Social media can be a really horrible place but it also can be such a good place to be

Popular County Derry influencer Julie Doherty has spoken of making it in the world of content creation and her likes and dislikes when it comes to fashion, beauty and online content.

The mum-of-two has a 62.6k strong following on the social media platform Instagram.

Julie (43) started in the industry ten years ago and still manages to share an unbreakable connection with her followers.
Known for her relatable content sharing the highs and lows of being a mum as well as outfit of the day inspiration for curvy girls.

Reflecting on her journey and how she got started in the industry, Julie said: “I think I was quite late to the game. I was over 30 when I took an interest in make-up and fashion.

“It all started when I was going through a bit of sadness in my personal life, I wasn’t feeling myself, I had no hobbies or anything to turn to so I started into makeup. I started doing it on myself, I found it was taking my mind off things. It was a great way to put my creativity and passion into something. I then thought, you know what I’m actually quite good at doing this. It all went from there.

“So I started posting my work on Facebook, just short videos of my makeup.

“Then Snapchat became popular so I moved over to that.

“It was quite lighthearted and fun. I never looked at content creation as serious, I looked at it as a bit of fun.

“On a daily basis, I get to correspond with the amazing people that follow me, they are like friends now.

“People are so invested in your life and want you to do well which is lovely. People really look out of you on the online world.

“It’s the same for working with brands. So many brands have stuck with me through my ups and downs of life. It’s nice having people that know I’m being the real me online.

“I don’t see online as a business, I still have a full time job and I still see it as a bit of fun that I gain a wee bit of extra from.”

Julie admits that she as encountered some negativity online however she has managed not to react to it.

The Limavady woman continued: “That’s not to say there aren't some cons to the whole online world. Of course it comes with judgement, there can be ignorant people. There will be trolls, I encountered that when I started. Thankfully that has stopped for me but there will always be people out there who are judging you for the wee bits they see of you. People will feel like they can tell you exactly what they think to do, how you should live your life and how they are feeling.

“Social media can be a really horrible place but it also can be such a good place to be. It’s all about how you react to it, the best thing I think is to not react to the negativity.”

When it comes to fashion Julie explained how it all started saying: “I have always been a bigger girl. Growing up throughout my life I’ve always been tall and plus size. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with clothes.

“If you look good, you feel good. Sometimes when you aren’t feeling great about yourself or you're having a bad day, it’s nice to make a bit of an effort.

“It doesn’t have to be a dress or anything fancy, just an outfit you feel good in. An outfit to me can change the whole day.

“If I get up and throw on an old pair of leggings, shirt and don’t even brush hair when I go out then I will feel down all day but putting that bit of effort in with a nice outfit really helps me mentally. It can really change your mood and mindset.

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“We can be very down on ourselves with negative talk like ‘I’m too heavy’, ‘nothing suits me’. Especially after having children a lot of women feel this way.

“At my heaviest I was a size 22 and was able to find great outfits and many made lovely comments on.

“I think there is always something out there that will be right for you. It’s all about knowing how to dress for your body. As I have got older I have got better at doing that.

“I have only recently gotten into my love for fashion again. I love showing people that it doesn’t matter what size you are, you will get clothes to suit your shape. I do this through my outfits of the day online.”

If you are thinking of starting up your own online Julie has some advice.

“Don’t take yourself too seriously. Go into it with an open mind.

“It has never been about making money for me, it is about doing something I enjoy and being real with my followers. I think it works to keep it real. Go for it, do it, be yourself.

“It is difficult to get your name out on social media, there is no doubt about that. People nowadays are picky about who they follow. My followers fluctuate, you have to be thick skinned and willing to work.

“People can go viral on TikTok really easily nowadays but that doesn’t happen for everybody.

“If you are going to do it you have to keep your head on your shoulders. Work hard and be inventive. Keep things entertaining for people and be true to yourself. Don’t try to be anybody you're not, people will know.”

So where does Julie find these clothes you ask? The fashion influencer counts Dunnes Stores and New Look as some of her favourite high street brands but she also loves to support local fashion brands.

“When it comes to clothing I love to support locally owned businesses. It is nice to try and give to smaller local businesses that are trying to make a living.

“However this can be hard for bigger girls though because they don’t usually stock a lot of bigger sizes. It can be frustrating at times as most of the clothing will often stop at a size large which is the equivalent of a size 14. So I have struggled with that.

“Although recently Walk in Wardrobe is a lovely boutique in Banbridge have really been trying to combat this. I have been doing a bit of work with them on extending their sizing. They are definitely very inclusive which is amazing. The clothing they have sent me has been beautiful and fitted me so well.

“Closer to home I love the Stable Lane boutique in Coleraine. I have got loads of beautiful clothing from there.

“When it comes to online shopping there is an endless supply of clothing out there. It can be overwhelming at times especially for plus size so it is good to know there are brands out there especially for fuller girls such as Simply Be.

“A lot of well known brands are getting more inclusive too which is great to see.

“Just because you are a size 20 that doesn't mean you can’t look good in an outfit.”

When it comes to makeup Julie says she owes a lot to Belfast-based brand Bperfect.

“I have been an ambassador for Bperfect for years. They are amazing, I am so proud to say I’m an ambassador for them. Brendan is like a true friend to me. They really care about their ambassadors. They have so many but they also make the time to come back to me. They respect my work-life balance.

“The brand is now a huge multi-national company but I was there with them at the beginning, it is amazing to see how far they have come.

“I also love ‘Voduz’ and ‘Oh My Glam’. They are also great brands that I work alongside. Those three brands are ones that have stuck by me through everything.

“I have been very lucky that I do get sent some wonderful bits and pieces. I try to be true to who I am with brands, never am I going to try and flog something that I don’t believe in.”

Looking towards the future Julie added: “I am very very grateful that I got this far. I still have an amazing following that respects what I do.

“People often say they listen to my recommendation because they know I’m telling the truth. I want to continue doing what I’m doing.

“It’s not easy to keep doing online work for so long. For me it’s my passion and something that I enjoy but it’s not my main thing in life.

“I’m proud that I’ve been able to stick around and people still appreciate what I do and are interested in what I talk about. I hope that I’m still here in another 10 years.”