Six years ago today I hit publish on my first blog post. I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for that long! Lately I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how I started blogging and I thought today would be the perfect day to dive into it.
When I first started this blog I was working a job where I had little to no creative freedom and there really wasn’t room to grow. I had survived the recession without getting laid off, but hadn’t had real raise in the years I started working post college. It was a weird time. I was basically told to be grateful I had a job and just sit there complacently for years on end. I was desperately craving a creative outlet.
At the same time my co-workers and friends would come to me for fashion advice. Back then most of my wardrobe was from Forever 21, and I loved mixing and matching old and new pieces from my closet to create new looks. I had also just discovered Pinterest and found so much inspiration there. It also lead me to discover fashion bloggers and blogging in general.
For months Jeff was telling me I should start a blog. I gave him a million reasons why I shouldn’t and came back with all the reasons I should. I didn’t have money to hire a photographer, I’d tell him. He had a DSLR and went to film school, he’d remind me. But more than anything had this fear that everyone would think I was doing it for vanity reasons, instead of it being a creative hobby for me. He told me not to worry what anyone else is thinking and just do it for me. He basically gave me the confidence to just do it.
Another hurdle was we didn’t live in the same city. I was still living in LA and he was in Orange County. We’d spend every weekend together and that’s when we’d shoot. In the early days I even had my best friend shoot my first few outfit posts with my point and shoot camera. So thanks Kim for being my first photographer! If you want to see those early posts click here and here. I’m cringing and can’t believe I’m sharing them!
Six years ago Jeff and I spent a whole weekend setting up the site. We scrutinized for days over the name. I knew I wanted to play off the “ash” in fashion. And went back and forth between Ash ‘n’ Fash or Ash ‘n’ Fashn. We finally decided, bought the domain and Jeff set up the site with a simple templet he built. He sent me emails with all my passwords and directions on how to post photos, etc. I still have those emails and refer back to them often!
So much has changed in the world of blogging in the last six years. When I started this blog I never dreamed I’d turn it into my career. That itself took years and wasn’t even something on my radar. I started because I needed an outlet and I grew to love the freedom I had creating content on here.
I get questions all the time from girls starting out today about how to be successful, grow their instagram numbers, etc. But really there’s no fast pass to it (unless you happen to get very lucky). I chipped away at it for YEARS before I made any real money and just had fun and learned as I went.
My best advice if you want to start a blog, is just to do it. Start writing, creating, whatever it is you’re trying to do… just start doing it. If you love what you’re doing and are doing it for the right reasons people will notice and want to follow along.
A really fun part about this blog is it’s been with me through everything the past six years. My move back to Orange County, engagement, wedding, buying and remodeling our house, pregnancy and now motherhood. I’ve been able to partner with amazing brands and meet so many inspiring like-minded people along the way.
I feel so fortunate I was able to create my dream job. A job I get to do while at home raising my daughter. Thank you so much for following, reading and supporting me. I truly would not still be blogging without the support I’ve received through the years. XO
