The Price of Being a Fashion Blogger

Wrap: Wilfred | Shirt & Bag: Oak Fort | Jeans: Rich & Skinny | Shoes: Alexander Wang | Necklace: Chanel

This is a difficult entry for me to write, as this is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever divulged to the Internet. Far worse than any heartbreak or tinge of insecurity, of all the things I’ve done wrong in my life, it’s not handling my money wiser.

When I started this blog, I was a naïve 21-year-old who worked as a Sales Associate at Gucci. I was making $75K and, despite the fact my parents repeatedly told me to save my money, I developed a destructive shopping addiction. Over the years I racked up $30K in credit card debt on shit I don’t even remember, and now at 26, I’ve learned the importance of saving money the hard way.

Since I’m currently taking a career break, I’ve put myself on a shopping ban. While I put together this outfit, I rediscovered pieces that were collecting dust in the back of my closet. Sometimes when you’ve been hanging around on the Internet for too long, you feel the need to replace everything you wear, which is ridiculous and totally unrealistic. I mean, at some point I must have loved all of this, right?

As a fashion blogger, there’s a lot of pressure to keep up with the constant influx of new clothes, shoes, and accessories that other bloggers and celebrities wear. But I’m here to remind you that style isn’t based on having shiny new things; it’s based on being yourself. As Gore Vidal said, “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”

Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly okay to have nice things as long as A. you’re purchasing it for yourself and B. it’s not going to put you in debt. Although having those Christian Louboutin shoes or that Céline bag is nice, the ability to take care of yourself financially is a reason to feel rich in itself.