(dress, tights, belt, & heels: Kohls! necklace: Belk)
[photos by the one and only Jess Bell]
Lately, it’s been brought to my attention that people think I am a fashion blogger.
I would like to dispel that rumor right now.
The things that give me the most pleasure in life are what I show you here: home decor, clothes, sarcasm, books, style, my family, my friends, my faith, and my career.
This blog mirrors my life.
Ultimately, to me, this place is about the words. I am drawn to a good story and am still figuring out how to tell mine. But I started this place so I could practice storytelling. Some times in a snippet and some times over the course of many posts.
I started blogging in January of 2010. I had never read another person’s blog, I didn’t know that people blogged everyday, I didn’t know that you could have lots of people read your blog. I didn’t know what I was doing, I just started a blog. It happened accidentally when I came across old portfolios of writing from college and felt like the needed to be archived somewhere because I liked them and I felt proud of them. I felt they were good and I didn’t know if I’d ever write like that again and I needed to perserve them. And I felt like a blog could do that for me.
So I started typing up old creative writing assignments from undergrad.
I never posted them and eventually deleted them from my drafts.
But through that experience, I learned that I could still write, that I needed to write, and that I didn’t care if no one read it, it made me feel more grounded. Writing made my world make sense.
Through trial and error, I learned that more people read your posts if you have nice pictures to go with them. So I started taking pictures of my outfits. Again, when I started a blog, I didn’t know that people did this. I’m sure I would have made fun of anyone that did (actually, I still do. Ironic.).
Eventually I learned some things about blogging and, truthfully, I feel outfit pictures are just an easy way to get a post up, here’s what I wore, blah blah blah, but more importantly, here are my words. Please pay attention to those the most. Those are the things I care about.
In high school I kept a clothes journal. Every day, I wrote down what I wore to school to make sure I didn’t repeat an outfit. I could wear a piece again, but it could not be the same way I wore it before. It was a little game I played with myself, to see how creative I could get with my clothes.
I believe that weird hobby set me up to one day take pictures of my outfits and let the world see them. It’s like a game–how many looks can I get with this shirt? Sure, you’ve seen those pants before, but this time let’s put them with a dress, not a sweater. It’s a puzzle that I’ve made for myself. And I like doing it.
When I don’t like doing it anymore, I’ll stop.
Which is why I don’t want to be a fashion blogger. I want to be a writer that has beautiful words and ideas and thoughts and maybe I wear some cute clothes once in a while. But people come back for my words.
I know that’s lofty and dreamy and you’re probably here to see what outfit I’m wearing today. And I’m okay with that. Because there are some blogs I visit just to see what they’re wearing–I actually don’t even read their words. (They are fashion bloggers and I think they’re okay with this…)
I don’t think “fashion blogger” is a bad word(s), if that’s your thing, best of luck. I don’t actually know anything about fashion. I shop at Target and Kohls. I don’t wear anything that can’t be washed in the washing machine on cold because that’s what we wash everything on. Most of my underpants come from Wal-Mart. I just don’t have the fashion thing down.
I’d like to say I have life down and that’s what you’re seeing here. But that’s completely untrue and so what you’re seeing here is me trying to get life down.
And sometimes, you’re just seeing life get me down.
It’s full circle, really.
Whatever the reason you come here, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I like you just for stopping by.
I like your reasoning! I don’t consider myself a fashion blogger, either. And I didn’t keep a clothes journal ever but I do have a long-standing habit of dreaming up every outfit I wear the evening before, and having a lot of fun doing it, so I’ll definitely take pictures of what I wear from time to time!
I love this! I have never been a writer and my blog started out os a way to journal things about my family. I totally agree about the fashion posts too. I usually only post fashion posts because people like them : ) You are a fantastic writer and a beautiful woman!!
Love this post! I always wonder if my blog is cohesive, but it really does tend to reflect what I am interested in that day!
three point five things:
1. i come here to read your words. you are a talented writer, and i enjoy your sarcasm fully, even though i am not indeed a really sarcastic person. 🙂
2. i’ve never bought undies at walmart. what brand you rocking girl? 🙂
2.5 does the fact that i don’t capitalize or use proper grammar even though i have an english degree, make you hate me a little? hope not.
3. your outfit posts make me happy, and encourage me, and i may end up doing a few as my weight rebounds from its epic proportions. working on that confidence though 😉