First impressions of someone you follow online can be weird. I find it’s often split into two camps: you think, yep, you’re the exact same person I see on my phone every day, which I always think is quite a comforting realisation. Or you’re baffled at the difference between the on-screen personality and their real-life counterpart.
When I met the wonder that is Emily Clarkson recently, as soon as she walked into the room I knew she fell firmly into the first camp (as does the glorious Molly Forbes, who was so true to the self I see on Instagram I couldn’t quite believe I’d never met her before). The thing that struck me first about Emily was just how warm and lovely she immediately was: as on stories, she greeted me with the biggest open smile and we connected immediately.
(She also smelled brilliant: Jo Loves’ White Rose and Lemon Leaves, which I went out and bought forthwith).
Emily is a true millenial-type multi-hyphen. She’s a writer, an author, a blogger and campaigner for feminism and body positivity, speaking to women via Social Media in ways that are relatable, powerful and totally authentic. She believes we should be unashamedly ourselves, happy in our skin, whatever that might look like – and I totally agree.
I wanted to talk to Emily about a whole host of things. The marathon she recently ran (she went from not being able to run a mile to doing 26.2 of them in 6 months), her wholehearted advocacy of women, the beauty and uniqueness we should find in our normal selves and the online abuse she experiences at the hands of trolls.
And, of course, Love Island.
I thoroughly loved my hour in conversation with Emily, the results of which were distilled into episode four of The Back-Up Plan podcast. Click here to listen on Spotify or iTunes.
I miss your writing, Alice! Deborah x