Exactly one year ago today, I began to share my sense of style with all of you. When I first started out, I never anticipated that my love of fashion would grow to the extent it has. Sharing my looks with you and the positivity you share back, fils me with gratitude. However the process has not always been easy, but that's another story (blog post to come...)
In the beginning, I searched for a name that would resonate with me and the audience I was trying to reach. I tried “__Olivia.Kane__” and then “Oliviafashionblogger”, but neither really stood out to me nor differentiated the message I was trying to convey. I kept Oliviafashionblogger for a short time, and continued brainstorming over new names. It came down to two final names, and I ultimately decided on, “OFKstyle” because I felt it was important to incorporate my name and what I would be writing about. Since Olivia is a popular name the only variation that I loved, that didn’t include an excessive amount of dots or underscores, was my initials, and thus began OFKstyle!
After my branding exercise and picking a name I loved, some other really important changes followed. The first of these related to quality; and switching from a iPhone camera to a more professional camera (DSLR). This made a huge difference, my photos were clearer and sharper, with overall better lighting. You can discern this change from the photos at the top of the page. The picture on the left is a photo using my iphone, while the one on the right is a photo taken with my camera. From there, I started to gain a more active audience, and today I have just under 5,000 followers. (Thank you!)
I started this blog in hopes of diversifying my wardrobe, by incorporating different pieces. In the beginning it didn’t matter to me whether it was something I love or just liked, if it was different I decided to take a chance and try it. From that experience, I have developed a more diverse sense of style and my wardrobe currently consists of different colors, styles, and patterns. Currently, some of my favorite trends include neon, color blocking, animal prints, and light blues — all of which would likely not have come to mind to include, let alone wear, a year ago.
To me, my follower count isn’t truly important, the number of sponsors or collaborations I receive does not matter, nor is the amount of likes I get on a post. It’s about the people who follow me (like all of you!), and why they follow me. It’s the “why” a brand wants to work with me, and their unique style, not how many brands I get to work with. And it’s about why people are liking and commenting on my posts.
One year ago if I were asked where I would be a year into this process, I could never have imagined how far I’ve come, let alone how much my mindset towards my brand has changed. One day I hope OFKstyle and my story can inspire young women and men around the world to follow their passion and be willing to take risks. If it wasn’t for me taking that risk one year ago today, I wouldn’t have come as far as I have in such a short amount of time. It is important to follow your passion as you never know where it might take you, but without trying you will never find out let alone succeed. You only live once, so make the opportunities happen, learn each time you stumble, and use your resources wisely. So here's to another amazing year full of new experiences, fun, and most importantly...FASHION!