Thanks for being a part of QUAKE! How have you been and how’s quarantine treating you?
Thanks for having me! Well, honestly at the start of it all, I was pretty restless and irritated because everything just stopped. Not going to lie, I wasted a bit of time at doing nothing but I changed it around and now i’m using this opportunity to do those things i’ve been wanting to do but claimed to be too busy to start.
I’ve taken up some online courses, workout challenges, tried changing my diet - basically just tried to improve my lifestyle!
I can relate for sure, I definitely started out that way, my motivation and production comes in waves. So to start off, tell us a bit about what you do?
I have a strong liking towards fashion and all things that come with it. I’m incredibly passionate about business as well. I’ve always wanted to combine both these strong suits of mine, and for the time being, Instagram has helped me do this.
So at present, I’d call myself a fashion and lifestyle blogger. I love curating outfits and particular aesthetics while engaging with my audience and getting feedback on the content I’m creating.
How did you get into it?
It actually started out of nothing. I had no intentions of taking it seriously but one day, my insights started to blow up and people started liking what I was randomly putting out.
So let’s say by 2018-19 is when I got serious about it, and began creating consistent content in order to grow.
What has your journey as a blogger been like so far?
Well, it’s been really fun and still is, but it’s had its downs as well. At first, the algorithm was easy to navigate, the growth was faster, but ever since that changed, it’s become a little tougher for small accounts to grow at a consistent rate, which sometimes can get a bit frustrating and demotivating.
For example when you’re really excited about this one picture you took time to curate but when you post it, it just ends up flopping. But then there are the more real problems. Like the local opinions about me. Particularly here in Bangalore, people aren’t accustomed to it.
The term influencer often comes with negative connotations. Tell me about your relationship with this term?
I have a very strong dislike for this term if I’m honest. I once read in an article - India has the most number of influencers with fake followers who rip off brands. With this in mind, it’s common that people just automatically assume that you’re a sell out without giving you a chance. Like “oh, she has so many followers, it must be fake”. Which in turn, just ruins everything you’ve worked so hard to build when you’re ultimately just bunched up with the fakes.
You touched upon this just now, but how exactly is being a young fashion blogger in India, different to what it might be like in other parts of the world?
It’s so different. From what we just talked about, you can imagine how tough it is. It restricts your artistic freedom. People aren’t always open minded about it over here as it sometimes goes against set ideals and traditions of how women are “supposed to be”. So I end up getting a lot of backlash. In the form of perverted comments - a lot of them – and even hate from other girls telling me that i’m just “selling yourself.” You always have to think ten times before you post something slightly risqué. Or even just a strong opinion.
It isn’t all bad though. There are still people who are open minded and accepting of it. And it’s why I continue to do it. Because there are still a good amount of people who will support you and engage the right way!
In the age of technology that we live in now, social media is more powerful than ever. For a lot of people, it means stress, anxiety and insecurity. How do you navigate the world of Instagram?
If I said I don’t bother with it, I’d be lying. I love constructive criticism, I always take it with the best heart. But when I see hate comments, of course it gets to me, because I’m putting something personal out there. It bothers me for a while but then with time, I don’t think about it anymore. It’s not complex. It’s just a matter of learning to ignore.
But the hate comments are quite minimal compared to the perverted DMs and comments. Those really tick me off. Sometimes when it’s extreme, I do react to it, whether it’s coming up with a counter argument that I post online or a personal Dm.
Having a platform as big as yours must come with certain responsibilities. Talk to me a bit about this!
Yes! I can’t stress it enough. I tell myself that, ‘hey if 15k people are going to watch your stories and even more people are looking at your posts, make sure it’s something worthwhile and something which really promotes the idea of YOURSELF.’
I always try to post about real world problems, like climate change or the CAA-NRC act passed in India. If you’re going to be silent about something wrong, you’re siding with the unjust side and I don’t want to be one of those people. If I have any amount of power to do anything, I’ll do it. Something’s better than nothing right?
Also, if you’ve noticed I post a lot about mental health. If I come across boards I like, quotes, stories, motivating words, I post about it right away with the hope it might help someone. I think it’s really important, for me personally because I do suffer from extreme anxiety.
So to conclude, yes having a big platform comes with responsibilities to do the right thing because you have the power to. I don’t like to stick just to the fashion side because there’s a lot more out there to talk about!
How has being a fashion blogger influenced your life in general?
The reason I’m so hooked with Instagram is because it’s the only outlet I have to express and do what I ACTUALLY like. I’ve always wanted to study fashion, communication, media, brand management, basically anything that integrated fashion with business. But unfortunately I didn’t have the right opportunities here, and if there were any, they weren’t all too good.
So yeah, being a blogger has changed my mindset in so many ways. The things I see on Instagram are mostly content and lifestyle from various people in places I’ve always wanted to go to. People in different parts of the world, their mentality, their outlook has certainly influenced me. I’ve diversified my thinking just from being on one app.
With fashion too, I’ve learnt so much about it on this app. It’s really helped give me an eye for what looks good, what would go together, what would make a statement and what aesthetic to build on.
And with lifestyle, I’ve learnt to do things in a very “aesthetically pleasing” way. If that makes sense? What I actually mean is, I’ve tried to instill certain ways of doing things - whether it’s the food I eat, the workout routine I do, the skincare routine, and so on. It helps promote the lifestyle I want to wholly have one day.
And more importantly, when you generate this type of mindset, it helps you stay grounded. At least for me! It helps motivate me, excite me and it just keeps me happy. It gives me a sense of direction and helps me stay mindful.
What would you say to those young people struggling with the impacts of social media?
I’d say, if you’re trying to grow, don’t stop posting! Always post what YOU want but also keep in mind the responsibilities you carry with it. Make sure you’re not hurting someone else, more importantly yourself.
Don’t do it for the likes or followers, do it cause you LOVE it. Because when you create what you love, the rest just falls into place. That’s what I’ve learnt on my journey. Don’t stress too much about the numbers, with time, it will all click!
Until then, keep creating what you adore and want to express.