Welcome to Little Blank Diaries! There is something special about creating something out of nothing. Since I was a little girl, I would have stacks of magazines in my room. I loved pouring over every single detail, hoping someday I could be the editor that decides which stories and photos make it to print. Now, putting together editorial content and bringing everything together to translate it to a digital experience is one of my favorite aspects of having a blog. So why am I now reflecting back?
I have been blogging about fashion since 2013 and it’s time for a rebrand. This rebrand was a year in the making. The main hold up was thinking of a new name. I have spend months staring at a blank page trying to come up with something that perfectly exemplifies me and the blog. It was STRESSFUL. Many mornings consisted of staring at a computer screen, attempting to gain inspiration by writing out lists of movies, books, quotes and poems that have ever inspires me.
old diaries
I’ve been reading old diaries and really digging deep to to learn more about myself and figure out why I started blogging in the first place. How do you decide on three words that perfectly summarize you and what you’re trying to achieve? You can’t. I was putting so much pressure on myself to come up with something perfect until I realized that the answer was close all along.
I was at a talk recently and the speaker, Elaine Welteroth, so eloquently stated that if you’re looking for inspiration, go back to what you spent the most time doing as a child. For me, that was reading and writing. Writing stories. Writing poems. Reading books. Reading magazines. Writing in my diary. I started doing the work that was necessary to rediscover that part of myself and quickly realized that for me, it all started with my diaries. Those little blank diaries have been a method of personal reflection that have always allowed me to put my feelings on paper and organize my thoughts. I felt like my blog needed to represent that.
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Why Did I Made the Decision to Rebrand?
Truthfully, I was feeling uninspired and felt like the blog wasn’t really reflecting what I was trying to accomplish. My content has evolved beyond outfit posts. It is now a destination for motherhood, travel, books, and wellness-with fashion as the foundation. The focus will always be fashion. However, I want to post more than just an outfit with a quick write up. I want this to be a space for something more personal and hope that as you’re reading, you can connect to my stories.
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What does Little Blank Diaries mean?
› This has been one of the hardest parts of creating a blog. The original name of the site was LaptopsandHeels. Later, I changed it to Street Style Philosophy in 2017 when I had the first major rebrand. I never loved the name, Street Style Philosophy, so in the back of my mind I was always brainstorming other potential names. I decided I would do a mini rebrand and change the name to something that more accurately reflected the content.
› To me, writing in a diary is representative of the time period in which my love for writing and fashion started to surface, the 90s. There is something about putting pen to paper and writing it all down. This is obviously a digital forum but I’m often drafting posts or ideas in a notebook and then transferring it to the blog. I’ve kept a diary since the fourth grade and some habits just never fade. It is truly a form of therapy for me and allows me to get everything out there. I also feel like I am gradually forgetting my entire life so the blog helps me document it all. I love looking back at old diaries or blog posts and remembering events and feelings that I long forgot about.
› After staring at a blank page for hours at a time, I decided to change my approach. I went back to the books, poetry, and people that have most inspired me- Nora Ephron, Maya Angelou, Rupi Kaur, and the list goes on. One quote by Maya Angelou immediately stood out to me:
“I believe in living a poetic life, an art full life. Everything we do from the way we raise our children to the way we welcome our friends is part of a large canvas we are creating.” -Maya Angelou
I started thinking about a blank canvas and the feeling of a new diary. This may sound nerdy but it’s one of the most excited things to me. The possibilities are endless and the pages are waiting to be filled with memories, thoughts, and feelings. It sounds so simple and “little” but it has such a profound effect in the way we see ourselves and process our feelings.
Thank you!
A special shout out to my friends and family that put up with incessant phone calls and texts every time I came up with a new idea. And thank you to my husband, J, for tolerating my tortured self and waiting patiently as I came to the realization of how I wanted to define my blog.
Thank you so much to all the readers for following along in my journey. I truly appreciate every comment, like, share and hope you continue to find the blog meaningful and inviting. Whether that is through helpful content or a user-friendly site, my biggest priority is how the site translates to the end-reader. I would love to hear your feedback. What is working and not working? Are there topics you wish were covered more?
P.S. If you’ve made it to the end of this post, thank you! If you look closely at the photos, you can see where it all began. I started the blog in our little one bedroom apartment on Locust Street in Philadelphia after work one day. Ever since then, it has been quite the adventure.
Sabina says:
After reading I love new name. It really reflects you and bring me back to the moment when you started your first diary.
With love your #1 fan.
Maya says:
As one of your biggest fans I love the name change and look forward to more entries to come! <3 Throw in some cooking posts!!!! Who doesn't love a good recipe recommendation? <3
Cristina says:
Always a joy to read your writing and I think it’s awesome that you’re doing what you love and sharing your talent. 👍👍