The title was not a teaser, y'all. I have put well over 5 years of consistent content into this blog. I have done over 60 wardrobe piece remixes, copied 57 blogger looks and posted over 1,900 actual outfits to the blog. Next week, I will post my 100th Mission Week challenge. In those challenges, I have tried to give inspiration through celebrity looks, trending pieces and various patterns. But after next week, I have decided to close this chapter in my life called a style blog.
I've put a lot of thought into this step through the last several months. Last summer, I started to feel the sting quite a bit. It started with the annoyance of ootd photo taking. It was then fueled by ye ole jealousy of why it seemed like every other blogger who had been blogging once a month for five minutes was being given every opportunity. Suddenly I began feeling like I needed eyelash extensions, veneers, manicures, pedicures, blow-dry perfect hair. My clothes weren't good enough. I wasn't writing enough. I was writing too much. I didn't know how to push my social media. That nasty bug of jealousy got the better of me. And then my grandfather passed away. And even though he was 86, I learned in a moment that none of that shit mattered. And I realized that maybe even if I did all of those things, it still wouldn't change a thing for me and it was time to hang up my hat in this blogging world.
Blogging has changed a lot since I started in 2011. It used to be common place for you to take your own mediocre photos of thrifted outfits and post them with what was going on in your world. Sometimes even just in front of your bedroom mirror! No one cared! When you got a brand interested, you were stoked! But they were often cool little indy designers--not designer brands. The blogging world has changed. Now you aren't even a blogger if you don't have a professional photographer (no thanks!), if you don't have the latest trends and aren't sponsored in every other post. I miss those blogs. And not so much because they were "on my level" but because I could actually relate to them.
I didn't even plan on these outfit photos. This wasn't the "last outfit" I had planned. And they weren't even taken with my DSLR (GASP!). Rather, they were taken by Patrick with my iPhone during our birthday weekend. I had just thrifted the boots and coat (score for $43 for both!) and was stoked to show them, but disgusted at having to drag my sorry tripod out for one. last. outfit. shoot. But this is me. I've never used Photoshop (literally have no idea how), never "sold out" by buying followers or boosting my advertising. The only professional photographers I've ever used have been friends or family. I'm quite proud of what I've done. I've met a lot of people. I've learned a lot. I look forward to moving forward.
The world is so grim right now. So grim. The last couple of weeks have been more depressing day by day. Part of this makes me not want to give up the blog--if for nothing else to not give up on something I love (photography and fashion) to spite our "POTUS" and his disgusting orders and ideals. But mostly, it just feels so ridiculous now. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, but I also can't help but feel a little sick when I scroll through Instagram, with refugees and women's rights and LGBT rights and sickness lingering in my mind and see a bright shiny new dress or shoes. Like I get there should be joys in life but it seems so petty to think about clothes and fashion and status at a time like this. I think and hope that not blogging will put at least a bit of a break on social media. Right or wrong, my news source is largely social media, so I truly use it to see what's going on in the world. But man, I could really use a break. I really miss the good ole days of wallowing in what a shallow society we were for Kim Kardashian's butt being "the news." Those were good times.
On that note, I'm turning 35 on Monday. I'm kind of ready to focus on other things--my family, my house, my career, my life. I don't want to sit and obsess over what new piece of clothing I need to spend my next paycheck on so I can wear it a handful of times and then forget about it when the rest of the blog world has. I am wanting to move beyond that a bit. Not to say that I won't be loving clothes any less than I did--I've been a fan since I could remember. But my focus is shifted and I just have to go with it for now. I think that not blogging will keep me from that OMGhowdidIlivebeforeacoldshouldsweater?!?! mentality.
So next week--my 100th Mission Week and the week that I turn 35 in my 5th year of blogging--will be the end of this dear style blog. So I want to take a moment to say Thank You. To all who have stuck with me and given me words of encouragement. And even thank you to the haters who strangely kept my confidence up when I thought I lost it with their odd time-consuming comments and emails. I will always keep this blog in a special place in my pocket.
Boots-thrifted
Coat-thrifted
Jeans-H&M
Shirt-Amazon
