Hello you wonderful lot – last week was a strange old week for me, one of those that starts off in a very optimistic fashion, and then everything that possibly could go wrong, goes wrong. This happens to all of us and it’s true that bad things usually present themselves in groups of three. It’s sometimes easy to get caught up in negativity instead of focusing on the positive things that surround us too…
As someone who suffers with anxiety – I often find it difficult to get my personality across online. Self confidence is still a work in progress for me, and sometimes I forget to acknowledge how far I’ve come. I think we are all guilty of that every now and then – we tend to focus on the journey ahead of us, rather than taking a breath and giving ourselves a much needed pat on the back. When I started this blog, I mainly focused on the outfit I was wearing and wrote a few paragraphs on why I decided to purchase those particular shoes etc. As much as it gives me great satisfaction to discuss clothes (I could talk all day about them), that’s only one part of my personality. I’d end up feeling like my content wasn’t personal enough, and that I wouldn’t be relatable to others. After all, I live a very ‘normal’ lifestyle – I work during the week and rush home each evening to work on what I really care about most – blogging. For a while last year this left me feeling really drained and uninspired, until I took a step back to appreciate the wide picture – I was working harder than ever before and it was totally normal to feel caught up in the pressure of it all.
Some of the most positive comments I have had have stemmed from content I was most afraid to put out there. This has really encouraged me to stay true to myself and trust my instincts when it comes to my written work. The online world can often get a bad rep for trolls/bullying etc, but if I have managed to build up a place where I feel like I can be more myself everyday, it’s been the greatest form of self development I could have ever asked for. I really am so grateful for all the lovely people that take time out of their day to engage with me – nothing motivates me more to continue to inject more of my personality into my posts. I’m blessed to have discovered fellow bloggers who are like-minded and have the same down to earth attitude towards it as I do – I may curate a blog post of other females I admire/engage with online and why, as I always find this an interesting read from others. I tend to be drawn to people who are unapologetically themselves and reflect their spirit and inspirations throughout their work. To me, this makes a blog worth checking in with on a Sunday evening, and reminds me that you don’t have to follow the crowd to succeed in what you’re most passionate about…
I’d love to know what you guys would like to see more of, and I hope you liked this cosy little outfit post – I think I’ll probably be living in this jumper for the next week or so, an over-sized jumper and a pair of crop flare jeans are pretty much made for each other!
Alice x
Jumper – Anita & Green | Jeans – Zara (similar here & here) | Boots – Whistles (similar here) | Bag – Asos
Photography by Adriana
Love this outfit, adding crop flare jeans to my shopping list!
Thank you for writing this post, I found it really inspiring. As someone who also suffers from anxiety and uses writing as an outlet, it always makes me feel stronger to read work from others who show true sides of themselves. It is hard, and the temptation is to gloss over your true self and show only perfection or a one sided view but really thats just not interesting to you and then ultimately your readers. I follow your blog and your Instagram account because you have great taste in clothes and that inspires me but I also love your taste in books and seeing your different angles of Manchester (I’m also a Manchester local). It’s always good to see things you can relate to in other people you admire. xx
Totally agree with you – thanks for leaving such a supportive comment, means the world 🙂 xxx
Honestly, you’re one of my biggest style inspirations. Everything you wear is so chic, vintage and yet modern- the tomboy/pretty lady vibe is perfection. And you’re so pretty 🙂 as far as ideas for posts- I think it would be so neat if you tried making some lookbook/short filsm! Just an idea xx
Thank you! It’s funny you mention that because I’ve been toying with the idea of a short film with some sort of lookbook theme – just waiting for some nicer weather! xx
Just perfect!
http://www.evdaily.blogspot.com
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this post. I have started a blog, but my anxiety is causing me to clam up every time I go to publish something. My self doubt takes over. But, I am new, and taking my time with it. It’s reassuring to read that I’m not alone in my anxiety struggles. Being true to yourself on the internet can be difficult. ❤️
I agree and I can be exactly the same! Just take your time and put content out there that you’re proud of – don’t rush & be gentle with yourself. It gets easier with time 🙂 xx
I have found many fashion blogs that I adore, but I find that there is constantly emotional content missing in those blogs. I love your sense of fashion but I enjoy how you take the time to write more than one paragraph just explaining the outfits-its more genuine. Keep it up!
Thank you! That’s so lovely to hear because it’s always something I’m very conscious of – I want to express more than just my outfits on here, and it’s lovely to know that it comes across in some way… xx
So wonderfully written ! I know how difficult it can be to try and find your niche in life, be creative and expressive, make a living and try to protect yourself. It’s a tough balance to find and maintain. I love reading your posts, I learn a lot X
Thank you – means so much! You summed it up perfectly, so lovely to hear that you enjoy my posts 🙂 xx
Hi Alice! I have just read all the posts I had missed and stopped in this one to tell you that I love everything you write! I love your style and although it is quite far from my own, I find it really inspirational! xxx from Argentina
Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment – means a lot! xx