Every fall, I celebrate the blogiversary of Paint The Town Chic! It's been five years (what!) since I started blogging, and while it's always been second fiddle (jobs, life, etc.) blogging has always been a creative passion project and I've learned a lot in those five years.

So for today's post, I wanted to show some of my favorite throwback photos from past years and share some advice, whether you blog or not!

Year One
When I started Paint The Town Chic, I went in knowing almost NOTHING. I didn't do research or have anything prepped; I figured I would just wing it. I started my blog because I worked in an industry that was not for me, so I needed a creative outlet separate from work. I also always wanted to work in fashion so I thought this would be a way in. It was quite the learning experience and I laugh now at some of the things I posted back then, but it makes me happy to see how much Paint The Town Chic has grown and how much I've learned.

Stop procrastinating. Start your passion project. These days, more often than not, people have a side hustle or a passion project. If you have a something you're passionate about, now is the time to start it.

Year Two
It took about a year of building up Paint The Town Chic before I started getting collaborations. It also took that much time to gain confidence in myself and what I was doing to reach out to brands.

Know your worth, and sell people on it. Pitching takes confidence, and a lot of times brands try to take advantage. Stay true to you and don't settle for less than you're worth.

Year Three
This was the year that I started networking with local bloggers. Surrounding yourself with people with similar interests is so important. I learned so much from them, and many of them are now good friends.

Network in your local community. Your local community will be the most supportive; they will be the people who can make a face-to-face connection with. So find a new friend and meet up in person!

Year Four 
This was the year that I had the coolest job working in the beauty industry, which opened my eyes to how things worked brandside. This was also a year of personal growth and learning about toxic workplaces, but that's a lesson for another day. After a few years of blogging, I finally started doing more brand collaborations. My favorite memory was working with Aerie, along with three other blogger babes.

Try something new. This was also the year I finally got over my fear of video and started sharing stories. We had the opportunity to take over Aerie's Instagram page during our campaign, and that was an opportunity you don't give up! So challenge yourself and learn/try something you've never done before.

Year Five 
Each year just gets better and better, and obviously this has been my favorite year of blogging yet. I've had so many wonderful opportunities, and this year I was featured in both The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly Style. I've also had multiple speaking opportunities with another one scheduled in November. I also finally attended NYWF, which I've been wanting to do for years. Some of my favorite collabs have come this year as well, such as Primark, H&M, Philadelphia Premium Outlets and Philly Fashion Week.

Know when to say no. My biggest lesson this year was to say no. The first few years of blogging, I was excited about any opportunity that came my way. But the stress of having to post and creating content all the time was just too much and I was posting things that I wasn't proud of. Now, I am more selective about picking brands that I love, but also fit with my aesthetic/niche. I also don't feel bad if I take a day or three off from posting.

What's Next
I'm feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new year of content creation! I have a few goals, which include posting more regularly on the blog and getting more creative with photography. I'm hoping to do more speaking and social media consulting helping small businesses as well!

I'm excited to see what year six brings! I appreciate all the support I've gotten and thank you for all for following along on this blogging journey!