DIARY Influencer: Kristabel Plummer from I Want You To Know
Date Posted: Wednesday 27th September 2017
DIARY directory recently caught up with London-based fashion and style blogger Kristabel Plummer from I Want You To Know. Kristabel started the blog during her degree in 2008, and today it covers everything from fashion, travel, beauty, food, London and blogging. Kristabel has been featured in been featured in Stylist Magazine, Grazia France and the Evening Standard (making their Power 1000 list in 2013) and she's also written for Buzzfeed, The Debrief and Metro Online.
Fashion, Travel and Lifestyle Blogger
Worked with brands including Jaeger, Boden and Kate Spade
"If brands don’t have a budget and want a specific outcome, then they need to create an amazing experience"
| Date of Birth: | 17/08/1987 |
| Country of residence: | London, UK |
| Biggest Readership Locations: | UK, USA, Canada |
| 3 main areas of focus: | Fashion, Lifestyle, Travel |
| Skin tone/type: | Dark or Deep |
| Hair colour: | Dark Brown |
| Hair type: | Afro |
| Dress size: | 10/12 |
| Shoe size: | 8 |
| Height: | 5 ft 6 |
I think that blogging was just the beginning of a wider shift towards content generated by non-traditional sources. Now everyone has Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, even my Mum! We’re on our phones more than ever and advertising has had to adjust to where people are spending the most time. It’s an exciting but challenging opportunity for bloggers. Now we’re running publishing companies across numerous platforms and figuring out business practices as we go along. It’s competitive and some people have started with knowledge and clear goals. I started because I’ve always loved writing and creating spaces online, but have had to adjust and mould I Want You To Know into a purposeful destination.
Do you think the changes have been for better or for worse?
I think like with any major changes, there are positives and negatives. It’s great because it allows everybody to have a voice, regardless of race, age, size, ability, and sexuality. Mainstream media has been controlled by a select group of people and we’re now able to question that through social media. Just look at the backlash towards the Pepsi campaign featuring Kendall Jenner. We’re able to impact change and fight for what’s right.
What’s a typical day like for you?
It varies depending on my mood, the time of year and what I’ve got on. If I’m having a writing/admin day, ideally I’d be up at 7am, leave the house at 8 and be at my coworking space by 9. I’d tackle blog posts, emails in 30-minute bursts and plan out future content. Sometimes I may have a day of events or meetings, shooting lifestyle content at home or fashion looks with a photographer. There’s no typical day really. It can be hard to find a routine and the challenge is to understand how you work and apply it to the changing weeks.
What do you hope to offer your readers/followers?
I hope to offer a destination that inspires and also encourages the reader. It’s about making the most of life but accepting that there may be hiccups along the way and that’s okay. Topics tend to run alongside what I’m going through in my life and vary from finding decent underwear for tricky bra sizes to what being a black, British blogger is really like.
What inspires you and how do you keep your blog content fresh?
Ever since I rebranded and figured out my point of view, I’ve been determined to carve out a space in an oversaturated market. I like a challenge and I think that being a darker-skinned woman in spaces where I’m not expected, is so important. We have major issues with representation and brands wanting to capitalise on diversity, without understanding the bigger picture. I want to inspire others who feel like certain aspects of society and culture are not for them. There is enough going on in my life and the current climate to keep me writing for a while!
Your writing has featured in several media titles… so magazines vs blogs, what do you think the future holds?
I think that both can co-exist but we’ll have to adapt. Magazines will have to work harder and provide content for all of the people they’ve alienated in the past. It can’t just be about the print edition, but experiential events, other merchandise, and a solid digital strategy. The thing I’ve realised is that you should never get too comfortable. I’ve never really had that, a cushy job with perks, so I’m always looking out for what the next development could be.
You’ve had a varied career so far (from knitwear design to blogging!) – what has been a career highlight?... and biggest struggle?
A definite highlight was one of my earliest accolades, getting to Graduate Fashion Week with my final collection. It proved what I could achieve with a lot of hard work and determination. The main struggle was when my contract ended at my first job and I didn’t know whether to pursue blogging or look for another design job. I felt a bit lost and it was hard to throw myself wholeheartedly into my blog, as people would constantly say ‘But what if it ends?’ I’ve realised that you can’t worry about that too much. Be sensible, save some money and make sure you have somewhere to live of course, but just trust your gut feeling.
"I think that blogging was just the beginning of a wider shift towards content generated by non-traditional sources."
You also have a YouTube channel, will this ever be your sole focus? Do you think traditional blogging is at risk of fading out?
That would be amazing! YouTube is great for getting my personality across in a different way but I struggle with consistency. I also love writing too much! They’re tricky to compare as some topics may be more suited to a video, a blog post or both. People also consume content differently and I can equally appreciate a styling video by Lizzy Hadfield or witty Man Repeller piece. It’s definitely useful to be in both spaces and aware of their strengths.
Is there something else you’d like to branch into?
So much! I’m an ideas person, so ultimately I would like to create a network and bring the best elements of online interaction, offline. I held my blogger support group #YouCanSitWithUsLDN earlier this year as I saw that people were comparing themselves to what they saw on social media and going round in circles. It’s so important to have that real-life connection and I want to make people feel less alone.
Blogging can - to an extent - be seen as a numbers game, however, we know that numbers don't always measure up to engagement. What does success mean to you and how do you measure it?
I’m probably the worst person to ask as I always struggle when people consider me to be successful! I’ve realised that it’s important to have your own definition of what success is. Is it supporting yourself whilst being self-employed, reaching a certain level in your career or just doing what you love every day? It’s definitely been a journey for me and I’m trying not to beat myself up about it so much.
What advice would you give PRs looking to promote their clients through your blog? How do you think PR’s and influencers can work better together?
Definitely to check to see whether their client is relevant (I don’t feature animals, weight-loss products or fake tan, yet receive these releases) and how I’ve incorporated products before. There’s so much out there and it’s impossible to give each product a dedicated blog post. People also consume content differently now, so maybe a press launch would work better on Instagram Stories. We all need to be realistic. I know that brands won't have a budget for every campaign and wouldn’t want every post of mine to be sponsored. I would also hope that brands understand the pressures that bloggers face and new ASA regulations around gifted products. A lot of us are providing jobs for assistants, photographers, web developers, the list goes on. We’re different to that of a traditional media, we tend to start with no initial investment and have had to figure out a business model. I need to make sure I can pay my rent on time! If brands don’t have a budget and want a specific outcome, then they need to create an amazing experience. At the very least there should be decent light, I once went to a beauty launch in a dark, underground bar and couldn’t even see the products! Thinking like a blogger goes a long way.
What would be a dream collaboration that hasn’t yet presented itself? And what has been your favourite sponsored post to-date?
Probably designing my own collection! There is a great Racked article explaining that menswear is built to serve the body with numerous size options, but with womenswear, we feel like it's our fault when clothes don't fit. Traditional sizing is flawed and through shopping, I’ve realised that most clothing is designed for a flat-chested, slightly hourglass figure. It has definitely led to my own insecurities and it would be great to challenge that. I loved working with Etsy last year on their Resolutions campaign as it allowed me to learn a new skill, interviewing. I’ve now incorporated this element into my posts more and even though transcribing and condensing is a challenge, I always feel a sense of achievement when I hit publish.
What other bloggers/influencers do you follow and why?
At the moment I’m loving eclectic dressers such as Megan Ellaby and Katherine Ormerod, plus Sophia Rosemary, Karina Woodburn and Bubbly Aquarius who remix old and new. I also follow Spirited Pursuit and Marjorie Lacombe for wanderlust and Uzy Nwachukwu for amazing photography. There’s just so much inspiration!