Stephanie English
Rachel Lawler is a Scottish fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger who is taking the local blogging world by storm. She has worked as a
marketing executive, style editor, personal shopper and is currently 
a features writer at the Scottish Weddings Directory. Her blog ‘Tender Loving Style’ conveys her effortless chic style while
giving tips to the everyday Scottish girl about the best high street buys of the moment and what to wear on a dreary Glasgow day. She understands the fashion limits of most girls, thus her outfit posts are never unattainable; they are made to teach us all that it is not too difficult to look and feel good in our clothes and that we should embrace our inner style. I jump for joy whenever I see another Tender Loving Style post on my Instagram feed – time for some more inspiration!
Not only is Rachel one of Scotland’s fashion gurus of the moment, she is a former pupil of St. Andrews and St. Brides High School, graduating with a degree in Fashion Business from university a few years ago. I caught up with her to ask some of the questions I have been dying to know the answers to:
What made you so interested in fashion?
I’ve always had an interest in fashion for as long as I can remember. Even when I was really young, I would spend hours perfecting my Barbie’s outfits, sketching my own designs and I loved shopping from about the age of 4! I love that you can dress for your mood, how the trends chan
ge and the different seasons influencing how we dress. I come from a family of fashion lovers too, I always joke that I inherited a shopping gene!
When did you decide that fashion was a career path for you? What did you study at university and did you enjoy it?
I always loved fashion, but never knew how to get into it as a career. If I’m honest, I didn’t even think it would be an option. I took Art and Design at Higher then Advanced Higher and thought Art School would be my next step. I went to the Glasgow School of Art open day and felt panicked as I knew it wasn’t for me. It was actually on the way home from that open day when someone in my class by chance mentioned the Fashion Business course at Glasgow Caledonian University. I got home, looked it up online and knew straight away it sounded perfect for me. I got a conditional offer and worked so hard in 6th year to make sure I got my place, I was so nervous waiting for my results! The course gave a great insight into the business of fashion as well as pattern cutting and actually making garments. Admittedly, I think the Fashion Marketing course may have been slightly better suited to me in hindsight as sewing and dressmaking is not my strong point, but it gave me a really good understanding of how garments are actually constructed which is really helpful when dressing someone. It was through GCU that I got my first internship with Scottish Fashion Awards. I was studying, interning and working part time in Zara which was tiring, but I loved the excitement of it all! I graduated with a BA Honours and went straight into a job as a PR and Event Producer with Hartmann Media/Scottish Fashion Awards so all the hard work really did pay off!
Do you think that the Scottish fashion industry is rising?
Absolutely, I think the Scottish fashion scene is constantly getting stronger and stronger. A big part of that is down to social media and online awareness I think, it has given all creative industries a real boost in getting their name out there and sharing what their brand is all about. I love young Scottish designers like Hayley Scanlan, her collections just gets better and better each season. You can also see how strong the Scottish market is for massive brands like Emporio Armani and Massimo Dutti who have both opened amazing new stores in Glasgow this year. It just goes to show how powerful the Scottish fashion industry is.
I am a massive fan of your blog, was it always something you wanted to do?
Thank you! It’s something I thought about for a good while before I built up the courage to do it. I first really got into reading other people’s blogs in 2012 while I was interning and at university, I found it really inspiring to see how other people put outfits together. It was after I left my job as a fashion PR and Style Editor of a Scottish fashion website that I finally decided to go and do it. It’s been just over a year since I launched Tender Loving Style and I am delighted that people actually read it! I’ve worked with some lovely brands and most importantly met some fab people who I now count as close friends through the blog.
What is your biggest piece of fashion advice?
Money can’t buy style. It doesn’t matter how much you pay for something, it’s how you wear it. I like to look ahead to the next season to see what’s coming in then will shop the sales to see if I can pick up any pieces which could be worked into new season. Also, be yourself. There are so many trends every season, but you need to adapt them to suit your style and wear pieces you feel comfortable in. It sounds clichéd, but if you feel confident in what you’re wearing, that’s really half the battle. I love finding an outfit I feel nice and really ‘me’ in, it can transform your day.
Have you got any tips for prom?
There are so many dress boutiques and literally thousands of dresses, it can be overwhelming! If you’re not sure, I would go and try on some different styles to see what you feel best in. Then, you can look for this fit of dress and find the perfect one. There are so many lovely options online now too, ASOS, Boohoo and Virgo’s Lounge all give amazing choice. For my prom, I chose a blush pink Coast dress with gold accessories, I will be honest and admit it’s probably not what I would choose now, but I’ve actually worn the gold shoes to weddings this year!
Double denim-yes or no?
Ah that’s a hard one! If you’d asked me last year it would be a complete no, but I think it depends on a lot of things; the type and colour of the denim, the garments and what you’re wearing it with. The whole 90s vibes right now makes it easier to get away with it for a more grungy bleached denim look. I also think a pair of nice jeans and an almost matching denim shirt with a long white waistcoat and toned down accessories can look really chic, but it’s a difficult look to get right. I think if you want to try out double denim without looking too blue, a denim shirt and white jeans is a nice balance.
What is your essential wardrobe piece?
My go-to is always a nice blazer or jacket, I have built up quite an excessive collection, but I think it can really pull a look together. A good white blazer is the ultimate saviour to transform even a plain t-shirt and skinny jeans into a stylish outfit. I like to make sure I always have the basics; plain t-shirts, a good pair of jeans, a nice handbag and minimal jewellery is pretty much me.
You can follow Rachel on Instagram here @tenderlovingstyle and remember to check out her amazing blog: http://www.tenderlovingstyle.com/
You must be logged in to post a comment.