Today on the blog I have the pleasure of introducing you to a very gorgeous lady, Chloé Samwell-Smith. Another fabulous, fashion forward woman I have followed for a long time now on Instagram. Chloe is always super glam, even in her morning videos on stories, I don’t know how she does it! She has the most beautiful family and her photos are always just divine. Her blog is regularly updated with her fashion finds and also fashion tips and beauty products she’s loving. What I love about Chloé is how grateful she is to Instagram for all the fantastic opportunities she now gets because of her blog and the people who follow it, and how honest she is about how scary these new opportunities can be. She is inspiring because she faces her fears and moves forward.
I worked for Endemol UK, one of the largest independent TV companies as an HR and Talent Manager. I would help staff up shows such as Big Brother, Total Wipeout and Pointless to name a few. I was with the company for 17 years so it felt like time for a change. I
I’m not sure there was ever a point where I made that decision. It just happened. I had no expectations when I started the blog, it was just going to be a hobby to keep me busy, but things took off quite quickly and I haven’t looked back. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunities that have arisen and still have those ‘pinch me’ moments.
I think the best bit has to be the independence that I have now. I am in control of how much or how little I choose to work. If I need to clear the diary to watch my daughter in her swimming gala, I don’t have to run it past anyone. I might have to work late that night to make up for it, but there’s no guilt involved. Something I found quite tricky when I was working in an office. Working for yourself does, of course, bring all sorts of new challenges but they can give you the fire in your belly that you lose after working somewhere for so long. Creatively I have never been so fulfilled.
Dealing with criticism and unkindness can be hard, especially when it’s personal. But I have come to realise that if you put yourself out there, you have to expect it. Sadly it goes with the territory. But the positivity far outweighs any negativity, so you have to learnt to focus on that and forget the rest. Another challenge is trying to keep a work/life balance. When you share your life (especially on stories) it can easily spill over into time that you should be spending with your family and friends and I have to be quite disciplined at times, so that I ensure some down time.
My go to style is a great pair of jeans, a cashmere knit and trainers or boots. Fairly classic, comfortable dressing.
Sunglasses. I have very light sensitive eyes, so I wear sunglasses a lot of the time. (But never inside!)
I do love getting dressed up so I try to ditch my uniform of jeans and wear a dress or a jumpsuit. I love wearing heels. I started practising when I was about 7 (!) with my mums high heels and having danced on pointe, I feel very comfortable walking in heels, so heels on a night out are a definite.
My YSL sunglasses, a pair of summer slides from Dune and a trench coat from New Look.
In summer I tend to adopt a boho ‘Chloe girl’ style of dressing. Long floaty maxi dresses and skirts, denim and white cotton tops and slides. I’m loving all the vintage florals and pastels for Spring.
High street favourites are H&M, Zara and Mango and I am a big fan of the Outnet and Netaporter for investment pieces. I also love a little browse around Liberty and Selfridges from time to time.
But the shopping that gives me the most pleasure is finding gems in unexpected places. I love scouring shops like Matalan or New Look and picking out the best pieces. The thrill of disclosure when someone says, ‘Ooh where’s that from’ gives me great pleasure! And since I’m such a terrible oversharer, they’ll get the price I paid as well as where it’s from!
I wish I could say I dress the kids! They dress themselves, and buy their own clothes. I try to influence some of their purchases, but I have come to accept that I really don’t have much influence in this area anymore! Charlie also has his own ideas – but he’s in jeans, trainers and a sweatshirt or jumper most of the time. The girls wear leggings, hoodies and trainers.
The girls shop at H&M, Brandy Melville, New Look and Charlie is usually H&M for tops and Gap for jeans. Shelley x
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Great blog post about Chloe from Chloe Loves to Shop! Love how she mixes designer and high street fashion. Always love it when she flags a bargain that you may not have had the time to spot yourself!
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Yes she’s so good at spotting a bargain and such a lovely lady too. x