Simply Elsa is Full Time!

Friends, I can’t believe I’m typing this, and I’m so overwhelmed with joy, excitement, nerves, and gratitude as my fingers click the keyboard. I’ll just go ahead and say it, Simply Elsa is now full time for me! I’m not even sure where to begin. But, this post will share a little bit of what’s on my heart, what to expect, what I’m excited for, and mostly, how incredibly grateful I am. That gratitude is because of you and for you. Without you following along and supporting me, I wouldn’t even be writing this! From the early days of collages and ginger jars on Instagram, to Purely Simply, to Simply Elsa as we know it today, there have been important chapters and people that contributed to Simply Elsa arriving where it is. Thank you for being part of this journey, I did not do this alone! Leading up to this point, I spent most of my free time, nights and weekends pouring my heart into my passion project, all things Simply Elsa. I like to think that I kept a healthy balance between my blog, work, friends and personal life, but deep down I knew that blogging full time would eventually be the right path for me. A path that I feel so incredibly passionate about. Ultimately, things fell into place, and the week before Thanksgiving, I had my last day at work! I took a little time off and began pursuing Simply Elsa in a full time capacity. This is still a pinch me moment. 

This community that we’ve cultivated together truly means the world to me. I cannot tell you all the positive things it has brought into my life. There have been beautiful moments, wow moments, hard moments, “why did I say (or wear) that?” moments, and everything in-between. Through every peak and valley of this journey, I’ve found myself growing and realizing it’s exactly where I am meant to be. I know I may not lead the most exciting life, but this is my life, it’s real and I hope that by putting it into this little corner of the internet, you have a safe and happy space. Since I’ve always had a traditional 9-5, the opportunity to do this will be an exciting shift. A shift I’m so thankful for and thrilled about beyond measure! I had worked in the art and home decor world for years, and until very recently, I was working as an assistant. I’ve always kept my professional life private out of respect for my job, which I’m sure you can understand! But needless to say, I’m so over the moon and ready for this change. 

When I first joined social media a few years ago, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was a plus-sized woman entering the classic style blogging landscape. By the time I began blogging, there had been large strides in size representation, with incredible mid to plus-size bloggers already paving the way. Even though there were many size 16 bloggers, there weren’t a ton that shared my style. So, I was still a bit nervous. Those nerves were settled by how fiercely and wholeheartedly you embraced me and supported me. I quickly realized that I was in the right place with so many amazing people, including you. For a substantial period in my life, years before Simply Elsa, I thought I had to be a certain size in order to celebrate my style, disclaimer: you do NOT. I celebrate my style and confidence, sharing it with you in the hopes it continues the dialogue that style and size are not mutually exclusive. Also, so that you feel seen. So today, as a happy, healthy and confident woman, every time I post a photo or an outfit, it feels like I’m giving younger me a hug. I’m telling that woman she’s worthy, she’s beautiful, and that she’s entitled to a great closet, and an even better life. I suppose it’s an ongoing form of healing. But my ultimate hope, and the reason that I started all of this, is that when you see my posts, you feel that very same hug and you hear that very same message. 

( It’s important for me to mention that although I’m a plus-size woman, being a size 16 allows me to shop at most mainstream places, and there is immense privilege in that)

Simply Elsa will always be a place focused on connecting with you first and foremost. Not much will really change around here, it will still be little old me, you’ll just be seeing a bit more of me! This means I’ll be able to share more and engage with you more, which I’m so happy about. I’ll be making more content by nature of doing this full time. The core of my content will continue to maintain the values I’ve upheld so far, with the goal of feeling like you’re talking to a friend. I’m excited to continue doing partnerships the way I’ve always done them, with brands that feel organic to this space and will add value to your life. I made this transition during the busiest season in blogging between partnerships and holiday, so things will settle to a more normal cadence in a couple of weeks. I know that when a blogger transitions to full time, sometimes people may feel they can lose a sense of relatability, and I can completely understand that. Heck, I’ve seen it happen. My goal is to always share my real life, not a glamorized version of it, and that mentality isn’t going anywhere, I can promise you that. Most of all, I’m just so excited to share more of everything with you. At the end of the day, the heart of Simply Elsa is a space where you can come to be inspired, celebrated and feel seen. We’re in this together and we’ve achieved this together!

Whether you’re here from my Instagram community, this blog, or my TikTok family, you’re such a valued member of this space. Every single DM, comment, and e-mail has meant something to me. This will first and foremost always be a blog dedicated to life and style, and I’m so excited to do it on a larger and more consistent scale. I can’t wait to share more of my life with you, more of the things I find inspiring, more of my style, more of the maybe mundane but very real bits to my day, the happy, the sad, and everything in-between. Thank you for being here. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for supporting me. Thank you for being you, I cannot say it enough. 

Here’s to the road ahead! 

Xo

Elsa