Eight Year Blog Anniversary

Eight Year Blog Anniversary

Eight years ago, with tremendous support and encouragement from my husband Rick, close friends, and family, AskSuzanneBell.com was launched. Inspired by the generations of fashionable women before me – driven by a burning desire for a creative outlet – I dreamed of a space where women of all ages could stop by, pick up tips, have some fun with style, and be inspired to look and feel their very best self, everyday.

How I Got Started

I was nervous. The idea of putting myself out to the world brought up a slew of insecurities. A private person, I didn’t like the idea of being “exposed” on the big web, but my desire to help women my age look and feel their best from the inside out, outweighed my anxiety, and I began to write. While my patient husband and kids snapped my photos, and my daughter helped me with edits, all of of you stopped by to visit. And when challenges arose – frustrations with Social Media, a Pandemic, personal challenges, time crunches – your engagement, positive comments and encouragement kept me on task, inspiring me to continue to create fresh content, which to date totals over 660 articles published in this little space on the web.

My First Post

When I’m in need of grounding, and a reminder of why I continue to do this crazy blogging thing, I go back and read my first post “Hey Fall, Whatcha Got For Me?’. Published during a time when thick fashion magazines filled the shelves, my first post was inspired by my Grandmother Elizabeth (Grammie M) who at the time was 91 years young. A true style icon, Grammie was an amazing grandmother to 6, and great-grandmother to 6.  A featured guest from time to time here on AskSuzanneBell, Gram showed us all how to live life, every day, to its fullest. She dressed up, showed up, and brought her best game up until the end. We said goodbye to Gram this past July, just 8 days short of her 99th Birthday Celebration. She said in her last days, “Life is short even at its’ longest”, a constant reminder to live your best life every day.

You can read more about my beautiful Grammie M, in the archived post, Hey Fall, Whatcha Got For Me?

Where We’re Going

At age 55, with 8 years of my blogging journey behind me, I’m pleased to share that my blog is still owned by me and the content you enjoy is 100% my own. In an era of sponsored and paid posts, I’m proud of the fact that every article on AskSuzanneBell.com is curated and written by me. I receive weekly requests to publish paid content and promote retail products, but aside from a few sponsored collaborations along the way ( I will always disclose if a post is sponsored), or receiving a very small commission on the shopping links I provide within my posts for your convenience, AskSuzanneBell remains a free space for authentic fashion advice and inspiration.

My goal has, and will continue to be, to publish quality, authentic content twice a week.  Here’s what you can expect for the remainder of 2022.

Monday (new series): Starting this week, Style Me Monday, will feature one item from my closet – styled 5 ways – to get your style wheels turning as you kick off a new week. To celebrate 8 years of ASB style, I’m styling a favorite from my first post, a piece I still wear today. PRESS HERE to read, Red Cocoon Coat, 5 Ways.

First Mondays: Look forward to an all-new collection of Fashion and Lifestyle Collaborative Posts from the Coast to Coast Style Collective. Our first post promises to be chock full of style inspiration and will go live October 3rd. Yay!

Fridays: I plan to continue offering up my weekly Five on Friday or Weekend Musings, featuring everything from sale picks and new fashion finds to recipes, books I’m reading, Best of the Blogosphere, and an outfit idea here and there. You never know what’s on my mind come Friday, so be sure to stop by.

A Big Thank You!

We’ve learned and discovered so much together, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey as much as I have. Because of all of you, AskSuzanneBell continues to evolve and thrive, thank you SO MUCH for reading, commenting, and sharing, your love is what keeps me going.

Onward to year 9 of having fun with style!