Happy Blog-a-versary!

As I type this, I’m sitting in an airport, returning home after yet another one of life’s crazy adventures. And it got me thinking of a different kind of adventure I embarked on only just a year ago – the kind of adventure that epitomizes the whole “One small step for man…” concept, because really all it involved was a deep breath and a button that said, “Go Live.” The Dressed Aesthetic turns one today!

Everyone who knows me knows that vintage is just a part of my blood. That dressing up and feeling good about what I put on is as much my daily mission as it is my ethos – I believe clothing can be transformative. I believe it can remind us to put ourselves first. And it can be heart-stoppingly, toe-tinglingly fabulous. And I never really realized that finally just going for it and dressing the way that I do was taking a bit of a stance in my profession or would be something that was inspirational to anyone. I was just always, well, doing me. And it took several years of hemming and ahhing and the monotonous should I/shouldn’t I debate, before the ever-fabulous Lindsey interviewed me and shook me up and made me realize I had a lot to say on the subject (and many others. Yeah, by now you’ve realized brevity isn’t my strong suit). And this blog was born.

To be honest, it still kind of blows my mind that people want to see what I wear (and warms my heart. You guys have no idea). That people check into my little corner of the net. That there’s a group of folks out there who get just as excited as I do to see the unveiling of a new pair of shoes. That twirl with me in my latest vintage dress. Women (and gents) who share their knowledge and expertise and passions who are all as varied and diverse as they are fabulous.

Readers and bloggers who are excelling in their careers, challenging themselves to be better, looking for ways to leave the world better than they found it. Those who are blogging with their baby on their hip. Reading and commenting and writing their thoughts from the road. Enduring silent struggles, grieving loss, and picking themselves up and dusting themselves off and smiling at the world. All the while engaging. Participating in life and reaching across the miles. Sometimes quietly watching and gathering inspiration. Applying it in their own ways in their own lives that we may never see, but are still a part of. And I’m really proud to be considered part of that community. And for most of us, we’re a community of sassy creatives who will never actually ‘meet.’ Ohhhh, but we’ve met. We’ve shared our darkest secrets and our funniest stories. We’ve shared our outfits, our insecurities, and the minutiae of our days. And that makes us the best of friends.

This blog has brought me to some amazing places, all from the comfort of my computer screen. It brought me into your homes and into your lives. It’s lead me to some incredible collaborations, some new vintage stores, some confronting questions, and some new friends along the way.

I learned blogging is a lot harder than I thought it would be. No really. After reading blogs for years and only seeing the finished product, I had no idea how much went into the styling, the photos, the editing, the writing. The planning and the hours it takes to create a space like this – and I’m not even one of those superstars who post every day. I also had no idea how much joy all of that work would bring me – how long it had been since I had flexed my writing muscles or had so much fun with the Mister trying new angles in photography. And mostly, how much I would love connecting with virtual strangers every day and tapping into a collective of vibrant, vintage-loving fashionistas who are just as eclectic as I am.

So, on this momentous-for-me day, I am so so grateful to you all for letting me carve out this part of the internet. To share my fears and foibles and occasional run-ins with rather thought-provoking people. And when I look at this blog and what I’ve created – I’m really proud of it. I’m proud of the work that I’ve put into it and the product that’s come into its own this past year.

If you’re thinking about starting a blog – do it. Trust me. It will be far more work than you can ever imagine. And it may change and grow along the way – the same way you will change and grow. It make take you a little while to figure out the things that seem to come so easily to everyone else (secret – it took them awhile to get it too in the beginning). But it will be awesome. And it’ll be yours (I can’t wait to read it!).

So thank you, dear readers. Thank you for enduring the growing pains this past year, as I figured out this whole blogging malarky. Thank you for celebrating wins with me and for giving me a vibrant and energetic and endlessly moving, but always in one place, home.

I’m really excited to see what this next year brings.

xoxo

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