#MyBlogLife: Tales Of Jude’s Judith Crawford Talks Confidence & The Art Of Power Dressing

She might be a Northern Irish native, but we reckon Judith Crawford gets mistaken for a local in her adopted home city of Zurich all the time. Ice blonde hair, flawless pale skin – this gal is rocking total Alpine vibes. With a background in occupational psychiatry, Judith knows a thing or two about self-confidence and the power of expressing oneself through fashion, so it’s no surprise that she rocks consistently killer outfits over on her blog, Tales Of Jude. We caught up with her to find out how she made the leap from Instagram to blog, what makes a perfect outfit photo, and, of course, her go-to shops for designer and high street looks.

You’re relatively new to the blogging scene – but you’re not so new to Instagram, right?

I started blogging in March 2016 when I launched my blog, though I’ve been posting daily outfits on Instagram for over a year. I’ve always loved fashion and have been following fashion bloggers for years. It’s so inspiring seeing how other people put together outfits and express their individual style. Blogging lets me contribute and be part of that amazing community.

Have you always had an interest in fashion?

Yes! I’ve always loved fashion and putting looks together. As a child I used to change my outfit two or three times a day. Now as a psychologist I’m aware of the power of personal style in making an impact. I think it’s so important to express yourself in how you dress. I also have a soft spot (let’s be honest, it’s a weakness!) for designer bags and shoes. If you have the budget they’re definitely worth the investment and last for such a long time.

Your style is very clean and chic. What inspires you when putting looks together?

I’m inspired by the people around me, other bloggers, designers and current trends,. But the most important thing for me when putting an outfit together is to be true to my look and feel dressed for the occasion, whether it’s brunch with friends or taking the kids to the park. My style has definitely evolved. It has taken time to figure out what suits and what doesn’t. Patterns and frills just don’t work on me! I’m much more confident now in the way I dress. I think it’s incredibly important to feel positive in how you look.

What motivated you to start a written blog?

When I started posting on Instagram it was purely for fun and a way to share my personal style. Not long after, I was asked to write a fashion column for a magazine in Northern Ireland. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing and the feedback from other girls was really positive. That gave me the idea to start my own blog where I could control the content and have my own voice.

Your photos are always so beautifully shot! What makes a good outfit picture for you?

I like to see details in a picture: the frays in ripped jeans, the texture of the fabric, the buttons on a crisp shirt. I don’t like overly filtered photos. I prefer to show my followers the true colour of a top so they know what it looks like if they want to buy it. Quality in my photos and blog posts is really important to me.

Who takes and styles your pictures?

I do all the styling for photoshoots and use a professional photographer for most of the pictures used on my blog. I meet her once a month and we shoot three or four looks around Zurich. My husband often gets roped in at the weekend if I want an #OOTD shot, though it can be quite stressful with our two kids screaming at us in the background!

You’re living in Switzerland now. How does the fashion culture there compare to Ireland?

There’s definitely a style in Switzerland. It’s quite conservative and certainly not as eclectic and expressive as you would find in other cities like Dublin or London. For work people do dress up and I see a lot of folks in designer gear. At the weekend most people are in skinny jeans, ankle boots, a t-shirt and biker jacket.

Nice! What’s one summer style essential for you?

I usually live in dresses during the summer but have recently re-discovered shorts. I found a gorgeous pair of blush leather shorts by Kelly Love that I can’t take off. Thankfully Zurich gets decent weather compared to home so I can get my legs out!

What’s one piece in your wardrobe that you just can’t bear to throw out?

I’m a denim hoarder and have so many pairs of jeans. I have five pairs on constant rotation and another 20 pairs in the back of the closet I can’t part with. I have a pair of Victoria Beckham jeans that I haven’t even worn yet!

What are your favourite clothes stores in Ireland and Switzerland?

I like to shop online so ASOS, Net-a-porter and The Outnet get a lot of business! Vestiaire Collective is an amazing website for pre-loved bags. In Zurich, I shop in local boutiques and wear a mix of new and established designers. Some favourites are Kelly Love, Acne, Dori Tomcsanyi and Anine Bing. As for the high street, you can never beat Zara!

What’s a day in your life like right now?

I’m on a career break at the moment so am spending a lot of time with my four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son. A typical day revolves around them and I fit in blog writing, updating social media, organising photo shoots and contacting PR agencies during nap times and at night. I often work to 2am to finish an article for the blog or my style column but I love it! I also try and set aside time at the weekend to come up with ideas for the blog. I really want to add value for my followers so try to come up with inspiring posts.

Wanna be a part of #MyBlogLife? It runs online weekly and in the magazine monthly, too. To be considered, you need to have a personal blog. Join STELLAR’s Facebook group, open to all personal bloggers, or drop an email to info@stellar.ie, telling us why we should feature you.

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• judith crawford
• tales of jude