2014 marks my second full year of blogging, even though it's the 3rd New Year I've rung in with all you lovely readers. This year, more importantly, marks the first year that I really have had the greatest team and support system with my blogging journey and have expanded it from a one woman show to a small team of women and men who help me, have collaborated with me, and who have fueled my fire to keep on going. This year, I very publicly went through the most heart wrenching moment of my entire life when my boyfriend and I lost our, what would have been, first child together. Although he was "unplanned" he was also un-avoided, so it goes without saying that we were both very excited to welcome our little peanut into the world come March. All Size Fits One has been that shining light through the year though, the only really consistent income and hobby I have, and one of the few things that kept me happy during that hard time. This full year marked the first year that I have been 99% shot by my best friend and partner in crime, Jana. She has supported me more than words can even describe, and picked up the job as my blog photographer after my now ex, who used to shoot my pictures, became unavailable for very obvious reasons. She single-handedly makes me look a trillion times better than I appear in real life and has stuck by my side making me laugh, crying with me, and keeping me humble and grateful. So to look back at her amazing photography skills, and some of my best work yet with styling, here is this year's Outfit Rewind!!!
JANUARY
started off with a bang when my first ASFO Outfit Post came to you all the way from the Big Apple. After sitting at a filming for the Bethenny Frankel Show, my mom was kind enough to take a few quick pictures of what I wore to the show that day. Solid colors, with a pop of leopard. Although it was rainy and cold, we managed to have fun and walk around Central Park before catching our flight back home. I also shared some warm and cozy winter looks with you all when I got back to Ohio, since the ground was still covered in snow. One of them featured my favorite statement coat, which you will see makes a stylish comeback in 11 more months.
FEBRUARY
was another great month after Jana and I ventured away from our comfort zone shooting spot and all the way into downtown Columbus where I payed homage to a city that has helped me grow as the quirky individual I am. Bringing Mr. Peppy with us, he made a small cameo in a few pictures where I featured a black on black look that highlighted some fabulous Nike sneakers. We also saw a couple cute and flirty Valentine's day looks for all your lovebirds out there, although I was "single" on Valentines day as far as a lot of people knew, I had a little secret up my sleeve that I had yet to reveal...or better yet, introduce to people. (Hint: his name is Nate)
MARCH
featured a spur of the moment OOTD that (unlike most, due to scheduling issues / creative freedom) was actually shot the same day I wore it. It also brought us articles about Athletic inspired clothing and floral prints for the beginning of Spring. Keep that Athletic wear in the back of your head though....you may be seeing the trend make a comeback sooner than you think ;-)
APRIL
was the month were I debuted my highly anticipated and requested, "Find Your Personal Style - Interactive Lookbook". The most in depth article I have ever published in my life! Complete with 6 style senses, 18 outfits, and 2 months of shooting, styling and editing....my hard work quickly paid off as companies and brands took notice, spreading the article around and making it my most viewed blog post to date. But believe it or not, that wasn't the only thing that got posted that month. I also showed you ladies how to style Athletic Wear (again) and reviewed two awesome 80s and 90s inspired articles as I covered the Return of the Birkenstock and some throwback inspired looks.
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MAY
was fun because I introduced you to a new series called #BOTS, short for Battle of the Sexes, where I pit 2 outfits against each other that share a piece of clothing to see if you all prefer it styled masculine or feminine. I also covered some Spring / Summer trends in the form of Gladiator Sandals and Embroidered Peasant style blouses.
JUNE
Is my birth month!!!! But turning 23 aint gonna stop me from blogging. I had fun getting Pin-spired by some bloggers I follow, even though one of them is a man! And then I shared a super fun new necklace that was coral squared.
JULY
was a blast styling 3 separate American flag looks for you all, to wear on Independence Day! It was also fun to bring the pineapple looks to life. A very weird trend that somehow took off, but hell....I'm not complaining. I always loved eating pineapple so why not wear it?
AUGUST
brought my second major blogging challenge as I took on Blog-ust for the second year! (once again, falling a little short, but little did you all know....it's because I was busy sleeping and growing a baby. I couldn't even shoot at times because I could not physically move off the bed.) This year there was a fun twist though, every article was an outfit challenge! It was my way of combining Blogust and Outfit October together, and you all really seemed to like it.
SEPTEMBER
was THE month that my world came crashing down and as far as the blogosphere was concerned, I didn't exist. After quitting my job as a manager at a baby boutique and taking a month to try and heal (still a work in progress) I finally came back to blogging, just not in front of the camera. This time, I was behind the camera and Nate was making his debut helping me share a few menswear looks with you all to share and show to the men in your life.
OCTOBER
was when I finally had the courage to step in front of the camera lens again, with a noticeably bigger frame and no self confidence. Slapping on a (very forced) smile and a donning a shirt that was very appropriate. Although there were only a couple little articles, I found myself head over heels in love with these two looks!
NOVEMBER
is when I finally got my groove back! Sharing some really fun articles with you all that included a full on sporty look, a fun fall / winter trend where you style skinny sweatpants, the comeback of ponchos and so much more!
DECEMBER
......we made it to the end of the year, and boy what a blogging year it has been! I always like to focus my end of the year attention on Holiday looks that are super glitzy and glamorous. Pulling out all the stops on this year's 6 outfit Holiday Lookbook....I put my best stiletto forward and really went for it, coming up with some of my best looks yet and you all really seemed to enjoy them! So thank you! HOWEVER, in the midst of all the fun of holiday shooting, something truly magical happened, a real Christmas miracle, and Ohio State's very rough football season wound up not so rough after all when our 3rd string quarterback led us to a victory, securing our place in the final 4!!!! GO BUCKS BA-BEYYYY. Ok, sorry, just had to get that out. On a complete whim, Nate and I decided to team up for a collaborative couple's fashion shoot, which was so much more than just the clothes.....
Although the point of that OSU article was the show what to wear to the play-off game, I'm just now realizing how much more symbolic it really is. Here's a man who has barely been in my life, significantly, for a year and who has stuck by my side while we both lost a child. I don't have a ring on my finger, we haven't known each other since childhood, nothing....just goes to show you that sometimes all of those "important" things really don't mean shit. You can wear the biggest ring or collect cars, get cute text messages or presents all the time but nothing compares to sheer respect. I'm talking more than love. More than "future husband material", more than anything. At the end of the day, and at the end of the year, that's what I got....respect. Respect to stay by my side and excuse all the bad behavior. Respect to push me, not hold me back and suppress my creativity. Respect to not only support my dream, but to join me in it.
I started off this year in a city I hope to work in one day, and I'm ending it next to a man who literally held my hand through the gates of hell and back. I'm living in a house with a niece who is beyond perfection. I work in a store that acknowledges my hardwork, and for a company that is willing to let me advance my career and training me already. So yeah, look at my clothes.....they're cute right? But what I really want you to look at is my life. My struggles, my triumphs, my mistakes and my successes. I want you to look at your own and find the balance between material things and emotional things. See who's really important to you, and who is always there when things aren't going well. Just like this blog post, I want you to find that person whose holding you're hand at the end of the year. It could be anyone.
I think people come into our lives for a reason, and after 2 failed relationships my logical persective is "no, I don't know what will become of us". But I do know that I could not have asked for a stronger support system exactly when I needed it and I know that Nate was placed in my life to make sure I got through this thing, and I did. But hey, he's still here.
Shop Smart. Look Chic. Stay Stylish
XoXo
-Viktoria
You can find every single article, fashion based or not, on the side bar that has my blog arcive in it. It's sorted by year and month so you can easily find looks to suit the different seasons!
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In Loving Memory
Damian Francis Harlan Clouser-Simerlink
"Mommy and Daddy will love you forever, you're the strongest fighter I've never met."
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In Loving Memory
Damian Francis Harlan Clouser-Simerlink
"Mommy and Daddy will love you forever, you're the strongest fighter I've never met."
