The XXX Olympiad has come and gone, and while NBC will continue to ruin the next four Olympiads with tape delays and insulting commentary on the happenings FOR AMERICA, we can always remember the time we had in London, the only three-time Olympic host, an achievement Mitt Romney can only dream of when he isn’t committing political suicide by having a P90X Objectivist, anti-not-rich-and-white-and-male Patrick Bateman clone be his running mate.
Suck it, Mittens.
This week’s “Follow Friday” takes us to the Midlands for a profile on Florrie Clarke of Intrinsically Florrie, who I found out this week is a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, meaning there’s at least one more fashion blogger who is basking in Rarity’s fabulousness; the other one I know of prefers the sportiness of Rainbow Dash over the refined sensibilities of my mascot. FOR AMERICA.
Anyway, make the jump to learn how a head injury beget Clarke’s foray into fashion blogging, how her artwork comes into play in her blog, and the one post that defines her writings as she nears her 1,000th post.
Florrie Clarke of Intrinsically Florrie with Hello Kitty in Wales.
Name of Blog: Intrinsically Florrie
Date of Founding: 6 July 2009
A Short Description of Your Blog: I hope my blog posts will spread a little joy, I write about everything from Hello Kitty and Japanese street styles to nail polish and the catwalks of London Fashion Week.
How did you find your way into fashion blogging?
Clarke: My blog started off in a very eclectic kind of way, and I guess it still is eclectic, but it lacked any direction in the early days. I shortly discovered the online community Independent Fashion Bloggers, thought it was incredible, and that I’d liked to be a part of it. So I upped my fashion content for a couple of weeks and never went back.
What is the story behind the name of your blog?
Clarke: My blog content really was incredibly random at the start, but I wanted it to be an expression of all things me, which is how Intrinsically Florrie came about.
Your blog has just celebrated its third anniversary while fast approaching its 1,000th post as of this writing. Looking back upon these milestones, how has your blog evolved from when you first began in terms of personal style, writing, photography et al, and where do you see your blog going towards in the next three years/1,000 posts?
Clarke: My blog has partly evolved because of my health. When I started it I was recovering from a head injury and could manage little more than sitting up in bed with my laptop for a few hours. I also couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be recognisable or not, so for a while my few outfit posts were ridiculously cropped so you could barely see me! Then I got braver and decided to do more outfit posts with full body shots.
My photography improved a lot when I decided to spend two years on a Photography A Level at college, and I went on to invest in my own DSLR; now I’m looking to buy a new lens.
I hope to be able to continue attending London Fashion Week and eventually maybe even head to Paris Fashion Week, too, and I’d love to write more about upcoming designers.
Outside of fashion blogging, you are an artist whose medium is mostly oil on canvas. Have your talents ever come into play as far as your blog is concerned, and if so, has it been/is it now a two-way street between the two formats?
Clarke: My art work was really why I started blogging, I knew I wanted a creative career and thought that I would start to get my work out there. My blog has certainly helped a lot more people be able to see my art, so it’s definitely been a success in that way! My love of photographing fashion for my blog also ties in with my art as most of the time I paint portraits; photography skills definitely cross over with fine art ones.
Your nation and its rich culture has been on the minds and tongues of the world for the past two weeks as a result of hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. Outside of this particular lens, is there anything my readers should know about your country regarding culture, history, norms, attitudes et al, and is there anything about the Midlands to know specifically, especially if any of my readers were to visit thanks in part to the worldwide exposure the XXX Olympiad brought upon Great Britain?
Clarke: I think I’m very lucky in where I live. The beautiful countryside is just a road away, and I’m fortunate to be right by Cannock Chase, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Three miles away, there’s a town with a mixture of modern shops and history, and naturally my father’s art gallery R N Clarke Fine Art — which he set up in October 2010 — is somewhere I have to recommend! It’s in a lovely spot in Stafford by St Mary’s Church, and I love the Gothic architecture and peace in the Gallery.
Birmingham is also a fantastic city in the Midlands which is only half an hour’s train ride away from me. Then, I love to visit cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and London, too. If anyone is interested in vintage shopping, Manchester is definitely a fantastic place to visit!
Another aspect of my life is being a debutante of the London Season in 2010 which is all about tradition and etiquette but updated for the 21st century, really wanted to take part as part of my desire to be ‘a lady’.
The first image from the post that defines Clarke’s blog as it stands now.
Clarke: I have so loved the opportunities fashion blogging has brought my way. One that stands out is spotting myself on the BBC’s The Culture Show! It’s a renowned arts programme, and I thought it would take me years of painting to get myself on there, so seeing myself featured in their London Fashion Week footage was absolutely amazing.
Why do you blog?
Clarke: Addiction! Well perhaps not, but it’s hard to consider my life without it now! It’s such a rewarding, creative outlet and I’d hate to be without it. It has brought wonderful opportunities and also wonderful friends.
If there was one post that says, “This is what my blog is all about,” which one would it be?
Clarke: I think that’s a hard question because I’m a perfectionist and my blog is constantly evolving with new posts! I guess a defining one would be the first time I wore lolita fashion, as it marked a new era for my blog which allowed me to find more of a niche and grow my audience. It’s just me being myself and discovering something I love, so maybe it is that one post after all.
What one piece of advice would you offer to my readers regarding…
Style: Dress to make yourself happy.
Art (painting, drawing et al): Keep open-minded and like whatever art you like. People often say to be open-minded about modern art, but I’ve felt under pressure to disregard my more traditional grounding in movements such as Impressionism, so keep open-minded to all of art history!
Life in general: Is made better by the presence of pretty things and lovely people.
Who is your blog for?
Clarke: Those seeking a daily dose of cheerful cute mixed in with photography, adventures and high fashion.
Any final words?
Clarke: Always stay true to yourself.
Clarke’s blog can be found at www.intrinsicallyflorrie.com, while she herself can be found on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
Photo credits: Wikipedia (title card) and Florrie Clarke.
Excellent interview — and boy do I miss the Olympics! Sigh.
WendyB recently posted..Shoes and Blues: Sugar Pie DeSanto Prefers Mules
I only watched the opening and closing ceremonies; the competition in general isn’t my bag.
Now, if the IOCC revived the late A1 Grand Prix series (where the drivers represented their home nations instead of their sponsors/manufacturers; the cars themselves were built by Ferrari) and had a series of races out on Silverstone, then I’d watch.
Anyway, thank you! It was an honour to have Mlle Clarke here this week; when she tweeted to me that she loved Friendship is Magic, that she and her friends watched the show, and how she loved the fact that Rarity was my mascot, how could I not profile her? :)
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