Wendy H Gilmour, 33, is a Fashion and Travel Blogger at ThankFifi.
I instantly fell in love with Wendy’s blog after finding her on Instagram some years ago; her fashion posts feature her adorable dog, Mr K so – of course – I was sold on ThankFifi instantly. Another doggy person who loves fashion? Surely a kindred spirit! As well as having two very photogenic pups, Wendy is the stuff style bloggers are made of; gorgeous, great hair with the best legs ever! Her style is contemporary yet timeless, a personal fusion of her love for great, wearable basics (she is a huge fan of the Breton stripe) with unique pieces from non mainstream brands. As well as Mr K (and now his baby brother Tux), I continually return to ThankFifi not only for interesting and never predictable personal style posts, but because Wendy’s work ethos, professionalism and creativity are inspiring to me as a fellow lifestyle blogger. That, plus I need a daily fix of my girl crush on Instagram…
Where are you from?
Kilmacolm, a lovely sleepy village half an hour from Glasgow… seemed like the most uneventful place to grow up but now I really appreciate how beautiful it is (must be getting old!).
Where do you live?
Just by Kelvingrove Park in Finnieston, Glasgow.
What did you want to be when growing up?
A vet or an artist with five dogs. I have a degree in painting from Glasgow School of Art and two dogs… so maybe I’m on the way!
What does your job involve?
Wow, it’s a huge variety of different things and that makes it exciting. First of all, styling outfits and creating good stories and images for blog posts. Social media (Instagram all day every day!). Endless emails, travel and meetings. I wouldn’t change it for the world.
What does your average working day look like?
Up at 07:30 to check emails (a very bad habit I’m trying to break). A 30 minute workout followed by a dog walk and then I sit down to emails and phone meetings and editing images for blog posts. Usually I try to shoot my images at the weekend when the husband is available and then spend weekdays working on content or travelling to London for meetings.
Best thing about your work?
Complete creative freedom.
Worst thing about your work?
My overflowing inbox!
Desk essentials?
Decaf earl grey tea. I usually store my newest pieces by my desk also – this way I remember that I still need to shoot those for the blog or social. Chocolate on Friday.
What has been your career highlight so far?
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to London and New York fashion weeks which has been incredible but, honestly, the brands I work with is an absolute highlight for me. I choose campaigns and brands really carefully to make sure we are the perfect fit for one another and it is really such a pleasure to be in a position where I can work with, and create fun content on my own terms, for brands I genuinely love.
How have things changed since you started out?
For me personally, there are a lot more meetings and a lot more travel but fortunately that’s one of the things I love about my job. I have been working with a really wonderful agency in New York for the past two years which really helps on a professional level and takes a little pressure off the dreaded inbox… On a bigger scale, I think a bit of a shift is coming – brands are opening up to the idea that bloggers and influencers could be a more effective way to market and that’s an exciting time to be a part of!
Who or what is your inspiration/motivation?
My motivation is my passion for what I do. Inspiration really comes from everywhere – other bloggers, Instagram, brands. Gary Pepper Girl’s photography and level of creative editorial always blows my mind…
Best piece of professional advice you’ve received?
It’s nice to be nice.
Top tip for getting into the industry?
Work hard. Connect with as many people as possible and work on building those relationships – especially being based in Glasgow, we have to work twice as hard to make sure we stay at the forefront of minds when those minds are often in London.
Quick-fire Round
Paper or Digital: Paper
Tea or Coffee: Tea
Heels or Flats: Heels
Save or Spend: Save
Day or Night: Day
Beach or Snow: Oooh tough one… both. Two holidays minimum a year please!
Phone or Email: Email
Dogs or Cats: Dogs of course
Sweet or Savoury: Sweet
Champagne or Cocktails: Cocktails – a gin bramble please!
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