I live and work social media and the digital world and that can mean that I need to edit my personal use. There’s a lot to look at and nobody can keep an eye on it all. I’m a bit super but, despite what my kids think, I’m not Wonder Woman. This Friday I offer you some of my recommendations for sites to check out and maybe follow.
This week it’s all about the blogs – there’s always something new but here are my favourites.
When it comes to the internet, I love to wile away my time looking at things that are different from the life I lead. I like the secret places, the rare and unusual, stories and adventures.
Messy Nessy Chic started as a blog about life in a new city (Paris) and the search for the out of the ordinary there. Now it’s global. It has a wonderful newsletter too. Every week the team offers a selection of interesting new articles to read. They’re magical.
There’s always room for a bit of glam in my life too. The Fashion Lift used to be School Run Style and I’ve read it since I had kids.
It’s written by Jo. She’s basically the friend everyone has who’s really effortlessly cool – but also incredibly nice. She’s approachable and down to earth. The clothes she features are wearable, (mostly) affordable and fun. I stopped doing fun for a long time after I became a mother. It was a big mistake.
I want to borrow everything she wears. I would if she wasn’t a lot tinier than me.
I also love freebies. Frugality is nothing to be ashamed of so why is it always so depressing? The alternative is something like Deliciously Ella. It’s a phenomenon now but Ella Woodward has done something quite unexpected with her blog – she’s become hugely successful and stayed familiar. She still has free recipes on the page and she’s still really excited about her popularity. It’s nice to know that you don’t have to be an ass to be corporate.
I also love the familiar – after all, there’s no place like home. A Cup of Jo was started by Joanna Goddard as a hobby. It’s a magazine now as it got so big. She has many contributing writers and the team is diverse – covering a wide range of topics. It’s lifestyle focused but it is intelligent and relevant. In a world where a lot of blogs are very focused and specialised her format is eclectic and stimulating.
Jay Miranda is probably my favourite ‘plus size’ blogger – but that’s too narrow a category really. She’s a busy working mother (with another baby on the way) and she talks about family, home, her passion for fashion and lots more. She’s warm and engaging. It feels like she’s welcoming you to her world whenever you go to her page. Never underestimate the appeal of her photographs too – they’re always seductively sunny and the colour is beautiful.
Cole Nemeth is a social media maven and the Dear Diary portion of her website is brilliant for an insight into digital marketing and juggling work and real life. Its (comparatively) gritty – stories about beard competitions, kids, the frustrations of long term study and the pace of work are a relief when you’re thinking ‘I hope I’m not the only one’.
I hope you love these choices as much as I do. I’ll be covering Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest in the coming weeks. The internet can be a wonderful place – if you know where to look.
Happy exploring, dear readers!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sophie x
Sophie's Voice 