IN COLOUR | My year out working at Bottle Blonde

I wasn't sure when to do this post. Friday I had my hand in for my placement year; we had to keep a blog -something I know how to do quite well... 

My intention was to keep you guys all updated on what I'm doing on my year out on here but it all moved so fast and in the end my uni blog was kept as more of a diary/document of what I got up to, solely just for my university hand in. So I have to apologise if you would of liked to of heard frequently about that on here. Again I honestly don't know where this year has gone! 

So like I mentioned my final date to hand in was on Friday but I am still currently working at Bottle Blonde (that is my placement for those of you who don't know) so I wasn't sure whether to wait until I was finally finished all together or just post this now. After taking the photos to go with this post, the deal was pretty much sealed. I mean just look at THAT JACKET.  I couldn't wait to share the photos with you all! 

If you don't know Bottle Blonde (why not?!) no really WHY NOT? No I'm joking. The 'Monster Jacket' was pretty much the birth of this brand; its hugely iconic for the brand. The amount that have been made over my time there is crazy, different variations and colours. 

For my university blog I did a round up of everything I got up to on my year out, all my experiences, memories and rememberable things I wanted to share. 

So this is ultimately that, grab a cuppa and have a read.

Working at bottle blonde WOW- W-O-W. 

What a whirlwind of a year it's been, I can't quite believe how fast it's gone in all honesty. 

I remember sitting down on the first day talking about all the exciting things planned for the business and how I would be helping with those. Now it's crazy to think back to all the things I've done.

My oh my has it been a busy year, but oh so fun and at times quite unexpected. 

Some days I'd be sat in the office. It would start off as what seems to be a relaxing day, then burst into chaos. Orders/requests would be placed at last minute from stylists needing pieces 2 days prior to a shoot, or on other occasions wanting pieces to style for a celebrity in a music video. 

Pieces would get made in a day. Much more recently I was sitting at my desk and asked if I were free Monday. Fast forward the weekend and there I am in a totally surreal hotel room disco ball, Jacuzzi, Champagne, the kind of room you would only dream of staying the night in- a photo shoot taking place with various bottle blondes pieces amongst other designers and collections. 

I got to film which is what after this year out I have fully decided I want to do, but more on that later.

 At Bottle Blonde I was the Web/Social Media intern. So I took care of the website, the Instagram/story, Twitter, Facebook page, Pinterest, I made promotional videos for the brand, photographed product shots, lookbook shots, filmed behind the scenes, helped style the shoots, I've made jewellery for the styling, god I even forgot I customised 6 pairs of shoes for a fashion show back in October. I got breathless just writing that list.

I am so thankful and grateful to have been given the opportunity to do all of that.

 At the beginning of this year out I had my heart set on London much as everyone around me knew. I wrote a post back here taking about all the reasons why I chose not to go so I won't go back into all of that. 

However I still very much have my heart set on London after university, perhaps to live there or commute is what I am aiming for.

 I got a lot of time this year to go down to London; at least 6 times I did and I still feel like I learnt so much and got to know the way of London life a bit more from those times. 

 Not getting to go to live for the year, at the time felt like a massive hit in the stomach but I knew in myself that it was the right thing.

Doing it the way I have has worked out perfectly because in all honesty I highly doubt I would have got the opportunity to do all of this at a bigger brand. I doubt they would of even let me on their website let alone, manage the whole website, run free reign over the layout, upload my own photos and videos.

To begin with it took a few weeks to settle into the office and the whole way of working. But to be honest from day one I felt like an actual grown up having a job doing something I love on a daily basis.

The year out at an internship really gives that feeling of life after university, you have to firstly find a internship alone, much like you would you were looking for a job and then you live a daily life working and living as though you really had a full time job.

 The year out we were told gives you independence, you grow up, learn new skills, become a professional and gain confidence and man have I gained confidence. 

I mean you don't spend every working day surrounded by tinsel jackets and not be affected by that. Joking aside my friends and my family have noticed a difference in me I would say that even you guys reading would agree. From the confidence in my writing to the stance in the which I have my photos taken now. My confidence and just believing in myself really shows through- well I hope. 

I'm sure reading this you all want to hear about the things that I've been up to over this year besides the basic duties of my internship. The whole experience and things I've done. 

 Like mentioned at the beginning a few weeks were spent settling in but even then I began in mid festival/summer season. So things were mega busy. 

I helped here and there with whatever I could just to keep orders flowing in and out. I had my second photo shoot with Bottle Blonde, the first I filmed during the summer.

 So for the second one I knew the drill and this time I got to work doing the videography (Behind The Scenes)

 One of my favourite things about doing a photoshoot is seeing the pieces come to life after just seeing them being made and on a hanger, on a person they take on a whole new lease of life. 

The beginning of October our first event came in the form of a fashion show. 7 outfits were made entirely by scratch with most of the accessories made or customised by me with the help of other interns. 

The whole thing was crazy and so fast paced- it came around so quickly! Blood, sweat and tears were shed- not just as a saying I must add. But it placed Bottle Blonde 2nd place runner up in the midlands fashion awards. I think at the moment we all felt a sigh of relief and we all shed a little tear. 

 Clothes Show came next and that too was hard work in the lead up to it I helped make packaging, printed tshirts, made thousands of chokers and worked on the stand on the day. 

 During November we shot new pieces for the new collection this time instead I got a huge amount of responsibility getting to make and set up the whole backdrop and theme of the shoot to then photographing the full collection. 

Straight after Clothes Show came Christmas orders and exciting new sequined pieces. 

I had to take the opportunity to make a NYE lookbook which you can find here. 

 Right before the year come to a close we had a really fun photoshoot in a Bowling Alley- again I worked on the videography and produced a video I'm really proud of you can find it here.

 The beginning of 2017 was slow but that then gave me a lot of free time I attended London quite a bit in that time. February I attended London Fashion Week Festival and then some blogging events one being a really good chance to network and to pick up a lot of tips to take back to my own blog.

As my time draws to a close at Bottle Blonde, over the past month or two i've been on more location shoots one we shot with an amazing model all around London, from this I put together what I think is probably the best video I've put together yet (I'd show you where you could see it but we are still waiting on the photos so unfortunately I can't share)

 The whole day was absolutely crazy and so bizarre- a few times that day I had to shake my head just to make sure it was actually happening.

 I never thought I'd be filming a model have a photo shoot on a busy tube line in London. I have worked with some incredible creatives and been able to learn too from the work they do too. 

 On the most recent shoot I did (which I mentioned at the beginning) That was too another opportunity I got to film another video. 

Looking back on my year out, I feel I have been incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to do what I have been doing. Very lucky in being able to be a part of a wonderful business that is Bottle Blonde create memories and make friends. I've laughed so much, and cried at times. At the business we'd all admit the last year has been a huge roller coaster, even more so for the actual Girl Boss of BB. 

I've had some incredible experiences ones I never expected to have. Its been busy and incredibly tiring, but I feel ready and confident to go into 3rd year with my head held high ready to take on whatever the year has to throw at me and final year I know that is going to be a lot.

Now thats a scary thought, but not quiet as scary as it would have been if I hadn't of done this year out.. but still VERY scary. 

Still I have to tell myself if I could do all of that, I can do so much more.

Until next time, take care beauts! 

T-shirt: New Look, Jacket: Bottle Blonde, Shoes: Primark

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