That's oh so Vogue!

Well, that’s it!  My three weeks at Vogue magazine are well and truly over.  I’m home and no longer get to feel on a daily basis that I have my dream job.  Sob!  My time in London went far too fast and before I knew it I was boarding the train back to Sunderland.  As the old saying goes...times flies when you’re having fun!  Oh and didn’t I have lots of that!

I initially posted about my experience during my first week and you can read about the sort of things I got up too here.  Since then, my time became more and more enjoyable as I began to properly settle in.  After working in the city for a few weeks, I discovered it’s not as scary as it initially might feel.  You soon get to know all of the ‘tricks of the tube‘ and start walking just as quick as the other commuters trying to get to work.  If you’re thinking about making the move to London or even just visiting short term like me, don’t be put off by the pace of city life.  Trust me, you get used to the honking horns and sirens and it does start to feel like home.

Vogue House, the glorious looking building in which most Conde Nast publications are housed, also began to feel less alien and more like any other regular office.  Faces become familiar and I eventually got my bearings and learnt where everything was i.e. the all important mini-cafe on the third floor for when I needed my afternoon Diet Coke fix.  I soon became really at ease and started to feel like this was my new day job. Of course in the back of my mind I always knew that this was only temporary and that I would soon have to return home but it’s nice to feel like I’ve had the perfect job if only for a short while.

Working on the beauty desk, I got to do some pretty cool things.  My regular blog readers will know that I am obsessed with all things beauty so having my job based around that obsession was so exciting for me.  I spent my days researching interesting new beauty stories and developments as well as reading endless blogs.  I felt like I was in heaven.  I assisted the beauty girls with anything they’d need such as calling in products and speaking with PRs and I learnt so much along the way.  My highlight of my time at Vogue was having the chance to take home and review The O by Cloud 9.  This is a hair tool that I’ve lusted after for years and when it came into the office I literally squealed with excitement.  I tried it out and wrote a review for the Vogue blog and it actually made it onto the website.  I was completely overjoyed!  My writing, and my face, published on Vogue’s website.  Dream.  Come.  True.  You can find my article online here or on my bedroom wall after I print it and frame it!  Hah!

Looking back now it all seems a little surreal.  I’m currently in bed at home after getting in from a late shift at my regular day job.  Don’t get me wrong, this is another job that I do love despite being worlds apart from what I was doing at Vogue but after the excitement of the last three weeks, it was a pretty bleak Monday.  I’m remaining positive however as I know negativity gets you nowhere.  I’m focusing on my next career steps and looking at what I can do next on my quest for ‘the dream job’.  I also feel super inspired about blogging at the moment and have a load of new goodies and treats to show and review for you all so expect a lot of beauty posts coming very soon.

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V as in Vogue

So for those of you who don’t know (is there anyone I haven’t told yet?!), I am currently in the capital, the Big Smoke, London town, whatever you want to call it, doing a three week internship at the one and only, Vogue magazine.  *Shrieks!*  Most exciting intro ever!

Although words cannot describe how thrilled I am to be here, I’m going to try blogging about my experience so I can share it with you all.  Blog posts may be intermittent as I am super busy - when I’m not working I’m out and about exploring - but I’ll do my best to keep you all updated.

Despite being hyper ever since my work placement was confirmed, the thought of coming to Vogue was also very daunting for me.  I mean, come on, it’s Vogue!  Everybody in the world has heard of this magazine unless they were born and have lived under a rock ever since.  When you think of fashion magazines, this title is definitely the one that comes to the forefront of your mind.  Because of the huge connotations that come with the word ‘Vogue’, I had some moments of sheer panic in the run up to my first day.  What do I wear?  Will everyone be nice?  Will it be like The Devil Wears Prada?

Well now three days in I can confirm that yes - everyone is sooo nice, no - it’s nothing like The Devil Wears Prada (Meryl Streep is not the boss and ‘the book’ does not exist) and for those interested, I wore a pair of silver trousers paired with a black dipped hem top and my new black pointy studded flats (Primark bargain!)  I’ve had some pretty stressful moments during my first week but I think that’s only to be expected.  I was ten minutes late on my first day thanks to an unpredictable GPS signal on my iPhone.  I frantically walked around the same two blocks for ages searching for Vogue House.  I was so flustered by the time I found it but the girls were lovely.  Panic over.  I’ve settled in well and am in absolute heaven working with all of the amazing beauty products that I usually spend all day reading about.    

Oh yes, I probably should have mentioned earlier that I’m back in the beauty deparment as I was when I did my placement at Grazia.  My time at Grazia has massively helped with my confidence levels, giving me the basic skills so I didn’t start this experience feeling like a total newb!  I’m learning more and more every day here at Vogue and having such a great time.  It really is a dream come true walking through the revolving doors each day and taking the lift up to the bright white office where the walls are adorned with every Vogue cover there ever was.  I know it’s only for three weeks but I feel so privileged to be here at all.  

Okay...enough gushing about how much I love my job.  I hope you’re all having a great week!  Do you have any nice plans for your long bank holiday weekend?  I’m so excited for mine!  I’m off to see Viva Forever tomorrow night with my lovely friend Lindsey, who is so kindly putting me up whilst I’m here.  I’m just know I’m going to feel compelled to don some bunches a la Baby Spice as soon as the overture starts.  Friday brings the arrival of Mr W and a fun filled weekend which I will certainly blog about when I get the chance.  Hopefully I’ll have some more Vogue news to update you with too! Until then...

GC.

I heart Grazia

My present from the beauty girls: a Butler & Wilson compact mirror (£68)

At the beginning of November I had the opportunity to spend three fabulous weeks at Grazia HQ, interning on the beauty desk.  I'm an aspiring writer trying to make it in the magazine world so was extremely excited at the thought of going to the big city to work for a big mag.  Being my first ever internship I had no idea what to expect but I had a fantastic experience and would definitely recommend doing an internship to anyone wanting to get into the fashion/beauty/magazine industry.  I know there's a great debate over unpaid internships and exploitation but I can honestly say money couldn't buy the knowledge and contacts I gained during my time at the magazine.  Yes it's hard work, unpaid hard work at that, but it's the best and probably only way to show your dedication to potential

employers.  

I learnt the 'interning basics' during my first few days.  'Calling in products' and 'pricing items' felt like foreign phrases for me at first but after a couple of days I was well in the swing of it.  The girls on the beauty desk were super nice and made me feel really welcome.  I worked on the magazine during the mega important Cheryl Cole cover shoot so it was very hectic and really sink or swim for a newbie like me but I think I managed to keep my head above water.  I had other admin tasks such as answering the phone and organising press releases and I was lucky enough to do some writing for the website too which was great.  Plus, I got to spend time in Aladdin's cave, known formally as the beauty cupboard.  Imagine a room where the walls are lined from floor to ceiling with boxes upon boxes of beauty products.  Everything you could ever need was in there: foundations, eyeliners, nail varnish, shampoo, creams, lotions, potions and god's gift to all women...lipstick!  Imagine my excitement when I was allowed to pick some items to keep on my last day.  I came away with a box full of goodies which I'm going to review for you all.  It's mostly stuff that I haven't tried before so it might not necessarily be brand new but it's all new to me and I hope you find my posts useful.

So, to sum up, if you are someone who is looking to intern and maybe having reservations about it, my advice would be to go for it.  You would be absolutely crazy not too!  Before I went I was feeling uninspired about my career, having graduated with my degree and not yet doing anything with it, but my internship has really cemented my goal to work in magazines and now to work in beauty.  I can't wait to line up my next internship and get back down to London!  Life definitely seemed a little more colourful down there and it wasn't just because of all that make up.

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