Jay Miranda

Good Taste, Mom Life, Homeschooling

Becoming Who You’re Meant to Be

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Love it? Click on items for links.

First? Let me introduce clickable editorials. If you love a product, just click on it if you want the link. I’m obsessed with this red, gray, and pink combo – which is available up to size 18/20.

Second, I felt like writing the following because it turns out I’m having the best month ever after having had an especially tough and emotional September. There is light after the darkness.

Oscar de la Renta said that the great thing about fashion is that it always looks forward. I personally think it’s a great time to be a plus-size woman. I’d say it’s better than any other time but I think we might have had more fun during the Renaissance. However, the current plus size fashion industry is ripe and I think everyone who is dedicated to it right now will see their investment multiply over time. There are so many spaces yet to be filled in this niche, it’s incredible. There’s still a need for designers, labels, entrepreneurs, marketing and PR professionals, bloggers, writers, and more.

My goal with this blog has always been to elevate the plus-size woman. We are beautiful too. We deserve beautiful clothing too.

I’ve been so lucky to have found a way into working with fashion brands because I don’t come from a fashion background. I have a strong analytic background that is certainly helpful in dealing with the business side of this work. For those who don’t know, I started blogging in 2009, then stopped for an extended time when I was finishing school and later when I was pregnant and had my daughter. It was hard to think about coming back to fashion blogging because the first several months of motherhood are anything but stylish.

desk

I think my blog is pretty efficient because I work as much as I want, and I still do fairly well. I work from home and set my own schedule, even if that means working through my toddler’s nap time or in the evenings after my husband gets home or late at night after everyone is sleeping. Just being real! A home office is essential. For work-at-home moms in particular, you have to decide at what point to bring in some help. By far, my favorite thing about working from home is that I’m here for impromptu hugs, reading books to her, and seeing her do something adorable that I might otherwise miss. I do aim for balance between work and life, like all people.

My experience is an excellent example that you can grow into the creative professional you want to be. I remember how I felt when I got my first big corporate client and the first time I made $1000 from a brand content assignment (which is used by the brand, not my blog) and I just marveled at the fact that I had sold words?! I love clothes, I love fashion, but I love THAT more than anything else. I enjoy the weekends with my family but I always look forward to Mondays. How many people can say that? Blogging has led me to wonderful people and opportunities, and for that I’m grateful.

Here’s a tip: Your blog is like your creative resume, so make it great. If you have a blog, please know that the way you present yourself online matters a lot. I’m constantly surprised when I hear about being on a certain brand’s radar. Trust me, they are checking your blog, your stats, and making sure you’re not an idiot on social media. Take heed! The takeaway is that it’s OK to pivot; it’s OK to go in a different direction than the one you might have originally envisioned. Sometimes, that might be the path for your MAJOR success. Don’t get in your own way if the universe is pointing you toward something. You might be becoming who you’re meant to be.

Here are a few resources and recommended reading!

Comments

  1. This post was so poignant. I love reading about others experience and knowledge about blogging. It’s so important to decide what’s important to you in this industry so you can stick with it, otherwise it’s easy to give up. I remember thinking I could never restart again after I stopped blogging to finish my degree, now I am glad I restarted, I have such a better understanding and idea about my goals for blogging this time around! Thanks for the tips and wisdom Jay!

    • I think the process of finding your space within the niche is paramount. Not only do you have to decide on something you will stick to, but it also has to be something that is sustainable and makes you happy. I recently read an article about the deterioration of fashion blogs and one of the topics was blogger burn out. It said that readers consume content faster than bloggers can consume fashion. I think you have to be grow as a blogger just like any other professional grows in their work. I think you are doing a great job too!

  2. Thank you for posting this. I recently re-launched my blog after a hiatus and have always found your blog to be a constant source of inspiration. I have found it yet again in this post as you’re talking about the business of blogging. I’ve been a small business owner for about 11 years now and am applying the same principals to my blog – and the main principle being high quality content, high quality photography all while being back by a solid strategy.
    It’s just so lovely and refreshing to see other women talking about the fact that this CAN be a business, if you want it to be.

    • Blogging is an incredible business and there are so much to talk about! If you are blogging without a strategy, it’s really just a hobby. That is FINE and that’s how I started my blog. If you are dedicated and create high quality work, the opportunities become apparent and come to you. That’s when you have to decide what you want out of blogging. Congrats on coming back and approaching this like a business. Have you ever been to a blogger conference? I went to one I really enjoyed and got a lot of great info there.

      • I haven’t been to a conference yet! I’d love to, if for nothing else than to network with out bloggers, exchange ideas and see how we can all work together to promote each other! It seems like the plus size blogger network isn’t a massive one, so I imagine at a conference, the love is flowing 🙂

  3. Thanks for this post Jay! I’ve just started blogging and finding what works for me. Sometimes I get caught up in what everyone else is doing… But I have to stay true to me. I’m realizing I can do that AND create a business. I’ve just started a small interview series on my blog I’m really proud of. Check it out if you get a minute!!
    P.S. 10 realizations is one of my favorite blog posts ever. I’d like to make one myself! Credit will go to you if and when!! – Deanndre http://deardeanndre.blogspot.com/

    • Thanks for your comment Deanndre. I think if you can tap into what makes your perspective unique, and therefore your blog unique as well, that’s how you can grow. Also, your success might be completely different from another person’s so you can’t ever really compare. I loved the interview with Sujean Rim! Great job and I’m happy you liked the 10 Realizations post. <3

  4. Awesome Article.
    I also like it very much.I think that your article will be helpful for us.This is a excellent post that you make .I think that you should add many style in your site.
    Thanks a lot for sharing this article.
    Munmun Nishi 🙂

  5. I personally took a break from blogging on my Blogger platform as i lost the buzz and the why. I kept on with my Tumblr as it was more of a visual blog. I’ve now decided that i want to start blogging again but with a new blog on the WordPress platform. It is always great to read a post like yours knowing that you took a break as well

    xoxo Stephanie

    • It always feels good to come back after a break, especially reconnecting with readers and favorite subjects. Congrats on the move to WordPress!

  6. I am not a blogger, but I do follow many of the plus size bloggers. I have been following you for years, but felt compelled to comment today. There is something very calming about your blog. The pale colors, your demeanor, and maturity is everything that I relate to. I am not a mom, but read the mom.me article, and as a single person, I hired a maid a few years ago and it has been life changing. Living in NYC is no small expense but I adjust my budget and make room for it like everything else. I felt guilty at first, and received alot of judgement because I live alone, but sacrificing miscellaneous expenses for this luxury has allowed me to do so many other things. It’s all about prioritizing what is important to you.

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  1. […] becoming the woman you want to be, which is a message that you know resonates with me if you read last week’s post. She has an incredible story (the daughter of an Auschwitz survivor; fashion tycoon; mother; […]

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