“There is no better distraction in this world than losing oneself in books for awhile.”
― Cassandra Clare, Chain of Gold
Finding the right props for your aesthetic and vibe is always difficult when you first start blogging. When I began my bookstagram, I was finding the style of photography for my taste. I’m still learning how to use different editing apps and photography styles. While categorising my overall theme into a box isn’t my style, if I had to, I would allocate my aesthetic under cosy light and dark academia with a dash of cottage core and vintage inspiration.
Finding inspiration for bookish posts…
I personally adore the Pinterest pages and vintage aesthetic of the European universities and dark academia. If I could, I would visit the libraries and castles of Scotland and London, because it’s a spectacle.
With more time on my hands, lockdown has brought me to online shop and browse the internet for select vintage pieces and props for photos. Search for ‘book props’, ‘light academia’, ‘vintage mirror’, ‘journaling tools’ and you can find quite a lot.
Finding the right pieces at a good price is difficult without research. I’ve found a lot of my pieces on these sites as its easier to get things delivered right now as we’re all stuck at home. If you can, take a look at the smaller retail and op shops for cheaper items like fake flowers, used books and such. A good ol’ DIY is never out of the question. See what you can find around the house and adjust to suit your style and vision.
Where to look…
If you’re looking for room decor, I suggest looking at homeware stores. I found my gold jewellery box, vases and candle stand at Bed Bath N Table. IKEA is also a great and inexpensive way to design your room. My picture frame, trolley, mirror and fake plant are from IKEA.
Etsy have a plethora of options from small businesses, as well as, vintage pieces and cheaper items like paper bundles, candles and cute vintage mirrors. I bought my feather quill and ink from a small business and it arrived in a month from Ireland. If you are into journaling, I have to recommend the following: take a look on Etsy for a starter kit or tools: washi tapes, papers, stickers, cards, postcards, pictures, posters.
I recently ordered stationary for my journaling kit from a business, Paperwrld. They have everything from tools, stamps, washi tapes, scissors, wax seals and paper bundles for all your creative needs. They were at reasonable price too, considering a lot of stores will mark up the price. I was surprised by the look and fell in love. I got myself a magnifying glass, a vintage pair of scissors, a gold ruler, another vintage washi tap and a stamp set to suit my journaling needs.
Sometimes I like to just grab some props like polaroids, my camera, glasses and throw them on my blanket, snap a photo and then the editing begins. My suggestions to new bloggers, play around with a great editing app for your photos and grab your items and just have fun with it! It may take a while to accumulate props and set it up, but the outcome is so worth it!
A Wandering Reader
A Wandering Reader 