10 Years of Blonde Bedhead

To celebrate my 10 year blogging anniversary, here’s a throwback to one of my first outfit posts from January 2010 when I didn’t think twice to wear a mini skirt to work or bleach my whole head. Thought I’d share some quick key moments and memories from over the years:

New York Fashion Week 2010

I had just started my blog the month before I decided to drive to NYC with Tieka of Selective Potential to participate in a blogger conference and attend my first New York fashion show. Highlights include meeting and making friends with bloggers like Orchid Grey and Eat Sleep Wear. I also got super drunk and woke up the next day in my twin bed in a tiny hotel in Chinatown with my hand stuck in a Pringles can.

Move to Chicago 2011

I decided this was my year to follow my dream and this somehow translated to me working as some suburban shop owner’s bitch for two months before I quit. I am no one’s bitch. I’m just a bitch. I worked for an ad agency for a hot minute, met one of my best friends Merl (who owns the SHUDIO) and amassed parking tickets and tollway tickets that took me a year to pay off.

The Year of Paying off Debts

2012 was the year I started becoming more financially stable, living in Michigan with a job I loved. I had gotten myself into debt in Chicago and spent the 2012 year paying it all off slowly but surely (except student loans.) It was less than a sexy year feeling insecure and unsure of what I really wanted in life after chasing what felt like a failed experiment in Chicago.

Figuring out Health & Fitness

By the start of 2014, I had started prioritizing health and fitness. I was accustomed to box mac and cheese and cheetos up until this point and started to cook more, try new foods and work out consistently, learning how to do a proper squat and all!

I also started working out at local studio FLEXcity Fitness which has transformed the way I approach fitness and I’ve met some of the best people including owners Jenny and Trista.

This was also the year I got my sweet Jamesy boy and learned a hell of a lot more patience.

Challenging Myself in 2015

2015 is the year I quit a job without having anything lined up thinking I’d freelance full time. At this time, I had just met Celeste at Retail Therapy and started running her social media. I freelanced for two months and did some traveling before I joined PR firm Martin Waymire. Crazy that I’m heading to my fifth anniversary here now.

A Year of Change

Lots of changes happened in 2016 with the most exciting change: a monthly mortgage payment. I bought my first house realizing I wouldn’t and shouldn’t have to wait for a husband to come along for me to do the things in life I wanted to do. James got his dream backyard and I got my dream closet.

2017 Travels

Halfway through the decade, I realized just how much I prefer to travel with my mom. We’re equally grumpy with a preference to go to bed at an absurdly early hour and wake up at an absurdly early hour.

This year, we planned out a week long road trip starting in Los Angeles and ending in San Francisco. We shopped in Santa Barbara, looked out over the cliffs in Big Sur and got in a yelling match while crossing a road with an asshole driver in SF. Memories! It was one of the most fun trips I’ve ever been on and I hope we can make it back out to northern California again soon.

2019

I’m still processing this last year from the loss of my beautiful friend Melissa to my mom fighting (and beating) cancer’s ass. It brought a lot of tears and heartbreak, but also a greater appreciation for life and to make time for adventures, risks and spontaneity.

Now

It seems like in a blink of an eye, 10 years have passed by. And even though so much life has happened and I’ve grown so much from these life experiences, it seems surreal that I’m now celebrating my 10th blog anniversary. Each post, from the writing to the photography, is just as fun as it was for me when I haphazardly launched Blonde Bedhead at 23 without any expectations. I’m excited to see what the 10 ten years of life and blogging have in store me!

NYFW 2010, just before I was black out drunk Another night out in 2010 Back when I wore tights on repeat, 2010A huge fan of mini skirts, hallway self-timer photos and bleach 10 years ago