Meet of Alison of alison*elle. A lawyer by profession, Alison still finds time to upkeep her fabulous blog where she educates Vancouverites on her favorite beauty products, personal style, and great eats in the city. This self proclaimed internet junkie became obsessed with the web before it was even a “thing”; she ran an online teen magazine from 1998 – 2000, and began online journalling in 2001. Her passion for fashion grew simultaneously. In 2010, Alison founded alison*elle as a way to creatively escape from her rigorous life as a law school student, and we’re so glad she did!
Tell us about yourself and how you started blogging.– My name is Alison. I’m a lawyer by profession but I have always been obsessed with everything fashion & beauty. I started my blog in 2010 when I was still in law school and it has continued to be my main creative (and somewhat frivolous) escape from the stresses of work and life.
What makes your blog absolutely fabulous?- alison*elle incorporates all of my favourite elements of blogging (and what I hope are other peoples’ favourite elements as well) into one place, from product reviews and personal style posts to my life as a Vancouverite and the new restaurants and places I discover here. My main blogging “rule” is to only write about things that I would be interested in reading myself.
My readers are the kind of girls I’d love to be friends with…
What type of content fits with your targeted audience?- My readers are the kind of girls I’d love to be friends with! They love shopping, putting together different outfits, and learning all about new beauty products. My nail art tutorials are usually very popular, as well as my FOTD (“face of the day”) and outfit posts.
What does a day in your blog life look like?- Since I work full-time, most of my blogging activities (photography, writing, attending media/PR events) happen in the evening or on the weekend. During the week, I try to stay connected through social media, especially Instagram and Twitter.
What types of readers are in your blog ‘pink book’ and who are you looking to connect with?- I’m of the belief that all the connections we make in life are significant in some way, and I’m happy to connect with anyone who’s interested!
Is running your own blog as glamorous as it sounds? Why or why not?- Running a blog with a full-time job (that typically requires more than full-time hours) can be a lot of work. When I come home after a long day, sometimes the last thing I want to do is sit in front of my computer again when I could be hanging out with my friends/family or relaxing in some other way. I try and remind myself that I blog because I love it and there is no need to hold myself up to professional blogger standards. After all, their blogs are their livelihoods. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t perks to blogging. I’ve been able to work with a lot of different brands that I love and meet many wonderful people in the blogging community.
I’m of the belief that all the connections we make in life are significant in some way…
What celebrity do you look at for style inspiration and why?– Rachel Bilson has a great casual style that I love. Olivia Palermo is also always impeccably dressed.
What are your favourite stores to shop at for the perfect wardrobe?- Aritzia and Club Monaco are my favourites – a very large percentage of my wardrobe comes from those two stores. I also like Holt Renfrew and The Bay (downtown Vancouver location) for higher end designer pieces. As for online shopping, my go-to is definitely ShopBop.
What is your favourite travel hot spot? What items do you not leave behind?- I honestly don’t have one! I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many different places around the world and as long as I’m able to continue exploring new locales, I’ll be happy. I will say that I have very good memories of previous visits to Sydney, Australia and would love to go back again soon. When I’m travelling, the only real necessity is my camera.
Make sure to network with other bloggers, companies, your readers, etc. The peer support and advice you receive will be invaluable to your success…
Can you offer any advice for new bloggers or female entrepreneurs looking to promote their business?- Make sure to network with other bloggers, companies, your readers, etc. The peer support and advice you receive will be invaluable to your success.
Don’t forget to check out Alison at alison*elle!
