Good morning CCT readers! Wishing you all a very happy Tuesday! I can’t quite believe that I am saying that! Where has this week gone? I hope that you all had a very enjoyable Easter weekend and got lots of scrumptious eggs!Arriving back in London this morning after being away from the big smoke was quite a shock from the system! However, it is nice to be back in to the swing of things again at Circus!!
Every week on CCT is exciting but this week I am especially excited as I am joined by an individual whose career I extremely admire! Please join me in welcoming Erica Davies who talks fashion, style and her whirlwind journey in the fashion industry!
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I’m a fashion editor who has been in the industry for (whispers) almost 20 years! Yes, I was a BABY when I started!
I was fashion editor for the country’s biggest-selling newspaper, The Sun, for almost a decade and am now senior fashion & beauty editor at the UK’s biggest selling fashion weekly magazine, LOOK. I’m married to James and we have two gorgeous, busy children Charlie, 4 and Lila, 2.
What made you go in to fashion?
I always wanted to be a journalist and fashion was my passion so I merged the two. It’s a billion pound industry and I love the fact that my job allows me to speak to so many people about high street fashion – which the UK does the best, fact!
I am with you on that one! The UK has the best high street fashion and London is such a fantastic place to live for it even if our bank accounts don’t agree! So, you’ve had over 20 years’ experience in the industry – tell us about your journey..
I started off working as a junior on fashion TV shows including Style Challenge and Daily Live, which gave me a great start to learning the ropes.
I did a bit of freelance styling work and was then given a job at The Mirror newspaper as fashion assistant. I stayed there for 3 years before being offered the fashion editor job at The Sun – at 24, I was Fleet Street’s youngest ever fashion editor. It was a whirlwind of fashion trips, news stories, celebrity shoots and TV appearances, but ten years, one husband and two kids later, I left to pursue a freelance career – and write my blog Modern Mum Must-Have. That lasted approximately two weeks before I was offered my job at LOOK Magazine!
WOW just WOW! What a fantastic and exciting career to date you have had! What an accomplishment to be Fleet Street’s youngest EVER fashion editor! You’ve travelled the world working on numerous projects – have you got a favourite?
Yes, I was lucky enough to create my own range for high street store Peacocks. It was an amazing opportunity working with a great team. I also styled two of Trinny & Susannah’s best-selling books, which were hard work but amazing fun! They are a whirlwind – and really interesting, lovely women.
I absolutely loved their programme on tele! I used to always watch it with my Mum as she was a huge fan! Tell us about the projects you’re working on at the moment….
I’ve got loads of amazing things bubbling under with the blog! Every day brings new opportunities and I am really grateful that MMM has struck a chord with people. I only ever wanted it to be a respite from maternity leave number 2 to keep me in the loop with the industry as well as providing my ‘mum’ friends with a magazine of the cool things they were interested in. But it has become a real creative outlet.
I was invited to design a tee shirt for the Children in Need range for Debenhams last year (and my kids were in the photo shoot!) and I am currently the beauty blogger for Beauty Recommended, Proctor & Gamble’s website. This is as well as working 4 days a week for LOOK magazine and racing home for the kid’s bath time! Exciting times!
Erica what a busy lady you are AND you’re a Mum – how has that changed your life?
In every way possible. I simply cannot imagine my life without them. They are amazing!
How do you balance work and children?
You always feel guilty, but I don’t think I’m alone there!! But I don’t work on Fridays and am there every morning when they wake up and every evening before they go to bed. I am a hands-on mum and wouldn’t want it any other way. We have an amazing nanny for 3 days and my husband is daddy day-care on Mondays, so we have a very small unit.
And you’re a fashionable Mummy – What is your secret?
Ha! I’m not sure there is one! I don’t subscribe to the idea you have to leave your style at the door as soon as you’ve given birth. Find your style, be honest, don’t follow trends, find things that suit you, your life and your body.
I completely agree! Once you find your look and what suits you it’s best to stick to it! What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?
Always listen to your gut. This has always served me well.
What are your favourite fashion labels?
I’m a high street girl. I LOVE Cos, Zara and bits of Topshop and Asos. If I had loads of money (and no children!), I would buy Emilia Wickstead, Jonathan Saunders and Christopher Kane every season.
I can’t get enough of Zara and Topshop at the moment! I need to steer clear of them every time I am nearby otherwise it’s a recipe for disaster! Who is your fashion icon and why?
I love Olivia Palermo’s style, for accessories and ability to put it together. I am a big fan of people who take risks and mix it up, so I love street style fashionistas like Mira Duma, Hannali Mustaparta and Yasmin Sewell.
Miss OP is such an icon and her partner’s style is pretty fab too! They are a gorgeous couple! I know you work for LOOK but what magazines do you normally read?
Everything! LOOK magazine is OBVIOUSLY my favourite, but I enjoy Grazia, Red, read Vogue and Elle. I also love interiors magazines, if I wasn’t a fashion editor I would love to be an interiors stylist – as my Pinterest boards will confirm!!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a fashion journalist?
Offer to work for free and make lots of tea for people at magazines you’d love to work for. I did loads of work experience which eventually paid off. I cannot stress the importance of showing enthusiasm, offering to do things above and beyond – and smiling! Be nice! People notice you if you smile and show you really want to be there.
There’s nothing like a happy face to get you through the day! What trends would you recommend for mummies?
For Spring, invest in a bomber jacket – perfect to throw on over a simple tee and boyfriend jeans as well as look up to date. Shoes this season are ALL about the flats – the uglier the better, think flat, Birkenstock styles, slip ons – comfy!! I have seen about 5 pairs I want for the season! You can run around with the kids AND feel as though your feet are singing! Buy slip on trainers ( which are everywhere!) or leather espadrilles for your Converse replacement!
I am all over the bomber jacket trend! They have so many gorgeous prints and styles out to choose from! It’s dangerous! What brands are your favourite for your children?
I am a big fan of Zara Kids for Lila, they have the best tops and dresses. H&M are brilliant for boys, great sweatshirts and their brightly coloured chinos are £5.99 – amazing. Boden skinny jeans in bright colours are also fab. M&S kids get better every season! The shoes this year are amazing. Don’t discount the supermarkets as Tu at Sainsburys have some great bits. They are slightly pricier, but I love Angulus shoes for Lila and Hummell trainers for Charlie.
There’s nothing like mixing pricier items with some of the brands at discount stores! I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that it is so difficult to tell as the garments are made so well!
Thank you so much for joining me today on CCT Erica. It has been lovely talking to you and hearing about your exciting career! If I am able to juggle work and kiddies as well as you can when the time comes I will be one happy lady!!
Also, don’t forget to follow Erica’s fashion tips if you want to be one stylish Mummy! Join me next week on CCT for more chinwagging <3 Kate x
Check out Erica’s Blog HERE.
http://www.modernmummusthave.com/
Images courtesy of Erica Davies.
