Friend Friday - Going Back in Time

I've been invited by Katy of Modly Chic to partake in 'Friend Friday' a new series in which bloggers are invited to answer weekly questions and post answers on our blogs.

Here is this weeks Q&A:

1. When did you first start blogging? 

I officially started with a blog for Stylesmith, my handcrafted accessories business, back in early 2008. I wasn't very diligent and had a hard time coming up with the right balance between promotion and editorial. As a fashion lover, I decided to start Dedicated to give that area a better focus and leave the Stylesmith blog for promotion. This was in January 2009. (unfortunately now the Stylesmith blog is fairly neglected!)

 

Myself and some of the 'Topsham Lot' Aged 16

2. Going back in time, what were you like in high school?

I was an inbetweener ; ) I wasn't super popular, but the cool kids knew who I was. I had a great group of friends, we were known as the 'Topsham Lot' named after the small village in which most of us lived. I was loud, opinionated, really skinny, a little gangly, somewhat awkward and apart from the skinny part, I honestly don't think I've changed that much.

3. What's the biggest change your high school classmates would notice about you now?

Hmmm. I'm the first to get married. I think that may have been a surprise to some, or not. I'm not quite as 'crazy' as I used to be. I got most of that out of my system early on. But again, I'm not sure I've changed all that much. I'm still headstrong, fairly temperamental, and really I'm still an inbetweener. I've certainly matured, but no massive changes.

The Legwarmers & 9 Inch Mini Skirt Combo (aged 18)

4. When did you first become interested in the fashion/beauty industry?

My Mum taught me an appreciation of style from a really young age, we were very well dressed children, even if she made the clothes herself (she's very talented)

I wanted to be a fashion journalist from a really young age, in the UK I'd pore over 'Just 17' and 'Sugar' magazines and that's what I wanted to do, write and wear beautfiul clothes. I became interested in following trends very closely when I was about 15 and began working at Russell and Bromley, a fairly high-end shoe store in the UK that produced trend driven collections seasonally. I'd read 'Drapers' on my lunch break and coveted all the beautiful shoes (often spending my entire paycheck on them!). It was at this point that I started dressing more on trend, leading to some interesting experiments (nine inch mini skirts & legwarmers immediately spring to mind) but also allowing me to develop my own personal style.

I spent the next 10 years or so working in retail which definitely finely honed my interest but I also spent the past 10 years wanting to be an actress (that's what I went to school and trained for) so going back to my original career desires is very strange for me.

5. If you had the chance to give one message to high school girls today, what would you say?

Nothing really matters. Try not to get pregnant, stay in school. But other than that you can recover from most mistakes. If you pressure yourself too much you won't be happy and if you hold too many regrets in your heart you won't grow. Mistakes happen, embrace them, learn from them and move on. 

Kelsi x

Comments

[Katy]

Love this advice: 'Mistakes happen, embrace them, learn from them and move on.' Thanks for participating.

[LadyCameronXIII]

Do you still have that nine-inch miniskirt? Non non lol ! I really liked this post and makes me think of my days in high school; I, too, was an inbetweener, though I didn't wear skirts until college--that's another story, though.

Do you still keep in touch with your Topsham Lot friends?

[Kelsi Smith]

I do! But somewhere in storage back in England - though I don't think I could even get it on anymore...and if I could it certainly wouldn't cover my backside!!

I am still in touch with them - some came to my wedding, not as in touch as I wish I could be though with us being thousands of miles apart!