on to do well, whether it’s a form of reverse psychology I don’t know (ha, the irony) but I was determined to prove everyone wrong, so I did. Always go with your gut, even if your head is screaming louder.
Despite achieving a first in my first year of studying international fashion promotion through hard work, dedication and who knows, maybe even a bit of talent - doubters still plead “Why don’t you become a doctor or a lawyer?” I’m a firm believer that if you don’t have any passion for a job, you shouldn’t do it, no matter how well it pays - we’re talking long term careers here, I am aware of the need to make ends meet in crappy retail jobs, I’ve been there myself. Besides, I have an extremely severe phobia of needles, could you imagine me in medical school? They say money can’t buy you happiness and I think they’re right, whoever they might be. Sure, it can buy you Manolo Blahnik’s which I’m sure come close to happiness, but if you’re going to be wearing them to a 9-5 job you despise, are you really happy?
Another thing they say is “find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. I love that saying; I want that in my life. When I’m making customer profiles and blogging until 3am, I don’t find it boring, tiring yes, but not boring. The reason I stay up so late trawling through WGSN is because I enjoy what I do and I simply don’t want to stop. I’m on track with turning my passion into my career and eventually it should be a well-paid career, isn’t that the dream? Doing what you love and getting paid doing it? That should be what you’re encouraged to do, not just during your childhood but also throughout your life.
Maybe the career doubters don’t have a vendetta against the creative, maybe they don’t even have financial concerns for us, maybe it’s just plain pessimism. It’s estimated that 70% of people hate their jobs, usually banal 9-5 office jobs where they end up living for the weekend and never stop complaining over social media that it’s Monday and they need more coffee.
It’s my guess that most career doubters fit into this category. Who knows, maybe they used to be like us but instead listened to their doubters and ended up taking the safe option ‘just in case’. In some circumstances, I can completely understand this, some people might have a family to look after and need a reliable income fast - fair enough. However, if you’re in a position where you’re able to give it a go, why not try? Put more effort, passion and belief into your hobby and turn it into a career. Hey, that’s how blogging got so big.
Yes career doubters, blogging can be a ‘real job’. It’s not all lipstick collections and Instagram-worthy breakfasts, it’s actually a hell of a lot of work: networking, emails, social media, editing, writing…It’s the gritty behind-the-scenes stuff that brings home the bacon so to speak, but it’s something you enjoy and happiness should always come first. Any job worth having involves a lot of graft, running around like a headless chicken, climbing your way up from the bottom and often being treated like crap. I interned at LFW and despite receiving no pay for long hours and getting a shoe thrown at my head in a backstage panic, I had a blast. I’m really proud of that internship but when I explain it to my doubters I’m dismissed because it was in fashion. Something about that word scares the living daylights out of some people, they think it’s a pipe dream where we all want to live in New York and be the next Anna Wintour. There’s a bit more to it than that folks! No matter how pretty and perfect the exterior is, remember that a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into producing it, whether it is a painting, a dress or a magazine, it was made with hard work.
Allie Davies