It’s impossible to tell you about why I decided to start the Small Town in Stilettos blog without filling you in on a bit of my backstory, so I will start from the beginning and try to keep it brief!
I grew up in a small Wisconsin town, but growing up I always knew that I had to get out of my hometown. So I did. After graduating high school I moved to Milwaukee to attend college. As fate would have it, after college I wound up finding a job in a corporate retail setting in downtown Milwaukee. I pursued a career in eCommerce merchandising and I enjoyed it! Unfortunately, after years of mismanagement by leadership, the company that I worked for wound up filing for bankruptcy and eventually closing, putting 20,000+ people out of work – including myself.
Losing your job can be such a surreal and stressful situation, and while it was both of those things for me, in a weird way it was also exhilarating. I know that sounds absolutely crazy, but losing my job forced me out of my comfort zone and into a new beginning. It forced me to think about what is really important to me and where my true passions lie. It wasn’t until I was forced to basically start over that I realized that this blogging thing is actually something that I have always really wanted to pursue.
And as fate would have it (again), the first job offer that I received was for a company that was located back in my little old hometown. I honestly surprised myself when I accepted. Up until that point, I had ZERO intentions of moving back home.
Moving from the city back to my small town was definitely an adjustment. One of the things that I struggled with most after moving back was how uninspired so many people in my town seem to be when it comes to what they chose to wear. I felt like an anomaly in my own hometown, even though at the core I was just like everyone else – a hardworking, compassionate, and considerate Wisconsonite through and through.
Now, I totally understand that some people truly just don’t care if what they are wearing is considered to be “in style” or not. I get it, I really do. I mean, who even gets to determine what is and isn’t stylish anyways?! But, I have always truly believed that a great outfit can uplift and inspire – when you look good, you feel good. On top of that, I feel that what you choose to wear can speak volumes about who you are as a person. I look at what I wear as a daily form of creative expression.
I have a hard time calling this a “fashion” blog, because to me fashion is something that you see on a runway in New York or Milan, but not necessarily anything you would realistically wear on a day to day basis. I like to think of this as a personal style diary – a day in the life glimpse of what you might find me doing or wearing.
I’m not opposed to the designer labels. In fact, i do own a few pieces myself. But for the most part, I am a total budget fashionista who gets a thrill out of finding a great piece at an even better price.
I’d love nothing more than for you to follow along as I touch on everything from super cheap budget fashion to my favorite designer handbags and how to dress sustainably. Given my history in corporate retail, I’ve developed a sense of what things are really worth and I look forward to sharing with you whether something is a good deal or just cheaply made and what splurges I think are actually worth it.
And so, with that, I give you Small Town in Stilettos. My “fashion” and lifestyle blog designed to help empower and inspire the everyday woman to always look and feel her best.
♥ Megan
