OUT + OUTFIT

Katie Holocher, author of the blog OUT + OUTFIT

This month marks one year since launching OUT + OUTFIT for founder Katie Holocher. “It had been months in the making up until that point, which involved figuring out the vision, the style, the posts, etc.,” she recalls, “but once it was out there, I was all in.”

According to Holocher, the blog was inspired by her pure love for fashion blogs. “I enjoy them both for form and function,” she says. “They are something beautiful to look at, all the while being spaces for me to gather ideas, inspirations, and actual products.”

From there, her blog gained momentum after many conversations with her sister-in-law. In fact, she attributes most of her blog’s success to her.

They would talk about the blogs they followed and all that they were able to do and her sister-in-law was really the one to encourage Holocher to try her hand at the same thing. “She believed in my style and my voice and believed I could foster a really great thing,” says Holocher.

And after thinking, and talking, more seriously about it with her sister-in-law, Holocher worked on coming up with the name, her niche, her angle, etc.

Knowing that she wanted it to encompass all there is to her and what she is interested in, she thought about the social side and the fashion side. Thus, OUT + OUTFIT was born.

The blog is really about “OUT” posts, which are posts about anything Holocher does when she goes out – happy hour spots, new restaurants, city fleas, and fashion events.

The “OUTFIT” posts are primarily focused on fashion, which include the way she styles different looks, ideas of color and pattern combination, as well as the celebration of others who are making cool fashion statements.

“I believe the blog is unique in that it has a very focused vision and it remains true to that vision, which is both a celebration of what to do and what to wear,” she explains.

Holocher also tries to stay squarely positive in what she has to say. “I want to be authentic to the experience, but I never want this blog to be an arena of harsh criticism or complaints. I am very proud of the fact that I have stayed true to the strong vision I started with and I think that too sets it apart,” says Holocher.

Not only has the traffic on the site grown tremendously, but also it’s opened the door to many valued partnerships. Those that Holocher has met, worked with, and discussed with, have been “extremely beneficial and are relationships that I am thankful to now have,” she says.

“I love that I take the time to think about my outfits, try something different, take a chance. I have always loved dressing up in the past, but now I make it a point to be more conscious and adventurous with it,” says Holocher. “I also make points to try new places in the city, get myself out there to do something. All of that is due to its growth and popularity.”

Holocher loves how positive and collaborative blogging is. Blogging is not without competition and judgment and self-doubt, but Holocher has felt nothing but support and guidance and acceptance when she has reached out to others along the way.

“That was a huge surprise and something that I definitely am mindful of as a really lovely part of blogging,” says Holocher. “It is easy to look at other bloggers who I admire and think, ‘I’ll never make it to that level,’ but I refuse to let myself travel down that path of insecure doubt. Instead, I look at it as motivation.”

To learn more, visit the blog here. You can subscribe and receive new published posts when you go up via email. Be sure to check out her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.