2015 outfit round-up

Happy 2016! In lieu of a Friday Favorites post, I'm taking a look back at the last 12 months in outfits. It was definitely hard to choose just 12 (I had to leave out some of my favorites, like my Halloween posts), but I thought this was a good representation of how my style has evolved since the start of my blog. Click the links underneath to be taken to each chosen post. Did you have a favorite post from this year (maybe one I didn't pick)?

January   ||   February   ||   March

April   ||   May   ||   June

July   ||   August   ||   September

October   ||   November   ||   December

I was lucky enough to have some great opportunities basically fall into my lap this year. I filmed my first commercial, was featured in a Buzzfeed article, collaborated with some amazing companies, visited friends, went to California, did a lot of fruit-picking, performed a lot, started seeing someone, saw some great movies, and tried to challenge myself to try new things (even when they're a little bit scary). I'm going to carry that last bit into 2016 – as Amy Poehler said, "great people do things before they're ready," and that's the only way I'll continue to grow. In terms of my blog, I want to continue to improve my photography and have more of a variety in my posts... what would you like to see more of here in 2016?

Have a great start to your year & weekend!

Resolutions & Wrap-Ups

Happy New Year!  I normally feature a blogger Q&A interview post on the first of the month, but since today marks the beginning of a brand new year, I wanted to share some of my 2015 resolutions with you.  I've found that it really helps me to write down my goals by hand and then display them; I know some people have enough will-power to keep them in mind all the time, but I need a good visual component.  And speaking of visuals... I know I recently did a seasonal round-up of outfits from this past autumn, but I wanted to include a small sampling of my favorite outfits from the last 365 days -- just to remind myself that although this was a tough year, it was filled with a lot of great ensembles!

I came up with a goal chart earlier in the year, at a time when I was feeling very lost and in limbo.  I found it helpful to divide my goals into different categories, so I decided to continue with that for my resolutions list.  For instance, my health goals include sticking to my Weight Watchers tracking, implementing more exercise into my day, a specific weight loss goal, and to focus my attention on my skincare routine.  My financial goals are to limit and keep better track of my spending, and my career resolutions include finishing my professional website, finding a new (or second) day job, and putting definitive plans in motion to move.  My blogging resolutions are to continue to expand my readership, improve my photography and establish sponsorship with brands.  I also wanted to make sure to include some other resolutions that are focused on my well-being, like getting a car of my own, seeing friends more often, getting a massage, reading more, and making an effort to keep a clean and organized personal space for myself.

There are times when coming up with resolutions makes me focus too much on what I didn't achieve during the previous year.  Because I don't want to discount all of the good things that happened in 2014, I made a little list of what I achieved from my other goal chart.  These accomplishments included getting my driver's license, being cast in some new and exciting projects, surpassing my blog readership goals, and taking some much-needed time to focus on myself.

But my last (and favorite) resolution is to keep dressing in ways that make me happy!  It was hard to pick just one outfit per month from 2014, but here are my favorite 12 outfits from the past year -- all of which brought me a lot of joy:

January  //  February  //  March  //  April  //  May  //  June

July  //  August  //  September  //  October  //  November  //  December 

Thank you all for spending 2014 with me (and sticking with me through these past 12 months)! Although it's been a bit of a tough year, it's been a very valuable one, too.  I'm eager to see what the next 12 months will bring.

So tell me: if you make resolutions, what are some of your goals for 2015?

Have a great start to your year!

xox Sammi

Advertise with The Soubrette Brunette in January!

Once again, it's been a while since I did a "call for sponsors" post.  But since it's almost the new year(!), I thought it was about time!  My little blog has grown quite a bit over the past few months, and if you're looking to grow your own blog or get some traffic for your shop, advertising is a great way to go about it.

I currently offer 3 different sizes for ads (featured, large and small).  Featured ads get the highest visibility, but large and small ads are also in prime spots.  All of my ad prices are super-affordable (prices range from $5-$15 per month), so everyone can advertise, even if you're on a budget.  Speaking from personal experience, advertising on a few different blogs was a really good (and inexpensive) way to get some more traffic and followers, and it also allows you to form relationships with other bloggers.  I love working with bloggers, artists and shop owners -- especially those with a similar aesthetic to mine!

Purchasing an ad is incredibly easy!  You can visit my advertising page here, and then all you have to do is choose the size you'd like, click "add to cart," and then "checkout."  From there, just fill out the information, upload your ad (the size specifications are displayed for each -- if you need an ad made, send me an e-mail), and pay for your ad spot!  Your ad will go live right after I approve it, and ads run for 30 days.  Featured ads are featured in the order they're purchased (so it behooves you to purchase early!), and both large + small ads are shuffled so that everyone gets equal exposure.

You can check out all of my updated stats, find out more about sizes and rates, and even purchase your ads right here -- or you can head directly to my Passionfruit page.  Space is limited, so don't miss out!  I'd love to work with you in 2015!

Have a great Monday!

xox Sammi