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4th February 2018

How I Got My Job…

Work - By Alexandra Stedman

Photograph: Eva K Salvi

I have realised that there are many things that go unspoken on a blog…and I forget I often have readers who haven’t followed me since day one on this blogging journey. And some of you might have no idea what I actually do, have done in the past or how I got to this strange place of ‘doing my own thing’.

I read somewhere that Blogging and Vlogging were up there as one of the most sought after careers these days, which is still so strange to me, mainly because I never saw it as a career progression – and it didn’t even exist when I started working. But thought I’d share my story about how I actually got to where I am today and my journey that has lead me here…any other questions, let me know!

I never studied Fashion. I couldn’t draw or design, I just liked it – so I decided if I was going to go to university for three years, I might as well study something I loved, regardless of whether it got me a job (I’ve never been very business savvy!). So I actually studied English Literature and Classical Civilisation and Literature at Birmingham – I loved it and am still obsessed with Greek and Roman culture today.

But studying something like that I knew I had to rely on work experience whilst at university. In my final year I applied to tons of places and ended up doing a placement over the Christmas holidays at House of Fraser Press office and then at H&M over Easter. I remember my friends studying Economics and Maths thought I was mad working for free all over my holidays but it was just something you did in Fashion – and with parents as locksmiths, I didn’t really have any contacts who could help me. I suppose in lots of ways it filtered out anyone who wasn’t truly passionate about working in fashion, however, in hindsight I feel that unpaid placement breeds a certain type of privileged worker (I myself could afford to do it as my parents lived near London) – and this is what I love about Blogging and Vlogging – it has really opened up the fashion world to everyone (but more on that later).

At my J Crew Sloane Street store, photographed by Ella Sadika

When I finished uni, I started doing work experience on magazines and ended up getting on really well at Company mag in 2004 (alas, it’s no more). They really threw you in at the deep end, I just walked into a cupboard (a large room we call the ‘fashion cupboard’ – not actually a cupboard) full of rails and rails of clothes and shoes all stacked up…the Fashion Assistant pointed to the phone, a contacts book and just told me everything needed to go back to where it was sent from. So I picked up that phone and ran that cupboard like my life depended on it – within days I was calling in for pages (my first was compiling a Kylie Minogue ‘Get Her Airport Look’ page) and going on shoots – I loved it and knew it was what I wanted to do. I was paid £12 a day.

Whilst I was there, the girls introduced me to a PR agency Brower Lewis PR (alas, no more – you’ll see a pattern start to emerge here). They were looking for someone to work as the In-House PR alongside them for the Notting Hill boutique Matches – I had never even been to Notting Hill and I remember wearing a peasant skirt, cowboy boots and one of those brown leather disc belts Sienna Miller was wearing at the time to my interview! I had never done PR before but they were looking for someone they could train and they asked me to start on a trial basis. I was working with brands like Balenciaga, Roland Mouret, Prada and Chloe and doing store appointments with journalists from Vogue, Sunday Times Style etc everyday (back then, stylists always did appointments for their shoots, as they weren’t working three jobs or also doing digital media!). I was paid £16,000 and thought I’d hit the jackpot.

After a while I garnered more responsibility, and even ran the Diane Von Furstenberg website for a bit (they owned the UK franchise) – but I was commuting from my parents’ in Surrey so it was long days and after a while I started to miss the styling element of the job. I was sending out product to magazines and seeing beautiful pictures they were taking of the clothes in Bahamas and wishing it was me…so I handed my notice in 2006 to take some time off and rethink what I wanted to do. I had never had a gap year or anything, I went straight into work and felt I needed to regroup. So I booked a ticket to Europe and travelled around for 3 months on my own – it was one of the best things I ever did and I came back refreshed and revitalised.

When I came back, a Fashion Editor I had met whilst at Matches contacted me as there was a position going at Eve magazine (alas, no more!) as a Fashion Assistant. She knew I didn’t have too much experience in the role but knowing how efficient and organised I was through working with her, she wanted to put me forward for it.  Here, I started work in my dream job – I was assisting Liz Cocozza, the Fashion Director (with whom I am still friends now – you can see her house I photographed for the blog, here) and I loved every minute of working there, despite working all hours (I was often there until 10pm, some nights even 2am working on a carnet (customs documents for travelling to the US)) – I was on £16,000 a year. I worked my way up to Senior Fashion Assistant and was just about to start doing my own shoots when sadly, in 2008, the magazine folded – one of the first of the big publishing cuts. Luckily, I just scraped by the 2 year minimum redundancy pay (by literally 3 days!) but I was devastated and had to start all over again…

At this time, there was a Fashion Assistant job going at Red magazine…it was more of an entry level position but it was a magazine I wanted to work on and Nicola Rose, the Fashion & Creative Director, was someone whose shoots I really admired. Luckily, they needed someone to freelance on the Fashion Desk who needed no training and could get stuck in and I went in at a moment’s notice and after 3 months of interviews and helping out on shoots I got the job. I was 25 and now on £17,000.

A shoot for Red Magazine, shot in my old flat by Eva K Salvi

I loved working at Red – I had so many amazing opportunities, from assisting on cover shoots in Barbados with Kelly Brook, to styling my own pages and eventually my own shoots for the magazine, I progressed to Senior Fashion Assistant, Junior Fashion Editor and eventually Style Editor. I would style my own main fashion 10 page shoots, Beauty shoots in the Caribbean and features shoots such as flying to LA to work with Juliette Lewis (one of my career highlights).

One of my favourite shoots I worked on, shot in Barbados by David Gubert

A shoot I styled for Red with Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan, photographed by Jonty Davies.

I worked late pretty much every night of my life, whether it was meeting tough deadlines, finalising shoots (all the best samples or model options would always come in last minute), attending work events or doing those dreaded carnets (any Fashion Assistant will know the pain of those customs forms!). But I loved my job and wanted to do it to the best of my ability, and sadly with working through a recession, everyone was working at least 2 jobs.

So I thought, why not add another one to my belt?! I was late twenties now, could hardly afford to live in London on my salary (which was about £25,000 by now and my partner earnt less than me) and kept seeing a cycle on social media of fashion accounts all showing off the same Celine bag and photos from their holidays on yachts. My friend Laura set up her blog ‘Wearing It Today’ and she was really enjoying it (and has since set up her own successful website Wardrobe Icons), but I felt there was still a gap in the market for someone in the fashion industry wearing only High Street and cooking her own meals everyday for lunch. Not the chicest concept but it was real and it was me. I wanted to do it properly…so I planned and scheduled content and stuck to uploading every other day – this was before Instagram so there weren’t as many platforms to think about.

I chose the name to evoke a sense of what the blog was about – sensible buys and saving on some things to afford others. It was never about penny pinching, but more about being realistic in this day and age. The word is more of a concept than a literal translation and I think it has actually become more than just a word now, more of a community. I’ve worked most of my adult life through a recession and wanted a blog that reflected that.

The thing I love about blogging is that it has taken away a lot of the traditional hierachy that existed, especially in the fashion world. Anyone could set up a blog or an instagram and have a voice – and it’s this side of the industry I wanted to be a part of.

In 2012 I set up a free Blogspot template and designed the layout myself (I actually only switched over to wordpress last year!). I spent every weekend uploading and shooting – it wasn’t very professional at first, photos in the alley beside our flat etc, because I lacked the time to spend on it – but I loved doing it and my Editor at Red at the time, Sam Baker (who now edits The Pool), was very supportive.

I worked 7 days a week for about 3-4 years. And a lot of the time it was 15 hour days…if I wasn’t in the office until close, I was at home uploading a post for the following day. I didn’t make money on my blog, I did it for the joy and when Instagram started, there was a whole new level to add to the mix (especially as I started running Red magazine’s Instagram, too).

It got to a point, though, where I burnt out. My job at Red had become all consuming, I was Editing the Shopping section, doing my own shoots for Beauty and Fashion, writing all the copy for all the fashion pages and fashion features, as well as working on online content. And then my blog. I was doing it all, but only at about 70%, and this wasn’t me. I hated not being able to give my all – I had to give something up and I didn’t want to lose my blog.

So I handed my notice in 2014, after 6 years, to go freelance as a stylist. But also spend more time on my blog. Red were very supportive, and I actually went back as Shopping Editor to cover for 6 months whilst they found a replacement for Laura Fantacci. So I officially finished in 2015 really…

A shoot I worked on with Boden for my blog a few years ago, photographed by Eva K Salvi

It was a big change after so many years of being employed, but I’ve loved being Freelance. Over the last few years I have worked for magazines such as Conde Nast Traveller, Marie-Claire and Glamour. I’ve styled for brands like Boden, Debenhams, The White Company and Marks & Spencer. I’ve also become a bit of a jack of all trades, doing copywriting for brands like Moda in Pelle, prop styling for Debenhams, setting up Press Days for Very Exclusive and Social Media consulting for brands such as Mondaine and QVC! Freelance allows me to try my hand at a few different things, and figure out my new direction.

And then my blog has been picked up by brands and sponsors and I have managed to have time to work on some amazing opportunities: hosting a store event with J Crew, talking at Stylist Live, working on sponsored projects with Next, Topshop and so many brands that I love. No day is ever the same and this year has been a big one for me in terms of renting an office space (read my post on how I tackled last year’s stress levels, here).

Styling work for Marks & Spencer, Art Directed by Nicola Rose and photographed by Coliena Rentmeester (you can see more of my styling work here).

So there it is, not exactly in a nutshell (!) – but a quick round-up of how it happens that I now get to do this crazy thing called Blogging as a full-time career. I am already seeing another shift, as I am easing up on the commercial styling this year (being heavily pregnant has already hindered that and having a child will change a lot in terms of childcare, as myself and my husband are hoping to spread it between us).

When I used to think of my dream job, I never imagined I’d be doing this. But ‘this’ didn’t exist when I was starting out 15 years ago, so who knows what I’ll be doing in another 15 years…but so far, it’s going okay and I’m sticking with it.

I know a lot of you have had similar changes in careers, a lot of my old colleagues are doing something completely different to when they started out – and it’s exciting to hear all the changes that today’s world can bring…!

By Alexandra Stedman

Fashion Editor, Blogger, Realist

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Comments

  1. Katie Collins says

    4th February 2018 at 9:13 am

    Really fascinating to read your story and how it brought you to where you are today. You have certainly put in the long hours and very hard work. Such a shame that many of those magazines have folded – I still find it such a joy to sit and read an actual magazine!

    Reply
  2. Nicola says

    4th February 2018 at 9:18 am

    Such an interesting read. I’m a scientist so the route into any job is always dependent on having done an specific course or degree. It’s easy become too specialised and a bit stuck!
    You should feel so proud having come so far

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 2:13 pm

      Oh yes – I always admired people that did more vocational degrees – they seemed to have so much more purpose than I did. People always asked us what we were going to do with our degree and I always found myself muttering something about ‘transferable skills’!!

      Reply
  3. Louise says

    4th February 2018 at 9:42 am

    Love reading this Alex! Have followed you for a while and it’s been amazing to see but hearing the story behind it all is so interesting and what a huge amount of hard work you put into everything- super inspiring!!!!

    Reply
  4. Michelle Pritchard says

    4th February 2018 at 9:43 am

    Great article and shows hard work pays off!

    Reply
  5. Karen Anderson says

    4th February 2018 at 9:55 am

    Well hard work has paid off Alex and who knows what new and exciting opportunities lie ahead for you – apart from the life changing addition of your new arrival of course!

    Nice to read more about your background and experience and the very best of luck in 2018.

    Reply
  6. Fran says

    4th February 2018 at 11:42 am

    This is such a fantastic post, and offers great insight, thank you for sharing Alex 🙂 Fran x

    http://www.joieandthevivre.com

    Reply
  7. Yazi says

    4th February 2018 at 11:49 am

    I admire your fortitude in the face of all the changes you experienced. It takes a strength of character to not give it up. Wish you all the best.

    Reply
  8. Danish Pastry says

    4th February 2018 at 1:51 pm

    It takes guts to leave a good job to go freelance! Good for you Alex. Yours is one of the best blogs I read, I love both the style and interior post.
    I especially like seeing how your house is coming along, it’s like walking down a dark street and being able to see what other people’s interiors are like!
    And even though your style is different to mine, I still find inspiration in what you wear.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 2:09 pm

      Ha! I used to ride on the top section of the bus home from my hairdressers as it went through Battersea and I could see over their shutters into all the lovely houses! x

      Reply
  9. Dana says

    4th February 2018 at 1:58 pm

    Great piece! I always remember how fabulous and organised you were at Red – & a pleasure to work with. Delighted at how your blog has taken off so well – I love reading it – congrats! x

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 2:06 pm

      Aaah thank you – yes and made friends for life at Red – meeting up with Rachel Ingram in a few weeks time! x

      Reply
  10. Popilaini says

    4th February 2018 at 2:45 pm

    I am from Argentina and I follow your blog and Instagram because it’s real. You have a wonderful job, exquisite style and you are very sweet!!!!

    Reply
  11. Siobhan Gogan says

    4th February 2018 at 3:02 pm

    Brilliant, inspiring article. Shows that when you find your passion and work hard, great things happen.
    I really admire your bravery

    Reply
  12. Cadence says

    4th February 2018 at 3:08 pm

    Fantastic post. We only met briefly one but I was fortunate to do some work placement weeks at Red Magazine while you were there, which is how I discovered your blog and I’ve been following along ever since. I’ve gone into marketing, but got my career start in freelancing and have been grateful along the way for people (especially women) who open up about their career paths and how they’ve achieved success. Thanks for telling the story!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 2:05 pm

      Oh yes – I remember you! I remember you had a gorgeous gorgeous name. Thank you so much for reading xx

      Reply
  13. Rachael Tuckley says

    4th February 2018 at 3:23 pm

    Yours was the first blog I ever read and I have found this post really insightful.
    I have finally launched a very basic website for my own ‘parenting lifestyle’ blog and my content is published via WordPress as I find it easy to use on the go.
    One of the issues I have had recently is that slight feeling of embarrassment when speaking to people about being a fledgling blogger and I think I need to start taking it a little more seriously in order to be taken more seriously in turn.
    I just wondered, how many posts would you recommend publishing in a week and how do you think it best to connect with other media and brands when starting out?
    If I should knock on anyone’s door, whose should it be?

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:58 pm

      Oh the word ‘blogger’ has also become a bit of a dirty word, hasn’t it?! I usually say I run a website and that keeps it vague enough! I find twitter and a facebook page great for getting your content ‘out there’ and ‘read’. I think with a blog, consistency is important but only if it works for you – once a week is more than enough if it’s good content (especially if you’re doing daily Social media content on top) – and if you don’t have any good ideas, don’t just bung something up there to meet the deadline. I have slowed in recent months and just done posts I am excited about and it has really worked in my favour x

      Reply
  14. Sally says

    4th February 2018 at 3:45 pm

    Thank you for sharing this – so interesting to read about your path and how it got you to where you are now. Being organised sounds like a key thread that runs through it all for sure!

    Reply
  15. Becky, English Mum says

    4th February 2018 at 3:49 pm

    Such an interesting read, Alex. I remember really loving Eve magazine at the time – such a good mag. xx

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Yes – it feels a million years ago now (but yesterday at the same time!) – I still have some old issues under my bed at home!

      Reply
  16. Pandora says

    4th February 2018 at 3:54 pm

    Hi Alex! 🙂
    Thanks for this post it was really interesting to read -as well as inspiring!
    By the way I am a French college student and I’m currently writing a Master’s Thesis (for my Master degree in Communication and Medias at the Sorbonne) on how the role of fashion bloggers was developped through the years, with the institution of a more professionalizing aspect of the job but which still tries to keep a creative part of this work.
    Would you agree to answer a few questions for my research?
    Thanks and best wishes!
    Pandora

    Reply
  17. Emma Bardwell says

    4th February 2018 at 3:58 pm

    A great insight into what it takes to be a ‘blogger’. So many people have a skewed idea of what it is and I think very few people realise how time consuming (all-consuming) it is. You’re an inspiration! And quite a breath of fresh air amongst all those overly styled accounts that are really ‘staged’ and unnatural. The Frugality is master class in authenticity…

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:54 pm

      Ii must admit, I cringe a bit when using the word ‘Blogger’, as most people associate it with self consumed selfie takers getting freebies all the time but it’s so much than that to so many of us! x

      Reply
      • Danish Pastry says

        5th February 2018 at 6:54 pm

        It’s weird that there is a stigma attached to being a blogger, you are after all a style/ lifestyle freelance writer who also works as a stylist. In a lot of ways it’s an honest form of writing, as you’re mainly writing about clothing/ interiors that appeal to you.
        Some readers are against paid collaborations and affiliated links, but if a blogger isn’t true to her style and ethos, it screams a mile off. And if we bought a magasine there’d be tons of advertising in it too. I have no problem with a blogger getting paid for the content she produces, after all if I like reading it, I want her to continue writing.
        I think as readers we need to ‘own up’ to reading blogs, if we do, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with writing one!

        Reply
        • Alexandra Stedman says

          6th February 2018 at 3:13 pm

          It’s definitely an interesting topic – there are a lot of bloggers whose ethics I don’t exactly agree with, so I just don’t read…and there are a lot of people who want the free content but stop reading once there is an ad – and it’s so hard to balance this. But to keep doing it, you have to support the fact that the writer has to earn money to keep doing it. I disagree when bloggers just start to get free stuff… you should do it because you love it!

          Reply
  18. Helen says

    4th February 2018 at 5:24 pm

    Loved reading this.
    I followed a similar path initially, also started in the HoF press office (returning homewear props)! Also started on £16k and that only grew slowly. A generation of grafters. Very inspiring to see your journey. Great for everyone to see what it took to get you to where you are now. Well done for all you’ve achieved x

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:53 pm

      I think a few people started there – I got a few messages on Instagram, too! I found it such a challenging place as you were always having to liaise with buyers for samples! x

      Reply
  19. Jane says

    4th February 2018 at 5:39 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story Alex. I clearly remember an article on 20 fashion essentials that you did at Red. I memorised it and used it as a fail safe guide! So when I recognised you on Instagram I knew you were worth following.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Amazing! Would love to know what I put!!

      Reply
  20. Deb says

    4th February 2018 at 5:54 pm

    That was such a good read! it sounds like something out of The Devil Wears Prada and we know how bloody hard that job was.

    I love your blog and style.

    Good luck on the next chapter.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:50 pm

      Ha! Yes it is a little bit 😉 but luckily I worked at very down to earth magazines !

      Reply
  21. Kerry Lucas says

    4th February 2018 at 6:01 pm

    I love your blog . x

    Reply
  22. Rachael Tuckley says

    4th February 2018 at 6:14 pm

    I left a post earlier but looks like it may have disappeared. Really enjoyed this post and have found The Frugality really inspirational.
    You write really well and understand your subject and your images are excellent.
    You were the first blog I ever read and look forward to your Mummy perspective.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:46 pm

      Thank you – and for still reading! xx

      Reply
  23. Kirsten says

    4th February 2018 at 6:18 pm

    You are such an inspiration. Thanks!

    Reply
  24. Madolyn says

    4th February 2018 at 6:27 pm

    This is a really great read! I’d love to know more about how you took that leap from full time work to freelance life as it seems so scary when you know what you want to do but you have no clients or leads to speak of! Did you have work lined up before you took the plunge? .

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:44 pm

      To be really honest, my decision to go freelance was a bit hasty…I didn’t have a plan and I was just a bit frazzled and knew I had to make a change – my boss at the time told me to stay for a few months longer and reconsider. I didn’t have any work lined up but knew I’d made a lot of contacts and also knew I worked really hard and believed in myself – I was strangely confident that people would want me onboard for projects…and it did just work out. I was quiet at first and had to do a few ‘cold’ emails but then work started to pick up and now it’s quite steady with regular work and Art Director/photographers I know always get me in as they know I will deliver. It only takes a few contacts really – and luckily the fashion world is quite small so your name travels around if you’re good and nice to work with! x

      Reply
  25. Sophie Waterfield says

    4th February 2018 at 7:04 pm

    Loved reading your story. I remember you, Laura and Sam from my work experience at Red and how lovely you all were, so I’m glad you’ve got your dream job.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:41 pm

      Oh wow – it was such a lovely office! x

      Reply
  26. Rachael Dickinson says

    4th February 2018 at 7:06 pm

    Wow – such an interesting read. It’s refreshing to hear a story where everything hasn’t always worked out but you powered on through anyway. It’s very motivational!

    Rachael xox
    http://www.rachaeldickinson.com

    Reply
  27. Marie D. says

    4th February 2018 at 7:37 pm

    Loved reading this – such an inspiring story! Thank you for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Hannah says

    4th February 2018 at 9:05 pm

    I have been a follower for a while and love love love your posts . To open your life up and share as you do …. it is fascinating and I think there is proper integrity and joy in how you do this . Wishing you all the best in the last few weeks before life changes forever !

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:40 pm

      Thank you – I have definitely found a new flow to my blogging in the last year, too! x

      Reply
  29. Claire Nicholson says

    4th February 2018 at 11:33 pm

    What I read here is a person who worked exceptionally hard to be where she is now. Your mixture of likability & common sense have also helped but ultimately it’s your work ethic & experience that makes The Frugality a true successs of the modern internet age.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:38 pm

      Oh thank you – but still working on that work/life balance – a strong work ethic can be harmful too sometimes! x

      Reply
  30. Carolyn says

    5th February 2018 at 2:44 am

    Great read Alex, I first discovered your blog through RED and Witblog and still come to read it every day. Love your mix of high and low fashion and in recent years have loved your inclusion of interior design

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Oh thank you! Laura was so supportive of me, too – I can never thank her enough! x

      Reply
  31. Ida says

    5th February 2018 at 9:19 am

    Great article. I’m sure you know plenty of people tried a similar route but failed. And you clearly have tremendous talent in your chosen field.
    Unfortunately not everyone can go down the ‘work experience /intern/crap wage starting point’.
    Coming from care, I had to have a job that paid the rent the minute I left uni (with debt) so my offers of interning with fashion/music photographers had to be left behind.
    Although I’m now a journo for bbc news online, it’s not the same!
    Keep up the good work, I really enjoy your posts. . And it’s lovely that some people realise their dream jobs :).

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Oh yes I completely agree, which is why I vowed never to rely on unpaid work experience myself and pay everyone who works for me. My husband got a loan to put himself through acting school and only recently paid it off (and I’ve only just paid my student loan off, despite being able to live with my parents – I couldn’t have afforded to do it myself). That’s what I love about the blogging world – it has opened up this world to more people from different backgrounds. Well done you for still managing to get through an amazing job through all the obstacles! x

      Reply
  32. Mary says

    5th February 2018 at 11:28 am

    Great post and thank you so much for sharing your experiences! It’s such a good and inspiring read! Keep doing great job Alex, there are so many of us, delighted to follow you on your next chapter. You’re such a nice and humble person!

    Reply
  33. Myf says

    5th February 2018 at 12:34 pm

    what a great journey, shows you’ve been really hard working and determined (plus talented!). so interesting how your career has evolved and continues to evolve. brill x

    Reply
  34. Ellie says

    5th February 2018 at 2:13 pm

    Its so amazing hearing how you have grown as a person through your proffessional career and how hard graft really does pay off! Love your blog babe

    http://www.petiteelliee.com

    Ellie xx

    Reply
  35. Tricia M says

    5th February 2018 at 2:44 pm

    That was a really fascinating read especially as I am one of those people who haven’t followed you from the word “go”. In fact I can’t remember now how I found you, probably via someone else’s blog! I used to work in education and I remember someone telling us once, on a training day, that we were teaching these children for jobs that didn’t yet exist which I thought was fascinating. Looking forward to the next instalment of your life (with the small person).

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      5th February 2018 at 3:54 pm

      Oh how interesting – and yes, so true! Who knows what careers will be the next big ones in years to come! xxx

      Reply
  36. Tiphaine says

    6th February 2018 at 9:41 am

    Such an inspiring path! I loved reading about it. Being myself at the ‘should I go freelancing’ moment of my life, it’s always good to have some inspiring story to feel more motivated.
    🙂

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      6th February 2018 at 3:08 pm

      It’s such a tough decision, and so personal and circumstance dependent – I don’t know many people who haven’t enjoyed the leap (even if it’s hard sometimes!)x

      Reply
  37. Tricia M says

    6th February 2018 at 1:06 pm

    This was really fascinating especially as I am one of those people who haven’t been following you from the very beginning. In fact I can’t remember how I found you. It must have been via someone else’s blog.It’as now one of my favourites and I look forward to the next phase(whatever that may be) with your new little person.x

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      6th February 2018 at 3:07 pm

      I always find it so amazing how people find blogs and then stick with us – thank you! xx

      Reply
  38. Emma says

    6th February 2018 at 8:48 pm

    Wow! As a PR who started on the princely sum of £11.5k in 1997 – this post was a real blast from the past!! The glory days of when a new mag opened every other month, when we had amazing budgets to do exciting media partnerships and press trips, and all the breakfast/lunches and dinners we could manage. We were v lucky to have experienced those times and still to be young enough to have been flexible to the huge changes!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      7th February 2018 at 9:15 am

      Yes, I think the heyday was *just* before my time! Red still had a huge budget compared to Eve but every week they were slashing them – and I can’t even imagine what they’re like now! But yes press trips were definitely more common – I went on some amazing ones – very different as a blogger (which is why I don’t go on many) – you’re expected to pay in blood! xx

      Reply
  39. Lidia says

    7th February 2018 at 6:16 pm

    Hi Alex! Loved reading about your journey. Do you offer private styling?

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      8th February 2018 at 10:00 am

      No, I don’t so personal styling – it’s much harder than it looks and I’m actually not very good at telling people what to wear (believe it or not!) x

      Reply
  40. Lauren says

    7th February 2018 at 7:50 pm

    Loved this post – so interesting to hear your story and how you got into the fashion industry! xxx

    http://www.laurenrosestyle.com

    Reply
  41. Helen says

    8th February 2018 at 1:27 pm

    I loved reading this, you’re so honest and humble, and real! I started following you because of your fab insta feed, before I realised we actually had some shared acquaintances at Birmingham Uni! It’s great to see all your hard work has paid off! My career has taken me into various roles and most recently out to Dubai, and I’m in the process of starting my own health and well-being blog. You’re an inspo, Alex!

    Reply
  42. Bonita turner says

    8th February 2018 at 7:54 pm

    Really great to read your story Alex and see a few names of PR companies and mags that were around when I started on magazines nearly 20 years ago too. I’m so glad I had such great training as starting my own blog seemed to come naturally from my experience too. It’s great, like you say, for more people to be able to have a voice in fashion as I too remember the hierarchy (and yes the carnets too!!) and it’s what makes fashion such a fun industry to be part of. I admire your work in print and online and wish you lots of luck with your next project… your new baby! Xxx such a lovely post

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      9th February 2018 at 9:53 am

      Thank you so much – I think working on magazines definitely trains you in a certain way and we’re so lucky to have that background xx

      Reply
  43. Tricia M says

    8th February 2018 at 9:06 pm

    I don’t think my original comment got through for some reason. That was a really interesting post as I am one of those people who haven’t been following you from the start. In fact I can’t remember how I found you? Probably via someone’s else’s blog on recommendation. All those lost magazines! Looking forward to the next instalment of life with the small person. Not too long to go, get that bag packed!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      9th February 2018 at 9:54 am

      I love how blogs support each other too (we would never be allowed to link out to other competitive sites on Red!) – thank you, and yes, need to pack that bag!!

      Reply
  44. sally says

    14th February 2018 at 5:56 pm

    I really loved reading this Alex! Yours was one of the very first blogs i read {and still continue to!} and have loved seeing it all evolve and following along too! You should be so proud of how far you’ve come – I’ve never ever known what i wanted to do and still don’t – i guess as i’ve always been creative but just not known what to do with it!

    Looking forward to seeing where it all takes you next!

    Lots of love,
    Sally x

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      16th February 2018 at 12:26 pm

      Thank you for all your support always, Sally! xxx

      Reply
  45. Ria says

    19th February 2018 at 2:49 pm

    What an inspiring post. Written in such a lovely, friendly way, as if we were sitting sipping coffee whilst you told me all about your career story. As a soon to be graduate, this kind of post makes me feel much better about the prospect of following your heart and doing what you love. Thank you! x

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      19th February 2018 at 4:11 pm

      Aah thank you so much – all the best! If you work hard and be nice to people, anything can happen! xx

      Reply
  46. Sahiba Sethi says

    20th February 2018 at 3:58 pm

    Such a great post! Thank you so much for breaking your journey down so clearly! I actually did work experience with you at Red and have been following your blog ever since 🙂

    Reply
  47. Chloe says

    27th February 2018 at 6:56 pm

    I have just come across this article at a bit of a crossroads in my life. I too studied at Birmingham uni and did German and definitely filled my head with the idea that my skills would set me up for life. I sort of fell into marketing and have spoken about 4 words of German since!
    I have worked really hard for 4 years and now want to start blogging or doing ANYTHING just so that I can spend time doing something I’m passionate about rather than just my job. Really inspiring, thank you! And congratulations!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      28th February 2018 at 9:28 am

      I suppose university sets you up with transferable skills? I definitely matured there and learnt a lot about deadlines but yes, rarely use my knowledge of Ovid in the real world! Good luck with the crossroads xx

      Reply
  48. A Girl, A Style says

    1st March 2018 at 8:18 pm

    I absolutely loved reading this! I remember reading your blog back when you first started and instantly loving it (and you) and it’s been such a joy to see you evolve and go from strength to strength over the years.

    I confess I’ve often suffered from the ‘freelance fear’ after giving up my stable job in politics last year (i.e. afraid I’m going to be a failure) and you’ve been one of my constant sources of inspiration – both personally and professionally in branching out on my own (and trying to get back into the swing of blogging now that I’m not working 5270 hours a week in Parliament).

    So thank you so much – both for sharing this (and for always being so real and honest), for being an inspiration to us all, and for being the best cheerleader a girl could ask for whenever I lose all my confidence.

    Briony xox

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      2nd March 2018 at 10:34 am

      Aah you are too sweet! Thank YOU for supporting me from the beginning as well – you have always ben an inspiration to me working both jobs! I’m so excited for your next journey too with the new design and career! xxx

      Reply
  49. Faye says

    9th April 2018 at 1:06 pm

    This is so interesting – thanks for breaking it down so much! Sounds like you’ve really worked hard for all your success. Good for you 🙂

    Faye x

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. A Life In Work: My Career Journey | What Olivia Did says:
    10th February 2018 at 9:01 am

    […] proper work inspired post for a while now, and after seeing a few pop up (namely from the gorgeous Alex and Charlotte), thought I’d properly sit down and chat you through all things revolving […]

    Reply
  2. A Life In Work: My Career Journey - says:
    10th February 2018 at 9:39 am

    […] proper work inspired post for a while now, and after seeing a few pop up (namely from the gorgeous Alex and Charlotte), thought I’d properly sit down and chat you through all things revolving around […]

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