If we're being honest, I'm not too fond of TikTok trends. They expedite fast fashion. What is popular this week is "cheugy" next week - I hate that word - and in the world of a fashion blogger that is NOT how I (or any other fashion blogger) operates. While I firmly believe there is nothing wrong with trying to keep up with the trends, as a fashion blogger my number one goal is to stay true to my own personal style first and foremost. 

I would consider myself a maximalist. What's a maximalist you ask? The opposite of the popular minimalist trend. Instead of dressing in nudes, neutrals and black, I love to explore color, pattern, textures and prints. Mixing patterns is literally my jam! Let me start off by saying there is nothing wrong with being a minimalist. But whenever I inform someone that my style is that of a maximalist, I always receive negative feedback. I guess they assume that I am constantly feeding into the trends or that I'm not dressing "sustainable" another popular buzzword that has grown out of the TikTok fashion era.  

People tend to associate minimalism with timeless trends that one can wear year after year, and therefore being the more sustainable way to dress. Maximalism, or basically dressing outside of the standard jean jacket, riding boot, skinny jean and turtleneck each and every season is not viewed as dressing sustainably...because obviously the action of one person surpasses the actions of major corporations that makes hundreds of millions of dollars per year. I dress "sustainably." I shop secondhand, constantly find gems at thrift stores, or from fellow fashion bloggers own closet. I donate items from my closet often, or resell them on my Mercari/Depop. I mean I'm beauty AND brains...I have an ecology and evolutionary biology degree, and care more about preserving the planet than the average person. So how could I still have people telling me that my actions as a fashion blogger is a leading contributing factor to damaging the environment? 

That was a long rant; here is the take home message - dress how you want, and I'll dress how I want. Shop at the stores you wish, and wear the trends you want to wear. Shop small, or shop at the popular bix box clothing stores. Just do whatever makes you the happiest. 

P.S. 

Enjoy this photo of me wearing a sweater dress, a popular TikTok trend. 
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XOXO, Chelsea Nicole 
​The Mod Little Melanin

​Let’s talk life babes. I needed a break from Instagram. For many, Instagram doesn’t play a large role in their life, and the content they create isn’t a make or break to their finances. ⁣
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But as a blogger, Instagram and creating content is my job. And it has quickly become a source of income for me as a podiatry student. I’ve established incredible connections on this app, worked with big brands, met amazing people and have had opportunities extended to me that I only once dreamed of. ⁣
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But it’s much harder to grow now on Instagram, and it’s even harder to grow as a Black and Native content creator. POC creatives are paid much less than their counterparts, and our content is often stolen without credit. Instagram buries creatives, and no longer shows post in a chronological order. So unless you have a large following well over 50,000 you probably won’t see likes over 1,000 unless you hustle for those likes or share your content on another platform. And the people that followed me weren’t really interacting with my content in the way that I wanted them to.⁣
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I know I post stellar content. But with the growth of influencer culture - which I am not a part of - fashion bloggers and other niche bloggers aren’t succeeding. They aren’t growing, and I became frustrated with my lack of growth. So I purged my following and removed nearly 400 followers that never interacted with my content and didn’t have content similar to mine, and took a break. Crazy right? ⁣
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I’m feeling refreshed after my break and ready to create quality content over quantity. I’ll probably drop under 2,000 followers by the end of the day. But I’m starting to care less and less about my follower count. I’ve even hidden the likes of other accounts so I compare myself less to other content creators. Surprisingly, it’s helped me enjoy Instagram more over the last several months. ⁣
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So whether you engage with my content or not, I’m still going to create what I like, regardless of the “likes” I get. I refuse to create reels for growth or hire a manager to tell me how to post. Or whatever else they’re saying we have to do to grow now. I’d rather just be me, freely. #themodlittlemelanin

​The return of the wrap skirt ⁣
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No, I’m not wearing a swimsuit coverup, although I’m sure many suspected that’s what it was…it’s actually a tie skirt! This tie skirt adds the perfect pop of color and texture to a basic outfit. I layered it above a lace romper, which was underneath a oversized t-shirt. ⁣
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Now normally I’m all for layers of an outfit. It helps to transition those nighttime pieces into daytime effortlessly. But I didn’t check the weather before walking out the door, and on a day where the heat index is 103, this outfit (and obviously) the boots weren’t practical. ⁣
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But let’s be honest, is my style ever practical?  #themodlittlemelanin