After accidentally throwing my mom and dad into a parental memory challenge question, I have gathered that for my 5th birthday I hosted a (very on-brand) tea party. Still extra as ever, the reason I’m shimmy-ing around town is the 5th birthday celebration of gabibreitenbach.com! Last week I got a notification, from LinkedIn no less, that I had reached this mile marker and I couldn’t help but feel surprised at said timeline.
I first started this blog on Tumblr under the name Red Door to Heaven due to the big red sliding barn door that led to my closet. No, I really thought it was clever at the time I swear. Channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw fantasies, I wanted to create a space of my own where my big fat mouth could run. Beginning at the starting line of my red door, I started trend reporting, designing Polyvore layouts, and journaling my first internship with Milwaukee’s finest, Jordan DeChambre.
Jordan, my fashion fairy godmother, gave me my first taste of what a future in the industry could look like when my mother, grandmother, and I tagged along with her crew to my first New York Fashion Week in 2013. With a newly fragmented show schedule, whenever Jordan couldn’t make it to a show I was excitedly on standby to hop in a cab at a moment’s notice. At sixteen, I was fake strutting my way into Milk Studios for Peter Som’s Spring 2014 runway presentation. From there, I started helping Jordan back in Milwaukee write scripts for TV appearances on trend reports and shopping guides, assisting backstage at fashion shows, and literally anything else she needed. I felt so empowered to do my own homework, be curious, and start to reach my own conclusions of industry happenings. This absolutely laid the ground work for the development of my confidence in fashion literacy and adoration for writing (I love you Jordan).
When I first upgraded from Tumblr to a .com, I deleted so much of my beginning content because I so wanted to look professional. My old editorial layouts and cringe-worthy columns didn’t feel like a true representation of what I wanted to portray. I really regret burning all those files, because the evolution of my personal and writing style, taste, and content speaks to my growth and the longevity of my passion.
To at least know where I started and see where I am now is such a validating feeling. It seems we don’t take enough time to really celebrate our growth and achievements. Accomplishments big or small within your labor of love whether it be perfecting a recipe, learning a new language, mastering a new song, or running your fastest mile deserves recognition void of feeling hubristic. Taking pride in what you spend your time towards is beyond fulfilling. Regardless of if you have an audience or not, the proverbial pat on the back is something we should all do more of.
I don’t identify as a blogger as the term leaves an inauthentic taste in my mouth. I do not accept endorsements or ad content because I want the freedom to write about trends in the market that interest me, styling advice the way I do it, travel pieces from places I care about, and whatever else tickles my fancy. My website is a passion project and a true outlet for me that doubles as a tool to help me stay educated about industry I hope to find a career in. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to operate and contribute all my own content, all from my loudspeaker point of view.
So thank you for coming to my second-coming 5th birthday tea party where I spilled all the t(ruth) and filled your cup with champagne instead. Respect your own hustle, recognize your own growth, and don’t be afraid to holler that personal shout out. I so appreciate all the love echoes I’ve received over these few years of yelling into the void, there’s no better compliment I swear.
XX -Gab
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