I am a blogger, fashion blogger or personal style blogger whatever you want to call it. I take pictures of my daily work outfits and blog about them. I started my blog for two reasons:
- I wanted to challenge myself to try something different and just put myself out there literally.
- At the time (2010) I didn’t know of any fashion blogs that were geared towards professional work outfits for pear-shaped women.
With that being said blogging, specifically fashion blogging, has grown tremendously since then. I am in my fifth year of blogging and never expected to make it this far. I have had my ups and downs but for the most part my experience has been a positive one.
Blogging has become a great creative outlet for me and it has its perks but it’s also a labor of love that requires two things: time and money. Blogging is not cheap. I am not even going to front; I have spent some coins stepping up my blogging game: custom templates, DSLR camera, multiple lenses, external hard drives and laptops, just to name a few things. Not to mention the money spent attending events which will likely involve: a new outfit, new shoes, possibly purchasing a ticket for the event, paying for parking and buying my own food and drinks. I am saying all this just to let you guys know that blogging is more than just taking pictures and uploading them. There is a lot of work that goes into producing great content.
When I first started reading fashion blogs they were few and far between. The concept was pretty simple, nice clean layouts, a couple of pictures, and a short description, simple and straight to the point. I started my blog with a pre-made layout, point and shoot camera, tripod and used my balcony as my back drop. I was very content with my initial setup when I first started blogging it was easy and very convenient. However, as time progressed I noticed that mainstream media started featuring bloggers in magazines, on websites and in commercials. I felt pressured to step my game up because I wanted those things too. I wanted to work with national brands and have my efforts recognized. I became obsessed with page views and followers because let’s be real numbers matter. I was constantly checking my stats and trying to boost them every way possible. I was devoting a much time as I could to my blog, outside of school and work. I had a custom layout designed, financed a new camera and finally found someone to help me take really nice outfit pictures. I was hunting down great locations to take pictures and agonizing over every pose making sure that each picture was editorial quality. I joined all the popular social media sites and was active on each one. Not to mention I was reading and commenting on other blogs daily, guest posting and doing the occasional link up.
However, after about two years I found myself not being in the mood to schedule time for these things anymore. I stopped reading blogs as much and I was kind of neglecting my social media sites. I began to enjoy regular non-blogger life which included: not worrying about catching the golden hours for pictures or stressing about how many views my most recent post received. I stopped working myself to death to get perfect pictures and I wasn’t documenting every aspect of my life to share on social media. As of now I make time for blog photos when I can. I do my best to produce great content and if I don’t get a major deal with a brand I am cool with that. If I never see my picture in a magazine again (I was in Redbook), I am cool with that also. At this point I am back to blogging because I like it and it makes me happy.
Don’t worry I am not giving up on y’all anytime soon. I absolutely love having a platform that allows me to interact with so many people because in real life I am socially awkward. I don’t do well in group settings and if you ever approach me as reader I will probably clam up and scurry away as fast as possible! Okay that’s another post for another time. I just want you guys to know that I am a regular person with real life issues that shares some parts of my life on the internet. Don’t get caught up with what you see here it’s only a little part of me. I am much more then Shea the woman that blogs. So if I disappear for a little while I’m just living my life and having a good time or school has me stressed and I am somewhere in a corner rocking back and forth crying!
35 Comments
Love this! So real
Great Read. Totally agree! Enjoyed this post.
This is a great post Shea! You hit the nail right where it needs to be breaking this down. So many people just think fashion bloggers take "pretty pictures" how hard could it be! Blogging is a plethora of work, can cause serious burn out! Read in article in the NYT earlier this week about design bloggers being burned out!
Being that I am business blogger I have those same moments! Do it at your pace! Loved your honest!
Thank you for this, needed to read this.
Great read! Blogging is no joke, you're right. Funny thing, until just now I didn't even think about the blogger meetups and events we attend adding to our "blogger expenses". WOW, all that really does add up. Nonetheless, I'm glad you're back to blogging. Keep it up, girl!
~Whitney
I enjoy your blog, it's so motivating! I'm also consider starting a blog to talk about the contents of what I also think is missing in the blogging world.
I feel you. My blog is strictly a hobby and I don't seek or have any interest in taking it any further. Some of us have very busy lives and if the blog ain't paying the bills, then it must take a back seat at times. I admire and applaud you for the progress you have made with the blog.
i love love love your blog! being a new blogger, i see how much time it takes to do this and do it well! i can certainly say that you are someone that has been a source of inspiration to me fashion wise and blog wise! live your life girl! the people that really are interested in your blog will respect the life that you have outside of it! live your life! and live your life like its golden xoxo
Great discussion/post Shea! I think every blogger, myself included, gets in those modes from time to time where you compare yourself to other bloggers–they got in a magazine, they're working with Old Navy, they have 685 likes on their Instagram picture, they have 87,254 followers. It's hard sometimes to remember why you actually started and liked blogging in the first place. It is always good to step back and think about that from time to time. Thank you for posting this! I have always enjoyed your blog–even back in the balcony days!
Great read!!
I'm not a Blogger, but I do put pictures of my ootd on IG and doing that is enough for me.
I've been asked why don't I blog. For me I'm sort of private.
I'm a new blogger and I can completely relate!! Thanks for sharing
This post is just what I needed today. I have been wanting to start blogging for quite some time now and I think I am finally to the point that I am ready to get out there and go for it! I have been following my favorite bloggers (you are in my top 10 :-)) and researching just how this blogging business goes. I want to continue with it as a long term hobby and if it turns into something greater, then awesome, but I want to start out just doing something I love and that is writing! I also love how you only share some aspects of your life. I am very personal as well and this is one of my reserves with blogging, I don't desire to be as transparent as some others. Great post! I will continue to follow you!
I won't let you scurry off, when I finally meet you (hopefully before the year is out) I'm gonna hug you, LOL!
Shea wonderful post,
words based on the experience, therefore
It reflects what is the evolution of a blogger…
I hope you a happy week!
I'm also crying somewhere in Mexico
I hope you has a happy week darling!
http://maximsfashion.blogspot.com
Shea wonderful post,
words based on the experience, therefore
It reflects what is the evolution of a blogger…
I'm also crying somewhere in Mexico
I hope you has a happy week darling!
http://maximsfashion.blogspot.com
I like your outfits a lot…. In Peru southamerica it is hard to find clothes FOR muy pearshape body so whenever i see your blog i feel inspired and say "one day i will wear her clothes" it is kind of sad when you try to shop a cute dress and they just have Standard OR unique SIZE
Really enjoyed this candid post Shea, I mean REALLY! Kudos to you and best wishes 😉
Great post! It's nice to read a blogger's honest opinion of blogging and all that comes with it. Thanks for sharing!
This is why your blog is so different and I love it. You are authentic and that clearly shines through. I get you because we have so much in common. I hate large groups too and consider myself to be a but awkward and very private. Keep up the good work.
Awwh Shea you are genuine and I enjoy your blog.Thanks for the real life insight into blogging.
I'm just starting my blog and found this post very insightful.., thanks for sharing
I love the realness of this post. Maybe I'll be motivated to start blogging again, one day. In the meantime I'll just sit back and enjoy down to earth blogs like yours 🙂
PREACH!!! #thatisall. Love u and your blog!
xo,
Lisa
I recently started following your blog (within the last 6 months)…actually, you're the first blogger that I have followed. I don't even remember how I found you! I love your style and thanks for sharing your life. I can imagine it could get overwhelming at times, but just keep doing what you do….whenever you can find the time to do it. You are appreciated.
Amazing post!
And that is real talk! Great insight to the hard work that had to go into blogging! Do you and how you choose to
I love this post. I started to feel the same way. I am still blogging but probably twice a month now. I even deleted Google Analytics because I was too obsessed with numbers. i don't do many reviews anymore. i just blog about what interests me.
Love your honesty! Following you from Ireland because I love your style, your stance and your relateability…keep doing what you're doing, it' great!!
Love your blog!!
Love this. I feel the same way with my blog, I often just don't feel like posting, and it just feels too much like hard work at times. In blogging it's really easy to get caught up in the whole number of followers thing but I'm learning to forget about that and just enjoy writing about what I enjoy writing about!! You can tell that you put a lot of work into your blog and photos, they are amazing xx
Hi Shea … I love your blog. I check in from time to time because – if I was athletic and fit – we'd be shaped just alike 🙂 I love that you love dresses and skirts (like me) and that you are a true professional who knows how to present herself in the workplace. I read a lot of blogs and have done so for years. I read a lot of the bigger blogs too, but I have definitely noticed how things have changed in the blogosphere. It's no longer about personal style as much as who can get the most followers and spend the most money. Plus, everybody is wearing the exact same thing!! Remember, to thine own self, be true. Keep doing you because no one does it better! You are lovely 🙂
Its basically all about trendy accessories and that is what women bother the most which is a good thing because fashion should be the one that is in trends.
Wedding Rings
I just found your blog today and was so excited because we have a very similar body shape and I love how you put outfits together. Best of luck to you in *all* you do — blogging, school, relationships, and LIFE!
Thank you SO much for posting this! Although I am not a style blogger (I write more about black female empowerment-type things), I can definitely relate to your feelings of wanting to be recognized for all of the hard work that goes into running a blog (and it is a lot of work). At times, I still fall prey to being obsessed with page views and comments. But at the end of the day, I have to remind myself that I am blogging for myself and to encourage others to live the best life possible, and that's really all that matters. Also I love your style! Every time I scroll through your posts, I find myself saying "werrrrk hunty" in my head haha.
i enjoyed reading every word in this post.