I'm starting 2019 off strong with the first blog post of the year!  One of my goals for the year is to blog regularly, but more on that later.  One of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is to look back and see how much I've grown in the past 12 months.  2018 definitely had its ups and downs, but I am beyond excited for a fresh start!

Just for fun, let's start off with my top nine posts from Instagram. The latter half of the year was a great time creatively for me and I'm happy to see many of those posts from this time frame make the list!

5 Best Moments Of 2018

Collaborating with Aerie
Working with Aerie for their Philly Pop-up was one of the first big collaborations I did and reminded me of how rewarding working with brands can be.  I worked with 3 other ladies to promote this event and style some pieces from their collection.  One of my favorite parts (which is ironic as you read on) was taking over Aerie's Instagram stories.  Check out the full recap here!

Starting A New Job
Guys, the job market is not easy to navigate, and while my ultimate dream, just like many of you, would be to blog full-time, I would really miss having a job.  In 2018, a LARGE part of the year was spent looking for jobs and interviewing.  Literally I spent the whole summer interviewing and looking for jobs which is a large part of why the blog was neglected. Luckily I landed a job that is the total package - I now have a work/life balance and an amazing and supportive team who I truly enjoy working with.  I also attribute this life change to helping me find my true Instagram voice and look and I am LOVING how my feed has come along in the last few months of the year. I may just have to do a real talk post about what I learned from this experience in the future!

Planning the PHLBloggers Blog Connect Conference And Speaking at Social Media Saturday
It's fitting that the end of PHLBloggers came with 2 amazing events. I'm grateful to PHLBloggers for connecting me with other local creatives and giving me the opportunity to flex my event planning muscles.  Speaking at Social Media Saturday was the first time I gave a presentation to a larger audience and it's fueled my interest in possibly teaching in the future.  Read my conference recap day 1 and day 2.

Working NYFW
I think 2019 is the year that I finally go to Fashion Week, but I had the opportunity to work a show in September and it was an amazing experience.  I know how hard event planning can be, but the behind the scenes look made me appreciate how much work goes into this experience every year.

Connecting with Fellow Bloggers
Last year I truly found my tribe.  I've connected with a group of girls who inspire me and are so fun to hang out with.  Between brunches, photoshoots, collaborations and everything in between, I've made some great friends and I'm so excited to see how we all grow in 2019.

5 Favorite Outfits Of 2018

It's so hard to choose only 5 looks (I love all of my looks or I wouldn't wear them!)  But I do appreciate that many of my favorite looks are associated with fun memories from the past year as well - many of them trips to NYC!
I was thrilled to finally visit Sezane NYC.  It's even more beautiful than the photos.  This summary maxi dress was the perfect pick for a visit to Rose Mansion.
During the Aerie Pop-up, I fell in love with this sweatshirt and wore it to a holiday blogger brunch!  I paired it with a leather skirt and I loved the combo of dressy and cozy pieces!
It's rare that I purchase a complete outfit from the same store, but when I saw these wide leg jeans paired with this colorful striped sweater, I knew I needed the whole outfit.  It was perfect for a visit to NYC for Halloween!
Two things I wanted to style this summer were polka dots and button front dresses.  I found both in this dress and I loved it.  The whole look was completed with the best summer accessories, a woven tote and platform sandals (also things I was dying to style!)
Something that I've loved and wasn't sure I could pull off was a dress paired with sneakers.  I gave it a try with this gorgeous Leota slipdress and fell in love this this look!  You will definitely see more looks like this in the new year.

2018 was a great learning experience, but all I can say is THANK YOU, NEXT.  I know 2019 will be better in all aspects and I'm excited for this fresh start.

So, about those goals...This year, I'm making realistic goals that I know I can keep.

5 Goals For 2019

Blogging Consistently
My goal this year is to blog at least once a week, but hopefully more.  I've missed writing and I'm finally inspired to get back to the blog.  To help with this, I plan on having accountability partners to stay on track.  Another thing I'll be trying is maintaining a calendar with themes and monthly outlines.

Stepping Up Insta Stories
I have been SOOOO bad at Insta stories.  I plan on sharing stories at least 4 times a week, and maybe even get over my irrational fear of hearing myself on video!

Brand Collabs
The end of the year brought 3 fun collabs that were rewarding and reminded me of how much I love creating content.  I plan on doing more pitching this year to get Paint The Town Chic out there and hopefully landing some collabs with brands I love.

Travel
This is a personal and blogging goal!  I haven't had a proper vacation in years, and I plan on doing some travel in 2019.  I would love to get out of the country again as well as doing some long weekends with my fellow bloody babes around the US.  Blogging wise I'd love to do some travel guides and share more travel related content!

Connecting With Locals
Whether it's restaurants, boutiques, pop-ups or experiences, Philly has so much to offer!  I'm looking to collaborate with and highlight more local businesses in the coming year. And I'm hoping to do at least one feature a month.

Alright 2019, I'm ready for ya!  I would love to hear your goals for 2019, and if you need an accountability buddy, you know where to find me!