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Ten years ago, I pressed publish with no plan and a whole lot of hope. No tripod, no brand strategy (because what was that), and no idea that this little corner of the internet would follow me through every major life chapter. I just knew I loved fashion and telling stories with clothes. And boy, did my life change forever.
A decade later, here is what I have learned. 1. You do not need permission, ever. The Mod Little Melanin exists because I decided it should. Not because anyone asked for it, approved it, or thought it was a good idea. There were days when my only reader was my mother. Days when the only person who liked content on Instagram was me, and that was more than enough. 2. Everyone starts scrappy. My first photos were taken by my 7-year-old brother, strategically positioned to hide the height difference. There was no tripod, just hope and a good angle. Eventually, I discovered that tripods for cellphones did exist, and after a few broken phones, I learned not to film on windy days. You don't need an expensive camera to start. Just start. 3. Creativity is cheaper than therapy, and sometimes more effective. This platform started as a way to feel better about not getting accepted into medical school. It later turned into a business, a portfolio, and a calling card. Healing and ambition are not opposites. They can coexist beautifully. 4. Consistency is the real flex. Virality is cute, but showing up quietly for years is what actually builds something. Most of the work that mattered happened when no one was watching, liking, or commenting. I have yet to achieve 10,000 followers on any platform. Brands gave me brand deals because of my consistency and my community, not because of my virality or vanity metrics. 5. You do not have to pick one identity. Fashion girl and science girl can share a closet. So can ambition and softness. The moment I stopped trying to be easily understood was the moment everything fell into place. And don't ever feel the need to water yourself down, or copy and paste someone else's ideas onto your page. Tell your story; you are enough. 6. Small followings can still have a big impact. Some of my best opportunities came when my numbers were modest. The work spoke louder than the metrics. Quality will always outlast quantity. You can be here today and cancelled tomorrow in the world of content creation; focus on your community. 7. Pivoting is not quitting; it is editing. Walking away from podiatry was not failure; it was revision. Life is not a first draft. You are allowed to refine the story and rewrite it over and over again. 8. Not every dream is meant to stay. Some dreams are meant to shape you, not define you forever. Letting go can be an act of trust, not defeat. 9. Your body sets the pace; listen to it. A stroke at 31 rearranged my timeline in ways I did not plan for. I had to move from my dream city and unenroll from my dream nursing program. It seemed like a setback, but listening to my body over the last year has taught me so much about rest and productivity. 10. Style is personal history. Fashion has always been how I tell the truth. Joy, grief, confidence, recovery, and ambition all live in my clothes. I get dressed on my darkest days and my best days. Style is not shallow. It is a record. Ten years later, The Mod Little Melanin is still evolving, and so am I. The Mod Little Melanin remains a love letter to duality, reinvention, and becoming. I still have no true brand strategy; I simply share what feels right because that is what has always worked for my brand. It has allowed me to be successful as a small, niche creator, sign large brand deals, be invited on brand trips, recieve invitations to NYFW, Miami Swim Week, Art Basal and more. My largest platform has just over 6,000 followers, yet I am often invited into spaces with creators 10x my size. My method is simple, yet effective. So if your dream is to do the same, start today and keep going. I promise there is always someone who will see your dreams, your passion and your work ethic and know that you are, in fact, bigger than the program. And yes, I am still chasing that doctorate. Just with better outfits now. With love, Chelsea The Mod Little Melanin and The Kansas City It Girl
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I hate wearing jeans. No, seriously, I hate it. Denim and I have never had a natural relationship. Denim is stiff. Denim pinches when I want ease, and it somehow always feels like I am trying to be more casual than I actually am. Jeans have always lived in the “fine, I guess” category for me. Functional, but never exciting. Like never, ever exciting. Yet, if I can pair it with a soft pattern like florals, it suddenly feels worth the effort. A romantic print changes everything. The denim stops feeling harsh and starts to feel balanced, something fit for a maximalist (like me) to wear. Add a delicate bag, a few playful accessories (we're always picking pearls over here), and the look softens immediately. It becomes less about forcing myself into jeans and more about styling them in a way that feels true to me and my own personal style. THAT is the version of denim I can get behind. Easy, intentional, and a little romantic. Nothing stiff or overly serious. A look grounded enough to let the softer pieces shine. Denim, done softly, feels like a compromise I actually enjoy. It allows my love for feminine silhouettes to shine through my clothing, while still allowing me to participate in the classic, everyday uniform everyone else seems to swear by. Ten Years of The Mod Little Melanin A dream, a love of boho fashion, and a sepia filter. These are the first images that ever lived on The Mod Little Melanin. Ten years ago today, I launched my blog and fashion social media accounts without fully realizing how deeply this platform would shape my life. At the time, it felt like a creative outlet. Looking back, it was a lifeline. I was 22 years old, newly graduated from The University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, and sitting with disappointment, I did not yet know how to name. I had planned to matriculate directly into medical school after college, and when that did not happen, I was forced into a gap year I did not want. It felt like failure. It felt like being left behind while everyone else moved forward. With gentle encouragement from my friends and my mom, I decided to redirect that sadness into something joyful. I bought my domain name, picked up my camera, and started sharing what I loved most: fashion. The name The Mod Little Melanin was intentional. “Mod” represented both being cool and my deep love for 1960s bohemian fashion. “Melanin” was a nod to my Native American and Black heritage. Together, the name felt like me. In 2016, I did not own a tripod. Instead, I brought my 7-year-old brother along to take my photos. Because of the height difference, I would have him stand far enough away so the angle did not make it obvious. Those photos were imperfect, but they were honest. They were made with what I had. At the time, Tumblr and Polyvore were everything. I had found my creative home. I created style sets like the one featured above and shared them with friends whenever they asked where to shop. They would send them to their friends, who would then reach out to me. Before I realized it, I was acting as a personal shopper for people I had never met, creating Polyvore style sets for weddings, vacations, and special occasions. I was building something without realizing it. In 2020, everything shifted. I landed my first paid brand deal with Affirm after sharing a video about how I purchased designer handbags on Japanese eBay and split the payments using Affirm. The video went viral, and suddenly the work I had been doing quietly for years was visible. Since then, I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of brands, including Coach, Adidas, Athleta, Simon Malls, Tom Ford, and many more. My page became my resume, highlighting my work and creative achievements, even with a small following. In 2023, I attended a brand trip with @tartecosmetics in New York City, a memory I will forever cherish. Along the way, I have been highlighted in an article with the Pennsylvania Podiatric Medical Association, featured in BuzzFeed, appeared as a guest on several podcasts, and even interviewed with BBC Radio. Each opportunity felt surreal, especially considering how quietly this platform began. The Mod Little Melanin has been present through every chapter of my adult life. It brought me happiness while pursuing science and medical degrees. It brought me comfort when I made the difficult decision to walk away from what I believed was my dream career in podiatry. It held space for me when I suffered a stroke at 32, had to leave my dream city of Philadelphia, and unenroll from Columbia University. Through it all, this platform allowed me to show my duality. I am not only a fashion content creator. I am a scientist. A researcher. A woman who knows how to set goals, pivot when necessary, and continue forward with intention. As we enter a new decade of The Mod Little Melanin, I am excited to keep sharing my dreams and aspirations through fashion. This platform has always been about self-expression, joy, and exploration. It is about finding yourself in moments of darkness and still choosing to move forward. And that is exactly what I will continue to do. Because I am achieving that doctorate one way or another, and in style, of course. With love, Chelsea The Mod Little Melanin The Kansas City It Girl |
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