For a few years now, I’ve been pining after the quirky, mysterious, poised gateways fashion blogging seems to open. Time and time again, I convinced myself that while my love for clothing was true, I was neither: a. experienced b. stylish or c. intelligent enough to start my own blog.

But 2016 was a year of kicking out of my fashion cocoon. There were many coming-to-grips and moving-cross-country and changing-my-life type things going down. As a result, I've developed a more focused outlook on my personal style. I don’t pretend to not care, anymore, that I’m not as trendy as I could be; I simply care less.

Sitting in 2017 with coffee and sleep deprivation close at hand, I decided to take the New Year by storm by embarking on a new adventure. Blogging. Or, to be more precise, Instagram-fashion-blogging, which is perhaps a thing and perhaps also not a thing.

If you’re a busy student like me, you might sympathize with being unable to juggle the whole blogging act but wishing for a wider fashion horizon. Enter: Instagram, the virtual style jungle. I’ll admit, I’m still a bit anxious about my decision, but excited.

If YOU, too, have been perusing the fashion-blogging or instagramming horizon, here are four good reasons to take the plunge:

#1: It builds….a visual portfolio

In any class, any major, ever, professors or mentors repeat the same mantra: field experience, field experience, field experience. What you do outside of the classroom is crucial to success after college.

Blogging – even Instagram blogging – allows you to build a visual portfolio to hone and showcase your skills. This doesn’t have to be limited to fashion, either – artists, illustrators, photographers, filmmakers, and more can benefit from developing their personal brand and chronicling their journey.

#2: It cultivates…a personal aesthetic

Just to be real, this has taken me a long, long time to come to terms with. Figuring out your personal aesthetic is hard, and sometimes those Buzzfeed quizzes and magazine tear-outs just don’t cut it.

Blogging is a good way to review your life and style and see what you’re loving, and what you could improve. It’s like a photo diary, of sorts – from Best Outfit Ever to Worst Outfit Fail, you can begin to pick out patterns, likes, and dislikes from your fashion history.

A note here: this shouldn’t become about what other people think about your style of fashion evolution. 

This is for you, babe, in the name of personal growth. 

#3: It teaches…marketing, media, writing, and photography skills

I touched on this above, but blogging is both a visual canvas and a resume booster. If you’re at all interested in journalism, it can be a good “foot in the door” to perfect your craft. Potential employers will be able to see that you’re a total rock star with a ton of important skills to bring to the table.

Case in point: marketing, for promoting your blog or brand; media, along the marketing line, but specifically for social media; writing, for those killer posts you have filed in the back of your brain; and photography, for the selfies that become polished full-body shots. 

#4: It helps…create a community and a potential career

Blogging, like many things in life, is not supposed to be a solitary journey. You don’t have to go it alone! There’s a community out there waiting for your bold, fearless style and razor-sharp writing skills.

Today, there are more ways than ever before to “create” the career of your dreams. With a little – okay, maybe a lot – of persistence and passion, you can work towards turning what you love into a full-time job or at least boosting your resume to the max. Food for thought.

Readers, sound off: do YOU have a fashion blog or Instagram? 

Are you interested in starting one, but nervous about taking the plunge? Want to jump in and get started? Let’s connect! Comment and let me know if this post inspired YOU to take the first step toward your dreams.