One year ago yesterday, Absolutely Olivia was first published onto the Internet with only an About page and a promise for exciting posts to come. Yep, you heard that right, Absolutely Olivia has been out in the world for an entire year!

Creating this Fashion, Lifestyle, etc. blog is the coolest and best decision I’ve made in my life so far. It’s given me great opportunities, new friends, and not to mention my style has evolved so much because of this blog. I’ve learned more about fashion and the world this past year and it’s opened my eyes a lot! Honestly, I couldn’t imagine what I would be doing if I wasn’t working on/reading a blog post every spare second of my free time (besides watching more YouTube than I already do 😂). For this post, to celebrate Absolutely Olivia running for 365 days, I have rounded up my favorite style and non-style posts, some advice for newer bloggers, and a few of my favorite blogs!

Also, before I get started, here is the first post I ever wrote, so you can check it out and see how far I’ve come: Solo Style- Red, White, Blue, and NYC too!

Top 5 Style Posts

• Solo Style: Camel Coat Staple

This look made me feel extremely confident (I felt like a boss clomping around in my chunky black booties and ripped jeans) and it really showed me how an outfit can become an immediate confidence booster.

• Solo Style: Funky Blue Camo Jacket

The unique, blue, camo jacket in this post was sent to me by Members Only and so far I haven’t seen one like it!

• Festival Lookbook 2017

Like most people, when festival season rolls around I become obsessed with all things bohemian. I tried to channel those boho vibes into the 3 different outfits I chose for this lookbook.

• Sister Style: Bomber Hour

For my first Sister Style, Camille and I wore our bomber jackets on top of a car garage. Hers is pink and embroidered with beautiful birds, while mine is black with red flowers, so you can definitely tell the difference in out styles in this post!

• Solo Style: The Most Perfect Summer Dress

One of my more recent style posts features the prettiest tiered J. Crew dress that I paired with a floral vintage purse. Photos for this were shot at a few different locations and I love how they all turned out! (I did a Behind the Scenes of this Solo Style)

Top 5 Non-Style Posts

• Why You Shouldn’t Be Scared of Standing Out

This is one of the most personal blog posts I have written, where I talk about my experience with the fear of wearing outfits and clothing pieces that are too “out there.” Now, because of writing that post and getting my feelings out there, I buy and wear the clothes I want, regardless of how I think other people will view it.

• The Future is Female

I wrote this a couple weeks after the inauguration of Trump to voice my opinions on his presidency and how his racism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, etc. won’t stop the rest of the US from protesting and trying to make the world a better place.

• Top 10 Songs of Summer: Love at First Listen

Music is essential to my daily life and I shared 10 of my most listened to songs of summer 2017. Everything from “The Louvre” by Lorde to “Poolside” by BAYNK is listed.

• Bubble Braid Tutorial

This is one of my most popular posts and I love that it’s one I can refer people to when they want to know how I style my hair into Bubble Braids. It’s a simple hairstyle to do, but looks like you took a good amount of time to do them. They are perfect for a casual-cute look.

• How to Take Professional Photos on YOUR Phone Part 1 and Part 2

I always get loads of questions about what I use to take my blog and Instagram pictures, and the answer is… my phone! Although I am hoping to switch to an actual camera eventually, I decided to help some of you readers out that don’t have a professional camera and give you advice on how to make phone photos look fantastic.

Something I haven’t mentioned yet is my Photography page, which I highly recommend you check out! My Summer 2017 Photography will be up in early September.

Top 5 Tips for Other Bloggers

• Have Voice and Be Real

As a reader, I know for a fact I don’t want to click on a blog and have it sound the exact same as another blog. That’s b-o-r-i-n-g! When writing your blog posts, use terms, sayings, and phrases that you would use in real life. Another way to set yourself apart is to just be real. When you were shooting your Denim Lookbook, was it hot to have to pose in a jean jacket in the middle of July? Did you trip over the hem of your long skirt? These are things people want to hear because this shows them that you’re a real person, not some always-perfect gal or guy. It’s definitely okay to overshare… a little bit. 😉 This is partly why I began doing Behind the Scenes for some of my Solo Styles, so then you guys can see what really goes on doing outfit shoots.

• Use Other Platforms

I didn’t start using other social medias to promote my blog until a solid 5 or 6 months in, and I wish I had started using them from the get-go. Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook are essential if you’re a blogger who wants to grow and spread their brand/message. You can use them to promote your posts and create more connections and followers. Only a week or so after I started my Instagram (linked atthe very bottom), a brand reached out to me and on Pinterest I save photos from my own posts so that others will see them a get a direct link to my website! Social media is such a key way to really get your blog out there.

• Network/Interact with Other Bloggers

My blog barely got any views and readers for the first three months or so because I had no idea how important networking was. Once I discovered the wonderful WordPress community, my blog took off! Commenting, following, and liking other bloggers and their posts can help your own posts get seen, but can also build online friendships. Also, it’s just tons of fun to see what other people are up to and gain inspiration from the bloggers around you.

• Ask for Help

Asking for help from other, more experienced bloggers is still something I hesitate to do, but have started to do it more often. If you’re confused about something in the blogging world, the only people you can get a real answer from is other bloggers. DM them on Instagram or ask them a question in the comments. Feel free to ask me questions too, I love helping others out!

• Don’t Post Just to Post

This is so critical! You might not think so, but people can tell when you aren’t putting as much effort as you normally do into posts. I’m not going to sit here and act like I’ve never done this because I have a couple times, and it is not worth it. You’ll most likely get less engagement and may lose people’s interest in your blog. Not to mention, I felt bad after posting the posts where my heart and soul wasn’t into it, so I just ended up taking them down after a while. Your blog is a reflection of you, so quality over quantity is important in the blogging world.

Before I sign off for this post, here are a few bloggers to I love. Feel free to check them out!

• McKenzie from Styled by McKenz

Her posts are always so top notch and her style is wonderful! McKenzie posts everything from capsule wardrobes to pinterest outfit recreations to weeks in her life. If you enjoy my posts, I definitely recommend Styled by McKenz!

• Rocky Barnes

Rocky is extremely well-known in the fashion blogging community and her has a very bohemian style that I adore! She’s as flawless as her style and perfect for all the boho lovers out there (like me).

• But What Should I Wear

I recently discovered Allison Kelley from the blog But What Should I Wear and she is my new go-to fashion inspiration. Her style is almost minimalistic, but there’s something about it that draws me in and keeps me interested.

• Shanika from Orchids + Sweet Tea

Shanika is so incredibly sweet and all her posts are inspirational and down to Earth. She shares lots of good-looking eats and the ups and downs of motherhood. Plus, her son is the cutest!

• Linda from Olive + Clo

Whenever I’m stuck at home and need a little wanderlust, I’ll go to Olive + Clo. She captures her outfits in front of the most gorgeous places like waterfalls and at the tops of mountains. One day I hope to be able to travel to such beautiful locations!

• Jordyn from The Obsession Begins

Jordyn is such a kind person and shares well-written posts about her experiences, life advice, bullet journaling, and her travels. She even has a few series that are quite the best! If you’re feeling stuck about almost anything, there will most likely be something for you on The Obsession Begins to help you get past it.

It’s hard to believe a whole year has passed since I first posted on Absolutely Olivia, but I’m definitely better for it. I can’t wait to see where the next year takes me, there’s so much I plan to do and write about! Thank you to every reader for supporting me and providing me with a good place to share my fashion and thoughts, it means so much that you all take time to read and give feedback on my posts. Let me know in the comments any post ideas for the next year you might have for me and feel free to ask for advice if you need it. As always, thanks for reading and cheers to one year!!!

💜Love, Olivia

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