No longer for hire | New blog direction

Last week I started my new job as a Digital Copywriter for a marketing agency in Bolton. I genuinely can't believe how lucky I am to have been offered the job. All the panic of 'what am I going to do after uni' seems to have subsided and now I'm focussed on starting a real life for myself in Manchester.

After putting an deposit down on a new flat I started to question what my next move should be. I'm constantly working towards a goal and now I feel like I'm floating in limbo! Of course, I do feel blessed to be in this position, but it's definitely a lifestyle change!

This big change also means the content on this blog will no longer be about my time at uni. I intend on keeping this blog alive - I really do! So I'm putting together a lil plan. Due to the fact all of my followers are fashion&beauty bloggers, I'm going to post marketing content with you guys in mind.

You can expect tips on SEO, content, social media and everything in between! 

"So basically, your project is just about women moaning."

This response is exactly why my FMP will focus on women's rights campaigns. I've always had an interest in both campaign journalism and feminism, so it would only be fitting to let my passion drive my final degree project. It's just a shame some of my friends evidently do not share my outlook!

Whilst pitching my ideas to my tutor, I realised the potential my project has. Not only does it lead itself to various mediums, there are some great opportunities to try something completely different in terms of online journalism. I just hope I do the subject justice.

My initial plan entails: 
Reclaim the Night - video project
International Women's Day - marathon live blogging with OnLocation
Does the UK need Femen? - feature on extreme feminism in the UK
No more page 3 - campaign coverage
Rape Culture - Mini doc, potentially historical
What makes me a woman? - My own campaign working with transwomen.

I have left four spaces for potential breaking news and surplus work. Hopefully some of these stories will catch your eye as I will be using my blog to heavily promote my work, amongst other things.

A lot of thought has gone into this. I knew I wanted to focus on some form of feminism/women's issues, but I just had to find the right title. Although this is a very stressful time for any student, I am so blessed to have a topic that I can get excited about.

(Image: NQ street art by MOZE)

ILM placement

Guess who found a placement?

This week I've been able to work on IloveManchester.com. I visited the office on Tuesday to work on a project regarding small businesses and rewriting press releases. Since then I've been working from home because I'm training for my other new job. It's been really interesting to see how a seemingly small business can take on so much work and gain so much interest.

I'll be having a week block placement at IloveManchester for part of my third year 'Journalism Practise' module. I'm really excited because I absolutely loved my first day in their Barton Arcade office! They share another office with Viva mag so I'm hoping to gain some contacts there as well.

Overall it's been lovely working on a local scale!

Manchester's hidden hotspots

As many of you know, I'm big on supporting independent brands. Don't get me wrong, everyone loves a bit of the high street, but if you take a short walk out of the center of Manchester you'll find some fantastic places to shop and eat. So when I was contacted by o2, to share my favourite haunts as part of their new campaign, I couldn't say no!

Retro Rehab
Retro Rehab is a shop I've mentioned on the blog before, but for those of you that didn't see my last post, I'll give you a quick run down. The staff at RR hunt for the very best vintage clothes and work their crafty magic to give them an updated finish. For anyone that doesn't have the patients to delve into the abyss of shops like Ryan Vintage, this place is for you! My favourite find in RR is a 70's dress I purchased for my friends birthday. The staff had given it new life by adding embellishment and shoulder pads.
'Like' Retro Rehab on Facebook here.


Home Sweet Home
My flatmate is a food journalist and took me HSH a few months back. Since then I've been back too many times to count! The quirky little restaurant resides in the Northern Quarter and has a homely and inviting atmosphere. As a vegetarian, I often struggle when it comes to eating out, but HSH offers many options. I would certainly recommend their big veggie breakfasts and ultimate hot chocolate!
'Like' Home Sweet Home on facebook here.


Vintage fairs
Manchester holds loads of great vintage events. The last one I attended was at Victoria Baths, up near the University of Manchester. Whitworth Art Gallery also hold fairs for small business owners. You can expect to find stalls offering fashion, food and even full vintage inspired make-overs!

To encourage people to understand the benefits of shopping locally, o2 priority moments are holding an event this weekend in Exchange Square, Manchester. You can expect to find some great independent retailers on show and might even bag yourself a bargain! I urge you all to check out the event and help support local businesses in this difficult time. o2 is now making it much easier for shoppers and independent businesses to connect, by offering the brands access to priority moments at absolutely no cost - how nice is that?

So please do pop by Exchange Square this weekend to support your local economy! Also, feel free to share your favourite local businesses in the comment section below!

R UV Ugly?

This week I popped down to Cancer Research U.K's latest awareness campaign, taking place in the Manchester Arndale. The charity teamed up with treatment clinic 'Sk:n' to highlight just how much UV exposure we put ourselves through.

Shoppers were encouraged to enter the photobooth outside 'Next' to receive a free UV face scan which highlighted the specific areas that were most damaged by the sun. To sweeten the deal, participants also received a 'Sk:n' goodie bag, a free bottle of Vita Liberata false tan and a copy of their results.

Manchester currently has 12 tanning outlets per 100,000 people and was added to the roadshow after a recent spike in the levels of malignant melanoma in 15-34 year olds across the U.K. The levels of risks surrounding sun exposure can often depend on your skin type, but it's important to know that skin cancer is the second most common cancer in young people and everyone can be affected by the sun.

Even those who have never used sun beds may be shocked to see how much their skin is affected by everyday life. I myself am not a sun worshipper in the slightest and personally prefer being pale. However, my results showed serious sun damage. Each black spot on the picture highlights pigmentation and sun spots which are commonly caused by UV damage. I was advised to wear skin creams that contain higher SPF on a regular basis such as sun screen or foundation primers.

For more information and to check out your nearest free screening you can visit the 'Sk:n' website.