Name: Gina Dyer
Age: 29
Location: Bristol
Blog URL: Bristol Fashionista
What is your blog about?
Most people don’t think of fashion first when they think of Bristol, but in fact it’s home to a hotbed of different styles and cultures. On my blog, I try to feature the best of Bristol’s fashion scene, as well as my pick of the current trends.
Is this your first blog?
Nope, I am a prolific blogger! I’ve blogged about everything from fashion, to finance and even cement (yes, really!) as part of my day job.
When did you start your current blog? What made you do it?
This blog began way back in about 2011. I was working for a company called MyStreetChic and we wanted to set up a fashion website for women, so we tested out the content on this blog. When I left that job, I decided to keep using this blog as it had become quite popular.
What was your first blog post about?
Hmmm….I think our first post was a store spotlight on a Bristol vintage shop called Elsie Riley. A friend of my mine had taken some gorgeous photos that we wanted to share (you can see that post here!)
What do you think is the most useful tool to you as a blogger?
Twitter, for sure! I get so much inspiration from there and chatting to other bloggers is always helpful.
Do people in your “real life” know about your blog? If yes, has your blog helped you career wise?
Yes, lots of people know about my blog and it has helped me to get work in the past. I do a lot of live blogging from events for other people, so blogging is a big part of my life.
What has been the one thing (blog post, project, etc) you’ve been really proud of?
I wish I had the time to blog more often but my day job keeps me very busy. I’d say the thing I’m proudest of so far is South West Bloggers – we’re an independent collective of bloggers from all over the region. It was originally set up by the lovely Bee (a.k.a Viva Tramp) and her friends, and I’ve continued it, grown it and we’ve had some wonderful events. Last Christmas we raised loads of cash for Macmillan Cancer Support through our #SWBXmas party, which was a fabulous event. We hope to do many more!
Where do you see your blog in a year?
I’d love to redesign it and relaunch it with more frequent posts and trend updates. I’m always snapping photos of people in the street and at events whose outfits I like, so perhaps launching a Bristol street style section as well.
What do you wish you knew when starting your blog?
I think all bloggers could do with some more guidance on how to monetise their blog without selling out. It’s a hard balance to get right – and one which I’m still struggling with.
What do you wish you know about now?
See above! I’m also hopeless with design and layouts – I’d really like to do more work on this.
How do you keep motivated to post?
It’s tough! I post more when I feel I have a responsibility to people – so if I’ve promised I’ll be at an event or I’ll feature someone on my blog, I feel duty bound to do it! So maybe I just need to make more plans with friends!
Anything else you’d like to add?
I’ve had lots of young bloggers coming to me to ask advice recently and they all say the same thing ‘I want to blog but I’ve got nothing to say!’ You have always got something to say! What’s the thing that makes you spring out of bed in the morning? What’s the thing your mind always wanders back to when you get a spare moment? That’s the thing you need to blog about! It’s the stuff that gets you excited. However weird it is, you can be sure there will be someone out there who shares your passion. I also tell them not to be afraid to try. Loads of people are scared of failure, but in the beginning you won’t have that many readers anyway, and if you don’t try things, how will you know? Do it, get in there and experiment.
