Why I Became A Fashion Blogger & How It Gives Me Purpose
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Since I was a little girl I've alway's looked at life from the view of "How can I help people".
Even was I was a little girl and i made the decision to be a professional singer it was never about being rich and famous, I wanted to help people.
Music had always been the driving force through my tough childhood and I wanted to sing songs that would help someone feel understood and not alone.
The same way songs I connected to as a child had helped me in those hard times.
Now when I look back I can see that I took this same approach for why I became a fashion blogger.
I wanted to help people. But the story doesn't start there.
Fashion blogging for me began 5 years before I started blogging.
These two women's fashion blogs just blew my mind. The quality of the photos, editing, the writing.
They were their own bosses and so chic but also so relatable. They just exuded that effortless boss-babe mentality in every way and were a true inspiration in terms of what a women can do when she stops caring what others think and just goes for it.
I wanted to do what they were doing so badly, but it felt intimidating and impossible.
I wanted to do what they were doing so badly, but it felt intimidating and impossible.
I would paralyze myself with questions like "How do you even get a website built and then get photos like theirs? How did they learn to write like that too?
I would tell myself things like "I can't do that, I didn't go to school for fashion."
I had so many reasons why It felt impossible to even imagine I could do what they were doing.
shop my look
Along with the most obvious reason, I had zero experience in the fashion world and I worked in a completely different field.
I worked in music.
At that time, I was working in a music studio doing vocals for DJs and music producers.
I knew nothing about fashion blogging, social media, or the internet.
The most I had ever used a computer for was sending emails.
But I knew I had always had a deep love for fashion and styling that went far past shopping and looking cute.
That was when I remembered something that Tony Robbins once said years ago.
"If you're struggling to figure out what kind of business you should create, just look around at your life right now."
"Most times you're already doing the things you love doing everyday and those things are what you should create a business around."
So I took that advice and had a long hard look at my life and realized Tony was spot on.
Fashion and styling were always there, playing a role in my life.
I had loved helping friends pick out outfits since I was a young girl.
I had even styled all my clothes and designs when I was on American Idol. Which inspired fans on tour to come dressed in "ryan starr outfits".
I can remember helping my friends pick out their prom dresses and accessories during prom.
I even dressed my guy friends for their big dates sometimes. I remembered going to the mall with a few guy friends who were clueless when it came to fashion.
They wanted to dress nicer in hopes of finding a great girlfriend but didn't know where to start.
I'd spend hours teaching them about different denim fits and taking them to see mens brands they had never heard of.
Or helping girlfriends update their wardrobes with more current trends.
So they didn't feel so "lame and out of touch" as they would say. Sometimes I would end up finding my friends more flattering pieces for their figure that they would have never thought to try.
Styling people was always there, but I didn't believe I could make it my job, until I did.
So, here I am on my very own fashion blog. It took me years to believe I could do this and many other years learning to do this
But once I realized I had already been doing most of it, the paralyzing "imposter syndrome" slowly went away.
The best thing about this is that none of this has ever felt like work.
Because from the start, styling people and fashion was never just about fashion.
It was always about humans and making them feel their best, whether on prom night or an important date night.
As for the actual fashion pieces, yes, I love those too.
There isn't a YSL or Chanel runway show I haven't swooned over or dreamt of filling my entire closet with.
When it comes to design and fashion I will forever have a deep love, awe, and appreciation for it.
But shopping and fashion can only do so much.
We must all do work on the inside no matter how fabulous the outside looks .
That being said, a well-styled outfit can be a tool to empower you to feel confident.
Maybe during your speech at work, or to finally talk to your crush, or feel beautiful after a breakup.
Fashion can be an extremely empowering thing for some and thats why I'm here. Thats why I created all of this.
I'm here for that side of fashion, the side that empowers people.
That exact intention is at the heart of every post here on SIR.
Thats why I became a fashion blogger.
-Ryan
