Hey y’all- hope your week has been great! Not only is it Friday, but it’s also International Women’s Day 2019. I’m celebrating here on the blog by participating in a link-up party with my Style Collective sisters! In today’s post I’m sharing some reflections that Annie Spano, founder of Style Collective, encouraged us to think about via several prompts. And you might be wondering “What in the world is Style Collective?” Well, keep reading because I will give y’all the scoop further into this post!
Let’s Get This Party Started!
In case you’re a first-time reader, I’m Liz, content creator here at Palmettos & Pineapples! I’m based in the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina, and have lived in the South my whole life. I absolutely love Southern hospitality and culture, and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. I started Palmettos & Pineapples in February 2018 as a creative outlet to share classic preppy outfit inspiration, travel tips for my favorite vacation destinations, my love of all things Southern, life lessons the Lord has taught me, and most importantly my faith in Jesus! You can read more here about why I named my blog “Palmettos & Pineapples.”
My Personal Mission
As much as I love styling outfits, I desire for Palmettos & Pineapples to be more than just another fashion blog. I want to be authentic and relatable, staying true to myself and encouraging others to do the same. Furthermore, I strive to be the big sister I never had to my younger readers, sharing lessons I’ve learned from my past mistakes, but also how the Lord has redeemed them for His glory. Most importantly, I aim to point my readers to Jesus and the eternal hope and salvation only He can give.
Reaching Goals
The biggest goal I’ve reached since starting my blog was getting into rewardStyle, which is the premier affiliate marketing network for fashion and lifestyle bloggers. You can read more here about why this was such a huge accomplishment for me. Celebrating my first blogging anniversary less than three weeks ago is another milestone I’m proud of. It can be difficult at times balancing a full-time job and personal/social life with blogging. So I consider it no small feat that I’ve managed to do this for a full year and counting. You can read more of my reflections on my first year of blogging here.
International Women’s Day
To me, International Women’s Day means more than women simply having the same opportunities as men. It means women banding together to celebrate and encourage one another despite our differences.
For instance, we are fortunate to live in an era where women have the option of focusing on their career, being a stay-at-home mom, raising a family AND pursuing a career outside the home, or being a part-time work-from-home mom. God has created all women with unique interests, passions, and desires, so we shouldn’t judge or tear down other women because their desires or goals are different from our own. Instead we should cheer each other on as we chase our respective God-given dreams.
Just because more women are working outside the home these days, it’s not selfish or backwards for a woman to desire that her husband be the primary breadwinner for the family so she can stay at home and focus on raising children, if she feels like that is her desire and calling. Similarly, if a woman feels called to be a mom AND pursue a career, it’s not selfish of her to go after her career goals rather than devoting 100% of her time to staying home and raising children. Fellow women, we need to STOP belittling one another just because we want different things.
International Women’s Day also reminds me to celebrate my God-given femininity. God created both man and woman in His image, and both are unique and special to Him. One gender is not inherently better than the other, and God uses both to accomplish His purposes and bring Him glory. Men and women complement one another. Because of this I wholeheartedly believe that women can be strong, successful, powerful, and independent while still maintaining and celebrating their femininity.
Style Collective
I discovered Style Collective last spring, not long after I started blogging. I’m so thankful to be a part of this group. Annie Spano created it as a space where women creatives and entrepreneurs can encourage, support, and inspire one another. Style Collective has a culture of “women empowering women” and “community over competition,” which both mean a lot to me in a field where there can be a lot of competition.
Also, it was being a member of Style Collective that enabled me to score a collaboration with Ann Taylor as a small blogger during my first year of blogging. Anyone who desires to connect with other female bloggers and creatives can sign up to join Style Collective. I love this attitude of inclusivity. There’s also an extensive library of educational resources that all Style Collective members can access as part of their membership. If you’re interested, you can join Style Collective here. (Note that is an affiliate link, but I genuinely love being part of Style Collective and think you will too.)
Three Fun Facts
I’m going to wrap things up by sharing three fun facts about myself!
1. I have a shameless obsession with mascots, and will never turn down an opportunity to get my picture taken with one.
2. My all-time favorite movie is “Legally Blonde.” Elle Woods is my favorite fictional role model, and I feel like I’m the Southern brunette version of her California blonde character! She’s a great example of being a strong and powerful woman while remaining true to herself.
3. Although I am a Southern girl through and through there are actually two non-Southern things about me. I’m not a sweet tea drinker, and I prefer Dunkin Donuts to Krispy Kreme.
Thanks for reading, and I hope y’all have the most amazing weekend! Don’t forget to celebrate the unique, amazing woman you are!
-xoxo Liz
