Right Now I Love Fashion Blogging
Kaiya Johnson sits down with up and coming Fashion Blogger Bella Sen, the brains and beauty behind Right Now I Love
I was lucky enough to work with Bella last year for about 6 months and was so excited when she agreed to answer some questions for OUR own blog. With her eye for style and warm personality, read on to see what really goes on behind the scenes of a budding Fashion Blogger!
Why did you originally want to start blogging and how did it all begin?
Well, it’s a pretty long story. I started my own online magazine when I was 13 and I have been blogging ever since. I have had various different blogs and I stopped for a while about a year ago because I thought I couldn’t keep up with it, trying to juggle work and university. However, my outlook changed when I got a spark of motivation to start my blog up again after I had bought this amazing Lush product and wanted to tell everyone how amazing it was. I basically told everyone at work and my friends, but I wanted to reach more people. Since blogging is a great way to communicate with people, I created Right Now I Love. Originally, I wanted to test beauty products and review them, however this then took another route and it naturally became a Fashion blog.
How did you determine your personal style and how do you keep true to that style now?
Honestly, over the past few years my style has been all over the place, which I don’t think is a bad thing. It helps you understand the pieces you love and the pieces you don’t. Recently I have stuck to only buying minimal pieces, mostly because they can be paired with anything and you’re good to go. I also found that I’m less likely to get sick of these pieces and I’m less susceptible to buying lots of fast fashion.
Who are your role models within the Industry?
My favourite blogs have to be Pages By Megan (http://pagesbymegan.com) and Beige Renegade (http://www.beigerenegade.com). It’s funny because they have opposite styles to each other, one is minimalistic and the other wears bold prints and patterns. I’m always reading their newest blog posts for inspiration. I think it’s great to get both sides of the spectrum so you can switch it up and have a style that meets in the middle.
When did you feeling like your blog/social media channels started to gain traction?
When different social media accounts started reposting my photos, I noticed more activity on my Instagram account and blog. This didn’t just include fashion accounts; it was also brands reposting my photos of their products.
What posts do you find your followers response to the most?
I find the most neutral and basic outfits get the biggest response. I think it’s because everyone can relate to these outfits as they are everyone’s go to’s.
Have you had any backlash in regards to your blog? If so, how do you deal with that?
I haven’t really experienced any negativity with my blog-which is amazing. I did actually see a comment on another account about my outfit, and the person commented saying she didn’t like my look and gave it a thumbs down. With these kind of comments I don’t put much thought into them because everyone has their personal style and not everyone is going to love what you do-which is fine.
How do you source the clothes for your shoots?
I usually use my clothes, borrow some from my friends and PR agencies. I usually go to showrooms and pick out some outfits to shoot and then return them about 1-2 weeks later.
How many items of clothes would you buy a week?
Too many! It fluctuates every week, but on a good week maybe 5?
You’ve had some great looks so far, but what has been your favorite shoot to date?
My favourite shoot would have to be my most recent one actually. My sister and I shot 4 looks, including my favourite look which was the red polka-dot dress from Atmos & Here. It is such a vibrant and fun dress, which was so much fun to shoot.
A million and one things can go wrong while shooting on location, do you have any funny moments that stand out?
I just got my drivers license not too long ago, so I’m still getting used to driving on my own. We went to shoot in Double Bay but I couldn’t find the place I had in mind. So we kept driving and ended up in the tunnel towards the city and long story short we went on an epic drive around Sydney because the place I thought was in Double Bay was in Mosman - whoops!
What has been your greatest challenge so far?
I think coming up with engaging and informative material, every week or so, to post on my blog. I try to always get inspiration from my favourite bloggers and Pintrest, which definitely helps when you think you are at a dead end.
What has been you greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement would definitely be the impact I have been able to make on people in such a short period of time. I recently received a message from a girl who said I was her role model and I inspire her. That to me is amazing and her message really made my day.
What advice would you give to an aspiring blogger?
Honestly, I would say I’m still an aspiring blogger. There is still so much to learn, but from what I have experienced so far, I would say find the way you love to do things and find what ’vibe’ your blog has. Whether it be all black and white or heaps of colours, or even just random, it’s just good to know to help you plan shoots and stories.
