I felt like I had something to say. That’s why I created a space to self publish my own articles. July 2019 was when Whitney Wisdom Blog was first created. Really it was created as an outlet for creative expression. It was something I could do alone, in a small town, and most important to a recent college grad - it was free!
I wrote my first article and did my first photoshoot about a week before I even looked into making the website. For me the writing is always #1 but, I knew I also had to step into a model role because no one reads anything without pictures. Photography is a key element of fashion. I did 3 outfit changes for just one article and the article wasn’t even on clothes. It was on headbands! I wanted to show their diversity by pairing a knotted cloth headband with a boho dress, work attire, and activewear. The “activewear” piece turned into swimwear because it was a 90 degree day and I had access to a very picturesque rooftop pool in the mountains.
Aside from my one blog article, the Whitney Wisdom site contained an about me section which I wrote in the voice of a “Letter from the Editor.” I started getting magazines sent to the house at the young age of 8 and have remained obsessed. I learned how to read at 7 so I’ve basically been into magazines as long as humanly possible. Before mags, I’d get into all the catalogs and cut out the things I thought would look like a cool outfit together. This was a big source of inspo for this blog. I also wanted a tagline for the home screen. In college I majored in marketing and have always loved a clever one liner.
“From my Closet, to Your Screen,” it was!
I was ready to go live with my first blog on a Sunday night and I quickly realized Sunday nights - about 8:30pm would be a good time to give a final pass at editing and then publishing my articles. I first shared the link to my personal Facebook page and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Sometimes, the internet can be a nice encouraging place. My friends and family wanted more and frankly so did I!
I decided I would publish articles each week. I offered (and still do!) a free and no spam subscription option where you don’t need to stalk Facebook to get the link to my next article. It just appears in your email inbox as soon as I go live with the article. I got about 50 of my 80 fans to do so! These big numbers in the early days were so encouraging that what I was doing meant something to people and maybe even helped avoid some fashion emergencies!
It’s crazy to think that when I started Whitney Wisdom Blog I didn’t even have an Instagram to promote it. Social media has always freaked me out and I’ve done my best to steer clear but, I loved writing about fashion so much, I made the Instagram account (@whitneywisdomblog) with one goal in mind: to help grow my readership.
I later expanded the Whitney Wisdom family to include Whitney Wisdom Beading, my jewelry-focused Etsy shop! I thought Whitney Wisdom Beading would be a temporary, alternative income source when I was furloughed from March 2020-July 2020, but she’s also still up and running today! Right after I post this blog I have an anklet to make and package for someone in Illinois!
Whitney Wisdom is supposed to represent: Whitney’s words of wisdom. This blog is my styling tips and fashion advice to the world, so it’s so funny to me that people have come to think of it more as a pen name. I’ve even received mail addressed to Whitney Wisdom!
Over the past 5 years I’ve balanced writing about what I want and writing what I think people want to read. I noticed an uptick when I incorporated guest models and on the opposite end of the spectrum, when I wrote more candidly about what I am actually wearing in my own life. Simply put: people are interested in people.
I used to think this blog was about fashion but, really it's about style. Style, if done right, will infiltrate all aspects of your life, fashion included.
Happy Anniversary Ms Wisdom!