The Streetfashion MagZZine team is following her already for a while on Intsagram and then we decided to ask her for an interview about her blog. Today we like to introduce you blogger Janette, based in Germany's city Dresden. Read more about Janette in our interview with her and check out her blog "La femme Jannel" |
Janette, can you please tell our readers about yourself and your blog?
I live in Dresden together with my family and my cat. I love being out in nature and try to do sports on a regular basis to clear my head. I have a weakness for coffee and chocolate – without a coffee in the morning I do not feel complete. I love white flowers and plants, especially hydrangeasand magnolias.
I blog as ‘Jannel’ because I love how the sound of the word reminds me of ‘Chanel’. For more than a year now, I have been writing about fashion, colour types and style. I want to help women, first and foremost mothers, to fill their closets with pieces that are tailored to their needs and their individual style and, of course, no closet would be complete without a few must-have items.
What was the most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?
Three months after I had started blogging, I was hacked, and I had to start again from scratch. I even considered giving up blogging but decided not to let myself be discouraged by a set-back and to continue. Since then, I do a daily back-up which I would recommend any blogger.
Can you name some of your favourite bloggers and explain why they are your favourites?
I would definitely name Sofie Valkiers one of my favourite bloggers. Her book, ‘Little Black Book’, was the first book I ever read about bloggers and it motivated me to start blogging myself.
Also, you should not miss out on Garance Doré. I like at which ease she talks about the world of fashion, lifestyle and beauty. She connects her naturalness with elegance and nonchalance. Her articles are meaningful, she stays true to herself and does not usually dress in exaggerating high fashion. She is simply authentic. I really like her style.
What inspired you to start your blog? I am a mom of two myself and after my first child was born, I found myself caught in the middle between being a mother or a woman. I was insecure and torn between the two roles and my self-worth had suffered. I no longer wanted to be ‘just a mom’ but also be a stylish woman again. I started reading a lot about fashion and theory of colours and I trained to be a colour and style consultant with a focus on psycho-physiognomy. This describes the ability to read a person’s characteristics from their facial expressions. I believe this plays an important role in colour and style consultancy. Eventually, I started blogging about it. I want to show my readers, who are in a similar situation as I have been, how much is possible when being a mom and that it is entirely normal to need some time to rediscover and find yourself again, also physically. We, as mom’s, should be proud of ourselves because we do such a great job for our children every day! How do you motivate yourself to keep the blog up and running? The feedback of my readers and fellow mom’s, who feel just like I have felt at the time and stared believing in themselves again, is all I need to keep going. I would have been so happy, had someone helped me back then to feel more confident and stylish again. It is incredibly satisfying to feel balanced and in harmony with yourself and your body and to have found your very own style and represent it without any self-doubt. Can you tell me about few sources from where you get products for review on your site? I buy products and clothes that I like and that I want to present. In the future where do you hope your blog will take you? I would love to advise many women and share their stories and successes on my blog. I want to show others how important it is not to hide, no matter what fears or size you have. I want to accompany women on their way to finding their own, personal style. |
Do you have any specific goals for the rest of this year?
Oh yes! I want to transform many invisible mom’s into stylish women. Other than that, I have to learn a lot about WordPress and marketing.
Did you have any professional help or have you created the blog yourself?
Yes, I did. Without a good friend, I would still be lost at how to install WordPress.
How much time do you spend blogging?
I spend about 40 hours a month working on my blog. It depends on the topic I write about. When I get a client request for a makeover, this usually includes buying clothes together online or physically. Add a fitting, a photo shoot and the writing, and it can add up to even more time spent. I love seeing my ladies radiate after a makeover because they view themselves in a different way and, right away, feel taller and more confident. This is a satisfying feeling for me which I would not want to miss.
Would you encourage other people to make own their blog?
Yes, I would recommend others to start their own blog. It would be a pity, if bloggers did not exist. We profit from their expertise and their courage to share things or stories which, otherwise, we never would have had the chance to see or try. Besides that, blogger can easily and quickly reach a large amount of people from all kinds of different backgrounds.
Is blogging your profession or just a hobby? Blogging is my hobby. It is a big one, but it is my way to a good work-life balance. It fulfils me and thus has become one of my higher priorities. Who was your first style icon? Coco Chanel – we owe it to her that we get to wear the ‘little black dress’. How would you describe your personal style and is there a person who is a fashion and beauty inspiration to you? I would describe my style as nonchalant chic with a feminine touch. I like comfortable clothes but they still need to be stylish. As a mom, I like spending time on playgrounds but I would be out of place in high heels. A person who inspires me is Garance Doré. She is a woman emitting naturalness, femininity and elegance. Really inspiring for me. |
Who takes the majority of your photos?
Women and men equally while most of the women are moms themselves.
What would you say that is the biggest challenge about fashion and beauty blogging? The biggest challenge is to distinguish yourself from other fashion and beauty bloggers. The blogging industry has grown and by using social media as Instagram for instance, it has become easy to present yourself and your brand. Also, you have to keep up with all the latest trends and, as a beauty blogger, you have to know and educate yourself about all kinds of products. Newcomers should first and foremost be authentic. Everyone should tell their own story and not someone else’s. What would you say that is the greatest satisfaction of being a fashion and beauty blogger? (Invitations to fashion events, interaction with people, gifts, etc.) I am always touched by the interactions and the feedback I receive from women who read my blog and can identify themselves with it. Moments like these make me incredibly happy and show me that my work is being appreciated. |
I have never been invited to a fashion event but would love to go one day.