Something I have been thinking about a lot lately is how much I want to introduce my readers to the women who inspire me. With all the negativity there is online, I want my website to be a place of positivity and encouragement for you. And what better way to do this than to promote the different women I know who are killing it as #girlbosses? Amiright?

So today, I am thrilled to give you my first interview. The girl we’re going to chat with? Rachel Holliday! She’s a talented fashion blogger, has a British accent (but lives in Australia now!), and was one of my first online friends when I started blogging.

So get yourself something to drink, sit in a comfy chair, and read on! ?

1. Where in England did you grow up? How has that shaped the woman you are today?

I grew up in a really small village called Ruswarp near a town called Whitby in North Yorkshire. Whitby was really small and quite closed minded. Apart from my family and friends, it was a pretty unsupportive and uninspiring place to grow up. Most people who are born in Whitby, stay in Whitby forever. Anyone who transcended the norms or had any kind of huge ambition was looked upon with a raised eyebrow.

I went to a pretty dodgy school where I had to work so hard to get the grades that I wanted and to get into University. I think this has shaped me to be innovative, hard-working and ambitious. I learnt from a pretty young age that if you want something, it’s up to you to put in the hard work and time.

In all fairness, if you ever visit the UK, you should go there – it’s a Victorian seaside town and it’s pretty beautiful. Hahaha!

2. Did you always want to pursue a creative career, or were you steered in a different direction during your high school and uni years?

Always! During high school and university I was actually really into acting and musical theatre **insert theatre geek emoji**. When I was at school, I was a competitive musical theatre singer and I was in a few TV ads and shows. **CRINGE**

My degree was in Theatre and English. However, when I was about 16 the fashion thing really hit me and I knew that I wanted this to be a part of my career somehow.

3. When did you first start fashion blogging and why?

OK… so this one is sort of confusing! Waaay back in 2011 during my second year of uni, I had my sights set upon a masters in fashion journalism and my friend Charissa (thanks babe) suggested I start a blog. It was called Campus Couture and lasted a few months but my degree got too hectic and it was no more!

After I came to Australia, I volunteered at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney as a backstage assistant. Suddenly, all the love I’d had for the fashion industry hit me like a freight train and I knew it was what I wanted. And ‘The Daily Luxe’ was born.

‘The Daily Luxe’ started in March 2014 purely as a hobby, I just wanted an outlet to combine my love of fashion and writing and to get creative on. It actually started as an ‘online fashion magazine’, but then I posted a photo of myself, it threw the rest of my web traffic out of the ball park and the rest is history.

4. Are there any misconceptions that people have about what you do? If so, what are some of the things you would like people to know?

I think a lot of people don’t see it as a job. They think blogging is just getting free clothes, floating around on Instagram and getting paid to talk about slimming tea. STOP RIGHT THERE!

Blogging is more than just one job. You are the writer, the marketer, the content creator, the accountant, the PR maven and the photographer (all in one). In short, it’s hard work and bloggers often put in more than 40 hours a week to create quality content, work with brands and build up a targeted following for their specific niche.

5. How long have you been a full time blogger?

I’m still only a part time J, although I am 100% freelancer! I work for myself doing freelance social media marketing, writing and content creation for other businesses, alongside The Daily Luxe.

I switched to being self-employed around August 2016.

6. What is one of your favorite “female empowerment” quotes?

‘Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.’

– Oprah Winfrey

7. Who are a few fashion bloggers and/or models that inspire you?

The fashion bloggers that inspire me are the ones who are 100% themselves, yet manage to expand their blog into a full on empire. Margaret Zhang and Zanita Whittington are great examples of this.

8. Which three wardrobe staples could you never live without?

Three! Eeee- I think I would go crazy! A little white dress, a great pair of sunnies & a denim jacket. I think I could handle going barefoot 😉

9. What reflection of your personality do you think is shown most through your personal style choices?

I think my girliness really comes across in everything I wear! Also, my fun-loving nature and willingness to explore and try new things.

10. Where do you currently live? Any hidden photo-shoot spots you’re willing to share with us?

I currently live in Cairns, North Queensland in Australia. It’s such a beautiful part of the world. It’s home to The Great Barrier reef and the world heritage rainforest. Plus: it’s always Summer!

Ooo I have many hidden photo-shoot spots! This one below is one of my faves, it’s at the very end of the Cairns wharf!

11. Can you give us a glimpse at what a ‘day in the life of Rachel’ looks like?

Haha if my life was a reality show it would be so so boring! I get up around 7.30AM, drink two cups of coffee, feed my pets and then off to my office I go!

I normally have a list of things I have to work through for both The Daily Luxe and my clients. These can include writing articles, making social media plans, photographing products, scheduling Facebook posts, targeted demographic research and blogging.

At least once a week, I’ll walk to the beach with my trusty tripod and shoot some outfits. I genuinely think everyone in my neighbourhood sees me as ‘the crazy tripod lady in ridiculous outfits’.

At about 5PM, or when Jake gets home from work, I’ll stop and we will chill or take Nala for a walk. Then we’ll normally hit the gym, cook dinner and watch a movie.

However, some days I’ll get to do something really out of the blue and fun, like styling events in my local shopping centre.

When Jake is off work, we will often get out and explore local waterfalls, rainforests and beauty spots. I will always have my outfits and a camera at handy. That’s what Instagram husbands are for right? Just kidding!

Well, I hope you enjoyed getting to know Rachel better! If you aren’t already, make sure you go and follow her on instagram. And don’t forget to check out her blog!

Thanks for reading lovelies! 

xo, mikéla