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Last Friday marked my 1000th post on the blog. One freaking thousand! That is crazy town! I wanted to make sure I acknowledged the milestone because that just seems like a lot. Plus, I feel like my blog has evolved quite a bit over the last one thousand posts, so today will be a fun walk down memory lane! This photo above was basically how it all started. I used a tripod along with a timer app on my phone to take these outfit photos every morning before work. It was kind of a pain in the butt because I had to walk to the phone and reset the timer in between shots. But alas, I made it happen.
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Then I went through that super awkward phase of blogging that makes me shiver, but I can't help but share it because, well, it's too funny not to laugh at myself. I'm not sure why I needed to act like I was nonchalantly adjusting myself while a random photographer happened to take my photo. In my driveway. In front of my garage door. And to think, the reason why I wanted to start the blog was because I wanted to graduate from taking outfit selfies and actually take proper photos. Looking at this, I'm pretttttty sure my mirrored selfies were way better than this awkard stage.
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I gave up on the driveway photos and decided to take photos at the front door of the house. I'm not quite sure why I thought this was a good backdrop, but whatever. And again with the awkwardly posed "nonchalant" photos. Le sigh.
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I then gave up on the front yard and graduated to the backyard! I stood in this corner of our backyard for I don't know how many photos. But at least I let go of the awkward poses.
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I finally said "screw the neighbors!" and decided to take photos in the actual street! Gasp! I know for a fact that one of my neighbors thought that I sold handbags because I was always in the street getting photos taken by the husband while I was carrying a bag. True story - that neighbor asked the husband if I sold handbags!
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Still me in the middle of the street, but I believe it was somewhere at the end of 2014/beginning of 2015 when I decided to splurge and get a 50mm lens. That lens is freaking magical. The husband felt like a fancy photographer even though all he was doing was pointing and shooting! I also feel like that time period was a good growing point for the blog. I started the Monday linkup with Gina and that really helped give me better focus.
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Outside of the blog, there were other changes that I was able to document. First, my closet room went through a nice change when I was able to add my shoe cabinets! It's fun to see how that transformed on the blog.
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More recently, my bathroom got a makeover also! I love being able to share these things with you guys here, and also to read back and reminisce on all these stories!
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I also went through changes myself! This wasn't necessarily blog related, but this year was a big fitness year for me and I've managed to lose 15 pounds. I'm feeling better than ever!
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I wasn't knee deep into Pilates before I started this blog. I made the resolution back in 2014 that I was going to sign up for Pilates classes, and here I am almost 3 years later not only going strong, but pursuing certification. Who woulda known!
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My top knot is also one of those things that has transformed a lot over the last few years. I went from the sock bun, to a bird's nest, to finally this easy method!
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Sticking with beauty, I never ever used to paint my nails. Maybe once every few weeks or so? I definitely credit blogging, specifically Gina, for my commitment to painted nails. My eye is trained so much so that I feel completely naked if my nails are not painted. It's a silly thing, but it's a detail that makes me feel finished.
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I've been wearing lash extensions for almost 2 years now, can you believe it? I'm so used to seeing myself with them now that when I see my "old" self without them, I feel like I look bald. I am definitely still loving them. I get them filled every 3 weeks or so. I'm actually going through a little bit of a withdrawal because my lash girl is going on maternity leave so I have to find another salon to go to for two months while she is out! Luckily, she referred me to one of her friends so hopefully she does just as good of a job!
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Suffice it to say, I never took a topdown selfie before blogging. I think I have perfected the art, at least to my own standards. Funny that this is even a thing.
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I want to happy cry looking at this photo because I never would have met any of these sweet girls had I not made the decision to start blogging. We are all from three different time zones, yet we connect, we care, we have stuff in common, we laugh together, and it just makes my heart so happy.
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Jenna! She is legit my only real life girl friend that I have locally that I don't know from work or through the husband. I cherish her friendship, and again, I never would have met her had I not come across her blog a couple of years ago. I got lucky when they moved back to St. Louis!
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Weddings!! So many weddings! My brother got engaged AND married since I've been blogging.
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And I've also been in two weddings - including bachelorette parties and weddings showers. That's a long time if you think about the lifecycle of planning a wedding! And I've been in TWO of them and the timelines didn't even overlap!
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Last but not least, I've become an auntie! We do have nephews on the husband's side of the family, but my sister had her son since I've started the blog, and can you believe he is two freaking years old now?! Time flies so fast it is scary.
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I thought I would end with some of my more favorite outfits, which typically involved destroyed jeans, what can I say?! As you can see, I have officially ditched the street in front of our house. I no longer take 5 outfits worth of photos on the weekend. While I still post 5 days a week, I only post 3 sets of outfit photos, and then I usually do a random roundup post on Friday and some sort of product review, collaboration, or other editorial type post on Tuesdays. That schedule has been working well for me, and to be honest, I feel like shooting photos "off site" helps the aesthetics of the blog. The husband is a good sport for indulging in my requests.
This dress is still one of the most prettiest pieces I have worn in my entire life, so I had to finish this post on a high note! I have never felt as beautiful as I did that night - the dress was truly magical. I really don't think I would have known what Rent the Runway was had it not been for this blog, so I'm thankful for that!
Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane! It's been fun creating posts for you guys, reading your comments, and talking to you on social media. I'm not saving lives or making big bucks, but you know what? I'm proud of my blog space and so thankful for each one of you who are reading this! From the bottom of my heart.
This post was everything, I looooooved it. I'm so sad I didn't celebrate my 1000th posts :/
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PinkSole
Ohhh this was SO fun!! Loved this trip down memory lane and seeing the evolution of your blog. We all have those cringe-worthy posts but I've accepted it's just part of the process. Happy to know you and flattered to have helped influence some of your progress along the way. Can't wait to see what the next 1000 posts bring! :)
ReplyDeleteGina || On the Daily Express
Congrats on the milestone!! I loved seeing how your style progressed in this post!
ReplyDeleteAdi xx
fancycorrectitude.com
instagram.com/fancycorrectitude
Congratulations on 1000 posts!!! That's a lot of posts girlfriend!! And I've enjoyed everyone that I've read. I am not sure when I started following you but it's been for a while now. I loved your style and how you would show how to style one piece several ways is why I started following and is why I still follow. And that your style is actually do-able. I haven't ever thought about pictures in front of the garage or on the sidewalk or front door but I do have one question that I've had since I first discovered blogs. Since your trip down memory lane(that I really enjoyed) brought up the topic of my question I thought I'd ask. This is in no way aimed at you but I see a lot of bloggers take their pictures in the street, which is fine to me, but I've often wondered why the street? What was the purpose of being in the street as opposed to in front of the front door or garage. I hope you don't mind me asking.
ReplyDeleteAgain, congratulations on your 1000 post and I will continue following you for your talented styling and as my inspiration.
Thank you so much for following along and for taking the time to comment! For me, it's just personal preference. I don't like having things behind me if at all possible because it helps with the depth of field (blurry backgrounds.) Plus my husband and I are not professional photographers and the static 50mm lens is really fussy with busy backgrounds - it likes to focus on other things than me. Obviously the street isn't always feasible so I work with what I can! And honestly- you wouldn't think so but the engagement I have now with my photos in different locations other than in front of my house or in my neighborhood street is so much better. So followers seem to appreciate it whether it's conscious or not! Hope that makes sense! It's purely just my aesthetic preference.
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