Quality content creation takes time, effort and money, says Namrata of My Closet Diary

Namrata shares what's behind the doors of her closet and what's scribbled on the pages of her diary.

A 90s pre-internet era kid, who loved getting dressed up like most girls, didn't know that one day she would wake up to see that My Closet Diary has been featured by Feedspot as one of India’s Top 100 Fashion Bloggers.

"How can my blog post help others?", is a question she frequently asks and she is at ease with both street fashion and high-end brands. Namrata shares more in the interview with Social Samosa.

Looking back, where did it all begin? 

As they say, the seeds were sown much earlier than the first bloom.

Growing up, like most of the girls, I loved getting dressed up. I mean as a 10-year-old, my clothes were coordinated with footwear and accessories. To me, that was quite something for a 90s pre-internet era kid from a small town.

I did pass on this Gyan to my friends as well, right from looking your casual best on your first date to even selecting wedding lehengas. You could have called me as the friendly neighbourhood fashion agony aunt!

In adult life, I did everything expected in India - got an engineering and a management degree, worked at an MNC. Somewhere I was aching to go back to my true self and maybe dive into the fashion world full time. It took courage and a lot of support from the husband and friends to make the switch and lo, here I am!

What's in the name? 

When I had to pick a name, I was very clear that I was not going to invest from scratch to be in the field of fashion blogging. I wanted to showcase how I built my closet and the story behind all my classic to trendy pieces.

It was essentially a platform for me to jot down the looks I create, so I chose the name My Closet Diary. 

What is your USP in this cluttered space? How does your content give you an edge?

I am a girl who’s equally at ease with street fashion and high-end brands. When I became a blogger my intentions were pretty clear. 

I believe in helping fashion enthusiast girls with pocket-friendly fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Also, I am a big advocate of reusing and recycling outfits in multiple ways and recommending styling tips. 

Please take us through your content creation process. How do you stay relevant and relatable?

I think my content creation is quite random as slowly I have included beauty, fitness, travel, and lifestyle. 

The thumb rule I always stick to is asking myself before everything else, ” How can my blog post help others?” I start with questions what, were, how, why, etc and answers to those lead me to points for my blog. Even on my social media platform, I try to share a lot what is relevant and has some helpful tips in it. 

How do you make moolah with your efforts?

Frankly, unlike a lot of bloggers who say it was never for money, I have always been focused and wanted to make some decent money. Quality content creation takes time, effort and money.

I strongly believe that I could not have successfully juggled a full-time job along with the responsibility of creating quality content for my readers/followers. 

Apart from creating my own content, I collaborate with a handful of brands in a month which are related to my interest and genre. 

The income isn’t certain as every brand and PR Agency’s payment structure is different plus I might not be lucky to get the same number of collaborations every month. Honestly, it’s not enough! 

How do you maintain editorial objectivity with the influx of brand briefs?

I love to maintain a real aesthetic and not making it look too artificial. Being cheerful and smiling always is my USP so I do not give a strong and bold pose. To match it with brands objective, I always agree on collaborations which matches my interest too. 

Also Read: Interview: I like challenging the usual notions: Sonal Agrawal, Pink Peppercorn

One instance/experience that made it all worthwhile

It had been just four months into my blogging career and I woke up one fine day with an email announcing that I had been featured in Feedspot as one of India’s Top 100 Fashion Bloggers. 

Currently, I rank at 18 which I strongly believe is not bad where there are many bloggers out there with much more experience than me. 

Weirdest brand brief/request ever

Brands asking me to travel on my own cost and feature them for free. I mean there is nothing wrong in doing it if I love that brand. I create a lot of my own content but I cannot work for free. I feel sad when bloggers/influencers are treated this way. 

If not blogging, you would be?

I always wanted to be a model. But I am quite happy with where I am now and I think if the market allows me to earn a sustainable amount I would never quit blogging. 

A day in your life...

Sipping a hot green tea cuppa, cooking a healthy meal, shoots, writeups, workout, family, friends and a lot of calls.

Message/tips for upcoming bloggers

Be authentic, be real. Try to stick to your niche and most importantly don’t do it just because everyone else is doing it.

Blogging should always come from within and don’t be afraid of writing what you feel. Also, its highly competitive world right now but don’t be too harsh on yourself. Just believe in yourself and keep creating good content. Your hard work will surely pay-off. 

Your Favorite Influencer

I love the kind of content created by Sejal Kumar and Akansha Redhu. Both are always real and do not hesitate to show their authentic lifestyle. They always inspired me to stick to the person who I have always been. 

The Future you foresee for your Personal Brand

Fashion for me is my lifestyle and I always believe in effortless styling. I would love to start my own label of outfits with chic and timeless pieces.