It’s been almost two years since I started this blog. Time sure does fly! You’re probably wondering why I started, stopped, and am back again, and that’s exactly what this blog post will discuss. So buckle up because it’s going to be a bit of a story!
I started this blog in 2020 as a creative outlet. It was the realization of a dream that I had in my mind for a very long time. I’ve wanted to do this since I was in high school! I just never had someone to take photos for me, had no idea how to set up a website, and quite honestly, I never thought I had the “right” body type. So in 2020 I finally had someone to take my photos (my husband), some knowledge on how to set up a website, and a true yearning to have a creative outlet to go with a job that is 100% analytical.
I began this blog to do the thing that I always dreamed of doing: fashion. If you know anything about me, you know my dream was always to work in fashion. However, I set aside that dream for a more practical path. I’ve since realized that doesn’t mean I can’t work in fashion in another way. Enter: Style in the Suburbs.
I loved starting this blog and talking fashion, but I made it too difficult. I wanted it to be perfect, and I felt the pressure to buy and wear new clothes every month. I quickly realized that just wasn’t financially plausible. Then my busy season came, and I didn’t have time to think about posting on Instagram and the blog when I was working 16 hour days and weekends. So I got out of the habit of posting and didn’t get back into it. But I never stopped thinking about the fact that I wanted to do this. After all, as the wise Cinderella once said, “a dream is a wish your heart makes.”
Still, why did I wait so long to get back in the game? I was waiting for the “perfect moment”. The thing is, though, those moments never really come. Am I 100% happy and confident with my body? Nope. Have I ever been? Also nope. I’ve been a wide range of sizes now, and I’ve learned to dress myself and others in that wide range. I want to lend that knowledge to women. You don’t have to be your goal weight or your dream size to look and feel fabulous. Sometimes feeling fabulous means accepting where you are right now and making the most of it because moping never helped anyone, and a frown never made anyone prettier.
My true mission is this: to equip women of all shapes, sizes, and heights with the tools and the knowledge to look and feel their best every day. I know how the right outfit can improve your confidence, which in turn can improve your mood and even your performance at work. I hope you find that here. I plan to create plenty of resources for you in the following categories: workwear, casual wear, and other events (from weddings to office Christmas parties). Tell me what you need help with here and on Instagram, and I will cover it!
Now on to the details of this outfit! I love a statement coat. It always elevates an outfit and adds a little personality to your look. I kept the rest of this look simple because the coat is the outfit hero.
Kate’s Styling Tips: The Outfit Hero
I’ve touched on the outfit hero in previous blog posts. As a refresher, an outfit hero is the star of the show. The main attraction. It’s the piece that immediately draws the eye and would be the focus of your outfit. Not every outfit needs to have a hero, but never put too many heroes in an outfit or you run the risk of outfit confusion. Too many competing patterns / colors / eye catchers will just make you look busy. I will dedicate a future blog post to covering the concept of the outfit hero in depth (with examples!) so that you can confidently use this technique.
