smaller towns only just bursting into the modern world. Towns such as Tulum, close to many holiday resorts. The ruins of Tulum are one to explore, still standing 700 years from first build. Unlike Cancun built in the 1970’s for tourism, Tulum was a seaport, mainly trading in Jade and Turquoise. These small ruins were thought to house around 600 Mayans, surrounded by a wall for protection from invaders. If you venture back from the Castillo (castle) and inviting beach, make sure to explore the village of Tulum and see how many Mayan symbols you can see adorning the walls. Finally, no trip wouldn’t be complete without fresh coconut water, cut right in front of you for the equivalent of £2. If you venture further from Tulum, make sure you head for Chichen Itza, one of the seven wonders of the world. Meaning “at the mouth of the wall at Itza”, Chichen Itza is an archaeological site home to Kukulkan Pyramid, standing 24m high. No one fully knows how the Mayan civilisation operated, but areas such as this give grave insight into the 3,000-year-old Empire. You can no longer walk up the stairs of the temple in Chichen Itza, but this marvel is definitely one to tick of the bucket list. Finally, for the adrenaline junkie there’s Xplor, built around natural rock formations and caves which you can swim or doom buggy through. For an added dose of excitement, traverse the park at night and enjoy more zip lines, rafts and a lot of fire… Mexico tends to be overlooked by many tourists looking for a beach holiday. It may be further afield to the usual European destinations, but the distance is worth it for a world of rich culture and heritage paired with the party spirit.

All-Inclusive holidays with Tho Thomas Cook start from £1,046pp, based on two people peopl sharing

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Read Sophieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog www.sophieetc.com and follow her on twitter @sophieetc

5 Mins With Sophie Etc Sum up your style in 3 words? Fun, practical and classy What is your favourite wardrobe staple? Leather jacket from Wallis Who would you say is your ultimate fashion icon? Olivia Purvis, fashion blogger If you could only use one product what would it be? Merumaya facial oil So tell us, do you prefer to rock a classy nude lip or a dramatic bold lip? Bold- Rimmel 107 is great The Blogger

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