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Blogging
Winter Outfit Inspo + how to grow on IG during the holidays
December 7, 2018
Cami: BP, similar here
Cardigan: Chicwish c/o
Jeans: Forever 21, similar here
Boots: Jeffery Campbell
Bag: Gucci
Doing my Friday "I'm off work" happy dance! Actually I say I'm off work but really I will be working on my blog all day so I'm never really off! I wanted to share with you guys this super cute trendy chunky knit cardigan I got recently from Chicwish. It is the perfect piece for that winter outfit that you need! I love any sort of neutral theme and I thought the black would contrast and bring out the stone color of the cardigan! I linked some other things I'm loving right now from Chicwish and they are still having an amazing sale! You can get up to $25 off your order!
What is the number one way people are growing on Instagram right now you ask? Giveaways. I have seen more giveaways on my feed than ever before. These giveaways are so creative and good for everyone because you don't have to spend that much money, you are giving back and you can get your page seen more. One great one I love is teaming up with other bloggers and chipping in for Target, Home Goods or a Visa giftcard. I know a lot of people think the algorithm is out to get them but when other girls are sharing and tagging you, you can grow a lot easier and faster.
Today is my get stuff done day so I'm off to tackle my to do list! I hope this helped you guys a little bit and I hope you have a great weekend! xoxo
Photography: Kandid with Kate
Thank you to Chicwish for sponsoring today's post!
How I became a blogger
October 9, 2018
Earrings: Madewell
Tank: H&M
Sweater: Chicwish c/o
Bag: Foley and Corinna c/o
Jeans: Express
Booties: Vince Camuto, similar here
As I get older, it's so much easier to appreciate the little things in life like the Starbucks reusable coffee tumbler I'm holding for $2! I love when I find things like that for such a good deal. I asked you guys on my stories whether you would want to hear how I became a blogger or my current amazon order and they were almost 50/50 but this one won. I can talk about my amazon order later.
It's actually hot in Ohio right now so not a great time for my favorite "sweater weather" but once it is I love the way this sweater looks off the shoulder. It has a little girly detail and I love the sleeves. I have tons of things on my want list from Chicwish right now, I will link them below!
This is actually perfect timing writing this post because my "3 year blog anniversary" is in November! I went to Ohio State and majored in Fashion and Retail Merchandising. I always knew I wanted to do something in fashion! After college, I had multiple interviews at L Brands (known for Victoria's Secret, Bath + Body Works, La Senza, etc.), DSW and Abercrombie & Fitch. After not getting hired and getting let down time and time again I decided to start a separate Instagram from my personal one for fun.
I started buying clothes weekly and having Justin take iPhone photos of me in front of our neighborhood (yes we got lots of looks, lol). After about 4 months of posting a company reached out to me and asked if they could send me a dress in exchange for a post. I was literally like WHAT?! This is crazy, of course you can! Once I realized this is what bloggers actually did I hired someone to build me a website.
Once my website was live, I tried to post three blog posts a week. When I first started I didn't know the more you posted, the better traction you would get. So I was posting one Instagram a week, then the week after I would post 4. I was very inconsistent. I did this for about a year and a half before I realized I needed to get my shit together and make a plan.
I think it's super important to try to post everyday on at least one social channel to grow. I loveeee my blog but I don't deem it necessary to have 3 blog posts up a week if I don't have "good" content to put out. I don't just want to write to say I have a post up, I want to write stuff that you guys will actually read.
When I first started blogging I got made fun of in my hometown. People still are like, you are a what?! But more and more girls are starting to do it and I think that's awesome. You don't have to have tons of money or know someone to start a blog, you just have to have a passion.
I'm not focused on whether I have x amount of followers anymore I just want to be organized and bring you guys content you want to see so you come back! I have a lot of things coming for my blog and I hope you'll stay tuned to see! Thanks so much for being supportive!! xo
Photography: Kandid with Kate
Thanks to Chicwish for sponsoring today's post!
Current Favorite Instagram Inspo
October 3, 2018
Sunglasses: Warby Parker c/o
Sweater: Chicwish c/o
Bralette: Leander Boutique c/o, exact here
Bag: Gucci
Boots: Jeffery Campbell
This post is going to be about not only my favorite influencers, bloggers and instagrammers but my current favorite outfit. I recently got this sweater from Chicwish and it is so cute, I love it. I'm obsessed with everything Fall they have right now, I linked my favs below. Normally I would have left it open back but it was a little big so I wore a bralette because I didn't want my boobs to pop out while I was shooting in our most popular shopping area in Columbus, haha.
I don't see myself as a super girly girl and that's what I think when it comes to gingham but these pants are seriously so chic and comfy. And I'm all about that comfy life! I am loving any neutral bootie right now (and always) so I paired them with my Jeffery Campbell booties!
TOP 12
FAVORITE PEOPLE ON INSTAGRAM RN
* Nicole- she was my IG girl crush then we met in NY and it became my real life girl crush. She is as sweet in person as she is online and her feed is literally perfect. We both love neutrals so win win. Plus I love that she is a Christian.
* Audrey- my friend Olivia told me about her! Her feed is literally my Pinterest/life goals coming to life. She is a photographer and a POET. Like how amazing? She's so talented.
* Racquel- I have followed her for so long and just think she's one of the most natural beauties on IG. I remember one time she did a makeup tutorial and it took two seconds because she barely wears any and doesn't need it. I love her travel photos!
* Vitaliia- how funny is this, I found her account through a Chicwish email! I saw her outfit and thought man I love how this girl styled this. So I checked out her IG and immediately followed. I LOVE her outfits.
* Romina- this Germany girl just screams edgy badass. I'm obsessed with all the boots she wears and how she poses. I N S P O to the max.
* Sivan- my friend Olivia told me about her and ever since I started following her...best decision. She has such a good sense of humor and truly doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks about her. That's what I love about her account! Plus she just had the cutest baby girl Capri ever.
* Tee- I have been following her for awhile. I love all of her detail shots and travel photos.
* Tara- I just recently started following her and I LOVE her account. She lives in Utah and her photos are amazing. She is super creative, I remember a photo she posted spitting out water and I loved it. Plus her long hair is goals.
* Jenn- Jenn is my GIRL. Plus it's her BIRTHDAY! If you aren't following her, go do it. Right now. We met in NYC and she's super down to earth and real. I love every outfit she wears and I wish she lived in Ohio so we could hang out 24/7 haha.
* Aylin- I have followed Aylin forevvvver. She is the neutral queen and her decor is amazing. I love how she shares tips about flowers on her stories because I always kill mine hahaha and decor styling tips. I just want her to come decorate for me :)
* Steph- I just recently started following Steph and why wasn't I sooner?? She is fit AF and I'm obsessed with her style.
* Janice- with 1.3 million followers I am CERTAIN she will never see this but she is probably the prettiest human on IG. I remember when she posted a photo of her dog Mia and said she passed away and I literally cried. Her feed is incredible and I love all of her detail beauty shots.
As you can tell all of these girls have a neutral, chic vibe and are CRAZY talented. I find inspo tons of places and Instagram is one of them. Who are you guys loving on IG?
Thank you so much to Chicwish for sponsoring today's post!
Photography: Kate Smith
Why it's ok to say no
June 29, 2018
Looking for a cute top to wear with friends or to work? I've got you covered! This top from Chicwish would look so cute tucked in a skirt for work or with some jeans and wedges like I did for happy hour! This gorgeous mesh ruffle top makes me look so sweet and innocent but that doesn't mean I don't know how to stand my ground. As of recently I have had tons of people asking me to do things for my blog and post things that just aren't me and aren't something I would represent. It's hard in the blogging world because if you are a 'yes' person like me, you typically want to say yes to everyone. I'm always like well what if they never email me again or what if this is my only chance....blah blah blah. But if you don't feel confident about a product or whatever a company is asking of you, don't do it. I want you to apply this to your everyday life as well, not just with blogging. My mom literally says 'yes' to e v e r y o n e. She never does anything for herself and I'm trying to teach her that it's not selfish if she says no sometimes! Love you mom!
This is your life and only you can take control of it. My friend Lindsay just started a podcast called Let's Get Real and it is so empowering! I told her after listening to it I truly felt like I could conquer the world. Don't let other people dictate how you run your life, remember you only live once! :)
Photography: Kandid with Kate
Thank you so much to Chicwish for sponsoring today's post!
Spray Tan: Studio 13 Spray Tanning c/o Nails: Majestic Nails (say Nicole or Where Your Heart is Now for $5 off!) c/o Top: Chicwish c/o Earrings: Forever 21 Bracelets: Shop Bella & Bloom c/o Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters Boots: Marc Fisher c/o
Today I am bringing you my top tips for how to boost your Instagram story views and also sharing this super cute outfit I am OBSESSED with! First off, I recently got this top from Chicwish and you guys were going nuts on Instagram for it! They have so many cute tops right now I linked some of my favs below but the one I'm wearing would be so cute for date night or going to a concert! I paired it with some comfy black denim cutoffs and these INSANE killer boots.
My Instagram story views have increased a lot lately so I thought I would share with you my tips! Here we go:
1) Use the location tag! Even if you don't want people to know exactly where you are, you can broaden it and just have it say the capital of whatever state you are in so you still gain some views
2) Use hashtags! I try to use a few in each story and I hide them!
3) Videos are key! People love when you talk and show real life behind the scene stuff
4) Shoutouts! I reach out to girls with similar aesthetics or feeds to me and ask if they want to do shoutouts for each other. This is a great way to help increase views!
5) Tag Brands/Companies ( this is a great way to possibly get featured on their story!)
6) Tell A Story- People love when you show them tutorials or how to's for things your page is based off of (ex. morning routine, makeup routine, outfit of the day, etc.)
7) Mix it Up- Show photos, videos, boomerangs, rewind videos, etc.
I hope these help increase your views! Have a great day beauties xx
Thank you so much to Chicwish for sponsoring today's post!
Photography: Kandid with Kate
10 Ways to Make Money Blogging
March 7, 2018
Hat: Forever 21 Shirt: Forever 21 (only $17!) Bag: Forever 21, similar here Jeans: Boohoo c/o Boots: Forever 21, similar here
Ok first things first, how do you guys feel about this baker boy hat? I wanted to go out of my comfort zone and try something different...so here it is! lol. I have gotten some questions on how I make money blogging. People are often confused that this is my actual job and not just a hobby. So if you are curious too or if you are looking to start a blog, here is how you can make money:
1) Sponsored Posts: This is definitely my biggest income. When I pitch a company or they email me about a sponsored post, it means I will showcase their product on my blog and or social channels in exchange for the product and compensation.
2) Affiliate Programs: Bloggers make a percentage of their monthly income through Affiliate Programs. If you don't know what this means it refers to companies such as Reward Style and Shopstyle that allow you to make a percentage of your sales that you link through them. Other companies such as Amazon offer affiliate programs too. So whenever I link what I'm wearing and my readers click on the link, even if they don't purchase that exact item I will make money as long as they check out on my link. So whenever you find a blogger you love, purchase through their links to help support them!
3) Agencies : You can be represented by an agency and your agent will help you gain sponsored posts in exchange for a percentage of each deal you receive.
4) Social Media Consulting : I recently started social media consulting. I have done this for a few friends in the past and they are doing amazing so I thought why not start this as a side income. If you are interested, message me! I will evaluate whatever social media platform my client needs then we have weekly meetings to help them prosper.
5) Advertising: Ads are a great way to make money also! Through your website you can charge for ads. You can also run Facebook and Instagram ads that help get your posts seen more which in turn leads to more payoffs.
6) Coaching: Lots of bloggers make money from teaching blogging courses or how to's. This goes along with social media consulting. I know one of my favorite bloggers Hello Fashion Blog is currently coaching girls through FaceTime to help them.
7) Events: A lot of companies will pay you to attend events. If you are traveling or speaking at the event both of these are great ways to negotiate payment.
8) Press Trips: Justin and I are going on our first press trip this month to Cancun! While I am so so excited, press trips are hard work. I will not be lounging on the beach sipping pina coladas the whole time. I'll be waking up early, shooting content, Insta-storying, etc. I am not complaining, free travel is absolutely amazing and a goal I have had for a long time!
9) Video Production: Video has been getting bigger and bigger. Almost every blogger has a YouTube now a days and a ton of brands are asking for video when collaborating. The good thing about video is you can negotiate more because it takes a lot more time.
10) Sponsored Giveaways: This is when you work with a brand to promote a giveaway that benefits both of you.
I would love to hear any feedback on how you felt about this post! I am going to add a "Blogging" tab to my blog so these are easier posts to find! :)
Photography: Photo 243
How to Connect with Bloggers
January 15, 2018
If you've been on Instagram lately, you'll see that best friend pics and girls collaborating with other girls are killing it right now. I know I used to be extremely introverted and I still am a little but I thought it would be fun to share with you guys how to connect with other bloggers.
When I first started blogging a little over two years ago I was so envious when I would see blogger meet ups and bloggers hanging out with other bloggers. I always wondered how do they all know each other? I mean Columbus isn't huge but it isn't small.
Here are some tips that I think will help you as they helped me:
- Follow other bloggers that have the similar niche as you & engage with them (show them love whether it's through their posts or stories or even share one of their blog posts!)
- Reach out to bloggers in your area and ask about getting coffee/lunch
- Promote other bloggers (example: follow Friday on Instagram stories is where you encourage your readers to follow other accounts)
- Plan meet ups/events, you can collaborate with one of your favorite stores and invite tons of bloggers in your area. This is a great way to connect!
- Join Facebook groups (a couple I am in are: Reward Style Bloggers, The Savvy Social Community and I'm So Blogging This!)
- Attend a blogger conference (I want to go to Create and Cultivate in LA so bad!)
- Attend New York Fashion Week (this could be an entire post on it's own but ANYONE can go, no matter how big or small you are on social media)
- Search your locations hashtag (for example: your area code + blogger, #614blogger is mine)
- Email them! (this seems so simple but anytime I receive an email from another blogger or reader I respond no matter what)
- Offer to give more than you take. For example, I was listening to a podcast a couple days ago and the girl being interviewed said she collaborates with her friends frequently. She says she offers to help them on Instagram because she is killing it on there (she has 19 million followers, not kidding) and they will offer to help her with another platform that maybe she isn't as popular on.
I honestly have met so many girls in Columbus since I started blogging through all of these tips and I know they will help you too! PS- speaking of these tips, I am going to use one now :)
* Shoutout to Olivia Zwayer from @alifetoliv, she planned this shoot, take pictures and she's been one of the coolest girls I've met in Cbus!
* Shoutout to Lindsay Marie from @lindsayxxmarie, we got ready at her house all day and she is a YouTube superstar! You guys have to go check her out.
* Last but MOST DEFINITELY not least, shoutout to this babe @madddietorrres for killing it with our hair! She is so talented and if you are in the Columbus area, you need to book your next hair appointment with her.
My outfit details: Dress- Old, Aldo, similar here
Lindsay's outfit details: Jumpsuit- Express
Olivia's outfit details: Dress- Express
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