On a daily basis, I receive anywhere from 5 to 10 emails from my sweet readers asking for tips, suggestions, ideas, recommendations, how-to's, etc. on how to start a blog, gain followers, create content, design graphics, and get involved. I wanted to dedicate a post to what I've learned along the way and answer a few of your questions...
When/why did you decide to start a fashion blog?
I majored in Textiles & Clothing at Ohio State and jumped into a career as a clothing buyer after college. When I would study trends for future buying trips, I started reading blogs to stay on top of the fashion industry and what to expect season after season. I was completely obsessed and thought "I could do this." In 2010, I decided
to start a blog that was completely lifestyle based. It was a place to share photos with my family and friends and to document things that I liked. It was never something that I had high hopes for, just a fun little spot for
me. A year later I left my job as a clothing buyer and went in a completely different direction. All of the blogs that I followed were making big jumps and I decided that I wanted my blog to be a place for
others as well as for me. So I went in a completely different direction and
started another blog. I loved this little blog, it felt "home-y" to me. This was around the time when photography and family blogs {
this one is still my favorite} were really gaining speed, so I thought that was the direction I wanted to take. Turns out not so much...
Fast forward a year or so and I began to feel a huge void in my life. I missed the fashion industry, I missed styling customers, and I finally had an idea and a direction I wanted to take my blog. Clearly, a new name was necessary and
Sequins & Stripes was born! It took awhile to find my niche, but each step, each blog, led me to what I really wanted to do.
{bet you didn't know that :)}
How did you make your blog grow? What tips can you give for gaining readership?
I can't stress enough the importance of maintaining your own voice. The blog world is a funny place, and I can say with 100% certainty that everyone feels "pressure" to be the best. What is the best? That's a stupid idea. So if you are blogging to be the best, or to be the mirror image of your favorite blog, then your blog will only make it so far. To grow your blog successfully, you have to think of yourself as one. Be true to yourself, create consistent content that is based on your own opinions + likes, create a clear platform to showcase your ideas, use pretty graphics, get involved in the community, comment on other blogs, utilize social media, and participate! The blogging community is what you make of it.
I have to say, I was fortunate enough to have a jump start on this. First of all, I have been organizing people's closets since high school. I am somewhat OCD and have always loved helping people purge and refresh their wardrobes. After I left my job as a buyer, I continued to work with a few of my customers on the side - changing over their closets, sending over shopping suggestions for a new season, dressing them for an event, etc. Word of mouth is a pretty good tool to have on your side, so when I decided to make the jump into styling, I had an amazing support network that helped make the process really easy. My blog was my resume and my portfolio, and has drawn 90% of my customers. *Another reason why your blog should always be consistent and true to yourself!
What program do you use to create your graphics?
I use Photoshop. However, a little newbie trick...for month's I used Powerpoint and saved layouts as images! Eventually I turned to YouTube to teach my the in's and out's of Adobe, which is a whole new world.
What does your typical work day look like?
I wake up between 6:30 and 6:45, make a cup of coffee, and check to make sure my post went live. I then promote my post on
Twitter and
Facebook, check and respond to emails, and visit a few of my favorite blogs. I head to the gym and get ready for the day, which consists of assembling styling strategies for clients, working with sponsors and promotional features, laying out future blog posts, invoicing, updating Quickbooks, emails, and either in-person or Skype meetings. I try to shut down by 6pm to eat dinner with Dave and Webster, catch up on my favorite shows, and get a good night's sleep! I am usually in bed by 10 so I can do it all over again tomorrow.
Where do you find inspiration?
Aside from
Pinterest {that's kinda sad, right?}, I am always inspired when I unplug. I love to go out for dinner, cook dinner with my girlfriends, grab a beer with Dave; I love to go shopping by myself, or take Webster for a walk along the lakefront. Sometimes I feel like my brain is on sensory overload staring at a computer all day, so getting outside always helps me to see a little clearer.
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So that's it. A little tough love for those of you trying to map your way through the blog world, but in all honesty, I am just like you. This blog and my profession does not separate me in any way. I am still trying to navigate through my twenties, and if owning a business is something to be jealous of, trust me, sometimes the good days are few and far between. It's a learning process! But a fun one.
Have any other questions? I'd love to do a FAQ post once every few months if people are interested. Happy Friday!
