Some Pros & Cons of Style Blogging

Today's post is a little bit different, but I thought I would share some pros & cons / ups & downs of style blogging. It's something I think about quite often as this is an extremely rewarding and extremely frustrating side hustle. There are a lot, so I'll keep each point brief, but let me know if there are any topics you would like for me to expand upon in the future!

Pro  |  resume building / new + improved skills
I can't begin to list how many skills I've learned and improved on through my blog, but a quick overview would be manual and self-portrait photography, photo editing, social media strategies, PR, writing, time management, basic accounting, and more! I have my blog on my resume for all of these reasons and more. It shows my creativity, my work ethic, and many skill sets I now possess. 

Con  |  people can think you're vain...or straight up crazy

I can totally see how someone would come to this conclusion about bloggers since we're sharing photos of ourselves over and over...and over again. It could definitely come across to some that I'm obsessed with myself (you'll see it's quite the opposite later in this post), but I truly just love creating content and styling outfits. I also get allllll kinds of crazy (and creepy) looks and comments when I'm out taking photos. 

Pro  |  it's a creative outlet 
When I decided to go in non-fashion PR fields, I knew I still wanted to be involved in fashion in some way. Enter style blogging. On this space I get to express myself creatively, experiment as much as I want to (with few repercussions), and be involved in the fashion industry. I love having a creative outlet outside of my full-time office job. 

Con  |  taking photos of yourself gets old

As a girl, there are always some photos you really like of yourself, and then a ton you don't like. Now multiply that by thousands. First of all, looking at thousands of photos of yourself over the years is not the most fun. It's easy to get sucked into a deep pit of nitpicking your entire face and body as you zoom in and see flaws, or if certain angles are incredibly unflattering. If an outfit doesn't photograph as flattering on me, I sometimes struggle to wear it ever again. And you know what else? I'm honestly pretty sick of looking at myself and editing my own photos!! haha. Over the past year I discovered that I truly did love photography when I got to take photos of other people, which is why I started my photography side hustle. It's been nice to say the least.

Pro  |  it's a diary of sorts

While I haven't done much lifestyle blogging to-date, I do share some life events, and it's also fun to look back on how my style (and hair and makeup) have changed over the years. 

Con | the time commitment
I know it's obnoxious when full time bloggers say "this really is a full time job," but holy hell, it really is a time commitment! While I do make a little bit of money here (from affiliate links and the occasional sponsored post), I don't even come close to breaking even on the time and money I invest in this space. Like not even close. It's a personal investment that's worth it to me right now, but the time it takes to go out and shoot the photos, edit, write the post, coordinate links, promote on social media, and email/coordinate with brands is staggering.  

Pro  |  trying new brands & products

I don't get even close to the number of gifts a lot of other bloggers get, but I'm truly so grateful for what I do receive! I've gotten to try out so many fantastic clothing brands and beauty products over the past few years, which has been so fun to cover for you guys!

Con  |  slow growth / brands not noticing you

It's so hard to put in tons and tons of hard work and pour all of your creativity into something and a) not grow much and b) not get noticed by brands you wear over and over. This can get discouraging, and it's very easy to doubt your abilities, looks, etc. However, there are good times too...

Pro  |  getting to partner with brands you love and respect

It's an incredible feeling when a brand you love and purchase from reaches out to collaborate, even if it's just for gifted products. To know that they noticed your hard work and appreciate your style is the best feeling and is incredibly validating!

Con | the comparison game

I'll keep it short so this doesn't get too heavy, but I know all of us fall victim to the comparison game from time to time. It's hard to draw a line between being inspired by someone and feeling like crap because you don't seem to stack up (even though we all know blogs and Instagrams are a big highlight reel). I don't have stick thin legs, long thick hair, an incredible designer wardrobe, or get to travel the world. I can't pay a professional photographer to take and edit photos for me. I don't have piles of boxes of new clothes showing up for me every week so that I can post different outfits every day. How on earth do you compare to those girls?? It's hard to avoid comparison, but I try to stay in my own lane as much as possible! 

Pro  |  the supportive communities

Through blogging I not only have a community of fellow bloggers and Instagrammers that are both inspiring and uplifting, but also a community of readers and followers! It's an incredibly rewarding feeling when someone you don't personally know takes the time to reach out and tell you they've read your blog for years or that a certain post was helpful to them. While this space is very rewarding to me personally and creatively, ultimately I'm creating content for my readers, and that supportive community is amazing.

Top (c/o Lulu's | runs big)  |  Jeans  (c/o Lulu's)  |  Similar Loafer Mules here & here  |  Choker

Overall, my blogging experience has been so, so positive so far and I thank each and every one of you for being apart of this community and following along! Hopefully it was interesting to learn a little bit about the behind-the-scenes of blogging and some of the many things running through my head all the time 😉

Love you guys! xx