My pet hates have been people who become stylists with no formal training whether through grafting their way up in the fashion industry or via academic learning and then practical application. Blogging has turned hobby driven indulgence into a viable means of income. Of course in some case this should be celebrated and the egalitarianism of opportunity again a cause for celebration but in other ways it makes me mad that people who study hard or work hard get undercut by trust fund or husband supported hobbyists. There I've got it out of my system...I can move on and I have finally found my equilibrium. Understandably after graduating from LCF over 18 months ago with my MA in Fashion and Film and with the petit garcon about to go to school I felt I couldn't return to commercial and personal styling work. The hours are too long. The effort required as a freelancer and at the time many of my clients had slashed their budgets.
The long and winding road included attempting to sell beauty products. I was truly rubbish, it makes me laugh but at least I know this. I still use the Arbonne products and buy from my own shop, which saves me lots of money and keeps me perky with fab products. In Mr MDS is addicted to their men's beauty products. In truth I really need a break from fashion and styling. I had entered that gnarled bitter and twisted phase that sometimes happen when you love something. Time out, time to reflect and very kind people have given me a purpose and structure again.
Look I'm smiling!!
I promise to blog again properly. I will endeavour to get back into commenting on everyone else's wonderful blogs. The petit garcon is in Y1 of school and he is left handed so I really need to be on top of his learning spurt and ensure that he gets the right support. I don't expect the school to deliver everything unaided so I must make the right amount of effort. Quite frankly it is a jungle out there and I'm a lioness.
The good news is the wonderful NHJ Style as well as keeping me on to teach on their Style Academy courses have asked me to be their E-Stylist. Nicky Hambleton-Jones has a lovely young son of 18 months and is only just now getting back into her stride and work. It is always good to work for people who have a fantastic ethos when it comes to work life balance and of all the people and companies I've worked for Nicky is the best. With my E-Styling, a magazine fashion writing contract and my own book to finish I'm suddenly feeling rather back on track. The fact I no longer have to go to fashion weeks to work on or view shows, or that I'm not on speed dial for photographers or art directors any more is the past. I will miss styling people and doing style events as well but I have a different life now and sometimes it is enough to accept change and roll with it rather than stamping ones feet.
This blog will continue to be a mix of fashion analysis, trends and what to buy with the usual mix of making do.
UPDATE: For those who've asked the dress is a DVF number from 2008 purchased from the wonderful online DVF shop at Matches
Good for you for taking a break. We all need to from time to time. Life is exhausting, especially when we have children, husbands and careers to attend to. I'm not married and my children have reached adulthood, but my work still takes up 90% of my energy and I'm exhausted!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see you back, and smiling.
It's great to see you back and I feel the issues you're facing. I've taken a break from my career and basically just gone "splat" after 20 years of graft: studying, working and popping out babies. Sometimes we have to just say NO! I'm still learning how to, does that mean I've been a Yes Woman all this time? Yes. Probably;) x
ReplyDeleteWhat a great rant - and I don't blame you for feeling that way. I read yesterday about a female GP who has decided to become a personal stylist and I felt "what a waste of all those years spent qualifying etc etc" but I suppose we only get one life and we don't always make the right choices. I love the dress you are wearing in the photo. Joanne x
ReplyDeleteMrs P - that is so funny ref GP, as if it is Penny I retrained her!! And yes she has her reasons. I have no objection to anyone retraining or turning an interest into a money earning job, but sometimes it grates when you now people pretend their are doing work when they've actually offered to do it for free for a company thereby undercutting anyone needing to really earn an income just so they can get kudos. It happens a lot in fashion.
ReplyDeleteOops glad I didn't get on my soapbox about the GP then - we definitely can't be judgemental about people without knowing the facts! Good luck to her anyway x
ReplyDeleteMrs P - I love a soap box moment and don't worry I did say 'why on earth! Are you mad' to her.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, not I felt you were really away...I'm so happy you're going to be blogging again and that you've finally found a balance.
ReplyDeleteI said it before and I'll say it again, you look great!
By the by, *cough* are you ready to hear my confessions....?
couturecoco - well I've been all over the shop and a poor community blogger for ages. YES do spill the beans xx
ReplyDeleteAwww, a fellow left-hander! I don't remember having any problems, which I guess was because I was supported well. I was always put on the left hand side of any table, so my writing didn't interfere and nor did the waggling arm of a right hander - so I never learned that weird curved around style so many were forced to adopt.
ReplyDeleteWe should meet up for a coffee while I'm still living relatively near to you in Suburbia! x
Great to have you back in the blogosphere! Feel free to rant as much as you like. x
ReplyDeleteIts wonderful to hear the spirit back in your blogging voice. I'm looking to reading your always well informed posts.
ReplyDeleteI love Nicky Hambleton-Jones, we have the same hair and glasses, we are practically twins (well considering my weight gain, triplets actually). She once wore a red shiny lipstick (a real red with a sort of gold glint) that I have coveted ever since, if you ever find out the name of it please share!
It's only too easy to get on with life when backed by a trust fund or similar. But the other way is far more fun and rewarding. Love, love the dress!
ReplyDeleteHi my dear!! Glad to see you all sorted on the career front and much refreshed after your break, have a great week xxx
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are smiling again! As for the left handed business, my middle daughter is also and I never did anything to assist her nor did the school that I know of, in fact, she has the neatest writing all of mine, they just look so awkward doing it!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Back! Sometimes you have to take a back step and take stock of your life before you can follow your dreams and it sounds like you have exciting times ahead of you. I love NHJ, they should never have replaced her on 10 Years Younger xx
ReplyDeleteI just recently found your blog, so I wasn't aware of the long and winding road, but it makes perfect sense that you would need to regroup, consider priorities.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you'll be blogging as I appreciate your perspective. Please rant on!
Hello! Forgive a random intruder- I popped over from Sharonrose pixie's my style vintage and me.
ReplyDeleteI can totally sympathise with your frustrations over people with no training gaining the jobs that many have worked hard for, trained and striven for over the years. I am a musician and some of these talent shows where someone is 14 years old and hasn't grafted at something or worked hard to learnt technique and style, practised, faced the trials does annoy me. I think that's why I'd like the older ones to win!
Lovely blog so far!! Nice to meet you!!!
So nice to have you back Kate. How did writing the film script go? All finished or have you moved onto the book instead?
ReplyDeleteThe new styling work sounds really interesting and so much more family friendly than the way things were for you before.
Hello and hello ladies (3muses) I missed those gals!! At least you were still on twitter. As a former stylist who did train at Epsom, worked her arse off for no money lived and breathed fashion but no longer works in the industry. It's always good to re-evaluate what you want from life and what's important to you and your nearest and dearest. Xx
ReplyDeleteGlad that you're feeling perky!
ReplyDeleteWe all need a break sometimes, I have to admit I've really been struggling lately. The job with NHJ sounds amazing, and do tell us more about the magazine writing xx
ReplyDeleteWoooopp woooop MDS is back fighting fit and ready to do what she does best!!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you are feeling renewed! x
I have mixed feelings about what you said about non-trained stylists. I totally agree that it is bloody annoying people doing things for free so that the professionals get pushed out, Ive been on the receiving end of that and I can tell you it happens not just in fashion. In academia there is always some one needing lecturing on their CV and sadly many institutions see free lecturing rather than experienced lecturing as a better thing to put on the syllabus.
ReplyDeleteThe GP story made me laugh, as it is exactly what people are now doing to me, judging me for working for 8 years to get a Phd and 'throwing it away'. Yet nobody has ever asked why. Like I one day decided that I couldn't be arsed with serious stuff and thought I would faff around with fashion?? I don't know, or care enough to feel I have to justify myself to them. Oh you have got me on my soapbox now I will shut up.
Great news for you, sounds like you really have got back into your stride. I am glad to hear you haven't jacked in the styling all together as you are so good at it!
x