Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Boggess.
Renee, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m so proud of my story and also so excited to see what is to come in the chapters ahead! I am an Executive Assistant by day and fashion and lifestyle blogger by night (and weekends)! My love for fashion goes all the way back to when I was a little girl. I played dress up too many times to count, and I was always ready to strike a pose for the camera! Fashion is like art to me, and I love that we have the ability to create our own unique looks and express ourselves through our own style every day!
As I transitioned from college to the real world though, (aka adulting), I lost myself in the crazy hustle and bustle of working full time. I worked past my hours, weekends, sometimes I even worked a second job. I ate terrible food, and never slept enough. I wasn’t feeling my best, to say the least, and my confidence was at an all-time low! I still loved styling outfits, but I didn’t feel confident enough in my own skin to share my passion with anyone! It took committing myself to ME again to make a change that ended up launching me into where I am today. I committed to cleaning up my diet and working out consistently.
Lifting weights made me feel strong, (and now I’m a regular at CycleBar spinning my butt off too), and the gym became my happy place. I lost the 40 plus pounds I gained and instead gained a better relationship with myself through it all! My confidence is back, and so is my passion. I’m still a work in progress, but every day I’m finding myself a little more through my love for fashion and fitness. I love that I can share this journey with you and provide everyday fashion and healthy lifestyle tips to inspire confidence and healthy living in you! We only have one life to live, so let’s make it our best!
Can you give our readers some background on your work?
I recently launched Heart & Chic, a fashion and lifestyle blog, with the purpose of supporting those that are looking for everyday fashion inspiration and are also interested in lifestyle tips that promote healthy living, (physically and mentally).
Styles and trends might change, but I always try to find pieces to share that are affordable without compromising the quality, which I think is so important. I also like to style pieces that you might already have in your wardrobe. The average woman isn’t shopping every day, so we’ve got to be creative and use what we’ve got! If you’re a fashionista like me and save your pennies for a splurge every once in a while though, don’t worry. I got you too! Your wardrobe is an investment, so you want your pieces to last.
I also share healthy recipes, and I hope to expand more on my workouts in the future. Fitness has become a huge passion of mine as it makes me feel better mentally just as much as it challenges and benefits my physical body. With that being said, 80% of your efforts are actually from what you make in the kitchen, so it’s just as important to invest your time into making healthy meals and/or finding healthier alternatives to the things you like! I haven’t been the best cook in the past, but trying out and posting new recipes holds me accountable, (and it’s really cool when they turn out great)!
My hope with Heart & Chic is that it will be your go-to place for that daily pick me up while you sip your coffee, (or wine), and your regular stop for fashion inspiration and healthy lifestyle tips and tricks! If my story and my blog inspires even just one person and helps them find their spark, rock their own style, and commit to living a healthier life, then I know I’m in the right place and doing the right thing. So much of where we end up is due to how much we love ourselves. Know that you are beautiful. You are worthy!
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
My best advice is to be confident, have fun, do you, and don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists no matter how fabulous and big time you think they are! I didn’t start my blog for the longest time because I felt like I couldn’t possibly be as good as all of the other girls I admire and follow. Wrong way of thinking! We all have to start somewhere, and each of us brings our own wonderfully unique thoughts, tastes, and styles to this world. Take a chance and reach out to an artist you admire. Ask to hear their story! You will probably find you are more alike than you think.
Utilizes what you know and what you have. If you don’t have a laptop (I didn’t when I started my blog), work off your phone! Send them a dm, write a quick email, or comment on their photo to show some love! Look up local workshops or meetups you can attend. It’s a great way to not only learn but to also network. I’m hoping to find a few workshops to attend this year, so feel free to share if you have one in mind, and hopefully, I will see you there!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can view all of my outfits, recipes, and healthy lifestyle tips on my blog as well as on my Instagram account @heartandchic. I also share my outfits, style inspiration, and recipes on Pinterest under heartandchic, so stop by and feel free to pin one of my looks and try it out for yourself! One of my favorite things about having a blog and a platform is being able to interact with all of you! This isn’t just my story, it’s yours too! I have so much fun coming up with content that I think you will find useful and enjoy. Feel free to send me a dm or e-mail with content that you would like to see! If you’d like to stay in the know with my latest posts, make sure to subscribe to my blog at www.heartandchic.com and join me on this new adventure!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heartandchic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartandchic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartandchic
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/heartandchic
Image Credit:
Food and Flatlay Photos: Me; Car Photos: My wonderful boyfriend!; Peach top: Meg Ellis; All other photos: Mom, Dad, and Brother
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
