My Week Living The Dream - Part 4

This is the final part of a larger series of four blog posts about 'My Week Living the Dream' - don't forget to check out Part 1 , Part 2 and Part 3

Just as I thought the fashion assignments for Onya magazine couldn't get any better, I found myself waiting in the lobby of the Park Hyatt for the High Fashion High Tea event presented by Fashionista's Australia (Emily Power) as part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. It was absolutely surreal. I was sat on Table 1 - the official media table - surrounded by extremely stylish women (and a few men!) about to have afternoon tea at one of Melbourne's most luxurious hotels. Pinch me!

Although I was doing it stag this time, it was a glorious afternoon. I was sat alongside many fashion bloggers who I admire, including Phoebe Montague of Lady Melbourne, Sarah Willcocks of Style Melbourne and met some new ones that I quickly became fans of, including Cecylia. There were finger sandwiches, tarts, cakes and scones galore - as well as a catwalk show, shopping avenue and amazing goodie bags. Watch out for my full review, to appear on Onya Magazine very soon....

That concludes my week living the dream! It's been absolutely amazing and has made me even more determined than ever to work hard and be successful in I believe is the most interesting and exciting career paths I could possibly have chosen.

Brittany x

My Week Living The Dream - Part 3

The fashion fun for Onya Magazine continued on Thursday night, this time at the VIP launch of The Wardrobe Weekender, a highlight of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival's cultural program.

This time I had my mum by my side as my +1 and we had a lovely evening. The basic philosophy of the event, organised by Lala productions and The Clothing Exchange, is a simple 'swap-shop' format. Everyone brings clothes they no longer wear to swap with others. I was a bit confused and ever so slight weirded out by the idea at first, not being a particular lover of second hand clothes, but after attending I can honestly say I'm a changed woman (limitations and exclusions apply!). I got myself two new (to me) items of clothing that i can't wait to wear and cleared out things in my wardrobe that were taking up unnecessary space. Not only that, there were also stalls of local boutiques and designers offering fantastic one-night only discounts, a complimentary glass of bubbly and vintage frocks for hire! Check out my review and please keep an eye out for any similar events coming to a town near you - can't recommend them highly enough!

1. My outfit for the evening. Recognise those trousers!? 2. Vintage clothes for hire 3. Mum and I went for dinner afterwards and had what I reckon is the best pizza outside Italy. Maybe even in Italy as well. The place is called +39 on Little Bourke Street. Thin bases, delicious tomato base and the speediest service i've had in a long time!

Firstly, I'm so grateful that i'm able to be getting experience in the industry by writing things for Onya as a contributor. I'm also hearing about and attending events that i would never have heard of otherwise - and hopefully by writing about it, am doing the same for you! I would really love a career in fashion journalism, so to be attending the events i'm attending and getting the opportunities i currently am is absolutely a dream come true.

My Week Living The Dream - Part 2

This is the second part of a larger series of blog posts entitled 'My Week Living The Dream' - don't forget to check out Part 1

This week I was given a number of fashion events to cover for online magazine, Onya. The adventure continues on...

Wednesday

Today was the first of three events I was assigned by my lovely editor Sandi Seiger at Onya Magazine. The event in question was the opening of a new 'family store' called The Woodsfolk in Hawthorn. It was a lovely evening - the shop looked fantastic, decorated with fairy lights and full of quirky items such as toadstool shaped lamps, pom-pom rugs and wine-bottled shaped candles. My auntie visiting from Canada was my +1 for the evening and together we enjoyed the delicious food on offer (my personal favourite being the homemade chocolate brownies and mini chic tops!). You can check out my full review on Onya Magazine.

I believe they were also visited by the contestants from the latest series of Nine's 'The Block' - which isn't much of a surprise given how lovely their stuff is! Watch out for the show later this year to see them featured.

Keep reading for Parts 3 & 4!

My Week Living the Dream - Part 1

Studying journalism at university so far has been an amazing and interesting experience, yet i've still had those moments where i've woken up in a blind panic thinking to myself 'Is this really what I want to do? Do I really have what it takes to make it in such a competitive industry?"

If I ever needed anything to persuade me otherwise, to spur me on and motivate me to work as hard as I possible can to achieve this goal, it would have been the past week. Quite frankly I've been living the dream - served a taster of just exactly what a life and career as a journalist/writer/full-time fashion lover could be like.

It started, as most weeks do on a...

Monday

I'm currently a Monday host of a live-to air youth music program called 1700 which airs on Ch31 (digital 44). Every day, from 5-6pm we give you the best clips, interviews and news about what's happening in the local Melbourne music scene. 1700 also covers most of the major festivals throughout the year, which is why I was luckily enough to find myself at Pushover Festival with an 'Access All Areas' pass hung around my neck.

Pushover is an all ages, typically heavier-style music festival which this year celebrated it's 21st birthday. Stationed in the media room directly underneath the main stage, 1700 had seven bands to chat to, four of which I would be doing! Having already got one season of TV interviewing on my belt I felt that I could, at the very least, open my mouth and get a few questions out without completely embarrassing myself. However on the show you're never really alone - always conducting interviews with your co-host. Now, it was just up to me to fill up to 10 minutes of interviewing.

 Despite my initial reservations I got through it and got to chat with the hugely talented Velociraptor, Tully on Tully, Millions and Northeast Party House. It was such an interesting, fun (and tiring!) day and was nice to see all the behind-the-scenes action going on that you miss as a regular festival-goer.

2013

So I thought it would be fitting for my first post of 2013 to be a kind of update/insight into what I am currently doing media/journalistically!

As any university student would gleefully be aware - uni holidays are pretty great. Close to four months of endless summer with nothing to do except enjoy yourself. And work to pay off student loans. And if you are a journalism student - cram full with as much experience as you can get!

I've been extremely lucky with my course in that i've been able to hear about loads of great opportunities in all mediums - radio, TV and online, which I did throughout the semester.

So things I've been up to recently...

1. I wrote a book! (kind of)

With summer holidays stretching out ahead of me like a never ending road, I thought it might be a wise idea to do something productive in that time.

A friend, Broede, approached me a few weeks in, asking if i'd be interested in pitching for the role of Editor with him for our university's O-Book. It's basically a book produced by the Student Union and funded by SSAF that is jam packed full of all the information new students could possibly need, from how to renew library books, survive the timetabling system, places to eat and drink and how not to have sex in student accommodation (or at least that's what we put in!)

In a team of three (Broede and I and the hugely talented advertising student Alia) went for our interview, knees knocking - and we got it! What followed was an incredible two months, where we followed the project from conception - coming up with content ideas and themes, lots of writing, stress, designing, editing and tweaking, to finally sending it off to the printers. The final copy is to be delivered tomorrow and I am so unbelievably excited to see it! I think it will be so fantastic to see something in the flesh, given the blood, sweat and tears that went in to making it.

2. The Smitten Guide

For a good half of last year I was involved in the arts and culture show Artsmitten on SYN 90.7FM, producing 'The Smitten Guide' - a weekly arts guide to Melbourne, giving you something to do every day of the week. It was a great way to develop and polish some radio recording skills as well as giving me lots of great things to do in my spare time. The EP approached me this year asking me if i'd like to continue doing it - and I said yes!

To hear The Smitten Guide, tune into 90.7fm from 4pm every Sunday, stream it live from http://syn.org.au/ or visit https://www.facebook.com/artsmitten

3. 1700

Also last year, I heard about auditions being held for the ch 31 youth-produced live music show 1700, and thinking I had nothing to lose, applied. I was chuffed to be called for an audition, close to wetting myself with nerves when i got there and absolutely speechless when I found out I'd been successful! It was an amazing twelve weeks - interviewing bands, coming up with original, entertaining, music-related content, writing music news and discovering some incredible local musical talent! (I suppose it didn't hurt that i was partnered with the best co-host ((Sam)) and crew and producer!)

With the first season of 2013 ahead, more auditions were held, and having had such an incredible time last year, I was really keen to keep on with it. I was so much more relaxed this time, having been through the process before (although the pressure was on to get it again!)

1700 Halloween special, last season!

The TV gods were smiling on me though, and you'll soon be able to see me on Monday from 5pm on Ch 31 (digital 44)


4. ONYA Magazine

ONYA magazine is a fantastic online magazine about all things Australian - whether it be politics, fashion, beauty, arts or culture. I was lucking enough to meet the editor, Sandi Seiger, at a Maggie Alderson book talk at the bookshop I used to work at. I asked a question about how to get experience, and Sandi introduced herself to me at the end of the talk, gave me her card and said to give her a call! I've been extremely lucky to have been given a few assignments for ONYA, including my review of the Sydney Dance Company's production '2 One Another' as well as a few other personal pieces. Check out my latest piece, an interview with the lovely and talented illustrator Emma Leonard, published yesterday!


That's pretty much a round-up of all the media related things i've been up to - I'm hoping to sort out maybe an internship sometime this year - so wish me luck with all the applications!

If you've been up to anything exciting this summer, let me know in the comments below!

Somewhere between the fourth and fifth estate - there's the BRIT ESTATE

As a Journalism student, keeping absolutely up-to-date with what is happening in the Media is essential.   It's a diverse and exciting industry that is getting turned completely on it's head - forced to confront the changing ways of consuming media and new obstacles technological advancements are throwing its way. The Brit Estate, is a blog which is focused on media and journalism. Here you'll find not only comments/ideas/opinions on events and news related to the industry, but also on a more personal level, the occasional diary blog post about my experiences studying the profession. I hope you'll find it interesting to follow me from studying to (hopefully!) practising - no doubt there will be moments of jubilation and complete despair (why am i putting myself through this!?) - but sit back in your chair, have a read and enjoy the journey with me.