Ta-daaaaa! It's Crimson

We like the pseudonyms, but it’s time to introduce ourselves.

Tis me!

I’m Rachel - that's me over to the right. Why Clover? Because at the time of the blog’s conception, I was listening to Joan Jett and wishing I looked as good as Kristen Stewart with black hair. And Alley wanted to be Clover. Her style is more girly than mine anyway and Crimson sounds all gothic and mysterious.

Crimson’s Vision

It’s 12.10am and I’m writing this for a few reasons. First, I was mooching our emails that have remained unchecked for months and discovered two things. One is that people actually care enough about what we write to re-tweet us, and the other is that William Tempest is following us on Twitter. So obviously, I got excited, got texting Alley and agreed to write this: The big reveal of who we are and what we’re about.

We’re about fashion and beauty for the real girls. The girls who are busy, intelligent, quirky and adventurous. The girls who love to dress well and take pride in their appearance and are a slave to the weekly glossies, but don’t live in London or work in fashion and can’t afford a Mulberry Alexa or to go for cocktails every other night. The girls who don’t necessarily think they’re glamorous or know what they want from life, but know they want to look great and take inspiration from the catwalk, the high street and all you fash pack and journalist types who live down south and create what we love.  

I personally, even if we get lucky and this blog takes off, will never lose sight of that. It would be amazing to have a hobby turn into a profession, but even then, we will always write for the every-day girl. I don’t know how this is all going to go, I have a lot of options, but I’m only young and full of caffeine, therefore, I’m going to pursue all of them at once and see where I end up.

About Me. Rachel, or Crimson – however you would like it!

How do I know Clover or Alley as she is? Well, we met at the tender age of 11 on our first day of secondary school and have been close friends, living around the corner from each other ever since. We talk a lot and come up with a lot of stupid ideas. They’re not all gems, but this one seemed promising, so here we are, giving it a go!

I don’t know how I would describe my style, but my inspirations range from Emma Stone to Fearne Cotton and I try to show some personality in the way I dress. Which I suppose would be basic and casual with a few surprises and intriguing bits thrown in. In my wardrobe, you can expect to find vintage levi cut offs living next to a cream lace dress from ASOS. I have girly wedges and sling back heels sitting next to the kind of boots you would kill zombies in. I alternate between a leather biker jacket, a timeless black military coat and a burgundy duffle that reminds me of a little girl’s school coat, complete with gold clasp details and a giant hood. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I dress to suit my mood and am full of surprises.

So, what is it I do exactly? Well, in a lot of ways, I’m a Jack of all trades, but I get paid for very few of them! I’m almost 22 and a recent graduate of Teesside University. I hold a 2:1 in English Studies with Creative Writing and focused in particular on Young Adult Literature. Mainly because it’s a guilty pleasure, but also because I’m a geek and it really interests me. From the age of 17 I have held jobs on the phones in Domino’s Pizza, on the till in Poundland, working as a Christmas temp in New Look, a barista (short lived), and a voluntary classroom assistant. I’ve written occasional articles for a local council and my Dad’s fishing website, I mess about with my own creative, young adult fiction project, I’ve led a higher education workshop with teenagers, worked in another school on a voluntary basis while working as a barmaid and waitress, got took on by said school on a temporary contract as a Teaching Assistant and now here I am, about to start as an intern with a youth theatre. I also have a conditional offer of a place to go on to a post graduate course. I share a blog that suddenly is doing pretty well and have NO IDEA where I’m going with any of it.

So, now you know, that my background is far from fashion related, I ask of you, what I ask of those closest to me. Please be patient, please be supportive and if you like what we’re doing, let us know! If you don’t, well also let us know in the nicest possible way.

Much Love! Rachel xx