Belleboss Series : Anoushka Probyn

THE FOURTY-FIRST INSTALMENT

OF THE BELLEBOSS SERIES

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I hoped that with this series, I would find a way to appreciate the incredible South Asian women of our generation, who are breaking boundaries and paving new paths for themselves. Moreover, I would like you to take a little bit of your time to realize how incredible the women around you are.

Especially if you are a woman! I know that at least one woman’s story in my #BelleBoss series will inspire you to follow your dreams, your vision and most importantly your heart. Even if that means breaking a few rules and many societal prejudices along the way.

Could you give us an introduction to yourself?

I’m Anoushka Probyn, 25 years old and a full-time social media content creator, blogger and influencer born and bred in London. I run my eponymous travel and London blog anoushkaprobyn.com and Instagram account @anoushkalila, which is a mix of fashion and travel. I’m half Indian and half English, both of which cultures influenced my upbringing and I think can even be seen in my content today.

My love of colour, sparkle and maximalism is from my Indian side, but my dry humour is definitely British!

What inspired you to start blogging and create your website?

I grew up aspiring to be a Fashion Editor at Vogue, but as I reached my late teens the fashion industry was very volatile, with print and traditional media struggling while digital content and fashion bloggers became increasingly prevalent. I started my blog in my first year of University, studying Fashion Criticism at London College of Fashion.

So much of what we were learning was geared to breaking into an industry that was already feeling outdated, so I started documenting my personal style as an aside. When I finished University the industry had become so established and the focus had moved to Instagram.

As someone who grew up consuming fashion packaged by a small elite, Instagram offered a platform to be a part of the conversation, and create my own content in a democratic environment.

What inspired you to start freelance social media creation?

After university, I started working for a jewellery brand as a freelance social media manager and completely loved the job.

Coming up with shoot concepts, working on campaigns, and shooting and executing content was so much fun, and what I’d always wanted to do – just that instead of the pages of a magazine, the final result is published on Instagram.

I was only in the role for a couple of months before taking my Instagram full-time, but I still occasionally create content for brand use with some of the companies I work with regularly. It allows more freedom than creating content for my own channel, as I don’t have to worry about sticking to my theme and can play around with different briefs and brand styles.

What has been your greatest challenge as your blog and online presence has grown and what do you believe has been your biggest milestone?

The greatest challenge I suspect almost universally amongst the blogger and influencer industries is the struggle to be taken seriously.

There’s still this conception that if you’re a digital influencer that means you post a bunch of heavily face-tuned selfies promoting teeth-whitening and skinny teas.

People outside of the industry often don’t realise how varied it really is, and how much more goes into it.

Yes it seems glamorous, and it can be, but it’s also a lot of work! It’s hard to pinpoint one milestone in my journey – realizing I could sustain myself full-time was huge, and just recently I ordered my first designer purchase.

It sounds vapid but it meant a lot to me to be able to buy something that I felt I’d earned and deserved, and not have to worry about it breaking the bank!

What are your tips to creating a consistent Instagram feed and how do you stay inspired to create new content?

The most important factor for feed consistency is generally editing style – I edit my photos roughly the same way to ensure the colours and brightness are consistent throughout. A lot of strong accounts might feature images with certain colour palettes – for example, some accounts choose to utilize brown/sepia tones for a muted, nostalgic feel, whilst others will be light, bright and pastel. It’s important to edit down.

I love just have never made the cut because they don’t fit my feed for whatever reason. People will follow you for the overall effect of your feed, so it should not be underestimated!

It can be tough to constantly find new inspiration, especially with content like mine which is so location-based. I find whenever I travel it really renews my creativity – seeing different sights and new locations definitely inspires me to shoot, and so often holidays become work trips!

I love it though – my boyfriend is less keen when I’m dragging him out of bed for 6am shoots!

What is the best piece of advice you have received during your blogger journey?

The best piece of advice I have received is not to worry about what other people are thinking or doing, and focus on my own journey.

It’s so easy to get caught up in comparison with others as it is such a competitive industry, as well as worrying about the opinions of people who are irrelevant.

Beyond work what do you love to do in your free time and how do you balance the two especially when travelling?

Honestly, it’s hard to balance my free time as my hobbies have essentially become my job – particularly while travelling I’m always creating content, it’s difficult to switch off! I try not to work on weekends and keep them for friends and family.

My favourite way to spend time is with my boyfriend binging a box set over takeout, a picnic in the park, or exploring our local area of Walthamstow, which has some great bars and eateries.

You travel a lot for your blog. What has been your favourite place to travel and any packing tips for bloggers?

I have so many places I’ve loved, it would be hard to pick just one!

I always return to Italy for the food, and I loved Portugal on a recent trip for content – the tiles everywhere are so stunning! In terms of packing, I have a list I use every time I’m travelling with all the things I could possibly need, which means I very rarely forget anything.

You have made a fabulous guide to finding the best insta worthy photo locations in London. What has been your process to find new locations for your blog?

I’m constantly exploring London-based hashtags such as #PrettyCityLondon to find new locations to shoot, as well as keeping an eye on accounts which I know do regular Instagrammable displays.

I shoot on very tight schedules and I like to make sure my outfit matches a location, so I always like to know where I’m shooting in advance rather than winging it and hoping to find something.

In five years time , where do you hope to see yourself?

In my New York penthouse with five dogs and a handsome husband! No, while that would be nice, I think I’d love to see myself fully establishing myself within the world of travel (I do travel now but the majority of my paid work is fashion), and continuing to grow my content offering.

Click here https://www.anoushkaprobyn.com/best-places-instagram-london/ to read Anoushka’s blog post on best instagram places in London

To visit her instagram page click here https://instagram.com/anoushkalila?igshid=1nbg88hbf5uo7