Mummy Bloggers in Vogue (Literally)

Blogging is a wonderfully diverse and democratic world isn’t it?!

When I first started my blog Honest Mum in November 2010, lost, lonely and suffering from a traumatic birth with my first son Oliver, I would never have believed that the small space of mine on the internet would one day become my full time job, opening up the chance to be literally whomever I wanted to be (pro-blogger, vlogger, model, presenter). In fact if you’d have told me that very thing, I would have most likely laughed in disbelief. Or going on how I felt in those days, cried…

I started my blog thanks to one of my closest friends, the feature filmmaker Amancay Tapia who (finally, after several months) convinced me to start a blog and write about my new life on maternity leave- the identity loss, the good times (the love for my child) the bad (colic, sleep deprivation, a body I didn’t recognise as my own) moves from London to Bristol then Leeds and ultimately everything and anything within this brave new world I was now facing, going from directing hundreds on set to just baby and I. 

Hitting publish was the best thing I’ve ever done. Thank you again Amancay. Blogging meant rediscovering my voice, connecting with other parents instantly, and thanks to twitter, and more than anything, slowly but surely regaining my confidence back that frankly lay in tatters post baby, pre-blogging.  

In fact being a finalist in the BritMums in Brilliance Awards in the Fresh Voice category 4 weeks after starting my blog, gave me the courage to reach out to work contacts when my son was 1 and return back on set where I directed fashion commercials.

That endorsement, that validation that people were actually interested and enjoyed my work, my voice, my perspective on life, me just being myself, amazed me. Truly. Filmmaking is emotion on screen, which is exactly what blogging is, a medium to share emotion, and the fact I found an audience who related to my life and cared, meant the world to me. It still does of course, today. 

…And lets fast forward to today. The last 3 years have seen me become a full time professional blogger with a team of 3 including myself here at Honest Mum Limited (my PA/Publicist and a designer/IT support who keeps my blogs looking their best) and I’m so grateful to have a career I LOVE that works for my young family.

Blogging allows me to use my media background and skills as a filmmaker and former magazine editor (being creative, storytelling, negotiating budgets, fees, filming, doing PR, using my knowledge of IP and legal issues and more) and it drives me to learn more, every single day while often pushing me out of my comfort zones, never failing to stimulate me.

Most of all, it allows me to be whomever I want to be, to write whatever I like as my own editor, be it family life, food, beauty, film or style.

That’s the joy of blogging/vlogging and being online, it’s a democratic platform where you can share your passions and find a like-minded audience with the click of a button. 

It also opens up careers you’d never really considered-

One being modelling, bar dabbling briefly as a teenager, this wasn’t something I’d ever considered professionally (and not at 33) so I was surprised that after writing a review post on Nova Harley Luxury’s baby bag on my style blog Mummy’s Got Style , that the founder of the company, Nova, kindly asked me to model for the brand.

I was a bit bowled over to be honest but excited and ready to embrace this next, new chapter as part of my blogging career and own blogging brand I was creating.  

Now, having shot my third modelling campaign for them, twice appearing in British Vogue (I’m in the current May 2015 edition out now) along with my modelling shots appearing in Grazia Daily (whom I also write for), in catalogues, online features, and in stores worldwide, it’s been a totally thrilling, fun and most importantly confidence-building experience.

I’m a  5’6″ hourglass mum of two representing a brand being myself and hopefully encouraging other women just like me, to feel good about themselves in the process.

The most recent shoot brought together 3 brands I work with along with Nova Harley, Cosatto and the Jacques Vert Group, with the Nova Harley new collection on my arm, the chic Cosatto Ooba Charleston by my side and wearing elegant pieces from several lines under the Jacques Vert umbrella.

Best of all, for the second time round, my husband, Peter was hired to photograph me for the shoot so it was a complete joy from start to finish, a relaxed day where I felt totally at ease in front of the camera and content, and I really hope it shows in the pictures. 

I love that modelling has become an important part of my diverse job as a blogger.

Recently attending a Pinterest UK event held at A-lister hair stylist George Northwood (Alexa Chung and Huntington-Whiteley are his clients) also saw little ol’ me model for him for the press which was an incredible experience, and I was also invited to London Fashion Week with designers asking to dress me (ooh la la, pinch myself moment)!

I don’t take a second of this for granted by the way and actually decided after several recent London trips (I live in Leeds) that I’d give LFW a miss this year, opting instead for a chilled family weekend with my boys. #LFW will just have to wait until next year!

What all this does prove if anyone were in doubt is quite how far mummy bloggers have come and how valued we are to brands and not just family-focused companies either. 

Our voices, many which have risen from a place of feeling displaced and unheard, are now coveted, cared about, and in huge demand by most importantly our readers, and of course major global brands, levelling the playing field for us parents in the workforce, empowering us to work in a way that suits us, in our time, and on our terms. 

Now has never been a better time to blog. 

We mummy bloggers certainly are ‘in Vogue’ and will not be going out of style either.  It’s only going to get bigger and better for us all. This is just the start…

About Vicki Psarias

Vicki Psarias Vicki Psarias is founder and author of one of the most popular parenting blogs in the UK, Honest Mum and sister style blog Mummy's Got Style Vicki is also a multi-award winning TV Director and Filmmaker. Her website is www.vpsarias.co.uk. Twitter: @HonestMummy.

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