Question time with Hayley Hughes

Dylan, Hayley and Gabbie.

After the Super Size, Me? forum, Gabbie took Hayley, the creator of the blog Fashion Hayley aside to ask her a few questions for Fourth Floor View.

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Gabbie

Firstly congratulations on your seven year blog anniversary recently! What have been your biggest achievements from blogging?

Hayley

One of the biggest ones was being flown to New York for the young and fabulous conference in 2010 by City Chic, the plus size brand that I blog for. 

Gabbie

How did you get involved with Shop Til' You Drop?

Hayley

It was actually two days before my birthday this year and the editor emailed me. 

Gabbie

So it just happened?

Hayley

Yeah, it just happened. That's the thing about having a blog, just being out there. Things come to you that you'd never expect. 

Gabbie

So you didn't really expect anything when you started blogging?

Hayley

No, when I started my blog in 2006, there was no such thing as blogging, so all the things that have happened to me are always a surprise. I've never asked for any of it. Like getting the call from Sue Thomas you know. Everyday there's always something new. It's kind of up and down but it's always exciting. 

Gabbie

What are you wearing tonight?

Hayley

So this dress is ASOS, this headband is Lady Petrova and my shoes are from TOPSHOP but they're JUJU. 

Gabbie

We were also wondering what advice you could give to people starting out to blog?

Hayley

So my advice would be to keep at it, regularly post. Having regular posts keeps your readers coming back. And unique content, a unique point of view. Yeah, just unique.

Gabbie

Did you find it took a while to get a following?

Hayley

I started my blog before fashion blogging was blogging, just to keep my family informed of what I was doing in Japan, because  lived in Japan. So it just grew from being organic, and being open and honest. Not wanting fame. They could see it was real. 

Gabbie

What were some of your biggest influences?

Hayley

My biggest influences would be definitely the streets of Tokyo When I was 16 I found 'Fruits Magazine' and that really change my life. Cos like, I ended up living in Japan, meeting people from that first issue of the Fruits Magazine. I became friends with them. So yeah, I'm influenced a lot by Japan. 

Gabbie

What was it like styling?

Hayely

I still could be a stylist, but I'm working more as a blogger now. There's more opportunities than with styling, I did love it, I miss it. It was kind of crazy to see people wearing clothing I chose for them, on the red carpet or front covers of a magazine. It's rewarding, it was what I always wanted to do and to suddenly to do it. It was fun, It's always fun. That's the best bit. 

If you do a graduate show, make sure you invite me. 

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Many thanks to Hayley for the interview.