What a year it has been! Around February of last year, with the help of one of my best friends Reagan, I decided to start this blog as a hobby and fun creative outlet. Looking back, I had no idea what I was getting myself into (in the best way)! I have met SO many sweet and encouraging girls (the fashion blogging world is so kind and supportive!), worked with brands that I have been a longtime lover and customer of, and have made so many personal accomplishments! I really hope I don't ramble, but I want to give you guys, my loyal audience that I love, an true look into what this first year of blogging has been like!
First of all, it's still only a hobby. I do get a small amount of money from using the liketoknow.it app (which I will get into shortly), but I mainly get a lot of things gifted to me in return for posts/promotion. I've thought about what it would be like if I was able to turn it into my full time job one day, and I'm not sure if I'd really enjoy it as much! I love that right now, there is no pressure. If I want to take a breather from the internet for a few days, I can. I don't have any major deadlines to meet and I don't depend on sales for my paycheck. I think with this blog being solely a hobby, that I'm very proud of, it makes it even more fun and enjoyable!
How I got the name "Luxe Be A Lady":
I feel like every blog needs a good catchy name! My good friend Samantha and I were brainstorming one day and she came up with it! It's a play on southern slang "let's be a lady", but 'luxe' is obviously fashion related. I loved it and still do! So, shoutout to my girl Sam for the catchy name!
How I created my "brand":
I've gotten this type of question a few times. This might sound like too simple of an answer but, I just promote/wear things that I genuinely like and would shop for, even if I didn't have a fashion blog! A few months ago, I started struggling with feeling like I was losing my originality. I felt like my instagram/blog was nothing but a duplicate of my favorite blogger's feeds and items that I was seeing over and over again. I had to step back from the internet and stop thinking that just because these other girls that I look up to had something, I needed it too. Sometimes it felt like a game of catch-up and I felt like I always needed to be buying something new. I had to get real with myself and say "hey, you wear scrubs 4 days a week, you're being totally unrealistic buying all these clothes, it's not even possible for you to wear all of them!". So basically, just try to stay true to yourself! You want your audience to follow you for you, not because you look exactly like 10 other accounts out there. Try not to let the comparison game take you over! Sometimes I have to take a break from my phone/computer and clear my mind!
Comparison:
That's another thing that is tough sometimes! You look at all these girls, looking picture perfect, having 100k followers, getting 2,000+ likes on their pictures, and you start to feel kinda bad about yourself! At least, I did. I felt like maybe I should give up the blog because it wasn't growing as quickly as some others have. But then you have to look at yourself.. why did you even start doing this? What personal accomplishments have you made? Heck, I don't try to hide the fact that I erase the dark circles out from under my eyes, air brush my skin, and give myself some color if I'm looking too pasty in my photos. It's just a photo, and followers and likes are just numbers. It doesn't define you as a person. Just remember no one is as perfect as they look online, and most will even admit that! Although I only have around 5k followers on IG right now, I have a very engaged/involved audience, and I appreciate that more than you know! Some accounts have 50k/110k followers and hardly get any likes/interaction. It's not all about the numbers!
Accomplishments:
When I look at all the goals I've met and collaborations I've been a part of in just one year, I can't help but be proud of myself! As much as I value every single collaboration I've been a part of, the most exciting that come to mind are getting accepted to the rewardStyle program with liketoknow.it, working with ReaGphotography to create Polagram's lookbook, working with Red Dress Boutique, En Creme, and FabFitFun!
Liketoknow.it/rewardStyle:
I've been a user of liketoknow.it before I even started blogging because it's the best and easiest way to keep up with my favorite bloggers and shop their items! First of all, you have to apply and be accepted into the rewardStyle network. I actually was denied the first time and had to wait 2 months before I could try again! Being able to use liketoknow.it is so exciting for 2 reasons, I'm able to easily link my exact and similar products for you guys to shop, and I'm able to make money! That's how I'm able to do my "shop the post" areas at the end of my blog posts. The way it works is if you click the links that I post and purchase an item, I receive commission! Say you click on a pair of shoes from Nordstrom and you shop around and end up buying a shirt and jeans instead, I still get commission from your total purchase. Even though you didn't buy the exact item that I had linked, you're still shopping that site through my link. However, if you leave that site and go somewhere else, it no longer works. I can see the items that have been purchased, but I can't see who buys them. I highly recommend downloading the liketoknow.it app! It's like Instagram for bloggers, and is actually linked to your Instagram account. I follow all my favorites and their pictures (with linked items) show up in a chronological feed! On a separate tab in the app, it also shows you all the photos you have liked/screenshot, so if you don't actually follow that person, you can still see the items in the photo that you've liked on Insta! I hope it doesn't sound confusing, because it's honestly the easiest thing ever. However, if you don't want an extra app taking up space on your phone, you can always visit/bookmark liketoknow.it/alexispaigeb and you don't have to have an account!
How collaborations work:
I just want to make sure you guys know that I only promote/work with brands that I genuinely like! I don't accept every offer that comes my way just to get free stuff! If it's a sketchy or cheaply made product, I say nope. I want you guys to trust the things that I share! Right now, liketoknow.it is the only way I make money (a small amount) from blogging/instagram. All the other collabs work by exchange. I get a product(s) of my choice in exchange for an Instagram/blog post. I also want y'all to know, I always give my honest review of everything!
Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for following along with me! If you have any other questions, please please ask me! Comment here, email me, DM me on insta! Love to all!
How I got the name "Luxe Be A Lady":
I feel like every blog needs a good catchy name! My good friend Samantha and I were brainstorming one day and she came up with it! It's a play on southern slang "let's be a lady", but 'luxe' is obviously fashion related. I loved it and still do! So, shoutout to my girl Sam for the catchy name!
How I created my "brand":
I've gotten this type of question a few times. This might sound like too simple of an answer but, I just promote/wear things that I genuinely like and would shop for, even if I didn't have a fashion blog! A few months ago, I started struggling with feeling like I was losing my originality. I felt like my instagram/blog was nothing but a duplicate of my favorite blogger's feeds and items that I was seeing over and over again. I had to step back from the internet and stop thinking that just because these other girls that I look up to had something, I needed it too. Sometimes it felt like a game of catch-up and I felt like I always needed to be buying something new. I had to get real with myself and say "hey, you wear scrubs 4 days a week, you're being totally unrealistic buying all these clothes, it's not even possible for you to wear all of them!". So basically, just try to stay true to yourself! You want your audience to follow you for you, not because you look exactly like 10 other accounts out there. Try not to let the comparison game take you over! Sometimes I have to take a break from my phone/computer and clear my mind!
Comparison:
That's another thing that is tough sometimes! You look at all these girls, looking picture perfect, having 100k followers, getting 2,000+ likes on their pictures, and you start to feel kinda bad about yourself! At least, I did. I felt like maybe I should give up the blog because it wasn't growing as quickly as some others have. But then you have to look at yourself.. why did you even start doing this? What personal accomplishments have you made? Heck, I don't try to hide the fact that I erase the dark circles out from under my eyes, air brush my skin, and give myself some color if I'm looking too pasty in my photos. It's just a photo, and followers and likes are just numbers. It doesn't define you as a person. Just remember no one is as perfect as they look online, and most will even admit that! Although I only have around 5k followers on IG right now, I have a very engaged/involved audience, and I appreciate that more than you know! Some accounts have 50k/110k followers and hardly get any likes/interaction. It's not all about the numbers!
Accomplishments:
When I look at all the goals I've met and collaborations I've been a part of in just one year, I can't help but be proud of myself! As much as I value every single collaboration I've been a part of, the most exciting that come to mind are getting accepted to the rewardStyle program with liketoknow.it, working with ReaGphotography to create Polagram's lookbook, working with Red Dress Boutique, En Creme, and FabFitFun!
Liketoknow.it/rewardStyle:
I've been a user of liketoknow.it before I even started blogging because it's the best and easiest way to keep up with my favorite bloggers and shop their items! First of all, you have to apply and be accepted into the rewardStyle network. I actually was denied the first time and had to wait 2 months before I could try again! Being able to use liketoknow.it is so exciting for 2 reasons, I'm able to easily link my exact and similar products for you guys to shop, and I'm able to make money! That's how I'm able to do my "shop the post" areas at the end of my blog posts. The way it works is if you click the links that I post and purchase an item, I receive commission! Say you click on a pair of shoes from Nordstrom and you shop around and end up buying a shirt and jeans instead, I still get commission from your total purchase. Even though you didn't buy the exact item that I had linked, you're still shopping that site through my link. However, if you leave that site and go somewhere else, it no longer works. I can see the items that have been purchased, but I can't see who buys them. I highly recommend downloading the liketoknow.it app! It's like Instagram for bloggers, and is actually linked to your Instagram account. I follow all my favorites and their pictures (with linked items) show up in a chronological feed! On a separate tab in the app, it also shows you all the photos you have liked/screenshot, so if you don't actually follow that person, you can still see the items in the photo that you've liked on Insta! I hope it doesn't sound confusing, because it's honestly the easiest thing ever. However, if you don't want an extra app taking up space on your phone, you can always visit/bookmark liketoknow.it/alexispaigeb and you don't have to have an account!
How collaborations work:
I just want to make sure you guys know that I only promote/work with brands that I genuinely like! I don't accept every offer that comes my way just to get free stuff! If it's a sketchy or cheaply made product, I say nope. I want you guys to trust the things that I share! Right now, liketoknow.it is the only way I make money (a small amount) from blogging/instagram. All the other collabs work by exchange. I get a product(s) of my choice in exchange for an Instagram/blog post. I also want y'all to know, I always give my honest review of everything!
Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for following along with me! If you have any other questions, please please ask me! Comment here, email me, DM me on insta! Love to all!
SHOP THE POST
