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10 Tips for Wannabe Bloggers

October 1, 2019 Caroline Tullis
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Happy Tuesday, y’all!

Last Thursday my blog celebrated it’s 4th birthday!! I can’t believe I started this platform that long ago, it seems like just yesterday I was starting my own website as an inexperienced blogger. Now looking back, I thank God for how far He’s brought me and how He’s making my dreams grow bigger!

Blogging is such a huge trend nowadays, literally everyone wants to be a blogger. But that’s the beauty of it, anyone is capable of being a blogger. It does; however, take a lot of time commitment, creativity, faith, and patience to make it into a job rather than a hobby. While I’ve been blessed enough to have my website grow and collaborate with awesome brands, I’m still not at the point where I would consider it as a job. It’s absolutely possible though, and you most certainly are capable of creating your own blog platform and accomplishing your goals!

So if you’re interested in starting a fashion blog, here my top ten tips to guide you on your journey:

1.) Make yourself stand out

Blogging is such a huge trend now that every blogger seems to be the exact same person. I believe you’ll achieve even more success by being different. Post authentic, unique content. Write intriguing posts to get your readers’ attention. Whatever you can do, find what represents yourself the best way and how you can use that to inspire everyone!

Readers also like bloggers who they can relate to, not someone they can constantly compare themselves to. So try to find ways to make your audience feel inspired by you. Being a bit vulnerable every now and then is empowering and absolutely human!

2.) Pick your style type/blog theme

Every blogger has their own style/theme. Whatever your kind of style is, bring it to the world. I know that a lot of them are using presets to make their photos look more aesthetically pleasing, and they have a variety of filters to choose from. I just started using presets on Lightroom after downloading them from Light & Airy Photog and it’s been making my content look good. I also like using VSCO every once as they offer a variety of authentic and aesthetic filters. Figure out what your style/theme is and use it to attract attention!

3.) Get a content calendar

Once I started receiving more brand collaboration offers, I decided it would be a good idea to start my own content calendar in order to keep up with all my content. I schedule posts weekly and write down deadlines for when sponsored posts are do. It’s helped me so much, especially since time management is something I’m trying to improve on.

4.) Take brand collaborations into consideration

When you get that first email asking you to sponsor a brand, it’s the most exciting feeling in the world! However; you still have to take consideration for the brands you team up with. It’s important to actually love the products they provide, as well as their message. Also try to ignore brands when they comment on your IG posts “We would love to collab! DM for more details”. Not only is it annoying, but usually the discount they offer you to feature their items isn’t worth it. When bigger brands actually take the time to send you an email explaining their partnership idea and why they would love for you to sponsor them, it is a huge honor (and the free products are a bonus!)

5.) Improve your time management

Starting a blog is a big time commitment, at least if you want it to turn into a full-time career. As a college student, I’ve had to find different ways to make balancing classes and blogging less stressful. If you’re in school or a big full-time job, I’d say to make those your first priority and make blogging another priority right after. In order to stay consistent, try writing a few posts (at least 1-3) a week.

6.) Don’t force yourself to post something you don’t like

If there was one thing I wish I didn’t do when I started out as a blogger, I wish I hadn’t forced myself to post stuff. Not that I’m ashamed of the posts or they were bad, but I felt obligated to post in order to be consistent. So I posted random stuff such as 10 favorite summer songs and stuff like that even though they weren’t exactly what I wanted to post. But now I post what makes me happy and what I find inspiring, and I encourage you to do the same thing. Post what you like, not what you think only other people but you will like!

7.) Join a community

Connecting with other bloggers is so important and valuable. Not only are you gaining new friendships, but also meeting people that you can collaborate and go to influencer invite events with. It’s better to be in the industry with other bloggers than by yourself!

8.) Use Instagram to get discovered

Instagram is a HUGE tool to use for anything to attract attention on social media, especially for blogging. People follow influencers who post their style and interests on Instagram in aesthetically pleasing photos. One great way to get noticed is to tag brands and use different popular hashtags, it helps big time!

9.) Ask for feedback

Asking someone to read your blog before launching it can help you figure out what your audience will like and what you can improve before officially publishing it. Your friends and relatives know your style well enough to tell you what goes and doesn’t go with your content.

10.) It's not a contest

Remember, there is no one you need to compete with. Blogging is not a game where the person with the most followers wins. Just be authentic, be unique, be creative, and have fun!

~

I hope this post was helpful to those who are interested in diving into fashion blogging! Comment below and let me know what you thought or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! Cheers to four years 🎉🥂

SHOP MY LOOK

Tags #tuesdayten, #weeklyfavs, #bloggingtips, #fashionblog, #fashionblogger, #blog, #blogger, #sweetcaroline
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Baby, It’s Cold AF Outside

January 31, 2019 Caroline Tullis
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Soooooooo, the Polar Vortex just hit Ohio annnnnnnddddd … it sucks. It literally sucks. It’s freezing cold outside! Every time I let Max out he looks around for only a few seconds and then he runs back in as fast as possible. Even dogs can’t handle it! I keep thinking of the “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” song and how I would sing it as “Baby, It’s Cold AF Outside” (hence the title of this post). I would literally mean it, you could easily walk outside and catch hypothermia within a minute. Stay safe and warm, don’t go outdoors!

On the bright side, I had classes canceled both today and yesterday. I also don’t have Friday classes, so this is basically another Thanksgiving break for me! It’s also supposed to get a little warmer this weekend. It ain’t gonna be crazy warm, but 50 degrees sounds a lot nicer than -2 degrees! That’s like spring weather to us Midwest folks 😂

In the meantime, I have the perfect cozy grey turtleneck from Aerie to keep me warm during the Polar Vortex. I actually bought this exact sweater - same size, same color - as a Christmas gift for my cousin Haley. It looked so cute on her, and she told me that it’s one of the coziest sweaters she’s ever worn. I waited till the post-holiday season sale to order it. It was only $23.98 (not counting shipping fees), and the original price was $60. Not a too shabby deal if I do say so myself, and neither is the sweater! 100/10 recommend it, but get it before it sells out!

Another few additions to my cozy indoor outfit are my favorite ripped boyfriend jeans from American Eagle (obviously I would only wear these inside at the moment) and tortoise frames. Let’s face it, you can never go wrong with comfy, baggy jeans and cute retro frames. #HipsterStyle4Life 🤓

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How are you staying warm during the Polar Vortex? Comment down below and let’s start a conversation!

SHOP THE LOOK

In Winter Style Tags #fashionblog, #blog, #fashionblogger, #aeriereal, #sweaterweather, #turtleneck, #sweetcaroline, #greyturtleneck, #cozyoutfit, #ootd, #aerie, #blogger, #midwestbloggers, #winterstyle, #winterfashion
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The Banyan Tree Look

January 9, 2019 Caroline Tullis
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Hey, y’all! It’s just about mid-January and the weather outside has actually been pretty mild. I honestly don’t mind it at all. I’m much more of a warmer weather type of person, and the months leading up to March, or even April, are usually pretty brutal with the cold air. And when Christmas is over, I’m ready for spring to come. So the fact that it’s this nice and warm in the winter is a treat!

Ohio is very bipolar though, so I cannot guarantee the weather to be like this for the rest of winter. I’m pretty sure were gonna have at least a few long weeks with snow, ice, negative temperatures, and potholes (insert sad emoji 😢). On a positive note, that would mean cancelled classes and some nice days off!

I have the perfect outfit that works for both chilly and mild temperatures. It’s also great for both fancy and casual occasions. It’s basically perfect for anything!

Banyan Tree is one of my newest obsessions. It’s a local company in the Northeast Ohio area. There are three locations: one in Crocker Park, one in Legacy Village, and one in Tremont. It’s such a cute branch (ha, see what I did there?) with a variety of styles to choose from. It’s trendy, chic, and affordable. What more could you ask for? From Banyan Tree, I have a grey sweater with a criss cross back and burgundy velvet skirt. I received them both as a Christmas gift and they match perfectly. The sweater is nice because it’s light enough to wear for warmer weather but still appropriate for chilly weather (with a coat or jacket). The velvet skirt is a little more fancy, but can still be worn for plenty of fun occasions.

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I decided to go with a preppy look by styling the outfit with my Steve Madden black knee high boots, my black Kate Spade satchel aka my “big girl purse”, and black pantyhose. I’m gonna be real honest for one hot second … I do not enjoy wearing pantyhose. I don’t hate them, but I find them uncomfortable, especially around the waist area. The only reason I’ll wear is because they make outfits look cute and they’re kind of an essential item for fancy outfits in the winter. It helps that they look cute with this outfit especially!

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By the way, this post is NOT sponsored. I just really love Banyan Tree and I encourage you to check it out if you’re a Cleveland native! Be sure to also follow them on Instagram: @shopbanyantree to keep up with their styles and items.

I hope y’all have a wonderful rest of your week. Happy Hump Day!

In Winter Style Tags #clevelandfashion, #blogging, #banyantree, #sweetcaroline, #ohioblogger, #blog, #clevelandblogger, #fashionblogger, #blogger, #fashionblog
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Stepping Into the New Year

January 3, 2019 Caroline Tullis
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Happy New Year, y’all!

I can’t believe it’s already 2019 … it feels yesterday was 2009, which was ten years ago and I was still in middle school! I can’t even believe that were already in the third day of this year. Time seriously flies by!

I’m not gonna lie, I’m always nervous at the beginning of every New Year. While I’m excited about the opportunities and experiences to come, the unknown of a new year usually makes me feel a bit uneasy. I tend to overthink about the future way more than I should. I think too much about how I’m going to graduate in time, what’s going to happen to my family and friends, my future love life, my future career, accomplishing my dreams, etc. I think you get the point of what I’m saying. The future is scary!

Despite my worries; however, I’m going to work on not getting all caught up in what hasn’t happened yet. I’m going to let go of comparison, fear, self-doubt, insecurities and negative thoughts and instead put my focus on the present moment. It’s much better to have good memories to look back on rather than to worry about what’s going to happen next and not live in the present. God gives us all one life, and I want to live mine to the fullest. And I encourage you to do the same. After all, the new year is only a slight change in the calendar. There’s plenty of time to live in the moment and create new memories to forever cherish!

As far as my style goes, it ain’t changing any time soon. The picture above was actually taken before Christmas. I came down with a 24-hour flu on New Years Eve and New Years Day, so I wasn’t feeling good enough to post a cute NYE outfit. I’m just thankful that I wasn’t sick a week before! But honestly, I would still wear this outfit on NYE instead of a sparkly dress if I felt like it. It’s still chic and spunky. That’s what New Years is all about! I feel like these JustFab shoes are especially perfect to ring in the new year. I got these shoes when I collaborated with them in December for their boot season campaign. They’re so glam, and they go with every outfit. I walked into 2019 at the perfect time! Just like in the picture above … get it?

What are your goals for this year? Are you going to work on staying in the present moment like me or do you have other specific ideas in mind? Leave a comment down below and let me know!

SHOP THE LOOK

Jacket: styleNmotion - similar jacket

Top: Anthropologie - similar top

Jeans: American Eagle - similar jeans

Shoes: JustFab

Tags #newyear, #2019, #justfab, #ootd, #nye, #nyeoutfits, #winterfashion, #winterstyle, #sweetcaroline, #ohioblogger, #clevelandblogger, #clevelandfashion, #midwestbloggers, #fashionblogger, #fashionblog, #blog, #blogger, #blogging
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Brief Christmas Haul

December 28, 2018 Caroline Tullis
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Hi, y’all! I hope everyone had a very MERRY Christmas and are getting excited about 2019! I’m still sad that my favorite holiday is over. But on the bright side, there's only 362 days left till next Christmas! And I’m already excited about all the amazing things that are going to happen in the new year!

I’ve been a bit absent the past few days for the holidays. I enjoyed some special quality time celebrating with my relatives, from both my mom and my dad’s side. It was a nice way to take a step back from social media and to enjoy the spirit of Christmas. I also got some super cute new outfits and items that I’m for sure going to blog about. With that being said, I’m going to start off with my wubby pullover from Nordstrom, my black suede high knee boots from Steve Madden, and my fabulous black satchel by Kate Spade!

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I’ve been wanting a wubby pullover for a long time now. They’re super trendy, super cozy, and super chic. A lot of college girls have been wearing them and putting them on trend boards and Pinterest. Me being a college girl myself, that made me want to own one myself!

I’m obsessed with it. I’ve hardly stopped wearing it since! It’s so comfy and is perfect to wear for practically any occasion. There’s also so many different fashion pieces you can style it with: jeans, leggings, boots, tennis shoes, scarves, baseball caps, beanies, etc. It’s literally the best freaking pullover ever!

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I’ve also been wanting high knee boots for a long time. These are the exact pair that I dreamed of as well, in black and suede. I was considering purchasing a pair for myself at the beginning of fall, but I decided to wait and ask for it as a Christmas gift. And Santa made my wish come true, and now I can wear them whenever I want! They, like the pullover, are also very trendy at the moment and look perfect with almost any outfit.

Now the satchel, on the other hand, was a big surprise. I didn’t ask for a new bag nor was I expecting one. So when I unwrapped it on Christmas Day, you can imagine how surprised I was. I’m in love with it and I haven’t stopped using it since. I consider it as my first big girl purse!

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What did y’all get from Santa Claus on Christmas? Any cute new outfits or products you want to tell me about? Comment down below and get a conversation started!

SHOP THE LOOK

In Winter Style Tags #wubbypullover, #sweaterweather, #nordstrom, #winterfashion, #winterstyle, #ootd, #fashionblogger, #fashionblog, #sweetcaroline, #clevelandblogger, #ohioblogger, #blog, #blogger, #collegeblogger, #chrismtashaul, #christmas
2 Comments

Just Fab(ulous)

December 20, 2018 Caroline Tullis
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Hey, y’all! We’re finally one short day away from the weekend. I hope everyone’s week has been just fab so far! Speaking of “just fab”, I’m currently collaborating with Just Fab for their end of the year boot season campaign! When they reached out to me about the partnership, I was so PUMPED! … See what I did there?

I absolutely love Just Fab. They have the cutest selection of shoes to choose from, especially boots. I was overwhelmed they asked me to pick two pairs of shoes to choose for the sponsorship. There are too many stylish shoes to choose from, even picking two was really hard! But I took my time and picked the two cutest pairs that fit my style: the silver velvet Rosanna booties (which I’m wearing in the pictures in this post) and the black Perenna heeled sandals (which you can expect to see in a future post coming soon!)

I am absolutely in love with these velvet silver booties, and I’ve gotten so many compliments on them already. They’re sexy, they’re fun, they’re chic, and they make me feel like a rockstar. I feel as if these are the modernized shoes that Cinderella would wear to a party!

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Now that I’ve given you all the info about these shoes, I’ll tell you about the rest of this outfit. I ordered my teddy bear coat is from Amazon, and it was only $30 ($45 if you pay for the early shipping fee). I LOVE this coat. It’s so cozy and cuddly, I feel like I’m being hugged by a literal giant teddy bear whenever I wear it! It’s also super chic and goes with almost every outfit. It’s perfect for winter and slowly transitioning into spring shortly after. I highly recommend it. It’s a huge fashion trend right now!

I also have on my favorite red turtleneck tank top from Francesca’s, my black ripped jeggings from American Eagle, and my gold layered necklace from Altar’d State. All simple to help put focus on the shoes, but still super chic and glam!

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Be sure you guess check out Just Fab and all the collections of styles they have to offer! Their boot season is a hit and you don’t want to miss out on it. You should definitely consider joining their VIP program to receive amazing perks, including 75% off your first purchase!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend! Also just a friendly little reminder, in case you haven’t realized … Christmas is in 5 DAYS!!! Woo-hoo! Don’t mind the inner elf within me, but be sure to spread the joy of the season in the next few days! Maybe if you write Santa a last minute letter, you’ll find a new pair of shoes underneath your tree! Perhaps specifically Just Fab shoes … you’ll just have to wait and see!

Those last two lines may or may not be intentionally rhymed for the sake of Christmas … but who cares? Keep spreading the love and magic of the season throughout the air! See, I just did it again. Someone stop me, I could keep doing this all day long!

SHOP THE LOOK

Shoes: JustFab

Coat: Amazon

Top: Francesca’s - similar top

Pants: American Eagle - similar pants

Necklace: Altar’d State - similar necklace

In Winter Style Tags #JFBootSeason, #shoesaddict, #blogger, #ohioblogger, #clevelandblogger, #ad, #fashion], #shoes, #fashionblog, #sweetcaroline, #ootd, #blog, #justfab, #blogging
1 Comment

Merry and Bright

December 18, 2018 Caroline Tullis
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Well y’all, the semester is over and I can now officially celebrate the HOLIDAY SEASON! Woo-hoo!

I love Christmas, by far my favorite holiday to celebrate! Although I’m not one of those people who gets into the holiday spirit the day after Halloween. I like to take my time and enjoy Thanksgiving and autumn before it’s officially time to bring out the ornaments. Though I’m not going to lie, it can be so damn hard to listen to a different radio station when another one is playing Christmas songs 24/7. It’s so tempting!

And even when Thanksgiving ends and it’s officially Christmastime, it’s still hard to enjoy when the semester comes to an end. I’ve been extremely busy with my final exams and all deadlines for my projects and assignments. I hardly even had time to watch Hallmark movies because I needed to focus on my studies. Even though the last few weeks have been stressful, I still managed to find ways to enjoy myself. I took time to relax and cleanse my mind, hang out with my friends before we all went on break, and to make sure I wasn’t stressing myself out too much. A few of my friends and I actually went to see John Mulaney perform stand-up at Kent State University after Thanksgiving. I was laughing so hard that my chest was hurting. Ironically, they say laughter is the best medicine! But it was still the perfect stress release. I freaking love John Mulaney!

But now that the semester is over, I’m officially in full Buddy the Elf mode! I’m craving hot cocoa and all things cozy! I always say every year gets better, but I really do mean it. I have a burning feeling that this Christmas is going to be the best one yet. My family and I have already decorated the tree, are spending cold nights indoors watching Christmas movies while drinking hot cocoa, and there are more traditional festivities to come!

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What’s your favorite thing about the holiday season? Comment down below and share!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go sleep in till 10 AM for the next month, except on Christmas Day because that’s the only day I’m a morning person! Hence the coffee mug 😉

SHOP THE LOOK

In Winter Style Tags #christmas, #christmasfashion, #laurenconrad, #lclaurenconrad, #kohls, #velvet, #pajamas, #pajamaoutfits, #winterfashion, #winterstyle, #sweetcaroline, #clevelandblogger, #ohioblogger, #blog, #blogger, #blogging, #fashionblog, #fashionblogger
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3 Years of Pure Sweetness (Anniversary Post)

September 27, 2018 Caroline Tullis
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Exactly three years ago today … Sweet Caroline was born!

Actually, I need to clarify. I was born on May 20, 1996. My blog “Sweet Caroline” was born three years ago. Now that makes more sense. And just like me, it’s been sweet to this very day since Day 1!

I still can’t believe it’s been that long since I first launched my website. I know it wasn’t that long ago, but it still feels like I just started it. Though I will say, I am pretty impressed with how much experience and wisdom I’ve gained as a blogger and influencer on social media. When I started out, I was also a freshman in college. I used blogging as a hobby during my study breaks. Now looking back, it’s so neat to see how much my site has grown as well as how much I’ve grown as well. My content has become more aesthetic, I feel like a social media professional now, and I’ve gained plenty of awesome brand partnerships within the last year. It truly has been a blessing, and I definitely see myself as a full-time blogger in the future. I know this is what God is calling me to pursue, and it’s an amazing feeling!

However, I still have a lot to create and improve in. I’m trying to be more consistent with my posts (even though college is busy 24/7), I’m still learning how to be more engaged with my followers, and I’m also focused on gaining more confidence: a key factor for all bloggers. I’m actually planning to design a new template for the website which I hope to release sometime soon. It’s going to look so good and aesthetic! I also hope I can go back to my YouTube channel and make more weekly or monthly videos (depending on my schedule). That’s something I’ve always been into and something I’ve wanted to pursue for the longest time, so I’m going to finally make that an accomplishment of mine!

But as I’m making these improvements, I’m gonna make sure to enjoy the present moment while it lasts. I think what makes the journey of chasing dreams more special is taking time to look around, observe, and memorize our surroundings so that one day we can look back and appreciate that part of the journey. I hope this encourages you as you’re following your own dreams as well. Life flies by like a cheetah, so don’t dwell in the past or worry about the future!

Also it is now officially fall, probably my favorite season along with summer. So a fall-themed photoshoot at an apple orchard felt like a perfect way to celebrate three years of my someday full-time business!

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I just want to thank all you awesome people have been reading and keeping up to date with my content. I probably wouldn’t be blogging if it weren’t for y’all. Here’s to more years!

Shirt: Target - similar shirt

Skirt: Altar’d State

Necklace: Francesca’s

Lipstick: Smashbox

Tags #blogger, #clevelandblogger, #anniversary, #fashionblog, #ohioblogger, #blog, #travelblogger, #lifestyleblog, #lifestyleblogger, #bloggerbabes, #blogging, #fashionblogger, #blogs, #sweetcaroline, #travelblog
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