Hi Kate, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Initially, I had some trouble with determining exactly what my passions were in college. My major was business, but I wasn’t really sure if I was on the right path. One of my managers when I worked retail in Auburn, Alabama, suggested that I couple my business insights with my fashion interests and major in apparel merchandizing while shifting the business major to a minor. As a result, I ended up doing a management internship with Nordstrom in Austin, Texas, and it gave me great insights into the fashion industry and the retail sector.
Upon graduation, I knew I was destined to work with fashion in some way. Chronic health issues complicated any traditional approach into a career, so I began by reselling designer labels online before branching out into Instagram to further promote my store. Eventually, I grew my page to provide both advice on reselling and to explore my love of fashion on a more grand and creative scale. As I continued, the fashion and lifestyle aspects became the overwhelming focus of the page until it reached the point it’s at today! While fashion and positivity are both huge parts of my page, I don’t shy away from the harder moments in my life; I believe it is important to show my humanity online.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The hardest part of this journey has been shifting gears from reselling to a pure lifestyle and fashion-focused page. You build a community as you build a page and changing priorities means it takes time for that community to adjust. Since I had a decent following as a micro-influencer at that point, I felt pressure to get everything right the first time through uncharted territory. Trying to build up my community while finding my own place within Instagram as a creator was definitely challenging.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I don’t feel like I’m anything other than an average person who ended up taking an unorthodox path. So as far as finding an official title, I usually go with content creators these days! I make Instagram content and build up a community of followers and friends each day, primarily discussing fashion, life moments, and even delving into mental health and chronic illness as those hold important places in my life too. My page would be known for being confidently imperfect. I try to break barriers in a different way. I see creators pushing for no makeup and no filters while others are glam pages with filters, and I think they’re all honestly super cool to see. I fall somewhere in between, a place I feel a lot of women can relate to — I like to dress up the glam and show my confidence through my clothing or makeup sometimes, but I don’t mind being open and honest with mental health talks, body image issues, body pose content supporting all body types, and my imperfect moments in life as well. I think women can be both beautiful and imperfect. I hate seeing women shamed for dressing like a fashionista and wanting to be taken seriously too. You can absolutely do both.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family, my friends, and of course, my dogs! They are the support that helps me to keep moving forward every morning when I wake up. I like to spend most of my time and energy on creative tasks and projects. I find that exercising my creativity leaves me feeling more fulfilled and happier.
Contact Info:
- Email: thekeybykate@gmail.com
- Website: thekeyblog.com
- Instagram: @thekeybykate
