When it comes to high-street style fused with captivating catwalk looks, Atosa Nikkhah has it all sewn up. Simply head to her artfully crafted blog entitled Bubba and Me for all of the effortless evidence.
Her laid-back, high-end look instantly packs a punch in all of her perfectly posed street-style snaps, some of which feature her adorable son in similarly sharp outfit choices. Atosa founded her blog in 2013 as a hobby, focusing on her home life and her little one along with her everyday street-style looks. But this simple formula has morphed into a mini fashion empire comprising of magazine features in Vogue and Grazia, along with nominations for the Cosmopolitan magazine blogger awards. With this is mind, we just had to meet her to understand more about her award-winning sense of style, and what motivates her as a fashion influencer. We met up with her for coffee to discuss everything from 90s fashion and black jeans to her favourite Farfetch looks.
1. How would your followers describe your style?
'I would say they would describe me as casual and chic, taking high street pieces and blending them with key designer accessories.'
2. What fashion publications do you read for inspiration?
'I don’t know, this is a hard one, because I don’t read that many publications. But I would say Porter magazine and Vogue would be my ‘go-to’s’. Porter is once every quarter I believe, and I love it for the androgynous looks that women can also pull off in addition to men.'
3. Who’s style do you admire and respect the most within the bloggersphere?
'That’s a tricky one because there are just so many in the bloggersphere. In the UK, I’d say Lucy Williams, and then from America, I’d say Danielle Bernstein from the ‘We Wore What’ blog. She’s a total babe! There is not one day that I don’t check her Instagram or Snap Chat and I’m like “What the hell are you wearing?” I just love it! I like everything that she ever wears.'
4. If you could collaborate with any fashion designer in the world on your blog, who would it be and why?
'It would be Victoria Beckham without a doubt because she crafts such timeless pieces that never fail to amaze. You just can’t go wrong with her.'
5. What’s your go-to item you cannot live without during the autumn/winter season?
'Black jeans! (Laughs) Not ripped jeans or distressed jeans because I think my knees would get cold. I think normal boyfriend fit or oversized jeans are my preference.'
6. Are there any trends you wish were never created?
'A few (laughs). I’d say the 90’s, I’m just not feeling it even though it’s quite on trend at the moment.'
7. When you can’t think of anything to wear, what is your go-to outfit?
'What I’m wearing today, white t-shirt, black blazer and black denim, with some black boots. I like effortless, it’s just effortless, I think you just can’t go wrong with a look that’s easy to put together.'
8. You have a strong presence on Instagram. What’s the secret behind your Instagram success? Do you and have you always had a clear strategy?
'I’ve never had a clear strategy but it has come into play. I think the key is consistency, good photography and just knowing what your followers want from you; so basically not putting any old post up for the sake of it. It’s all about quality over quantity.'
9. Do you notice any difference in your engagement from when you use professional DSLR cameras as opposed to using iPhone cameras?
'Recently actually, I’ve noticed that the pictures from my phone do a lot better in terms of engagement. I put one up yesterday actually from my professional camera and it just didn’t do as well as when I take photos with my iPhone. I do think that the professional photos are nice on the blog though. It ensures quality and clarity for the readers. But on Instagram, no. Because on Instagram you have to remember that people are very much on the go so they want to relate to something which is on the go too, they can’t relate to scenarios where you’re getting your big old camera out with amidst a magical and breath-taking landscape.'
10. You have an adorable son. Has it been difficult finding a good balance between parenting and blogging? And have you ever felt the need to transition to a mummy blogger?
'No not at all. It’s been a really good balance because I can make my own schedule during the day. I do an early drop off in the morning and then I have my day to myself, usually in meetings with a lunch as well as several much-needed coffee breaks.'
11. Do you find that certain brands reach out to you because of your son, saying things like ‘We have a new kidswear line out we’d love to collaborate’?’
'I do get that a lot as well, I try to do a bit of both but I do know that my followers are not that interested in my son as much as I am. I don’t want to overload them with kids’ stuff when a lot of my followers don’t have kids. So every now and then, maybe they might want to get pregnant or have a little bit of ‘cute kid’ envy but I don’t feel like my readers are mummy bloggers in general.'
12. You’re a full time blogger now, how long did it take you to make the transition and was it worth it?
'100% worth it. I’ve been blogging for two and half to three years. I’ve been a full time blogger for about 2 years. I’d say three years is quite a long time. I’ve met other bloggers who have taken off in around two to three months.'
13. Yes some bloggers really do take off in 6 months! We have no idea what their secret is, do you? (laughs).
'I don’t know what the secret is either but I’d love to find out! (laughs)'
'Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of those things where the work is not consistent. Like ‘What’s happening this month?’You don’t know what’s coming each month. One month you could be so busy and then the next month nothing could really come in. You need to know inside yourself that you’ll need to schedule in opportunities to ensure that your work is consistent. Otherwise you may never actually take off.'
14. What are the next steps for My Bubba and Me in 2017?
'I’d like to delve into the lifestyle and beauty arenas much more. I don’t do much beauty coverage at the moment. I feel like there are a lot more opportunities in beauty than in fashion as it’s so fast paced. With beauty you can do so many more things and there are lots of opportunities when you consider the frequency of new product launches.'
15. Why do you think Farfetch is TheOne shopping destination?
'That’s quite easy, Farfetch is the go-to destination for major fashion brands, as well as emerging designer names. It’s the only destination worldwide where you can find stand-out catwalk looks as well as hidden fashion gems from emerging and fashion-forward labels. What more could you want from a fashion company?'