So I was inspired…
Two of the critical components of blogging that people overlook are the time commitment and the continual need for inspiration. The first of these is pretty self explanatory, but the latter is a bit more complex. Inspiration can come from your life experiences, the world around you, others, really anywhere, and in my case, I’m a bit of a hybrid (in what way?). So once again… I was inspired, but this was a little different than normal. You see, I had the pleasure of being introduced to Ashley’s content as a result of a recommendation of a mutual friend, and when I saw it, I knew I had to feature her. A STYLED MIND is her thought child, and the exceptional nature of the content is a reflection of its developer (issa layered compliment). For the month of October, I’d like to present Ms. Ashley Weddington, creative extraordinaire, fashion guru, and founder of A STYLED MIND, as our WkendHER!
The high level run-down is pretty straight forward.
A STYLED MIND (ASM) is a contemporary fashion brand created by Ashley Weddington, a New York based influencer. Being a lover of all things STYLE, the main purpose of ASM is to inspire by showcasing different ways to put ensembles together while staying on trend all year-round. Her blog serves as a creative outlet and a portfolio to showcase her styling abilities, favorite trends, and self expression through clothing.
The hope is that after visiting her site you like what you see and leave feeling motivated and confident, and tbh, MISSION COMPLETE! What I saw, translated through the content, was maturity, focus, and cadence in content development. It’s evident that she’s been at this for some time and I needed to know more. To anyone who is considering blogging or content development in general, you’ll love what comes next.
We took a different approach to Ashley’s shoot and did a Behind The Scenes because from the gate we knew we wanted to understand the inner workings of A STYLED MIND. Here’s a gem, “if you see someone doing something that you want to do, ask them how they got there…” (super simple, but it’s fared me well in life!) I did just that, and here’s what she had to say:
“The journey of being an ‘influencer,’ thus far, has been a steady progression. I’ve always been interested in cultivating my personal style as well as writing; it wasn’t until I moved to NYC, 5 years ago, that I really got the push to create my own brand. A Styled Mind has become more than a passion project for me; it serves as a creative outlet to inspire, uplift, and motivate through the overarching umbrella that is ‘fashion.’ As a blogger who is still balancing a 9-5, it can become exhausting trying to juggle it all. That being said, no matter how tired I may be, nothing beats the feeling of owning something that I can honestly say I’ve built from the ground up through my own vision.
With regard to long-term goals, I definitely want to continue growing the ASM brand by incorporating more lifestyle aspects into my content, whether it be travel, fitness, or even home décor. I’d also love to continue building relationships with brands so that my platform can serve as a space for sponsored advertisements.
Finally, creating a capsule collection in partnership with a retailer I love, featuring hand-picked, curated wardrobe staples would be an absolute dream! All in all, I just hope to keep A Styled Mind authentic and thriving for as long as my heart is in it. For anyone who is looking to create a brand or business of any kind, QUALITY, CONSISTENCY, and CREATIVITY are the fundamental elements that will keep you growing, so stick with it and don’t give up! <3”
Simply put, there’s passion, purpose, consistency, clarity, and options. I just want to note that she’s super humble as she steered clear of mentioning the collaborations and arenas she’s graced with her presence, so I’ll sing her praises for her. A glimpse at The List:
NYFW
WhoWhatWearCollection
Sorel Footwear
Calvin Klein
Daniel Wellington
Pantene
CVS beauty
Long story short, she is a rockstar and it was nothing less than a pleasure to featuring her. I look forward to meeting you at the top!
To a Life Worth Living,
The Wkender