Nov 30, 2014

Why I’m Not A Professional Blogger

I get asked a lot how I became a ‘professional blogger’. It’s a question often met by my bemused face as I explain that I’m not a professional blogger by any means, and that I don’t really make much money from my blog. This is usually followed with another question – ‘but why not?’

It’s something I’ve been thinking about recently, so I thought I’d write a post – not on how to become a professional blogger or how to make money from your blog, but why I don’t.

I think the misconception about professional bloggers and why – to an outsider – I could conceivably be one, comes from a few things. I’m self-employed, for a start. It’s amazing how attractive your job seems when you work from home or in a studio, keep your own hours and have random Wednesday afternoons off. But actually, my job is pretty regular in that I’m usually at my desk from 9-5 (well, more like 10-6) using Microsoft Office and cursing my inbox like everyone else.

I also have a decent-ish social media following – far, far less than actual professional bloggers, but probably more than the average person. So there’s that.

And obviously, there’s the blog itself. Much-improved photography, freebies from brands, regular press trips – all these things give the appearance of a blog that’s raking it in and a blogger who’s making money from generally just existing.

So for all intents and purposes, I could be a professional blogger… couldn’t I? I have the platform, I’m not tied to an office job, I have good relationships with big brands – isn’t everything already in place for me to make proper money from this thing?

Quite simply – no. The main reason I’m not a professional blogger is because my blog is not popular enough. To earn enough money from ads and affiliate links, you need serious numbers. And to command big payments from brand collaborations, you need serious numbers AND a highly engaged community across multiple platforms. J for Jen (and its previous form, A Little Bird Told Me) does pretty well and I’m pleased with my stats – this is no pity party. But it’s important to understand that to make it big as a blogger, the numbers are key.

A few years ago when I had just quit my job to go freelance, my blog stats were much higher. I was blogging 5 times a week and really investing in my content, which paid off in more clicks. I had sidebar ads, was part of a blogging network and got paid blogging work from brands on a regular basis. If I’d kept this up – pushing harder to boost my stats, blogging more, promoting more, investing more – I probably could’ve made it as a ~professional blogger~. But I didn’t. And that leads me to the second reason I’m not one…

… I don’t want to be.

I started my blog because I like to write. And if I’m honest, I like to write about myself. I’ve always loved documenting my life, as self-indulgent as it is. Blogging is just an upgrade on my teenage diary – a place to blather on uninterrupted about what I’m wearing, where I’ve been and what I’m up to. It’s an outlet from the humdrum of daily life, and a place to present things with a little more sparkle than they have in reality.

Those few years ago when I started to make a move into professional blogging, I realised I didn’t want to change the purpose of my blogging. I didn’t want to take a whacking great camera to meals out, or force my husband to photograph every outfit I wore, or feel guilty for taking time off and going quiet.

I didn’t want to monetise my life.

I think making a successful career from the documentation of your own experiences is a fantastic achievement. It’s not quite as simple as ‘selling your life’, but getting paid for being ‘you’ is not at all easy, and anyone who can achieve it without losing their sense of self is doing things right.

I do wonder what will happen when blogging loses some of its shine though, as these things eventually do (remember Open Diary? MySpace? Live Journal?). I think about this in terms of my own job – when we’re no longer that bothered about Twitter, will I go back to more traditional copywriting? Write a book? Become a lecturer in Outdated Forms of Online Communication? I think I probably have enough experience in marketing to adapt as I get older, because we all know social media is a young person’s game. But that’s another thing that gives me pause when it comes to blogging as a profession.

Blogging is an industry created by its people – as bloggers, we’ve shaped this world for ourselves and those who can create careers from it are the success stories. But I think it’s important to understand how blogging works for the majority of people who have a blog – as a hobby, a sometimes-lucrative-but-not-enough-to-live-off side project, or a way to improve skills and launch careers in related industries, like fashion, photography or food.

For me, blogging keeps my writing sharp, helps me build my photography portfolio and means my wardrobe is always updated. I’ll save the money making for my 9-5 (well, 10-6).

Lady In Red

Posted in Daily Outfits.

I am aware the last two things you’ve seen on J for Jen are photos of me wearing a red tartan scarf. I’m not sorry though, because this tartan scarf is immense and I wear it daily.

Jeans, Topshop | Jumper, c/o Barbour | Hat, Topshop | Scarf, Edinburgh | Boots, Zara

It’s not just the scarf – I’ve been wearing various versions of this outfit for the past couple of months… hence the lack of outfit posts. A combination of trying to save money, downsizing my wardrobe and being super busy means I often find myself at a total loss when it comes to clothes. And rather than spend an hour hopping about in my pants trying to decide whether to wear a dress or a skirt or a jumpsuit and what necklace goes with it and if flats without socks are appropriate for late-November, I just pull on my jeans and be done with it.

All that may sound a bit ‘woe is me’, but I’m actually not too bothered about my current status as a basic. Wearing things you know suit you, look good on you and won’t cause the bus driver to say ‘blimey love, no one’ll miss you coming today!’ is an enjoyable experience.

If in doubt, throw on a hat and listen to ***Flawless. Guaranteed to make you feel fly.

At Sunset

Posted in Daily Outfits, Travel.

Last weekend Rob and I drove north to Haworth – a small Yorkshire town, famous for being the home of the Bronte sisters. We’re slowly making our way around northern hot spots that we really should’ve visited years ago, and Haworth has been on the list for a while. As soon as we arrived, I fell in love.

Cobbled streets, quirky shops selling old books and vintage dresses, fish and chips in the brisk county air and a view that will take your breath away – what’s not to love?

After wandering up and down the main street, popping into the pub for a pint (red wine for me) and admiring the many, many dogs out for a stroll, we headed to the Brontë Parsonage Museum. The Brontë family home has been lovingly restored and is open to the public – you can peer into the lives of Emily, Charlotte and the rest of their family, see where they wrote their famous novels and learn more about the things that inspired them. It was truly fascinating and quite moving to think such important literary works were written right here in Yorkshire.

We left Haworth just as the sun began to set. As we drove towards home, we spotted this amazing view and stopped to take some photos… which somehow turned into an outfit shoot. The life and times of a fashion blogger!

Coat, c/o Barbour | Jeans, Topshop | Boots, Clarks c/o Sarenza | Scarf, Edinburgh

We had such an amazing day in Haworth – it’s now officially top of my ‘Places To Move When I Retire’ list. I can just imagine opening a shop selling vintage finds and local produce, maybe with a little café area and tables outside during the summer. BRB, going to daydream about being 65 for a while…

Up North With Barbour

Posted in Fashion, Travel.

I’ve been a Barbour fan for a very long time. When I was little, my granddad had a Barbour wax jacket that he wore for general Yorkshire things like mucking out pigs and going fishing. I remember him re-waxing it again and again, the sharp smell making me sneeze as I tried it on, waltzing around the house with this huge, raggy coat draped over my shoulders.

I’ve had my own Barbour wax jacket for a few years now, and although it functions far more for fashion than anything else (I don’t often find myself mucking out pigs, to be honest), it still feels like a rite of passage to own one. And despite the brand being firmly ensconced in the south among yummy mummies and people with pristine Range Rovers, there’s still something very northern about Barbour.

As you can imagine, I was totally thrilled to be invited on a three-day trip to learn more about the Barbour brand. We started in Edinburgh…

I’ll never get over how much I love Scotland. After a sun-drenched train journey along the coast, I arrived in Edinburgh and was whisked off to Prestonfield House, a luxury hotel just outside the city.
Before I even walked inside, I was in love. I have a thing for old buildings, original features and luxury finishings, and Prestonfield House has all of the above. And peacocks!

My room was a vision in velvet – all plush wall coverings and cushions with tassels. And what a view!

After an hour of exploring with Rosie, we retreated to get ready for our evening activities. We were in Edinburgh to discover Barbour’s new Tartan collection for AW14, so our first evening began with a fashion show. I have a few pieces from the Tartan collection that’ll I’ll show you in another post, but think rich, luxe fabrics, modern cuts and muted colours. Very Barbour, but with an on-trend twist.

After the show we took our places in the dining hall for dinner. And what a dinner it was – five courses of delicious Scottish fare, endless bread and butter and red wine that flowed all night long. There was also a Robbie Burns poetry recital and a resounding Auld Lang Syne singalong, complete with crossed arms. I was delighted to see Dame Margaret Barbour giving it her all, too.

The next day, Rosie and I enjoyed a (slightly hungover) breakfast at Prestonfield House before reluctantly checking out – I could’ve stayed a week, holed up in those grand drawing rooms. But we were heading to our next stop – Kinloch Anderson in Leith.

Kinloch Anderson develop tartan designs for families and companies all over the world. Tartans are often associated with Scottish clans, but you don’t have to be Scottish to have your own unique tartan – you just need a connection to the country. If you can prove your Scottish connection, Kinloch Anderson can design a tartan that’s all your own – there are over 5,000 registered tartans, and no two can be the same.

For many years, Barbour used a generic tartan in their clothing. It was Helen Barbour – daughter of Dame Margaret – who discovered Barbour didn’t have their own tartan, despite their strong Scottish heritage. The company contacted Kinloch Anderson and after research into the history and lineage of Barbour founder John, the Barbour Tartan was created.

It was honestly fascinating to hear how tartan is designed – to the uneducated eye, all tartans may look the same, but those subtle differences signify specific families, geographical areas and unique heritages.

After exploring the Kinloch Anderson archives, we nipped over the road for lunch at The Kitchin which was another foodie triumph. I pretty much had to be rolled out of the restaurant and onto the coach. A quick ride later and we were on the train to our next stop – Newcastle and Barbour HQ.

We arrived at Malmaison in Newcastle’s Quayside and headed straight back out for dinner at Cafe 21 – honestly, I’ve never eaten as well as I did on this trip. The cheese and spinach soufflé was out of this world!

For some reason I was really surprised that Barbour HQ was in the North East – I’d always imagined it as a Scottish company. But the company is a huge part of life in South Shields, employing thousands of local people, and is very much ingrained in the community.

We set off for HQ early the next day, dropped off our bags then headed over to the factory.

We walked in to rows and rows of machinists, each working on a different aspect of a classic Barbour Wax Jacket. Each machinist is expertly trained in three different areas, but usually work on only one. We saw ladies whizzing out pockets, sleeves and press stud plackets in under 30 seconds – a serious skill. As we walked around the factory we saw the jackets slowly coming together, piece by piece. It was slightly mind-boggling!

One of the most fascinating parts of the trip was our talk with Jean, a Barbour employee for 30+ years and head of the repairs department. Barbour offer a wax jacket repairs service for customers whose jackets have been damaged, need re-waxing or are suffering from old age. Jean told us people get so emotionally attached to their jackets they can’t bear to replace them and will spend more than the cost of a new jacket to reconstruct their old one.

The jacket above took Barbour employee Donna 5 hours to complete. She patched up the rips and tears seamlessly, and after rewaxing this jacket will be (almost) good as new. It was originally bought in the 70s! Jean told us they’ve had some famous customers too, including Ewan McGreggor who wanted his Barbour re-waxing. He didn’t want to send it away and be without it though, so the Barbour team told him how to do it himself at home. Amazing!

After a quick bite to eat, we were invited into Dame Margaret Barbour’s office for a chat with the lady herself. I was thoroughly inspired by Dame Margaret – when her husband died, she took on the Barbour company and turned it into the global success it is today. She spoke of her admiration for other powerful businesswomen like Anita Roddick and Laura Ashley and walked us through her life at the top of Barbour, showing us family photos and telling stories.

We rounded off the day with a talk from Gary and a look into the Barbour archives. We met ‘Uncle Harry’, a Barbour jacket from 1910, and travelled through time with amazing pieces from history. Gary told us how Barbour originally made general clothing for working people – practical pieces that met a specific need. Over time the focus of the business has changed, but even now Barbour clothing remains functional. It was amazing to hear Gary talk – he was so knowledgeable about the brand and so passionate about the history.

Before jumping in my taxi to the train station, I managed to fly round the Barbour factory shop – I had no idea this was here, but it was packed with Barbour pieces at huge discounts including lots of classic wax jackets. Highly recommended if you’re in the area and looking for a bargain!

My adventure up north with Barbour was one of the best, most interesting and informative press trips I’ve ever been on. I adored learning more about the brand in such amazing surroundings, with such great people. And the food – oh, the food! A huge thank you to Sarah, Hannah and all the team for a brilliant experience.

Can We Talk About Autumn?

Posted in Daily Outfits.

Fashion bloggers often talk of autumn in Pumpkin Spice Latte terms. We discuss chunky knits and 120 denier tights, roast dinners and turning up the central heating.

Autumn is a beautiful season, but not for the woolly jumpers and overpriced drinks (although, hello mulled wine). For me, a walk in the park is always best in autumn.

Aaahhh, those leaves! There’s nothing better than kicking your way through a pile of crisp autumn leaves, even when wearing inappropriately flimsy shoes. Such a simple joy.

I think this Topshop jacquard skirt is the absolute epitome of autumnal style – it’s reassuringly heavy and delightfully textured, with a gorgeous statement pattern in deep, rich shades. With black tights and a roll neck jumper, it’s total seasonal perfection.

We don’t get long to enjoy autumn, so I’ve been soaking up as much of my favourite season as possible. And yes, that involves chunky knits, 120 denier tights and roast dinners… but definitely no Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Give me a hot chocolate any day!