An Exclusive Look Inside
The New Fashion Rules
Six weeks after the release of my debut book and I figured it was about time I gave you all a sneak peak inside The New Fashion Rules. There were so many nights, plane journeys and desk days spent writing to my hearts content but there were also weeks on end spent creating the beautiful layouts, colour schemes and illustrations that brought my words to life.
I'm so proud of The New Fashion Rules from the very first page to the last and I wanted to give you a little look inside it's beautiful pages for the first time. From the unique illustrations by the incredibly talented Judith Van Den Hoek, to the abstract layout created with the amazing team at Harper Collins, every inch of the book fills me with the utmost joy no matter how many times I flick through the pages.
To everyone that has purchased, read and left wonderful reviews on the book, thank you will never be enough to express how grateful I am and to those that are considering adding it your Christmas list this year - here's an exclusive look inside The New Fashion Rules.
You can purchase my book half price here.
You can purchase a signed copy here.
Who decides what we wear, how we dress and the way we define ourselves through clothing? Is it us? Do we decide our own take on style and self-branding? Or is it our audience, the passer-by in the street, the person in front of us in the coffee queue or our latest follower on Instagram? The rules of the fashion game have changed, and we are all having to learn the new tips, tricks and rules to play it successfully.
We live in a world where the majority dress to fit in with societal norms, and our clothing can offer an insight into our status, character, interests and our sense of what’s appropriate and what’s not. As humans, we have always loved to fit into a group to feel a sense of belonging, but the recent evolution of the Internet has had the most dramatic effect on the way we dress today. It has transformed the way fashion is worn, consumed, sold and produced. The majority of us no longer buy clothing for our own personal enjoyment alone, but for the admiration of those who observe or follow us.
Before I had finished my degree, mobile-retailing was already a realistic proposition and within a small space of time, the thought of shopping on my mobile became somewhat normal. Retailers not only had an online store to sell their products globally, but they could now promote and sell them from every mobile phone in the world. The question at that point was how exactly could a brand entice people to buy from their mobile app, and what could they do to enhance their customers’ enjoyment and experience? I was intrigued, so I started a three-year PhD to answer that very question.
My thesis investigated the purchasing decisions, behaviours and emotions of the fashion consumer shopping on mobile apps. After three fun and interesting years, I graduated, added ‘Dr’ to my title and found out that mobile retailing would actually be far more lucrative and essential for retailers than we had initially expected (among a lot of other things, of course, but we don’t have all day). But my findings were borne out over the following eight years, backed up by stats published in 2017, stating that 58 per cent of ASOS’s sales came from mobile purchases, and 70 per cent of their web traffic came via mobile. I’m guessing their mobile site was pretty great ... they must have read my PhD. *I’m joking.*
Blogging is one of the biggest additions to fashion media since monthly magazines. While the first female fashion magazine, The Ladies’ Mercury, appeared in London in 1693, fashion blogging as we know it only erupted in 2006, and has led to the creation of an entirely new career. The blog as a medium has turned a small number of ordinary writers into powerful and influential voices. In fashion, a select few have a reach of over 10 million followers – much larger than any print or fashion magazine – alongside running their own clothing labels, writing their own books and starring in advertising campaigns for some of the largest brands in the world. Bloggers have become brand ambassadors. They strut the catwalks of the most prestigious designers and adorn the covers of the most established magazines. Again, more of that later in the book.
I’m extremely proud to say, after six years in this business, that I’ve had a number of these opportunities and have collaborated with some of my favourite brands, both on- and offline. But I am still growing, learning and developing every day, because the evolution of the Internet, and how it shapes the fashion industry, never stops. We all have to continue to adapt to fit in with the new norms, the trend setters, the innovators and the latest innovations.
I’m going to share with you the pivotal moments that I believe have transformed the fashion industry into something entirely new and what exactly this means for you and me. How does it affect our styling choices, how we consume clothing, where we find our inspiration and how we portray ourselves online? There is so much for all of us to learn, and so I’m sharing personal tips, advice, thoughts and ideas that I’ve never shared anywhere before. If you want to start your own blog or YouTube channel, if you want to up your Instagram game, find the best places for fashion inspo, learn how best to shop luxury or for sale bargains, or if you just want to swot up on all the coolest fashion info from the last 20 years, you’re in the right place. There are 40 key moments to discuss and just as many tips and tricks for you to learn and take away to keep you on top of your game.
Carry on reading, learn the new rules and find out what part you have to play in this crazy digital world of fashion.
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